Collecting Game-used: Glove story before a near-miss blooper

There's a glove story attached to this one.

My latest ball in this Collecting Game-used series is again one that I picked up just like others in this run lately -- a blind grab bag buy of sorts just picking by date -- with the same teams involved, too. But, this time it's not any of the three names attached to this ball that makes it a bit cooler when one goes to the tape.

This time, it's all about the defense -- and a near-miss that could have had this one end up on SportsCenter.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

THE BASICS ...
Game-used ball (MLB Authenticated): Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies, July 27, 2022
Watch it in action: See both plays embedded below via MLB Film Room.

-

..

-

..

-

The matchup: Phillies SP Kyle Gibson vs. Braves 3B Austin Riley and  Gibson vs. Braves RF Eddie Rosario
The result: The end of one at-bat (lineout to 3B Alec Bohm) and the start of another as part of a final sixth inning for the starter in a 7-2 win.

What's Buzz-worthy: The play right before this? A Matt Olson home run ... that ball would not have ended up in blind-draw flat-rate grab bag, but the names attached here ain't too shabby if you've been watching the last few seasons and this last week or two in particular. (That's why we're here with this one this time.)

This first play attached to this ball? Actually quite impressive -- a Web Gem or something -- from Phillies 3B Alec Bohm who jumped to snag it for the out. It's also a nice one considering that Bohm's day was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in the win.

The second play? On paper, it's a dud ... ball in the dirt. But if you watch the play it's one that came thisclose to making home plate umpire Will Little a bit of a replay star for a day. The 93.7 mph four-seam fastball goes straight into the dirt and right past catcher J.T. Realmuto -- straight through his five-hole and hard into the backstop. It was thrown so hard, it bounces back toward the batter's box where Rosario almost golfs it back to them before it ricochets away. Had that play gone just a little bit different, this play might have ended up on some all-timer blooper reels. Instead, the ump seemed un-phased -- just another ball in the dirt ... and just another ball in my collection.

--

>> See all past Collecting Game-used stories from Buzz here

--

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com