After the 1994 strike, it became customary for players to throw the last ball of a half-inning to fans (except for strikeouts). But in my visits to the Rangers this year in August and October, I saw little of this. Fewer g-u balls were thrown into the stands by players; or that what it seemed to me.

Maybe it's a safety concern, especially since the tragic fall earlier this year in Arlington. Or maybe it's related to more balls being authenticated. Both factors would apply to the Rangers. But have others noticed the same at other parks? Are players more reluctant to throw balls into the stands?

This is pertinent for those of us who buy authenticated balls, since such knowledge can help trace the history of those balls before being taken out of play where TV replays are inconclusive.