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Celebrate all of Earth's creatures and enjoy the 10 best animal-MLB interactions of 2015

The 10 best animal-MLB interactions of 2015

Animals and humans, we're not so different. We're all humble carbon-based organisms with beating hearts and brains wired with the instinctual need to survive. Sure, humans evolved opposable thumbs and the capacity for complex thought, which we used to invent and play baseball, but that doesn't mean all of the Earth's creatures don't want to join us on the diamond.

In 2015, animals tried their hardest to get on the field and in the game, to both the delight and dismay of their human counterparts. Sometimes they were invited, other times they had to be sneakier. Below are the 10 best moments of animal-human interaction from the 2015 season.

10. Bird in a box

We should start with the first animal to delay a game this season: This bird at Progressive Field that was eventually caught and transported off the field in a cardboard box. Valiant effort, bird, but humans have had too much practice trapping bugs in jars. 

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9. Grumpy Cat's first pitch

If you think about it, it's not really a problem that she lacks the dexterity to throw a baseball if she can just get her human handlers to do it for her.

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8. Madison Bumgarner's steed

A good way for an animal to not look out of place inside a ballpark is to have Bumgarner riding atop it.

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7. Alligator in the dugout: Bad

It may have been a Minor League moment, but it was the only moment when the imperative was not interacting with said animal.

6. Hamster in the clubhouse: Good

Do you know any other animals that enjoyed free rein in an MLB clubhouse this season? Josh Collmenter's hamster, Slider, was a beast among men, even if she did almost roll into a wall every now and then. 

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5. Byron Buxton meets sheep

In terms of humans grooming animals this year, a lot of players probably gave their dogs haircuts. At the Minnesota State Fair, Buxton gave a sheep a trim. Buxton wins.

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4. Wrigley Zoo

Joe Maddon news conferences delighted Cubs fans on a regular basis this season. But particularly that time a zoo visited Wrigley Field and a pink flamingo joined the press row: 

3. When praying mantis attack

If you're skeptical that insects are a part of the animal kingdom and not secretely an invasive alien species intent on humanity's destruction, the praying mantis that crawled up Ehire Adrianza did nothing to persaude you otherwise. 

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2. Yoenis Cespedes' parakeet power

A shining example of animals and humans teaming up for good: Cespedes channeling this parakeet, who just happened to be chilling at Citi Field, to hit his first home run as a Met. 

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1. Kevin Kiermaier versus the pigeon

Finally, proof that animals will not rest until they've replaced humans as professional baseball players. There were plenty of pigeons that stormed baseball diamonds this season, but only one had the gall to attempt to take a player's place while he was playing. Poor, unsuspecting Kiermaier was the first. And hopefully the last. 

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Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below. And before you ask: Yes, we disqualified the Nationals' pet calendar that Bryce Harper and an adorable puppy previewed this year because it could've been the list in its entirety.