NationStates Jolt Archive


Most Memorable Baseball Play

IDF
01-06-2007, 04:12
What are the most memorable plays? I want you to answer both for what you think in MLB history and then give me a homer answer for your team's history.

In MLB history, it's tough. There's Merkle's Boner, Aaron's 715th, the shot heard round the world, Buckner, Ruth calling his shot, Pudge's 1975 homer, and Puckett's shot.

I'm going to go with Kirk Gibson though. That was such an amazing homerun. He had severe injuries in both of his knees and came in for his only AB in the entire World Series. It was against Eckersley, the best closer in the game. I don't think anyone expected that shot.

Here is Vin Scully's call:

All year long, they looked to him to light the fire. and all year long, he answered the demands, until he was physically unable to start tonight——with two bad legs: The bad left hamstring, and the swollen right knee. And, with two out, you talk about a roll of the dice... this is it. shaking his left leg, making it quiver, like a horse trying to get rid of a troublesome fly. The game right now is at the plate. High fly ball into right field, she i-i-i-is... gone!!! In a year that has been so improbable... the impossible has happened! And, now, the only question was, could he make it around the base paths unassisted?! They are going wild at Dodger Stadium——no one wants to leave!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Game_1_1988_World_Series_Score_Television_Graphic.JPG


For my totally biased White Sox moment, I am going with another World Series walk-off homer. In a moment almost as improbable as Gibson's HR, Scott Podsednik stepped up to the plate. He had over 500 ABs during the regular season and had not hit a single HR. The chances of a walkoff shot were slim to none.

He stepped up to the plate against Brad Lidge, the NL's premier closer. The Sox had blown a save in the top of the inning and erased the lead given by Konerko's grand slam in the 7th.

Here is John Rooney's call

The 2-1, a swing and a high fly ball! Deep right-centerfield! This is way back in the gap! IT'S A GONER!!! A White Sox winner! A winner on a Podsednik homerun and the Sox go up two games to nothing in the twenty-oh-five World Series!

On TV, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver had this call:

McCarver: Do you buy into the theory that people said in regard to Lidge that it would've been nice to get Lidge into the game in game 6 in St. Louis in the NLCS to get that taste out of his mouth of Pujol's homerun.
Buck: I don't think that taste is there.
McCarver: Podsednik hits one to deep right-centerfield. Back at the wall, this ball is gone! Podsednik goes deep. His second homerun of the postseason and the White Sox win it 7 to 6. Lidge has a new taste.
Buck: That taste might be there now.

http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper851/stills/435c740c776ca-24-1.jpg
Kiryu-shi
01-06-2007, 04:19
I'll have to go with Buckner. No bias, of course.
IDF
01-06-2007, 04:21
I'll have to go with Buckner. No bias, of course.

I honestly don't know why Buckner has gotten so much crap. I've seen that inning over and over again on a friend's 1986 Met's World Series DVD. The Boston pen blew that game wide open. Heck, I look at that play and the pitcher wasn't even moving fast enough to cover first. If Buckner comes up with the ball he still has no play as he was drawn too far off the bag to get the ball and no one is covering.

Of course that play will always live on forever.
Kiryu-shi
01-06-2007, 04:29
I honestly don't know why Buckner has gotten so much crap. I've seen that inning over and over again on a friend's 1986 Met's World Series DVD. The Boston pen blew that game wide open. Heck, I look at that play and the pitcher wasn't even moving fast enough to cover first. If Buckner comes up with the ball he still has no play as he was drawn too far off the bag to get the ball and no one is covering.

Of course that play will always live on forever.

No, I've watched that game a couple of times (at least) myself, and Mookie was going to be safe the whole way. The pitcher was not going to get there in time with Mookie's speed. I think the credit should go to that entire atbat that he had fouling those pitches off and forcing the wild pitch, and all that. Also, Buckner obviously shouldn't even have been on the field. The reason it's so memorable is because it's an easy play to show how completely Boston collapsed in that one inning.
Zilam
01-06-2007, 04:33
That time the guy hit the ball, and the other guy ran and caught it and threw it back.
New Manvir
01-06-2007, 04:40
1993 World Series (http://youtube.com/watch?v=DqLWill1nYE)...at least for me
The Nazz
01-06-2007, 06:16
It's not exactly a play, but the Red Sox coming back from 3 down to beat the Yankees is pretty big in my book. I'm also fond of the game-winning blooper off of Mariano Rivera by the D-Backs to win the Series. (Do you see a trend here?)
Gartref
01-06-2007, 06:19
The big unit hitting a bird with a 100 mph fastball.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1492I4PqwY
Wilgrove
01-06-2007, 06:29
The big unit hitting a bird with a 100 mph fastball.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1492I4PqwY

Agreed!
Delator
01-06-2007, 06:30
Kirby Puckett's home run in the game 6 of the 1991 World Series.
IDF
01-06-2007, 19:42
Kirby Puckett's home run in the game 6 of the 1991 World Series.

I hate the Twins, but Buck had an amazing call on that one.

"And we'll see you tomorrow night."
IDF
01-06-2007, 19:44
No, I've watched that game a couple of times (at least) myself, and Mookie was going to be safe the whole way. The pitcher was not going to get there in time with Mookie's speed. I think the credit should go to that entire atbat that he had fouling those pitches off and forcing the wild pitch, and all that. Also, Buckner obviously shouldn't even have been on the field. The reason it's so memorable is because it's an easy play to show how completely Boston collapsed in that one inning.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JArXRxuVTgY

You might like this video. I can't believe how well done this is as a replica of the inning.

It also works perfectly with Vin Scully's pbp.
Utracia
01-06-2007, 20:04
No, I've watched that game a couple of times (at least) myself, and Mookie was going to be safe the whole way. The pitcher was not going to get there in time with Mookie's speed. I think the credit should go to that entire atbat that he had fouling those pitches off and forcing the wild pitch, and all that. Also, Buckner obviously shouldn't even have been on the field. The reason it's so memorable is because it's an easy play to show how completely Boston collapsed in that one inning.

Certainly teams can collapse in one inning, many have done so after all. I myself don't blame Buckner but the pen. 2 outs and then the pen blows it. Damn it, damn it.
IDF
03-06-2007, 18:55
Oh and the most memorable play in my hate for the Flubs would be Bartman. Yes I understand that didn't lose the game. Sammy Soso missing the cut-off man, Gonzo's error, Prior's suckitude, and Dusty lost that game.

Although the wild pitch that led to Friday's brawl was pretty sweet. I love hating the Flubs.
Curious Inquiry
03-06-2007, 21:32
Tinker -> Evers -> Chance
Maineiacs
03-06-2007, 21:59
Kirby Puckett's home run in the game 6 of the 1991 World Series.

Seconded.
Milchama
03-06-2007, 22:04
Willie Mays catching Vic Wertz long fly ball to deep center field in the 1953 World Series.

It could be Carlton Fisk's homerun in the 1975 World Series.

Bobby Thompson and The Shot Heard Round the World.

I'm going with Mays but they all work.