Baseball is a very exciting game full of very exciting events. I will break down and analyze what I think are the top ten most exciting parts in baseball. Before I get started I would like to point out that my list is based on things that could happen at any time. Unfortunately perfect games and no-hitters are not on my list, although they have their own excitement. Now lets get down to business.
10. Stolen Base- This is an event that happens nearly every game. Odds are in favor of at least one player having a stolen base in a game. The thing that makes this exciting is that any player can swipe a bag at any time. Of course there are situations where a stolen base is more likely than others but it’s still exciting. Even the most unlikely players can steal a base if the timing is right. Billy Butler has one stolen base in 2011.
9. Outfield assist- The Kansas City Royals have arguably the best all around outfield in the Major Leagues. Part of the reason why, is because their outfield assist numbers are unreal. An outfield assist is exciting because it is a showcase of a players’ arm strength and it is also a fundamentally sound play. The fielder (in most cases the catcher) has to be in prime position to make the catch and apply the tag. A lot of times the best plays at the plate come from a perfectly thrown ball from the outfield. Rick Ankiel, Jeff Francoeur, and Ichiro Suzuki are some notable players who are known for arm strength. An outfield assist can lead to home plate collisions and beautiful slides.
8. Cycle- One of the more rare feats in baseball, the cycle is an all around exciting event. Although it occurs over the course of a ballgame, the anticipation of a player completing the cycle is what makes this an amazing accomplishment. Being able to get a single, double, triple, and home run is a testament to the talent of the player and the consistency to produce. One Colorado Rockies player hit for the cycle within the first four innings. That is absolutely unreal. It’s exciting to wait and watch a player get that final hit that clinches the cycle.
7. Triple- The triple is something that is somewhat of a less common occurrence in baseball. Usually the league leader has less than twenty and is mostly a speed demon. What makes it exciting is watching the runner circle the bases. The ball has to be hit in the right spots, usually in the right field corner or in the gaps, and we get to watch real speed in action. A triple is far different from an inside the park home run, because many times, slow runners can’t leg out a triple.
6. Triple Play- A triple play is probably the rarest thing in baseball. There is usually only one or two per year in the entire Major Leagues. The thing that makes this so rare is that the situation has to be right. Usually it works out best when there are runners at first and second and there is a hard hit ground ball to third base or a line drive that catches the runners too far off the bag. The Cleveland Indians turned one in early 2011 because the runners were in motion and there was a bunt in the air that someone made a diving catch on and subsequently threw to the empty bases. The rarity and the complexity of the situation make the triple play so exciting.
5. Home Run Saving Catch- A robbery not only shows off the technique of an outfielder, it is arguably the best play a defender can make. Tracking the ball, finding the wall, and timing the jump are just three of the factors that go into making the home run saving catch. Many outfielders are well known for the catches the have made. Ken Griffey, Jr. was well known for going all out into the walls. He broke his wrists multiple times making these catches. The one catch that stands out in my mind was a catch by Carlos Beltran. It was in the early 2000s when he was a Kansas City Royal. They were at home paying the Seattle Mariners and Darrell May was on the mound facing the Mariners’ Dan Wilson. Wilson hit a deep fly ball to center field and Beltran went back, found the wall, jumped up, used the wall as leverage and caught the ball while turning in the air. Absolutely the most incredible catch I have ever seen.
4. Walk off hit- Not many things in baseball is better than the home team coming up to the plate with the chance to win the game with one swing of the bat. No matter if its game 23 in April or game 7 of the World Series, it is always something that brings people to their feet. Edgar Renteria and Luis Gonzalez won championships with little Texas Leaguers to center field. Some no name player had one for some random team in May. It has the same effect on the fans and the players. You play the game to win and a walk off hit is what wins them.
3. Stealing Home- “The Jet stole home!”- These words are the famous final words to the movie The Sandlot. Stealing home is the most random thing a player can do. It is something that involves strategic planning and precise timing. A player must read the pitcher and find patterns that he exhibits. Then the batter and the base runner have to be on the same page. It all comes together for a blast of excitement. Nobody would ever know that it’s coming. One of my fondest memories was when the Kansas City Royals were playing the New York Yankees and Andy Pettite was pitching. Mike Sweeney, yes that Mike Sweeney, was on third. Out of the blue he breaks for home and slides in safely at home. The crowd went absolutely wild because it was so unexpected.
2. Inside the Park Home Run- Inside the park home runs involve both luck and skill. The skill portion comes when the player is running and the luck portion usually comes from a defensive miscue. Any player can hit an inside the park home run at any moment. Chase Utley hit one a few days ago. Mark Teahen hit one to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth against the Twins a couple years ago. Prince Fielder, the giant first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers, has two career inside the park home runs. Usually the defense suffers from a mistimed dive or a bad bounce off of the wall. That’s when the fans get to stand up and watch the batters run out of gas circling the bases.
1. Walk Off Home Run- And finally, the most exciting play in baseball is when a player wins a game with one swing of the bat. Every young child’s dream is to come up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, down three, with the bases loaded, two outs and a full count. The dream come true is to hit a home run to win it. Ken Harvey hit a walk off home run against Detroit in 2004, a meaningless game. Bobby Thompson hit “the shot heard round the world” to clinch the pennant for the New York Giants. Bill Mazeroski and Joe Carter won World Series championships for the Pirates and Blue Jays, respectively. Many players’ most memorable moments come when they won a game with a walk off home run. The adrenaline and energy that comes from the fans and the team is unrivaled by any other occurrence in baseball. The walk off home run is the most exciting play in baseball.
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