This past week was filled with amazing achievements in the Major Leagues. Corey Kluber struck out 30 batters in two games. Shelby Miller came within an out of a no-hitter. Michael Taylor helped further continue the Nationals’ resurgence with a game winning grand slam. And those DIDN’T make the cut for our top plays! Let’s get to what did in this edition’s five plays that defined the week that was in baseball.
5. Giancarlo Stanton Leaves The Yard, Literally
We know Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton is a strong fellow. He’s been hitting moonshots since his debut in 2010. Lately though, he’s been in the habit of outdoing himself. The Marlins played the Dodgers on Tuesday and Stanton was in not in a waiting mood. In the first inning against Mike Bolsinger, Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run that left the yard. Allow me to quickly clarify that statement. Stanton’s drive didn’t just clear the outfield fence, IT LEFT DODGER STADIUM. The slugger joined a short, yet star-studded, list of people (Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire, former Dodger Mike Piazza, and Hall of Famer Willie Stargell) to have a home run exit Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers would have the last laugh scoring 11 unanswered runs to win the game, but Stanton’s dinger will be remembered by every fan in attendance as well as each Dodger outfield that watched the baseball soar majestically over them.
4. Stanton Isn’t Just A Big Bat
You just saw what Giancarlo Stanton could do with the bat. He’s also a trick shot master too it seems. Nevertheless, the Marlins’ biggest investment isn’t just a force at the plate. He proved just a day before his titanic blast that he can make an impact in the field as well. Down 1-0 in the fifth inning Monday, Jimmy Rollins hit a ball toward the right field corner. Rather than driving in two with a double, Rollins became part of a double play. That was because Giancarlo Stanton tracked back to make a running catch for the first out. In one swift motion, Stanton whirled and fired a pinpoint strike to first to double up Joc Pederson who had thought the ball was all but certain to get down. Another person making assumptions was the runner on third, Scott Van Slyke. Stanton’s heads up play combined with Van Slyke’s slow sauntering towards home took a potential run off the board. However, Van Slyke would atone for his laziness with a three run walk off home run.
3. Some Things Never Change
Jeff Francoeur has had a rough go of it in recent years. The once burgeoning superstar has become a journeyman whose ability to make contact has seemed to have all but dwindled. One thing still holds undoubtedly true when it comes to Jeff Francoeur though: Don’t test his arm. The Pirates must have missed that memo during the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game in Philadelphia. Steve Lombardozzi had made it all the way to third base on an errant pick off throw by Phillies’ closer Jonathan Papelbon. That just meant that any type of fly ball by Jordy Mercer would bring home the tying run. What I should have said there was any fly ball not to Jeff Francoeur. Mercer skied a foul ball deep down the right field line towards the stands. Frenchy made the catch and in one step threw a dart to the plate to get the tagging Lombardozzi out by a mile. The throw gave the Phillies a rare win and helped Papelbon into the Philadelphia annals with his new team record 113th save.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyn-B1I8f7U
2. Kole Calhoun With The Full Extension
It is easy to be overshadowed when you share an outfield with a player like Mike Trout. The reigning American League MVP had to take a step back in the outfield pecking order on Tuesday behind Kole Calhoun. Calhoun has made some fabulous plays in his short time in Anaheim but the one he made against Colorado will stand up to any of them. In the fifth inning of a tied game, Charlie Blackmon broke his bat in a lefty on lefty battle with C.J. Wilson. The ball didn’t have much on it as it floated towards the outfield grass. Calhoun had a long ways to go to get to the ball. When it looked as if he wasn’t going to get there on his feet, The Red Baron (much like the original pilot) took flight. With full extension, Calhoun made the head first diving catch and held on for the second out of the inning. The Angels would eventually go on to win 5-2 with Calhoun even collecting three hits at the dish.
1. The Tigers Infield Is Unfair
Jose Iglesias built his reputation in the Minor Leagues for Boston as a slick fielder. Now with Detroit, he has a bit of a bat to go with the glove. Every once in a while though, he feels the need to remind us baseball fans of what he can do on the infield dirt. The game Thursday between Detroit and Minnesota was one of those instances. After a leadoff single by Brian Dozier, Anibal Sanchez saw a hard liner go past him off the bat of Kurt Suzuki. With the greatest of ease, Iglesias snared the blistering grounder and flipped the ball out of his glove to the covering Ian Kinsler for the first out. Not to be outdone, Kinsler barehanded the underhand flip from Iglesias and in a split second fired a bounce pass to first that John Stockton would applaud. Miguel Cabrera made the pick at first for a spectacular double play. All three men involved would go on to drive in runs in an eventual 13-1 pummeling of the Twins.
