The Royals have been crowned World Champions. We are starting to hand out individual silverware with the big ones (MVP, Cy Young) just over the horizon. There is no better time then to put forth an end of the year Top of the Heap to recognize the five best plays from the year that was in professional baseball. We’ll split this countdown up into five categories, in no particular order, to fully encompass every aspect of the game.
- Best Clutch Hitting Performance
- Best Pitching Performance
- Most Impressive Power Display
- Best Defensive Play (Outfielder)
- Best Defensive Play (Infielder/Pitcher)
So as always, without further ado here are the five plays that defined the YEAR that was in baseball.
MOST IMPRESSIVE POWER DISPLAY
Pedro Alvarez Hits A Home Run Onto A Boat (Top of the Heap #6, 5/19/15)
In the early parts of the 2015 season, Giancarlo Stanton had his own personal home run fireworks show in which he was hitting balls out of stadiums and into little nooks inside them. However, just a week after Stanton’s little run, Pedro Alvarez put on the most impressive (and precise) power display of the 2015 season. Though the Pirates would ultimately lose their May 19th game against the Twins, Alvarez parked a Ricky Nolasco offering that cleared the right field wall, stadium wall, and the walkway all the way into the Allegheny River. He would have been the third man to hit the Allegheny on the fly, but alas there is the trick shot nature of this long ball. Alvarez’s home run was deposited directly on to a boat docked outside the stadium. I’m sure the driver couldn’t believe their souvenir once they returned.
BEST CLUTCH HITTING PERFORMANCE
Alex Gordon Knots Up World Series Game One
There were many clutch performances through all the editions of Top of the Heap this season, but none came bigger than the one from when the countdowns were over in the playoffs. Jeurys Familia had been untouchable for the Mets entering the ninth inning of Game One of the World Series. He got significantly touched by Alex Gordon and it not only shifted the balance of power for the series, it was the first time the Mets looked to lose confidence all playoffs. Gordon’s one out shot to deep center tied the game and it shook the Mets to their core. They would lose the game in 14 innings, 5-4, and ultimately the series in five games bringing the Commissioner’s Trophy back to Kauffman Stadium for the first time in thirty years. The Royals were doomed last year in the World Series by their lack of clutch hitting, and the image of Gordon being stranded at third to end the series was emblazoned in the memory of all Royals supporters for this entire season. In terms of hitting accomplishments it wasn’t a cycle or a 7 RBI day, but to say any hit carried more weight than Gordon’s this year would just be flat out wrong.
BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCE
Max Scherzer No-Hitter Versus Pirates (Top of the Heap #10, 6/20/15)
There were seven no-hitters in the Major Leagues in 2015, a number that ties the modern record (1990, 1991, 2012) for most no-hit games in a single season. They came from likely sources such as Cy Young candidate Jake Arrieta. They also originated from out of where with players like Chris Heston and Mike Fiers. But no man played in the realm of the no-no more this season that the Nationals’ Max Scherzer. Though the Nats woefully underachieved in 2015, the $220 million man was an absolute dynamo in his first year in the nation’s capital. He flirted with perfect games three times and finished with two no-hitters. Though according to Bill James’ algorithms his 16 K, 1 BB performance against the Brewers a week prior was his best game of the season, Scherzer’s crown jewel came against the Pirates on June 20th. Scherzer toyed with one of the hottest teams in the sport at the time and after quickly dispatching of the first two hitters in the ninth stood on the precipice of perfection with Jose Tabata coming to the plate. What happened next was heartbreaking even to a Nationals hater as Scherzer hit Tabata on a 2-2 pitch which many still believe the light hitting outfielder leaned into. Nevertheless, Scherzer got out 27 one batter later and joined Hooks Wiltse as the only men in Major League history to lose a perfecto on a HBP on the would-be final batter. But enough harping on the negatives of the momentous occasion for Scherzer, let’s just bask in his post game chocolate syrup bath that was never more deserved.
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAY (OUTFIELDER)
Mookie Betts Robs Chris Davis (Top of the Heap #24, 9/25/15)
It was a tough year for the Red Sox. Just two years removed from a World Series title, Boston found themselves again at the bottom of the American League Eastern Division. Unlike last year though, the Red Sox gave their young’uns plenty of run this year in preparation for the future. One of those youngsters that the BoSox are hoping will be a building block for seasons to come is Mookie Betts. The versatile Betts made a seamless transition from the infield in the Minors to the outfield in the Majors. His bat didn’t disappoint either, but in this section we’re here to talk about his defense and one play in particular. During the season’s dying days, teams were able to give opportunities to players they normally wouldn’t. One of those for the Red Sox was Rich Hill, a man whose career was thought to be relegated to bullpen duty for the remainder of it due to arm issues. He was one out away from a complete game though on September 25th when Orioles’ slugger Chris Davis took him deep to right field. Off the bat, the ball looked to be long gone, but in the cold Boston night the ball was heading directly for the Red Sox bullpen just over the wall. Mookie Betts leaped up the short wall, reached over it into the pen, and grabbed the ball before it hit the ground to end the game in spectacular fashion. It was a hell of a play to be made in a game that either team could have dogged with both being out of contention. Davis was robbed five times this season, with three others making a Top of the Heap as well, but none were better plays than Betts’. I’m sure Davis will feel better about this once Scott Boras gets him a nice, fat contract this winter. Mookie beat out two fellow AL Easters (Kevin Kiermaier and Kevin Pillar) to take home this prestigious honor.
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAY (INFIELDER/PITCHER)
Iglesias and Kinsler Turn Slick Double Play (Top of the Heap #5, 5/14/15)
We end the Top of the Heap here with the play that as a baseball purist was the one that I watched over and over again all season. As of this posting, it has 15698 views on Youtube. It wouldn’t be a bad estimate if about 1000 of those views came from me since May. Jose Iglesias had a reputation for his glove in the Minor Leagues, but since his promotion to the big leagues and subsequent trade from Boston to Detroit, it’s been about his bat. Every once in a while he gave us folks a taste of what all the hype was about him as an up-and-comer. Pair that with one of the finest second basemen not to win a Gold Glove, Ian Kinsler, and some magic is bound to happen. The combo made Top of the Heap twice this year, but their first entry was the most superb. In a game against Minnesota, Kurt Suzuki hit a ball up the middle that had all the makings of another Anibal Sanchez meltdown inning. Instead, Iglesias strode to the ball and in one fluid motion scooped it up and pitched it to Kinsler. Kinsler then barehanded the ball and delivered a cricket-esque one hop throw to first to complete the double play. It is a play like that that can remind me every day of how great of a sport that baseball is, and how sad I’ll be when it is gone for the winter.
Thanks to every one who checked out the Top of the Heap: Plays of the Week articles this season. Be sure to keep your eyes on the site for baseball Hot Stove coverage and rumblings from the Winter Meetings. Congratulations to the Royals and their fans, and we’ll see you back here in 2016 for more Top of the Heap!