Most Overrated Plays in MLB History

[Schwarber Fan]

I agree with the entire first post... Jeter could have at least slid, the dive into the stands was unnecessary...

 

Also, Giambi was clearly safe.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50cudMIMIz8

[Pushfrog98]

1.) Willie Mays' catch in the 1954 World Series. I know everyone seems to think this was some sort of miraculous play but I'm pretty sure I saw Nyger Morgan do this 2 or 3 times last year and a countless number of other players do this the past few years.

It's still pretty tough.

 

2.) Derek Jeter's catch while falling into the stands. The guy caught the ball on the foul line and then proceeded to run 10 feet and jump into the crowd. If this wasn't Jeter, it gets a top 10 highlight on Sportscenter and then falls into anonymity.

100% agree. I've seen other players do the same move and get no publicity over it... but Jeter... oh boy!

 

3.) Derek Jeter's flip. Okay, I'm not picking on Jeter, but seriously, all he did was run towards a ball that airmailed the cutoff man and flip the ball to the catcher. If Jeremy Giambi slides, you never see that play again.

Agreed again.

[woodchip2153]

2.) Derek Jeter's catch while falling into the stands. The guy caught the ball on the foul line and then proceeded to run 10 feet and jump into the crowd. If this wasn't Jeter, it gets a top 10 highlight on Sportscenter and then falls into anonymity.

100% agree. I've seen other players do the same move and get no publicity over it... but Jeter... oh boy!

 

Didn't Freel actually dive into the stands to make the catch earlier that year, and get lambasted for it since he injured a woman?

[ConstableRabbit]

I agree with the entire first post... Jeter could have at least slid, the dive into the stands was unnecessary...

 

Also, Giambi was clearly safe.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50cudMIMIz8

Actually.... from about :58 to 1:00 on that video it's really close...

[CoolHandLuke]

http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/Diag/PoloGrounds.gif

 

I'm not commenting on the difficulty of the play, just the dimensions of the polo grounds. It seems as though the really long center field measurement is a bit misleading, as it likely refers only to the "nook". The real center field distance looks to be only in the 415-425 range.

[David]

Huh? Looks like about 440-450 to me...

 

Or do you just mean at the spot where the actual catch was made?

[RynoRules]

Wasn't the catch made in or close to the nook?

[Roast]

Oh....and WHAT the hell is this??

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-QvBeDyB3E&feature=related

That, OMC, is what happens when you do drugs.

[CoolHandLuke]

Its 440-450 at the centerfield corners, so its definitely shorter than that straightaway.

 

From the youtube clip I saw, the catch looked to be made on the warning track just a bit to the right of the nook.

 

And regardless of the distance, it was a great catch, no doubt.

[David]

Its 440-450 at the centerfield corners, so its definitely shorter than that straightaway.

 

From the youtube clip I saw, the catch looked to be made on the warning track just a bit to the right of the nook.

 

And regardless of the distance, it was a great catch, no doubt.

 

Right. I'm a moron. Realized that right after I posted it. The fact that the baselines end so shallow threw me off.

[Roast]

I dislike the media's Jeter-Circle-Jerk as much as anyone, but I don't know. I think Giambi may have been out.

 

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/MVPzach/Jetermagnificent.jpg Granted, you can't tell for sure if he's tagging him or not thanks to jeters leg, but it sure looks like he is.

 

I've seen pictures on the internet before that have a clearer view but I can't seem to find them right now.

[TruffleShuffle]

Maz's HR is underrated?? The guy is in the HOF (and is one of the most undeserving HOF'ers) because of that one play.

 

yeah but when people talk about great home runs, that one often gets omitted. there's the shot heard round the world, ruth's called shot, maris' 61st, carlton fisk... hell i think people talk about bernie carbo more than the maz homer. but the maz homer was the only game 7 walkoff in world series history, and it was hit by a guy who had little power, playing at a cavernous ballpark. plus it marked a it probably should be regarded as the most dramatic hit in the history of the game, but for some reason it often gets overlooked.

[OleMissCub]

Maz's HR is underrated?? The guy is in the HOF (and is one of the most undeserving HOF'ers) because of that one play.

 

yeah but when people talk about great home runs, that one often gets omitted. there's the shot heard round the world, ruth's called shot, maris' 61st, carlton fisk... hell i think people talk about bernie carbo more than the maz homer. but the maz homer was the only game 7 walkoff in world series history, and it was hit by a guy who had little power, playing at a cavernous ballpark. plus it marked a it probably should be regarded as the most dramatic hit in the history of the game, but for some reason it often gets overlooked.

 

Agree with you Truffle. What Maz did IS the ultimate in baseball.

 

And as far as Mazeroski being unworthy for the hall of fame....well, I won't argue that he's in the bottom third of HOFers, but there are certainly LOTS of HOFers that are more unworthy than Maz.

[Derwood]

Maz's HR is underrated?? The guy is in the HOF (and is one of the most undeserving HOF'ers) because of that one play.

 

yeah but when people talk about great home runs, that one often gets omitted. there's the shot heard round the world, ruth's called shot, maris' 61st, carlton fisk... hell i think people talk about bernie carbo more than the maz homer. but the maz homer was the only game 7 walkoff in world series history, and it was hit by a guy who had little power, playing at a cavernous ballpark. plus it marked a it probably should be regarded as the most dramatic hit in the history of the game, but for some reason it often gets overlooked.

 

what game was the Joe Carter walk-off against the Phillies? Game 6?

[Pushfrog98]

I dislike the media's Jeter-Circle-Jerk as much as anyone, but I don't know. I think Giambi may have been out.

 

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/MVPzach/Jetermagnificent.jpg Granted, you can't tell for sure if he's tagging him or not thanks to jeters leg, but it sure looks like he is.

 

I've seen pictures on the internet before that have a clearer view but I can't seem to find them right now.

INTANGIBLES!!!!!!!!!!!

[moochpuppy]

Because I swear every time there is a Cub news on ESPN, they have to show that incident.

 

ESPN, and FOX, and Comcast, and TBS...

 

Alou's reaction didn't help.

[Guest]

Maz's HR is underrated?? The guy is in the HOF (and is one of the most undeserving HOF'ers) because of that one play.

 

yeah but when people talk about great home runs, that one often gets omitted. there's the shot heard round the world, ruth's called shot, maris' 61st, carlton fisk... hell i think people talk about bernie carbo more than the maz homer. but the maz homer was the only game 7 walkoff in world series history, and it was hit by a guy who had little power, playing at a cavernous ballpark. plus it marked a it probably should be regarded as the most dramatic hit in the history of the game, but for some reason it often gets overlooked.

 

what game was the Joe Carter walk-off against the Phillies? Game 6?

 

Yes, it was Game 6.

[Guest]

On the other hand, check out the dimensions to left and right... How did people not hit 100 HR a year at that place?? :shock:

 

Mel Ott was a fine player, but owes his HOF status TO the Polo Grounds. It's too bad they don't have road splits from make then because I'd LOVE to see how often he abused that 257 foot right field fence.

 

The only thing about that is the OF fence got farther away so quickly that if you didn't pull it right down the line, it wasn't going to benefit you at all since the distances wouldn't have been any different from a normal park. Not to mention the fact that he could hit a 440 foot ball to left or right center and have it hit off the wall rather than be a home run. I would think it would balance out.

[reds44]

Nothing but Jeter had being spewed here. The play was in RF, so he really had nothing to do with the play. Running over to cut it off and flip it to home is probably the greatest heads up/hustle play in baseball history especially when you consider the situation.

 

EDIT: Just look at the video, he comes out of nowhere.

 

The stands catch against Boston is overrated, however "10 feet" is an exaggeration. He had very little room to stop. A good play, but not "great".

 

If Derek Jeter made the play Juan Uribe did against the Astros, it'd be said to be one of the greatest plays in sports history. Uribe's catch has to be one of the most underrated plakys in baseball history.

[CubsGM]

The Bartman Play.

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