Exciting Plays

My wife commented a while back that I tend to write a lot about sports.  Baseball in particular.  She was also nice enough to point out that maybe not everyone wants to read about sports every single post I write.  Because I'm a stubborn and petty person, I present to you a post about some baseball plays.

It is true that baseball isn't the most exciting sport out there.  While the game is constantly moving, there are plenty of lulls in the action.  When something does happen, the entire ballpark erupts.  Unless it is the opposing team that has the exciting play.  No matter if it is the team I am cheering for or their opponents, if a few certain plays occur during a game I find them exciting and entertaining. 

The stolen base.  While stolen bases are fairly common, it is still exciting and energizing to watch.  The most exciting part of the play is the throw from the catcher to the base.  Anything can happen once it leaves the throwing arm.  Yes, more often than not the fielder catches it, but if it's a bad throw it's that much more entertaining.  And shall we talk about a straight steal of home?  Does it even happen anymore?  That can bring everyone to their feet.  

The double play.  The double play is poetry in motion.  Especially the 4-6-3 (second base-shortstop-first base) double play.  The shortstop coming to the bag and continuing his motion and then with the throw to first.  It can all be so fluid.  And while the 6-4-3 double play is just as wonderful, it is just a little more choppy because the second baseman has to turn and throw and interrupts the fluidity of the play.  It's still sexy though. 

A triple.  The triple to me is the most exciting play in all of baseball.  More exciting than a home run.  More exciting than a walk off hit.  It is the most exciting because several things have to fall into place for it to happen.  You need a batter with speed, so that is exciting to watch because he is going to be flying around the bases.  You need a well struck ball to the outfield and the ball needs to find a gap.  Or the outfielder needs to make a bad play on the ball.  The ball has to be thrown back into play and more often than not, there is a close play at third base.  The batter will be sliding into the base and a tag will be applied.  The play can go either way.  

Honorable mention:  the home run.  The ball gets hit hard and far.  And it travels very fast off the bat to the bleachers.  It gets the team and fans pumped up.  The only downside is that it ends about as quickly as it begins.  Many batters trot around the bases and that can take away from the moment.