The All Stop-Carlos-Gomez-Before-He-Gets-to-Home-Plate Team

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Stopping Carlos Gomez is a feat that most NL pitchers struggled with through the first 30 games of the season. He was hitting .386 with six home runs, seven stolen bases and a number of phenomenal catches in center field. He made his first All-Star team in July, and currently leads the NL in triples. He has cooled off since the All-Star game, hitting just .254 since the break. Wednesday night, however, Gomez was red hot again.

In late June, Gomez was hit on the knee by Atlanta Braves starter Paul Maholm. Everyone forgot about that over the three months of play, everyone but Gomez that is. On the first pitch, Gomez took a cut that would make Paul Bunyan blush. He followed it up with a stare that would make the devil turn away. Finally he followed with a shot to the left center field bleachers. As he rounded the bases, Gomez spouted off at Maholm, or anyone who would listen. Brian McCann met Gomez 15 feet up the third base line to confront the hot-head. A brawl ensued and resulted in Gomez, Freddie Freeman and Gerald Laird being ejected form the game.

McCann was the first person to stop Gomez, but I wanted to assemble a team that would make it impossible for him to circle the bases.

The ground rules are…

1. Must be an active player

2. With the exception of the coaches, the player must be on the field during play. (ie: no DHs)

3. Must have a feature that could either diffuse the situation or physically stop Carlos Gomez.

So here it is, the All-Stop-Carlos-Gomez-before-he-gets-to-home-plate-Team (maybe an acronym is in order, ASCGBHTHPT).