Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; General view of the on deck circle before game one of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
They say defense wins championships, and that statement holds true in the World Series. Here are five of the best defensive players ever seen in a Fall Classic game.
Defensive proficiency was not always as valued as it is today. Players who could hit well were often “excused” for lapses in the field. In fact, some like “Marvelous” Marv Throneberry, who played in the very early years of the New York Mets, actually became noteworthy for their ineptitude with a glove. But in a World Series, everything changes. Defense and pitching are accented. And sometimes, players excel to greater heights in a World Series to make plays that can only be described as amazing.
If Justin Heyward ever makes it into the Cubs lineup for this World Series, it won’t be because of his hitting prowess (he did not start Game 1). It will be for his ability to run down balls in right field and play caroms off the wall. And actually, Joe Maddon‘s decision to not start him last night flies against the World Series axiom that it’s pitching and defense that win games in October.
The best scenario, though, is to not have a need to make those kinds of decisions by having players who can both field and hit. And as you’ll see, the players making these outstanding plays in the field could also hit a little bit (understatement).
They had the ability to perform under the kind of pressure that we only see in a World Series, and in one case, there was even the added pressure of saving a no-hitter (hint).
These are not advertised as the best fielding plays that were ever made in a World Series game. But they are truly among the best we’ve ever seen. So, let’s get started with one that is recent.
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
Joe Panik’s Double Play
San Francisco Giants second baseman Joe Panik made what may prove to be one of the most memorable defensive plays in World Series history to keep his team tied with the Kansas City Royals in the third inning of Game 7 of the 2014 World Series. With a runner already on first base and nobody out, the 23-year-old dove to his right to grab a ball hit up the middle by the Royals’ Eric Hosmer. Before even getting to his feet, Panik flipped the ball from his glove to teammate Brandon Crawford. The shortstop recorded the force out at second base and then threw to first baseman Brandon Belt for a double play.
What makes the play even more interesting, though, was the call at first base in which the umpire ruled the runner safe. Quick thinking by Giants manager Bruce Bochy led to an appeal and the call was negated, completing the double play.
In fact, it was the first overturned call in a World Series since the instant replay rule came into effect.
This one has a little kick to it because it came during the only perfect game ever pitched in a World Series game. When “The Mick” first arrived in the big leagues, he came with blazing speed and power. Much of that speed was stolen from him on one play at Yankee Stadium when he went racing after a ball that the declining Joe DiMaggio should have caught, severely twisting his knee when his foot got caught in a drainage indentation.
After that, Mickey Mantle would never be noted for his speed and grace. But for one moment, he ran to the deepest part of Yankee Stadium to track down a ball hit by Gil Hodges to save Don Larsen‘s masterpiece.
As a side note, Mantle would later “compliment” Larsen saying he was “easily the greatest drinker” he ever knew—an ultimate compliment of sorts from Mantle, who along with fellow Yankees Whitey Ford and Billy Martin were well known for their hard partying.
But here is the video of that catch in the days when Yankee Stadium measured 461 ft. to straightaway center field and three monuments stood on the playing field. It’s a short one so you might want to hit it a couple of times more…
The 1969 New York Mets, aka the “Miracle Mets”, were – to use the inimitable Casey Stengel‘s word – truly amazin’. Appropriately, this was the same year that NASA sent a man to the moon because the Mets, with the exception of their exceptional starting pitching, were largely a mishmash of whoever manager Gil Hodges could put together on any given day.
As a testament to that, 11 different players appeared in 100 or more games, but only two—outfielders Tommie Agee (a club-high 26 home runs and 76 RBI) and Cleon Jones (third in the NL with a .340 average)—played in over 125.
Ron Swoboda was one of those inglorious players players who appeared in 109 games for the Mets that year, hitting .235 with nine home runs and 52 RBI.
But it would be in the World Series that year that Swoboda would pull off the unlikeliest of catches and propel the Mets to a improbable world championship. Here’s how it looked.
According to baseball lore,Brooks Robinson surveyed the artificial turf at Cincinnati before Game One and, although not wild about playing on a surface akin to a parking lot, admitted that its predictable infield bounces would make him feel defensively “invincible” at third base. Proof of that came in the Reds’ sixth, when Lee May led off with a smash down the third base line—which Robinson snared at with a brilliant, diving backhanded stab. Having deprived the Reds of the go-ahead run in a 3-3 game, Robinson provided it himself an inning later with a solo home run that proved to be the winning score.
In fact, his fielding performance during the entire World Series is said to be the very best in all of baseball, let alone a Fall Classic. His ability to complete the play with a powerful throw to first from the deepest part of the infield is what separated him from the rest.
As a footnote, Robinson began the same game by fielding an easy one and throwing it over the head of first baseman Boog Powell. Go figure. But here’s the video of one amazing play he made that series. The pitcher is Hall of Famer Jim Palmer.
Willie Mays was one of those players who just loved to play baseball. During down times, he could often be found playing stickball in the shadows of the Polo Grounds in Manhattan. He was gifted with all of the tools that baseball requires. His career batting average was .302 and he hit 660 home runs with no “help”.
But it was the speed of the “Say Hey Kid” that brought the city of New York to life more than anything. He would later hang on a bit too long finishing his career with the New York Mets, but only because he loved the game too much.
This play is usually the one that is picked by most as the best catch ever made in a World Series contest. Hence, you’ll often see it referred to as simply “The Catch”.
