Red Sox Defensive Gifs
- Thread starter Sprowl
- Start date
What I love about that clip is not only the strong accurate throw, but the great instincts and mental quickness on display. The pitch looks like it comes in at least a foot above the target, and Vazquez adjusts so quickly and smoothly that you'd swear that was exactly where he was expecting it.
For those who don't know or haven't already realized Vazquez is the real deal. He's a large part as to why Lavarnway is practicing at first. I honestly think this kid could be valuable this year on the major league team. His defense is amazing and he can hit pretty well.
Savin Hillbilly said:
If you think about it, in 2015 we could have third, center, short, catcher, and one of the pitching slots as home grown guys with three years of experience or less, and in 2016 we'd have the potential to have an entire rotation of homegrown guys.
Could? I'd say your 2015 is far and away the most likely scenario at this point.Rasputin said:
Rasputin said:
I'll say. You've pegged DP's retirement date before he turns 32.Rasputin said:
Which is to say, you can add 2B to the list of 2015 homegrowners.
Rasputin said:
Reading comprehension -- it's like the SAT's all over again.Major Offense said:
Wow, you're right...and thanks for restarting my nightmares about those SAT analogy questions. What the hell is the relationship between rock and stone, anyway? Except that my head seems to be full of both.Saints Rest said:
When I saw the text of your post, I thought "if he means Pedroia, that's not possible." But I believe you may be right.
How does he keep getting better and better?
How does he keep getting better and better?
The arm is what gets me, on that play. I really think he could have been an above average SS if they felt like playing him there.
Yeah, getting the throw off and on target on that play were just bonkers. Is there a Lackey reaction shot? Would love to see that.
It was a nice play, no doubt. But his best play ever?
Think back to the Buchholz no-hitter. Does anyone have a way to get a gif of that? I can't find a video of Pedroia's play online.
Think back to the Buchholz no-hitter. Does anyone have a way to get a gif of that? I can't find a video of Pedroia's play online.
The Buchholz no-no play is iconically awesome. But this one is more impressive, I think, if only for the throw. I also think the play going to his left on Austin Jackson in the ALCS last year might top the Buchholz play for actual amazingness (as opposed to awesomeness).
HriniakPosterChild said:
My first thought watching in real time last night was that it at least rivaled the "fuck yeah" play from Buchholz's no-no. Obviously, the "fuck yeah" play was of far greater importance given the circumstances, but I think last night's play tops it in terms of degree of difficulty and overall execution.
And not to be overlooked is Napoli's stretch and scoop at 1B. It's incredible that Pedroia was able to get that throw in the vicinity of the bag, but Napoli saved the play picking the throw on what appears to be a short hop.
You wanna talk about "importance"... that's probably the thing that pisses me off the most about the play in Game 3 of the World Series last year. If Salty holds onto that ball at home or WMB keeps it from going into left field, and the Sox get out of the inning on the next play, you are talking about one of the best, most important plays in team history.
Instead, the amazing play that Pedey makes is just the beginning of one of the weirdest endings to a postseason game ever.
Instead, the amazing play that Pedey makes is just the beginning of one of the weirdest endings to a postseason game ever.
I agree. Lost in all the hullablaloo over the interference and the rest, was the unbelievable play that Pedroia made to start it all.LogansDad said:
The play last night made me immediately think of how awesome it will be when the new MLB-AM scanners can tracks the metrics not only on what our eyes can see but also what our eyes (due to the camera/cutting) cannot.
Here's the video: http://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/2007/open/tp/archive09/090107_balbos_pedroia_def_tp_350.wmvHriniakPosterChild said:
I've been watching that gif all day and I don't have any idea how Pedroia got anything at all on the throw. He said: "That actually helped me -- when I dove, my knee stuck in the ground so I could just spin and throw it as hard as I can, and Nap dug it out," but, I mean, look at the play. He pops up from the slide leaning like thirty degrees off vertical away from first base and just rips the throw. Where does the power come from? In the no-hitter play he turns his hips and shoulders, plants his feet on a line toward first and throws. In the play last night, there's no turn, and he gets as much or more on the throw.
wow.TheGoldenGreek33 said:
Watching the ball travel in the air it looks like the video has been sped up. The leg kick after release is a nice touch too.
Nite Vizhun UV said:Here's the throw from a different camera angle
Unreal how fast he goes from completely prone to throwing the ball.
He's so quick that it almost seems like one day he's going to throw one into CF because the throw beats the 2B/SS to the bag.TheGoldenGreek33 said:
Don't have the software to do it but the ESPN replay on MLB.TV shows a beautiful one-hop throw that beats Ells to the bag by 8-10 feet.TheYaz67 said:
Usain Bolt tagging up would not have scored on the play.
Doooweeeey! said:
To be fair, if Ells had been alert and seen where Beltran was he wouldn't have slid and would have drawn it out to get the run. But that takes nothing away from the great play by JBJ
Agree, mostly. Ells was certainly taking a significant risk with the ball hit to left center. But Jacoby has speed he relies upon, so it's not that easy to second guess what happened.ookami7m said:
I just hope to see JBJ return the favor against Ells's less than stellar throwing arm and complete the transformation. These are the MFY after all.
True, but what was the upside to Ells running. At best, he's on 3rd with 2 outs. With his speed, he probably scores on almost anything hit into the outfield anyway. And his running put the run at risk (and as it turned out, cost them a run). Not a smart baseball move.Doooweeeey! said:
Ells may have been thinking that JBJ would throw home and he (Ells) would have third easily. Still not wise of him as you point out, what's the big deal, second or third with two out.Saints Rest said:
I wonder if he got confused -- either by the rule or by the situation (one out, not none) -- and was TRYING to draw the throw to third to help the slower Beltran. Sort of the way that a batter will often try to stretch a single into a double intentionally to draw the throw away from the plate. Again, it only works in a non-2-out situation, and I wonder if that is where Ells goofed.Al Zarilla said:
Did Ells or Girardi talk about it after the game at all?
Back to JBJ's part, it's not all there in the replay, but you see the result of a great break on the ball.
Catches it with his body position fully ready to support the throw. Textbook.
Catches it with his body position fully ready to support the throw. Textbook.
Saints Rest said:
If you told me he'd stolen home while starting from second, that would trump my point.
But on third, he gives the LHP something instead of the hitter to pay attention to. If that causes the pitcher to make a less than perfect pitch, it could mean a base hit that scores his run AND keeps the inning going.
Fair point, but his advance threatened (and in fact, eliminated) any chance of him scoring, Beltran scoring, or keeping the inning going. If he anchors down at 2B, JBJ probably still throws in to third and Beltran's amble home would have scored a run AND kept the inning going. Or he could have tagged and gone half way, pending the direction of the throw from JBJ (if JBJ throws home, then Ells walks into third; if JBJ throws into third, then Ells can scamper back to second). If Ellsbury/Girardi saw some huge advantage in being on 3B instead of 2B with 2 outs, he could have tried to steal on a later pitch.HriniakPosterChild said:
Saints Rest said:
Oh, look, you can't make the last out of the inning at third like that. It's inexcusable. If that's your point, we are in violent agreement.
But the post I responded to asked: what was the upside to Ells running? Ells is wired to "get closer." That's a big, big part of his game. There was an upside. It's worth going if you can get there. If.
Violent agreement. For sure.
If no one had been on 3rd base, I can see the advantage to trying to get third (even as the 3rd out) -- there are a lot of good things that can happen by being only 90 feet away (WP, PB, infield hit, error, etc). In fact, I'm pretty sure Carp did it earlier this season where he didn't tag up on the first fly ball and then did on the second. But Ellsbury clearly did not consider the situation here. With Beltran on 3B, his getting home to score is the most important thing.
If no one had been on 3rd base, I can see the advantage to trying to get third (even as the 3rd out) -- there are a lot of good things that can happen by being only 90 feet away (WP, PB, infield hit, error, etc). In fact, I'm pretty sure Carp did it earlier this season where he didn't tag up on the first fly ball and then did on the second. But Ellsbury clearly did not consider the situation here. With Beltran on 3B, his getting home to score is the most important thing.