any given RBI contest generally contains a handful of plays that could still your heart. the rare strong throw from deep short, the even more rare running catch. bban and i have an understanding where as they occur, the victim of the play is to turn to his foe, offer a handshake, and say "play of the game." realize that this statement can be uttered several times a game, and even on successive plays.
here are my top five most satisfying plays. plays that are sure to be rewarded with the "play of the game" catch-phrase:
1 when the automated fielder (running to cover either third or first) actually fields a ball by dumb luck alone
2 throwing someone out at the plate, or any other bag
3 the "diving" stop at third (terry pendleton is the master of this play)
4 the "running" catch
5 the "diving" play by a pitcher
yours?
well t...i think that we left one out.....and it doesnt happen much...but when the ball is shot down to first...a diving catch on the line...step on 1st for the out and then whip it over to third to get the guy trying to be greedy from second....this is usually follwed by the "richardson hook" as i like to call it....it is the modern day version of the "eck"...dennis eckersley used to do it after he saved a game....t, the new master, swings his fist down the ground and then, almost mortal kombat like, brings it up to the sky, with a steely-eyed look of determination on his face....although this is a sign of a great play...it also is the start of his decline...this ususally is followed up by some smug face or remark that seals t's doom....but nonetheless....a wonderful facet of our game....
another quirk me and t seem to have is that we will look at eachother after almost every pitch....we wont say anything...but its much like the african gorillas who are battling for territory....you have to read your opponents face...smell and feel thier weakness....and the look is a big part of that.....
turning a triple play is always exciting and takes the air out of your opponent.
another satisfyer is the wall scraping catch... you know where your outfielder is flush up against the wall and you are pushing against it hoping that the extra effort will allow the fat little bastard to make the catch before it brushes up against the wall. once the catch is made, there follows a sigh of relief and some sort of expletive from the guy who hit the ball.
My favorite is the Spongebob.
If you don't know it is where the fielder completely lays out for the ball and after he catches it he still lays flat on the ground.
1) The triple play - inning killer, 10 drinks, and an amazing feeling of accomplishment...
2) The fastball groundout to end the game. Throwing that risky two-out fastball that 70% of the time will result in a homer, but ends up in a late-swing groundout. Very solid...
3) The grand slam - no description needed.
4) Striking out your opponent (in straight pitch) - always a laugh...
5) Getting a hit with Don Sutton - I love getting the blooper with Sutton, sparks the rest of the team....
getting a hit with any pitcher is great especially the one that has eyes and rolls through the infield as the computer controls the shortstop or second basemen. that is the definition of frustration... especially if it drives in a run.
Hitting the ball off the screen is the best.
Hitting a line drive that bounces off a fielder(even better if it's the pitcher)
Runner on first. Groundball to second, you run your fielder toward home to make the tag, then throw to 1st for the suprise double play.
Going deep in the hole, then throwing a rocket to first for the bang bang play.
Your opponent tries to steal, then goes back to first, you cut the ball with your pitcher, then gun it to first. The person your playing will feel really dumb.
the "run home, throw to first double play" only works against novices... burnzky included... as for the play in the whole, it gives your pitcher confidence to throw inside.
My favorite is one of those ground balls that is hit just fast enough to outrun the fielder. I always seem to get at least a double and at most an inside the park HR.
you must be talking about those nubbers that the cpu turns into HR's and 3B's. the computer needs to tighten up their defense if they ever want to be competitive. its bad enough that they tip location on their pitches.
i find it very satisfying when i fool someone in to swinging way to early on an off-speed pitch, sending the ball rocketing in to the grandstands then blowing the stink past them for strike three on the next pitch! Or when I belt one down the line and off the bat yell, "That's a Wallzie!" and watch as the ball goes through the wall for a homerun.
its always nice when you can predict when your ball is gonna go through the wall. your opponent can only sit there and stew thinking about the laws of physics and how a solid object can pass through another solid object. hmm? guess the progrmmers at tengen failed physics...
Hey Joe, the run home then go to first play is actually pretty effective, I think I've had that one on you at least once in the past couple months. It's not just a novice play.
It is kind of a suprise attack, you think he's going to flip to second, but then he runs at you. Anywhere close to the runner you will be called out. These fat dudes have long arms I guess.
you might have gotten me once... but that is a play that usually works on burnzky...
I have never heard of the "run home, then throw to first" play, but I will definitely give it a shot...
Gantry it's a great play, especailly when you got like Coleman on 1st, and Ozzie up, grounder to second hit down B, then throw to first, about the only way to double up those guys.
definitely the only way to double up coleman... it works if the offensive player is not paying attention or has other runners to worry about.
once you complete the play, it is satisfying and you'll wonder why you never had done it before.
the tag em out throw em out is definately up there....
another satisfying play is making your opponent cringe as the "one pitch too many" goes flying into the seats and turns a game around....me and t have both been guilty of this many many times...
there are those nights where everything you throw ends up in the seats... those nights suck. more often now that weve employed the one starter per game rule.
yes....we play that way too...only one starter....and in that case...we both look forward to seeing the ball slow down...the action goes away...and then you can tee off....
i was in that boat last night but unfortunately the twinkies couldnt get any good wood on the ball and repeatedly grounded out to short. after kicking burnzky's ass in game one, he beat me 2-1 with hurst. then i lost to pines 4-3 after the aforementioned baserunning blunder. hrbek hit a meaningless homerun in the ninth of guillermo but it wasnt enough.