Catch of the Year

[Frenchie]

Too bad this is a Baseball thread, because I was expecting to read about

D.J. Flicks' Catch in the Saskatchewan/Calgary game yesterday.

One of the best TD receptions I've ever witnessesed...

Take a minute to look at the highlights...

[STL FANATIC]

EXACTLY like Willie Mays, Chris.

I can't believe Mays catch gets as much credit as it does. I realize it was a deep centerfield, but still...

I agree with the Edmonds play with the Angels probably being the best I've seen. He's made a number of other gems too, some very important ones.

I'm partial to Edmonds catch in game 7 of the 2004 NLCS myself. It was early in the game, but it prevented Houston from blowing the game wide open and was a pretty awesome catch on it's on technical merits.

Not the best ever or anything, but being my Cardinals and the situation, I'm a big fan of it.

[Jigga]

This catch is way better then that over hyped ESPN catch, ESPN dose not like New York teams so this one wont be hyped, dont let ESPN be the only ones who tell you what a good play is.

No, let some Mets homer wacko right wing nut job schizo who lives in his mom's basement tell you what a good play is. He certainly watches more TV than you do.

[Jezus_Ghoti]

I just watched the Beltran catch and it was nothing special at all. You guys are all crazy if you think it was even catch of the week. It was at a crucial time in the game, but the actual catch itself was nothing that special.

[I Am A Flaming Douche Bag]

Johnny Mac's play > Beltrans catch.

Edmonds catch when he played for Anaheim > all

[See Red]

If we're bringing ever into it... I'm going with Gary Matthews Jr.'s catch from last year as the best I've ever seen.

And STL, I still think Mays' play was better than Jim Edmonds. Tie game, eighth inning of the World Series with two outs.

Plus, The deepest part of centerfield at the Polo Grounds in 1954 was 505 feet. I'm not sure exactly where in Center he caught it but I've seen it estimated that that ball traveled 450 feet, which is a booming HR in any stadium today (the deepest listed dimension in whatever park Edmonds' catch was in was 400). Part of the greatness of that play is mere fact that he could get to that ball and not only catch it without having to dive, but to be kind of slowing up as he caught it. I think you have to look at the whole play as opposed to just the catch.

[marlinfan]

If we're bringing ever into it... I'm going with Gary Matthews Jr.'s catch from last year as the best I've ever seen.

And STL, I still think Mays' play was better than Jim Edmonds. Tie game, eighth inning of the World Series with two outs.

Plus, The deepest part of centerfield at the Polo Grounds in 1954 was 505 feet. I'm not sure exactly where in Center he caught it but I've seen it estimated that that ball traveled 450 feet, which is a booming HR in any stadium today (the deepest listed dimension in whatever park Edmonds' catch was in was 400). Part of the greatness of that play is mere fact that he could get to that ball and not only catch it without having to dive, but to be kind of slowing up as he caught it. I think you have to look at the whole play as opposed to just the catch.

Adding to 88s analysis of "The Catch." There were runners on first and second. If Mays goes down trying to make that catch the runner on second could have tagged up and scored from second. The Catch is the first great part of the play, the throw back into the infield keeping the runners from scoring and giving Cleveland the lead are the second part to that play.

Also you need to look at the period. It was 1954. To the best of my knowledge the World Series wasn't broadcast on national TV until the late 40s. It was the first time a national TV audience saw that type of play.

[VitaminD]

If we're bringing ever into it... I'm going with Gary Matthews Jr.'s catch from last year as the best I've ever seen.

And Curtis Granderson's was even better than that one. That was just a phenomenal grab.

The best near-catch this year was Aaron Rowand getting decent leather on a HR to dead center at CBP while perpendicular to the fence, and halfway over it.

[tBBP]

I gotta go with Gary Matthews' Spider-Man act of last year as one of the best ever. Let's see how many other people can do what he did...go running full-speed toward the outfield wall, time a jump PERFECTLY and still spring off that wall high enough to rob a sure homer. Not since Bo Jackson can I remember anybody doing anything close to that.

But hell...can Grady Sizemore get a little love? I believe it was Sunday, the game where someone hit a fly and he went charging toward the outfield wall and made a nice dive, full extension, to get that ball.

(Bonus thought: why do people STILL continue to try to run on Vlad Guerrero? Look, players...YOU AIN'T GONNA WIN THAT BATTLE, AT ALL!!! Dude could probably throw that baseball through a brick wall if he had to just to get somebody out.)

[See Red]

If we're bringing ever into it... I'm going with Gary Matthews Jr.'s catch from last year as the best I've ever seen.

And Curtis Granderson's was even better than that one. That was just a phenomenal grab.

The best near-catch this year was Aaron Rowand getting decent leather on a HR to dead center at CBP while perpendicular to the fence, and halfway over it.

It may be... I thought it was better than the Beltran play, but I've only seen Granderson's catch once since watching those highlights makes me grumpy since they beat my Sox. I'll try and find it and check it out.

Alright... I just saw it, what a great catch. Best of the year easily. Now I can't find Matthews Jr's catch to compare, lol. If I remember correctly, though, there's not a great angle of Matthews Jr's catch that shows how over the wall the ball was, which hurts it. Most impressive about Granderson's is that it looks like he hit the wall just before the ball went into the glove.

And yeah, Sizemore deserves some love. Coco Crisp can catch some baseballs himself. Not trying to proclaim this one as being better as any of the mentioned ones, but it is better than Beltrans, which was also against the Mets... (and was from last year, I should add)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pijIFF3mPCw

Also, Alex Gonzalez had a phenomenal play against the Braves last year. Atlanta fans may remember it, but I can't find a video of it on YouTube. He was covering second on a steal attempt and the ball was hit behind him as he was running. Looked like it was a hit, easily,and he makes a dive back into the screen and snags the ball and if I remember correctly, throws to first from the ground.

[DEAD!]

I just saw a clip of Sizemore's. That's was very impressive. I also got a glimpse of Eric Hinske's diving catch, and I thought that was better then Beltran's