Try to watch NL Best Plays on MLB Network

Never did a fanshot but wasn't worth a whole posting. Try to check out on MLB Network the NL Plays of the Year. They have a lot of Cubs stuff in there and a few great moments from Aaron Miles. I'm actually looking forward to him playing with us now. Check it out on replays!

about 3 years ago ak123 9 comments 0 recs |

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Argh, I started watching it last night...

…but my wife came in and won the cage match for the remote. A quick look at the schedule tells me they’ll be replaying it at 10 am (ET) on Saturday and 2:30 am (ET) on Sunday. Ladies and gentleman, start your DVRs!

RIP Ron Asheton (1948-2009)

by daver on Jan 22, 2009 9:56 AM CST reply actions

They had Ankiel ahead of Johnson and Edmonds

for outfielder’s plays. What a jib. I stopped watching after that.
The Edmonds catch in Houston was the best by anyone all 2008 season.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jan 22, 2009 10:19 AM CST reply actions

Better than Reed Johnson's?

RIP Ron Asheton (1948-2009)

by daver on Jan 22, 2009 10:29 AM CST up reply actions

By a mile

Looking at them again last night, Johnson was a tad late jumping and had to make up for it (not bashing him). Edmond’s was circus-like. He wasn’t looking at the ball for a bit while trying to make up ground and had to deal with that ridiculous uphill.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jan 22, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions

But remember

That was a trademark Edmonds play. He’s done almost identical catches for years. It’s still spectacular and even greater that it was done in a Cubs uniform but it wasn’t anything new for him.

Johnson’s play was more of those holy #$ sort of plays that you rewound a couple dozen times to show anyone in your house that missed it.

by ak123 on Jan 22, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, it's definitely a close call.

If I may draw a ridiculous distinction here, I would say that Edmonds may have made the better “catch,” but RJ’s leaping grab was a better “play.” And in that I mean that it wasn’t just RJ’s insane jump that made the play great, it was all the stuff that went along with it:

The stunned-while-trying-to-be-nonchalant way he got up and ran back toward the dugout after making the catch.
The way the bill of his cap was turned up.
DeRo standing absolutely still, staring in amazement at Woody through the fence.
Felipe Lopez smiling in disbelief as he walked off the field.
Len Kasper’s call.

I think all the extra elements add up to push it over the top.

RIP Ron Asheton (1948-2009)

by daver on Jan 22, 2009 2:06 PM CST up reply actions

You know...

I think you make excellent points. But when Edmonds made the catch in Houston, Len Kasper also went nuts, Carlos Lee waited for him to give him a nudgie and I lost my voice screaming at the TV.
But the “stunned-while-trying-to-be-nonchalant” bit is the kicker. RJ’s wins.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jan 22, 2009 3:47 PM CST up reply actions

Ah, that's right. It was Carlos Lee.

I was trying to remember that. I seem to recall Edmonds also robbing Eckstein of a hit at one point last season and laughing at the original Scrapmeister on the way back to the dugout.

RIP Ron Asheton (1948-2009)

by daver on Jan 22, 2009 5:27 PM CST up reply actions

Agree

Johnson I think should have been #1. But it was nice they recognized Cubs for 2 of the 9 spots in that category. I feel national channels overlooks the team and they did a good job of representation for teh entire special.

by ak123 on Jan 22, 2009 10:54 AM CST up reply actions