McCormick

Mancini saved the game. Yep, Chas made a great catch.

I completely agree, Jim.

Chas’ catch was spectacular and even I must admit I have watched it many more times than Mancini’s play.

But based strictly on which impacted the result of the game more, Trey’s play is not getting nearly the respect it deserves.

Trey’s play: tying and go ahead runs on base on w/ 2 outs in the 8th inning. If that ball gets by him, AT BEST the game is tied with runners on 2nd and 3rd, but very very good chance that the Phillies take the lead. The runner was off from first due to 2 outs and is already so close to second that he isn’t even in the screen when Trey snags the ball.

There were no runners on for the Phillies and 1 out with the same 1 run lead in the 9th. If Chas misses that ball, likely Reamulto ends up on 2nd with 1 out. Worst case scenario is its an inside the park homerun and the Phillies tie it.

I will also add that I think the Astros lose the game if either play goes the Phillies way, simply because of the situation, momentum and BASEBALL. And the result of the Series could have changed accordingly.

What really interests me is that the Phillies had very similar chances to both plays, earlier in the ballgame. They both resulted in runs for the Astros due to not making clean, ideal plays like the Astros did.

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The ball Schwarber hit was on its way to the corner. Two runs definitely would have scored; Segura was at 1st. If Espada had not told Mancini to guard the line, and if Mancini had not corralled that rocket, the Phillies would have taken the lead in the 8th. Chas kept the tying run off base with one out in the 9th and Harper up so that was a tough situation prevented, but I think Mancini should get more credit than he has. JV made a point to credit Mancini’s defensive play in his postgame interview with the studio guys.

I have not seen a single still photo of Mancini’s play. They may be out there, but I have not seen one. There are lots of the McCormick catch, and some photographer got a terrific shot of it I purloined for my phone.

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Just highlights how slim the margin is between winning and losing and how important it is to savior the WS title, especially being an old and going through all the bad times I’ve endured since 1962…the near misses and the injuries to Thon and JR.

Part of it was Mancini’s play was in the 8th, McCormick’s in the 9th. Ninth inning plays always get more gloss. Just like Game 1 of the ALDS and Bregman’s 2-run HR in the 8th. Obviously Yordan walked it off, but I think Bregman’s HR saved that game. You and I talked about it at the time, and Yordan’s was obviously one of the hugest in franchise history, but Bregman doesn’t get the credit he deserves for that win.

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Yuli’s HR too in the LDS game.

Mancini’s play happened so quick there was no tension build up after contact. Schwarber swings and a millisecond later Mancini has it and is reaching for the bag.

But from a situation standpoint Mancini’s was bigger and skillwise no less impressive.

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Good get on the photo, but the photographer was a bit late.

Another thing we talked about at the time was what heroes Hensley and Peña were.

Added to the play is he had not played 1B in weeks.

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Top photo is great with both Trey and 1BU looking intently at the ball.

My eyes would have been closed.

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GREAT, HH!

Yep, that ball was smoked.

Point of order: all of those images of the Mancini play are stills from the broadcast. I have not seen an actual photo either.

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I wondered that exact point.

You know, I just try to give the people what they want. And isn’t the broadcast just a collection of photos shown rapidly in succession?

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Great form - use two hands and look the ball all the way into the glove.

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The proverbial moving picture? That might catch on some day.

Yep. When I think HH, I think “people pleaser”

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Hard to say which catch was bigger between Mancini or Chas but that one by Mancini was really huge. Off the bat I thought it was a tie game.

So did Realmuto.

He carried his bat to first preparing to flip it.

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