ALDS Gm3: Varitek successfully blocks home plate

this is opens first genuine scoring chains it very softly low throws home and that one is going to the other runners to move on as Burns shunned Jason Varitek and Varitek is over can't get out burns never tagged the plate parents change that ball down at the burn stop and then ran back after burns was limping after the collision at the play and he was tagged out he does not score amazing what this is a base hit I'm answer swinging bunch now Varitek's right out in front he blocks him off and he he does he blocks him off now he goes and gets the ball now Byrne pushes him butts Marx lay by Varitek and he goes over in tackling and a great call by the home plate umpire because he kept his eyes on the plate now watch here he does not get to the plate great block there and then he jammed his ankle into the ground and I'm sure the pain kept in some blinking properly here I mean just a great block there and you can block the plate if you're reaching for the ball there comes the ball and Varitek knows that he didn't touch it and preferences upset because he blocked him off and he pushes him I'm not sure that that's not that's not interference anyway and they should have been called out just yeah I mean you can't just push the guy who's going after the ball

Channel: MLB

Views: 32,184

Rating: 4.7024794 out of 5

Keywords: Major League Baseball, MLB, Oakland Athletics, Vault, Jason Varitek, defense, MLB Vault, highlight, Major League, classic, Boston Red Sox

Id: xhYV36b0ffg

Length: 1min 35sec (95 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 28 2013

Reddit Comments

[u/Sandwich_Crust]

This clip for whatever reason had been pretty much forgotten from my memory. Maybe because 2003 broke my heart and isn’t celebrated like it really should be. Maybe it’s just 2004 overshadowing everything that came before it. Or maybe it’s the fact that A-Rod took over in becoming the biggest shit after fighting Varitek and slapping Arroyo’s glove just the following year.

Regardless, please enjoy this clip of Jason Varitek tagging out the original bitch boy in Eric Byrnes.

[u/hester27]

Didn’t Trot Nixon hit a walk off homer in in this game to or am I mixing up my games

[u/ironictitle]

Great IQ play by Varitek! Having to make that split second decision to reach out over the plate and then recognizing that the runner didn’t touch.

But I’m glad they changed the rules to prevent this type of thing because the injuries sustained are not worth it.

[u/_The_Professor_]

This is one of my favorite plays in all of baseball (and I've been watching since the 60s). Tek is a brick at the plate, and blocks Byrnes legally and skillfully while going for the ball. Tek knows the rules, and heads for the ball in a businesslike manner while Byrnes seems oblivious about not having touched the plate. A heads-up player would retag the plate just for good measure. Byrnes is being a head-up-his-ass player here.

While Tek is acting skillfully and cooly (blocking the plate, heading for the ball), Byrnes seems entirely self centered. This play is a perfect distillation and manifestation of their respective personalities: Tek is a consummate professional whereas Byrnes is . . . not.

And that moment when Tek follows through with the tag, bringing to bear all the training and experience he's had in Little League, school ball, the minors and majors, that moment is simply perfect. No wonder Byrnes is so surprised. He was thinking about himself; Tek was thinking about the game.

[u/RaisingFargo]

That series was incredible.

This series was the first time i felt genuine anxiety during a sporting event.

[u/mr_action_jackson]

Damn, I love Tek. He is one of those guys that needs to always be apart of the Sox. Manager for sure.

[u/navin__johnson]

Man I remember watching this play. I was shouting at Byrnes to “go back and touch home plate idiot! Atop being so dramatic!”

Eric Byrnes was always such a drama queen. This cost them a run. I was never a big fan of his.

[u/carver1976]

That was when I found out what a complete tool Eric Byrnes is, and have been proven correct every day since. I remember in this game also Miguel Tejada colliding with a fielder rounding 3rd, but not getting the interference call because he just stopped and complained about it instead of going home. The A's just totally screwed themselves out of this game... And then Trot Nixon in the 11th!

[u/bns2714]

This was such a great series, I remember being so stressed out and tense watching it.