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The 20+ Best MLB Moments from Monday

A postponement, some strange things, more drama, and an ALDS winner.

Matt Goodwin
Best MLB Moments 10/12/2021

Yesterday was intended to play host to four Division Series games with all teams in action—something that doesn’t happen on the regular. Unfortunately, Mother Nature grounded the White Sox and Astros and left us with just three matchups. The rainout also meant that there was but one series that had the chance to come to an end yesterday—and come to an end it most certainly did.

 

Before we begin, I want to share 10 things I’ve learned (or have been reinforced) within the last 48 hours.

  1. I am intensely jealous of the schedule by which those of you on the West Coast get to consume sports: fully able to watch all games to the end while also getting a full night’s sleep.
  2. Hunter Renfroe did not “mess up” the play in the outfield; it was a freak play that happened as he tried to chase down a ball over his head.
  3. MLB umpires know the rules better than all of us.
  4. Nerds don’t lose, teams do.
  5. I’m still not 100% sure what that extra line at first base is for, since I thought it was where runners had to run to first, but I am obviously mistaken.
  6. The strike zone is, but should not be, fluid.
  7. Replay is not always effective in getting the call right.
  8. Wander Franco is the real deal and the AL East likely has two of the top five best young hitters in baseball.
  9. The umpires did not “blow” the call against the Rays—the rule is very clear and they got it right. Also, the rule isn’t bad.
  10. I was VERY wrong about the Boston Red Sox this year.

 

Does any sport transform itself as much as Major League Baseball does for its playoffs? The way hitters approach at-bats. The way pitchers go after hitters. The way managers use their benches and bullpens. None of it really resembles how things work in the regular season, and it sure is entertaining.

Let’s get warmed up with some of what came across the Twitterverse yesterday:

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to the Great White North:

 

 

This feeble attempt to get Braves fans out of hot water with their bosses:

 

 

This great news!

 

 

This maybe great news:

 

 

This absolute LEGEND:

 

 

And this clever satire that manages to roast two birds with one fire:

 

 

Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

 

This game was nuts. If people were jazzed for a high octane follow-up to Sunday’s crazy contest, they were not disappointed. The Red Sox plated five runs in the third. Then they coughed up the lead. It came down to the ninth inning. There are probably 50 Tweets/gifs that I could use here. I will do my best to keep it to under 20.

How about some slick defense:

 

 

There was a 17-pitch at-bat by Austin Meadows facing Eduardo Rodriguez:

 

 

E-Rod “won”

 

 

Then the Red Sox got some things put together:

 

 

Verdugo tacks on another:

 

 

And JD Martinez caps off a productive third inning:

 

 

They wouldn’t score again for a good bit. But the Rays did, mounting a comeback with one run in the fifth, and these two in the sixth:

 

 

The Rays then plated two more in the eighth:

 

 

In the end, the Boston Red Sox were able to walk it off in the ninth and move on the ALCS in what might be the most unexpected outcome in the playoffs so far:

 

 

And, finally, a little trolling from the Red Sox social media:

 

 

Atlanta Braves vs. Milwaukee Brewers

 

Let’s start this one with some solid pitching:

 

 

There was this punny bomb:

 

 

This useful information:

 

 

This super dope angle:

 

 

And this fun fact:

 

 

Dansby Swanson made a heckuva play:

 

 

And Chipper Jones did NOT:

 

 

The misplay prompted this amazing response which both trolls Jones and references cricket and I am here for all of that:

 

 

In the end, the Atlanta Braves won and now lead the series two games to one:

 

 

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants

 

This matchup is definitely the longest. Not by game time or innings, but most definitely by the number of characters in the teams’ names.

Even the pre-game for this one was intense:

 

 

There were a couple of oddities:

 

 

This was a game mostly comprised of pitching and some defense. Let’s look at a couple of examples of the pitching here:

 

 

There was this milestone for a legend of the game:

 

 

And this one too:

 

 

The Giants got on the board in the top of the fifth with a solo shot by another grizzled veteran:

 

 

 

There they are, folks. The best moments from yesterday. I will leave you with this message from the Tampa Bay Rays to their fans:

 

 

And this David Ortiz celebration for everybody:

 

 

Try and get that out of your mind-holes.

 

Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)

Matt Goodwin

Husband. Dad. Teacher. Writer. Podcaster. Baseball Fan. Quippy. Makes up words. FSWA. IBWAA.

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