I have had the good fortune to see many great games and many great plays in person over my 70+ years of being a baseball fan. I have seen games to clinch the World Series and games to clinch pennants. I have seen Dick Allen hit a home run over the roof at Connie Mack Stadium and Roy Halladay throw a playoff no-hitter. But one play, more than any other, stands out as the most exciting play I have ever witnessed in person. That play was Jimmy Rollins' thrilling triple on the final day of the 2007 season.
First some context. The Phillies of 2007 were a fast improving team with stars Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Rollins, and a blossoming ace pitcher in Cole Hamels, but they had yet to come together as a pennant contender. The previous year, the New York Mets had run away with the division, finishing 12 games ahead of the second place Phils. Nonetheless, in February of 2007, Rollins boldly, many would say foolishly, declared the Phillies the favorite in the National League East. "Bottom line, we're the team to beat," said Rollins, "I can't put it any other way."
Despite Rollins best efforts, and they were indeed great efforts in this Rollins' MVP year, the Phillies found themselves 7 full games behind the Mets on September 12. The Phillies then went on a furious run, winning nine of ten to find themselves in a dead heat with New York on the final day of the season. If both teams won or both teams lost a playoff loomed. If the Phils lost and the Mets won the Phillies season was over. If the Phils won and the Mets lost, the Phillies were in the playoffs for the first time in 14 long and mostly lean years.
As my friend and fellow Phillies fanatic, Don, and I worked our way to our usual Sunday afternoon seats down the first base line in Citizens Bank Park, excitement was building. The Mets game in New York started about twenty minutes before the Phillies game. As we sat down, the right field scoreboard flashed the score in New York. The lowly Marlins had put up 7 runs against Tom Glavine and the Mets in the first inning. This was the best possible scenario imaginable. The Mets looked headed for defeat even before Jamie Moyer took the mound for the Phils against the Washington Nationals.
From there the day played out like one long celebration. The Phillies took the lead in the bottom of the first when Rollins singled, stole second and third, and scored on an Utley sacrifice fly. In the third a Carlos Ruiz double, a Rollins walk, and a Ryan Howard single plated two more runs. In the fourth inning a Gregg Dobbs error at third lead to an unearned run and the game stood at 3-1 Phils. Meanwhile the Mets were getting no closer to the Marlins in New York, where the score stood at 8-1 moving to the seventh.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pat Burrell walked to lead off the inning and the speedy Michael Bourne ran for him. Chris Coste, who had replaced Ruiz as catcher after Carlos was hit by a pitch earlier, was then also hit by a pitch. With runners at first and second, Abraham Nunez (in as a defensive replacement for Dobbs at third base) put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Tadahito Iguchi then batted for reliever Tom Gordon and launched a sacrifice fly to deep right center that scored Bourne from third and moved Coste up to third. With a man on third and two outs, Jimmy Rollins strode to the plate.
Rollins, the prognosticator of Phillie success from February, was having a career year. His offensive numbers were off the charts. As he climbed into the batters box he had amassed 38 doubles, 30 home runs, 41 stolen bases, and 19 triples. One more triple would make Rollins a member of one of baseball's most exclusive clubs: the 20-20-20-20 club. Only Frank Schulte (1911) Willie Mays (1957) and Curtis Granderson (also 2007) were members. Statistically aware fans were hoping against hope that Rollins would get a triple on this day to round out a near perfect year for the little shortstop. More important was getting some kind of hit to get the fifth run across the plate.
Rollins, batting left handed against Nationals righty, Luis Ayala, worked the count to 3-2, fouling away a couple of pitches. He then laced a ringing line drive down the right field line for a hit, Coste scored easily, and Jimmy was off and running in his familiar arms-pumping, legs churning style. The hit was a sure double, but everyone could see that Rollins was thinking triple out of the box. As he rounded second and took off for third, I pounded Don on the back and shouted, "He's going to go for it." The outcome was far from a foregone conclusion. The ball clattered against the fence and hopped over the head of Nationals right-fielder. Austin Kearns who chased it down and threw to the cut off man, second baseman Ronnie Belliard who wheeled and launched a strong throw to third. As Rollins dived for the bag, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman caught the ball on one hop and slapped down the tag a whisper too late. Umpire Bruce Dreckman emphatically signaled safe and the crowd went bonkers. Don and I slapped high fives with everyone within our reach.
A few innings later, the Mets had lost, Brett Myers had struck out Willie Mo Pena for the final out of a 6-1 victory and the Phillies were on the way to the playoffs.
Knowledgeable baseball people have long said that the triple is the most exciting play in baseball. On this day, for this fan, watching this marvelous player, this triple was indeed the most exciting play I ever saw. It was the perfect exclamation point on an extraordinary season for a team and its inspirational leader.
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