Check out the 10 most jaw-droppingly crazy slides from the 2017 season
We all know that an effective slide can be the difference between a player being out or safe. Not only does the baserunner have to reach the desired base, but he must also contend with outside factors such as a defender's tag or positioning. At times, he must also contend with imperfection -- an initial attempt that goes awry -- and recover from a misstep to reach his destination.
What follows are the most fun slides of the 2017 season. While not all of them achieved the runner's desired outcome -- safe at the base -- they all reveal humans using their athleticism and improvisational skills to interact with a defender committed to thwarting their efforts.
10.
Often on bloop hits, fortune favors the bold. When Torreyes hit a blooper that landed in shallow left field, he boldly tried for second base. Thanks to a swimming, corkscrew slide, fortune favored Torreyes. He later used his improved station to score and help the Yankees to a narrow 3-2 win over the Cardinals.
9.
Not all fun slides end in success. Amarista learned that when he tried to stretch a double into a triple against the Cubs' defense. Thanks to an early slide, Amarista ended up with a taste of Coors Field dirt. Upon finishing his meal,
8.
Gordon topped off a four-run eighth inning for the Royals with this rumbling, tumbling slide-stand combo. After coming around from first on a
7.
It's probably not advisable to attempt a slide while one's batting gloves are dangling out of one's mouth. Gordon avoided that potential choking hazard and swiped second base for good measure.
6.
Barney may have run out of gas on his way to third base in the final month of the regular season. At least that's what his manager, John Gibbons, suspected. Part of a fun slide is playing with the cards you're dealt. Barney was dealt a slide that put him a couple feet from third base. So, he extended it with some creative crawling and swimming moves.
5.
After sliding into home on a
4.
Harrison has developed a reputation for his ability to avoid tags with his slides, so the trickiest thing he could do was avoid a tag by pulling up in the middle of a slide. His hesitation move left
3.
On a close play at the plate, the catcher expects the runner to slide. So, facing a close play, McCann deked
2. Merrifield's feet touched first on a head-first slide
Merrifield led the American League with 34 stolen bases in 2017 thanks to a combination of speed, good jumps and evasive maneuvers. The latter was on full display when he avoided
1.
Coghlan only scored seven runs in 2017, but didn't skimp on quality. With Molina perfectly positioned to tag him out about six feet from home plate, Coghlan attempted a tactic of last resort: jumping clear over the catcher and landing perfectly on home plate. He nailed the landing and the slide of the year.