Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Can you tell the difference between a Spring Training walk-off and a regular-season walk-off?

(Tim Warner)

Does it get any better than a walk-off hit? The crowd is roaring while teammates mob the hero who won the game almost single-handedly -- sure, there may have been other people on base who made the rally possible, but he was the one who struck the decisive blow! It's a big deal!
Except when it isn't. Walk-off hits in Spring Training are their own breed of victory. Sure, it's fun, but it's just a warm-up game. The pitchers on the mound at the end of such exhibitions are almost always Minor Leaguers anyway -- often ones who only traveled with the team to fill out a road-game roster. There's no need to embarrass them, but you still want to celebrate in some way. So, how do you strike that balance? 
More importantly, can you tell the difference between how players celebrate game-winning hits in Spring Training rather than the regular season? The circumstances can occasionally make it tricky to do so. Take the quiz below and find out.

BarberJordan
beephero
AP_702417634020
NYC