You decide: Which position player's pitching performance ruled the July 4 weekend?
A whopping 23 position players took the hill 27 different times in 2015 -- the most since at least 1960 (before which the distinction between "position player" and "pitcher" gets a little fuzzy).
But as it turns out, 2015 was mere prelude to the madness of the 2016 season's July 4 weekend, henceforth known as The Rise of the Position Players Pitching.
Three days, six games, seven (!) different performances from players who are most definitely not pitchers by trade. Pitches went to the backstop, knuckleballs fluttered their way into our hearts. And now, in the aftermath, just one question remains: Which position player pitcher was the best position player pitcher? Take a look at the candidates below, and then be sure to rank them all.
1. Ryan Goins, July 1 vs. Indians
Game situation: Top of the 18th, score tied at 1
Final line: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER
Best moment: Really, the highlight of Goins' performance came before he even faced a better, when he managed to hit the backstop during warmups:
But if actual game action is your thing, perhaps this double play to escape a jam and preserve the tie is for you:
2. Darwin Barney, July 1 vs. Indians
Game situation: Top of the 19th, score tied at 1
Final line: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K
Best moment: Barney followed his fellow infielder Goins, and while he gave up the eventual game-winning homer to Carlos Santana, he also captured the elusive position player pitching strikeout against Mike Napoli:
3. Taylor Motter, July 1 vs. Tigers
Game situation: 2 out in the 9th, Rays trailing 10-0
Final line: 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER
Best moment: Motter only faced two batters, but he helped save the Tampa bullpen from any more stress by inducing a fly-out -- and did so with some truly outstanding hair:
4. Bryan Holaday, July 2 vs. Twins
Game situation: 2 out in the bottom of the 8th, Rangers trailing 17-5
Final line: 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER
Best moment: Oh, nothing, just a 60-mph knuckleball that put Eduardo Nunez on his backside:
5. Ryan LaMarre , July 2 vs. Angels
Game situation: Top of the 9th, Red Sox trailing 21-2
Final line: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER
Best moment: Sitting in the high-70s to low-80s with a Jaime Moyer-esque fastball, LaMarre managed to work around two hits to pitch a scoreless frame by inducing a Gregorio Petit flyout:
6. Chris Gimenez, July 3 vs. Blue Jays
Game situation: Bottom of the 7th, Indians trailing 13-1
Final line: 2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER
Best moment: Sure, he would give up four runs in his second and final inning of work, but he breezed through the 7th 1-2-3!
7. Miguel Montero, July 3 vs. Mets
Game situation: Two outs in the bottom of the 7th
Final line: 1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER
Best moment: Getting to take the mound in a big league game was probably beyond Montero's wildest dreams, and he acquitted himself well, allowing just one run over more than an inning of work. But enough about that -- it's time to discuss his reality-bending showdown with Jacob deGrom, which ended with Montero inducing a popup:
There you have it, seven worthy contenders. Now make your voice heard:
