Reliving Adam Jones' Unreal Home Run Robbery Reminded Me How Much I Miss The WBC
It's been 4 years since Adam Jones robbed Manny Machado of a home run to make one of the best catches you'll ever see with your own 2 eyes. That 2017 World Baseball Classic was the definition of electric. USA was stacked, the Dominican Republic was stacked, Puerto Rico was stacked, Team Israel made a hell of a run. It was amazing baseball and of course USA brought home the Gold.
The catch itself is the play of the tournament and probably one of the best baseball plays you will ever see. I had just got home from the bar and went NUTS when Adam went up and over the wall for the catch. The fact that it was an Oriole on Oriole crime made it that much better. These were 2 of the better teams in the tournament, both were laced with star power. So with the USA clinging to a 4-2 lead late in the game and goggles man himself on the mound, USA needed a play big time. And you're damn right they got it. The way that Jones played the ball in a ballpark that he hadn't played many games in is awesome. Ball. Wall. Ball. I mean that ball was pissed on to the deepest part of the park and Adam still went to get it. The crowd goes NUTS for the catch by the kid who grew up in San Diego, what a moment for Adam. Manny gives him the hat tip to show re2pect which is only right. It's even bigger because Robbie Cano hit a bomb the next at-bat that would have tied the game id Adam didn't channel his inner Superman.
The WBC never really had the popularity in the US that it had in other countries but that all changed in 2017. We finally had big named players in their prime putting on the red, white, and blue to represent for the country. What's better than that?
The 2021 World Baseball Classic was supposed to start on March 9th and it's a shame we didn't get it this year. Obviously I understand why it couldn't have happened and I hope and pray that we get one soon, but with everything that has gone on in the country the last few years, could you imagine a team possibly lead by Mike Trout, Christian Yelich, Marcus Stroman, Pete Alonso, Nolan Arenado, Giancarlo Stanton, Shane Bieber, DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom, Trevor Bauer, Freddie Freeman, Luke Voit, Trevor Story...do I need to go on? Like 2017, USA would have brought it home in 2021.
Anytime I see this play I'm contractually obligated to watch it and talk about how fantastic it was, now go watch it a bunch more times and pay attention to every different person in the stands and their reaction to the catch. Tell me you don't get goosebumps watching it. And shout out to Matty V for the perfect call too.