After watching Milwaukee Brewers' second baseman Rickie Weeks speed around the bases for an inside-the-park home run (where a player hits the ball and runs around the bases and touches home without being called out) on Saturday, that got me thinking...
What are the top 10 best inside-the park home runs this year? (We've had 17 inside-the-park HR's in 2010).
(Clicking on each picture will link you to the specific home run. All videos and images are courtesy of MLB)
10. Run, Rickie, Run!
By the time the center fielder caught the ball off the wall, Rickie was already at third base! Man, he's fast!
9. Double Trouble
It's amazing when a player gets one inside-the-parker in a season. It's surprising when a player gets two before the All-Star break! But Tony Gwynn Jr, the son of Hall-of-Fame first baseman Tony Gwynn Sr., is lightning fast, and I bet will get more of these kinds of home runs in the future.
8. A Bautista Bomb!
Even home run kings (Jose Bautista has a MLB-leading 34 home runs as of August 7) have their share of inside-the-park HRs. He Michael Jordans himself (sticking his tongue out) after touching home base.
7. The Good...
David DeJesus of the Kansas City Royals got really lucky on this play. Michael Cuddyer, the outfielder, thought the ball went over the wall for a home run, but DeJesus kept on running... and got himself a round-tripper!
6. ...And the Bad and the Ugly
A few months later, DeJesus found himself on the wrong side of an inside-the-park home run. On Derek Jeter's first home run of that sort - yes, that is NOT a typo - DeJesus rams his right hand into the padding - the injury was a broken wrist, which would end DeJesus's promising season - He will miss the rest of the year with that injury.
5. Can you say 'Ouch'?
Detroit Tigers' outfielder Ryan Rayburn tried to catch this fly ball - but ended up colliding with the Indians' bullpen door. Luckily he was okay, but the team wasn't, with Johnny Peralta scoring an inside-the-park home run.
4. Drawing up an Opening Day Home Run
What an opening day for Arizona Diamondbacks' shortstop Stephen Drew! He caromed a shot off the center field wall - with the Padres' centerfielder misplaying the ball - and scoring an easy home run.
3.Bam!
If you thought that the previous seven players that hit these home runs were fortunate because of a defensive lapse, then Gerardo Parra must have been really fortunate. Two Atlanta Braves' outfielders - rookie Jason Heyward and veteran Nate McLouth - both newbies to the Braves' franchise this year - collided, with McLouth receiving the worst of the hit. He would never play the same way he did in 2009 with the Pirates after that collision
2. Anger Management in Action
Washington Nationals' centerfielder Nyjer Morgan - thinking that the ball left his glove and went over the wall - threw his glove in frustration, only to realize that the ball was still in play. Orioles' batter Adam "my name is not Pac-Man" Jones had an easy inside-the-park home run after that gaffe.
1. Huffin' and Puffin' his way home
San Francisco Giants' first baseman Aubrey Huff (the ex-Ray and Oriole) is not one of the nimblest baseball players in the League. He gets the #1 spot for both his quick feet and the announcer's amazement that Huff would hit a round-tripper.
Which play do you think deserves the #1 spot?
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