The Outfield Assist

Opening Day-The Outfield Assist

For my first post, I felt nothing was more appropriate than to write about the outfield assist. Not only a great title for our site due to its quirky insinuations, I firmly believe (and I know Rob does as well) that the outfield assist is one of the most highly underrated plays in all of sports. There are few sports plays that are packed with as much anticipation and uncertainty as the outfield assist. The real beauty of the outfield assist for me is two fold:

The first major component is that you can see the entire play unfold. Sure you can see a touchdown play develop, or anticipate a great goal in soccer in the middle of a series of precise passes. But it's not the same. Seeing a runner from first make the decision to round second and go to third on a single to right, as a right fielder with an arm the likes of a Ichiro Suzuki scoops up the ball causes all 39,000 fans at Fenway Park to stand up every time...and nothing has even happened yet. I can still see in my head the video of Valdimir Guererro playing right field for the Expos at Olympic Stadium in Montreal and uncorking a 300 foot seed from the right field corner to third to throw out a sliding baserunner. Truely amazing.

The second major component is that its a relatively rare play. Other exciting plays in sports such as a Home Run, a hard hit in football, a fight in hockey, all happen somewhat frequently. But the outfield assist, a play that generates a stadium of excitement, might happen only once every 5 or 6 games. Even further, outfielders with the best arms are not even tested that much and given the opportunity for an assist. One of the best indicators of an outfielders arm, without actually seeing a ball thrown, is the third base coach's decision to hold or send a runner on hits to the outfield. Johnny Damon could be standing on the pitchers mound with the ball and I still would send the runner from third. But an Ichrio or a Vlad? To even get the opportunity to see them try and throw out a daring runner would for sure be a topic of conversation and make a sportscenter highlight reel.

An article on outfield assists would be wasted without mentioning that the act of it can cause one of the few brute physical plays involved in baseball. A runner absolutely train-wrecking a catcher on a close play at home is one of the coolest plays, if not the coolest in baseball. I can't tell you how many times I've screamed at my televison screen for a runner to "lower the boom!" on a catcher at home. Whenever a runner decides to do his best Pete Rose hustle play on a catcher...things get loud.

Many argue that the late Roberto Clemente had the best arm of all time. He led the NL a record 5 times in outfield assists. Carl Yaztremski, with the aid of the Green Monster and a short left field has the record for most AL assist titles claiming it 7 times. Then there is the old story of Enos Slaughter shagging fly balls against the right field fence and lacing ball after ball on one bounce into a barrel laid over third base. More concrete, Tris Speaker is the all-time leader in outfield assists with 449, 52 more than second place Jimmy Ryan who played for Chicago in the late 19th century.

While there certainly are some good arms in baseball now, Delmon Young, Ichiro, an aging Vlad, and yes, I have to say, the underrated arm of Manny Ramirez (led the AL in assists in 1996, had 17 in 2004), there does not seem to be as much emphasis put on arm strength and throwing skill. Maybe it is because the Home Run has become the staple wow factor skill to have. Personally I think its just that kids aren't throwing a baseball in sandlots all day like they used to. Regardless, the next time you get lucky enough to see an outfield assist, don't take it for granted--you might not see another one for a while.