Lunch time chatter edition I forget which edition

[Kingdom]

I love web gems. It's probably my favorite segment on Baseball Tonight. Who doesn't enjoy something like the kick the ball in the air for the 2B to catch play, or someone we don't think plays any defense like Adam Dunn crashing into the wall (and probably permanently killing the wall) for a catch. It's exciting, especially the random defensive highlights.

After watching last night's web gems, specifically 3B Aramis Ramirez play which I think was #1 but I don't remember, it got me to thinking that first basemen routinely get jobbed on web gems. Let me explain. Re-watch ARam's play again. Great range, awesome display of arm strength to make the throw but, BUT, that play doesn't happen if Derek Lee doesn't make an equally impressive stretch towards the outfield to catch the throw. None of the BBTN guys even mentioned Lee's athletic prowless on that play. Heck, unless the first baseman is the subject of the web gem, they rarely get pointed out on digs and stretches on throws like that. The other day Derek Jeter did one of his likely by now copyrighted twirl and throw from the outfield plays, which everyone goes GAGA over, but rewind the play and watch Mark Teixeira. Now there's why he's a gold glover. Not every first baseman makes that play, and it's pretty routine for him.

While these plays from the 1B's are not as exciting, frankly they're just as important if not more, without the effort they put forth on these particular plays, it's not a web gem, it's an error, game changes. So back to the ARam throw, what impresses me about that is indeed ARam's throw because he didn't bounce and in fact, almost misses D.Lee completely, causing him to stretch out towards Right-Center to stab the throw. For Lee, like Teixeira, that's routine but in my opinion worth mentioning and worth repeating, as well as watching. So for lunch time chatter, respect thy first baseman next time you're watching web gems.

[ljshorty89]

I agree completely. I feel like in a lot of cases on those scoops and stretches, 1B's become like offensive linemen. When it comes to those plays, they don't get any recognition unless they DON'T make the scoop, or DON'T stretch enough. It's kinda unfair, considering how much we disrespect the position they play...1B is a harder position than most people realize.