Best at bat you've ever seen....

[_Sir_Charles_]

We've all seen ab's where the hitter just battles and battles until he can get something to drive. We've seen the ones that work the count and work the pitch count. We've seen the ones that ruin the "pitchers pitches" and refuse to bite on those "pitcher's pitches". What do you look for in a good at bat?

And for the record, THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3h7SSNSlms) is the best AB I've ever seen...and it's simply due to the mental aspect of it and the intensity. Was it a gimmick? Maybe, but out-thinking the pitcher is what I want to see. Making the PITCHER uncomfortable...you pull that off, and you win.

[NebraskaRed]

The intensity on Votto's face on tha AB is incredible. I remember watching that and thinking that was equally strange and thrilling.

[Vottomatic]

I can't remember who the opposing pitcher was. Some reliever who threw tons of heat. Votto came up with men on base in a late inning, maybe a final inning. Ran the count full and kept fouling pitch after pitch off. Finally drove one past the shortstop, and I think it might have scored the winning run. It was amazing.

[BCubb2003]

I'd look to see other batters be very cool and still in the box. I never understood what the Sean Casey types gain from their gyrations. Votto has the right idea, sending the unmistakable message to the pitcher: You have a problem and I'm it. Deal with it.

[kaldaniels]

I can't remember who the opposing pitcher was. Some reliever who threw tons of heat. Votto came up with men on base in a late inning, maybe a final inning. Ran the count full and kept fouling pitch after pitch off. Finally drove one past the shortstop, and I think it might have scored the winning run. It was amazing.

I think you are referring to our very own Broxton.

[RedsManRick]

That was fun to watch. Baseball is more exciting when they don't take forever between pitches.

[Billy Hamilton's Legs]

i still think bruce's at bat against sergio romo was the most intense at bat i've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvLVGbNh-0s

such a heartbreaker...

[Kc61]

Bench's home run in the ninth inning of the fifth game of the 1972 playoffs with the season on the line and a 1-2 count. Period.

[RedLegsToday]

I think you are referring to our very own Broxton.

That it was. Reds were up by a run or two at the time. Broxton came in and was sitting at, like 90 mph and couldn't get the ball past the Reds hitters. After going 1-0 on Rolen (I think), the Dodgers pitching coach came out, told Broxton something about his mechanics, and Broxton came back throwing 96+ and just blew away Rolen. Votto came up next, and had that ridiculous at-bat, getting beat badly on the first two fastballs. He choked up and started fouling everything off, eventually worked the count to 3-2, and then hit a little single to give the Reds another run.

[MikeThierry]

i still think bruce's at bat against sergio romo was the most intense at bat i've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvLVGbNh-0s

such a heartbreaker...

That one was epic considering what was on the line. How many pitches did Bruce see?

[MikeThierry]

The AB between Carlos Beltran and Adam Wainwright in the 2006 NLCS was amazing.

[BluegrassRedleg]

I saw Kevin Mitchell have one against Rob Dibble (in both players' prime) that was unreal. He remains one of the most gifted hitters I've ever seen.

[HokieRed]

Probably not many of us old enough to remember this guy but practically any at bat by Richie Ashburn. He would routinely foul off ten pitches. Once hit a foul into the stands, broke a woman's nose, and then, in the same at bat, hit another one that hit the same woman as she was being carried out on a stretcher. The most consistently difficult out I've ever seen (at least in the sense of its taking forever).

[blumj]

It's tough to beat that Alex Cora 18 pitch one off Matt Clement, I think he fouled off 14 straight before hitting a HR.

[terminator]

I've heard different versions of the story, but Luke Appling supposedly fouled off 10 or more pitches in a row to the same part of the stands during a game because he was angry at his team owner (Comiskey?) for not being willing to give him some balls to autograph. (Supposedly did the same thing during BP in NY with 25 pitches when they wouldn't give him some game passes.)

Anyway, talk about a guy with plate discipline . . . I always thought it was an interesting "story" and figured if I mentioned it here woy would tell me six more things about it/him I didn't know.

[reds44]

It's tough to beat that Alex Cora 18 pitch one off Matt Clement, I think he fouled off 14 straight before hitting a HR.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20040513&content_id=742378&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null

[Always Red]

October 22, 1975 at Fenway Park

Joe Morgan, top of the 9th inning against Jim Burton. Morgan muscled out a bloop single to score the original Ken Griffey (SR) to send the Reds to a 4-3 lead, and eventual victory against the BoSox in the 75 WS.

Had to have a hit, not a walk and Joe delivered.

[Billy Hamilton's Legs]

That one was epic considering what was on the line. How many pitches did Bruce see?

12

[blumj]

Thanks for finding it, it's just ridiculous, by the end there, Cora actually looks like he's getting bored, Clement looks miserable, and most everyone else is just giddy.

Sorry, meant to quote reds44's post.

[Ghosts of 1990]

Hard to pick ONE. But the one at the end of our season last year Bruce vs. Romo was one of the greatest I have ever seen.

Didn't Pujols have a great AB against Lidge before he hit that Granny in Houston?

[MikeThierry]

Hard to pick ONE. But the one at the end of our season last year Bruce vs. Romo was one of the greatest I have ever seen.

Didn't Pujols have a great AB against Lidge before he hit that Granny in Houston?

I can't remember how many pitches Pujols saw in that AB. It was great though.

[RedsBaron]

October 22, 1975 at Fenway Park

Joe Morgan, top of the 9th inning against Jim Burton. Morgan muscled out a bloop single to score the original Ken Griffey (SR) to send the Reds to a 4-3 lead, and eventual victory against the BoSox in the 75 WS.

Had to have a hit, not a walk and Joe delivered.

I have always regarded Tony Perez's HR off Bill Lee as being the key at bat of that game. When Joe hit his 9th inning single the game was tied but the Reds, with a deeper bullpen, seemed to have the advantage. Until The Big Dog hit his 2 run bomb over the Green Monster (I think the ball landed in New Hampshire), the Reds had appeared dead in the water, down 3-0.

[Always Red]

I have always regarded Tony Perez's HR off Bill Lee as being the key at bat of that game. When Joe hit his 9th inning single the game was tied but the Reds, with a deeper bullpen, seemed to have the advantage. Until The Big Dog hit his 2 run bomb over the Green Monster (I think the ball landed in New Hampshire), the Reds had appeared dead in the water, down 3-0.

I agree with you, Doggies HR certainly was the key hit in the game, but Joe's at bat was in the top of the 9th, 7th game of the WS. They absolutely needed a hit, and Joe delivered. Total clutch AB.

[mth123]

I have always regarded Tony Perez's HR off Bill Lee as being the key at bat of that game. When Joe hit his 9th inning single the game was tied but the Reds, with a deeper bullpen, seemed to have the advantage. Until The Big Dog hit his 2 run bomb over the Green Monster (I think the ball landed in New Hampshire), the Reds had appeared dead in the water, down 3-0.

Completly agree. I'd argue that it is the single biggest hit in Cincinnati Reds history (and it's my avatar).

[TSJ55]

It's the Warren Morris walk-off to win the CWS. Man, I know this doesn't apply in the same sense you guys are talking about (he hit it on the first pitch) but it's the ONE SINGLE AT BAT that I always remember exactly where I was when it happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJbOyYPr-2E

Very cool play by play interview with the participants here.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=williams/110615_warren_morris_college_world_series&sportCat=ncaa

[OldRightHander]

I know this isn't that high on the list of great at bats and there really wasn't much at stake, but I was at a game where Joe Oliver got deep in the count, got one to drive, and pulled it just foul into the green seats. The next pitch he hit fair, on almost the same exact trajectory. How often do you see a guy hit a foul homer and then get one fair on the next pitch?

[redssince75]

I don't remember much about single ABs, but for recent history I'll go the other way from the type of ABs most guys choose, and pick Choo's first pitch of the game HR last week. I like aggressive ABs that jump right on a pitcher and don't involve fouling off about eleventy-billion pitches.

[RedlegJake]

1967 Don Pavletich ...pinch hitting...kept fouling off pitches and fooled on a curveball his hand slipped off the bat but he connected ... homer...one handed...Marichal pitching...I was there with my Dad and Grandma. I loved Pavletich and Art Shamsky. Go figure...Rose Pinson D Johnson Alex Johnson Cardenas Perez and May....and my 14 y/o heroes were instead a couple of backup players.

[KYRedLeg]

I can't remember who the opposing pitcher was. Some reliever who threw tons of heat. Votto came up with men on base in a late inning, maybe a final inning. Ran the count full and kept fouling pitch after pitch off. Finally drove one past the shortstop, and I think it might have scored the winning run. It was amazing.


I think you are referring to our very own Broxton.


That it was. Reds were up by a run or two at the time. Broxton came in and was sitting at, like 90 mph and couldn't get the ball past the Reds hitters. After going 1-0 on Rolen (I think), the Dodgers pitching coach came out, told Broxton something about his mechanics, and Broxton came back throwing 96+ and just blew away Rolen. Votto came up next, and had that ridiculous at-bat, getting beat badly on the first two fastballs. He choked up and started fouling everything off, eventually worked the count to 3-2, and then hit a little single to give the Reds another run.

By a cool stroke of fate, I happened to be at Dodger Stadium for that, on a vacation with my dad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyvvOPSgNKs

The fanfare for Broxton coming in was akin to GABP when Chapman comes on in the 9th. That battle was an amazing thing to see in person.

[hatcher]

Here is the Cora/Clement ab. The mlb link doesn't work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4JuBmzjNsE

[cumberlandreds]

I'll agree with Bench's 72 HR and Morgan's GW RBI in game 7 of the 75 playoffs. Both were huge to say the least. Perez's HR off Lee was rigth there too. Lee had thrown him that pitch before and Perez popped it up,IIRC. The Big Dog knew what to do with it the 2nd time. Bench also had a big AB against the Reds Sox in game 2 of the 75 WS. Big 9th inning hit to put the Reds ahead in a game they really needed. It would have been tough to have won that series being down 2-0.
Votto has some of the best AB's I have seen in regular season play. He had one in particular against the Dodgers in LA late in the 2010 season. It was late in the game and he just kept fighting oen tough pitch after another. He finally lined one into LF for the game winning hit after at least seeing 10 pitches. It was just a great AB in a big game.

[wlf WV]

That was fun to watch. Baseball is more exciting when they don't take forever between pitches.

It's why I hate to see Bruce bat,he runs halfway to the dugout between pitches.

It's like watching Casey without the amusement.

[wlf WV]

i still think bruce's at bat against sergio romo was the most intense at bat i've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvLVGbNh-0s

such a heartbreaker...

Exactly what I'm talking about. The tape is cut after each swing to provide continuity.

[wlf WV]

Thanks for the links guys,great thread.

[PickOff]

Here is a great at bat by Barry Larkin I remember watching on television in 1996.

Larkin barely avoids one to the head in the top of the 10th of a tie game. He looked angry to me, but mostly incredibly determined after that pitch. His focus was so apparent. He dug back in and I noticed him open up his stance a bit and scowl at the pitcher. Next pitch, a bomb to left field.

What an awesome baseball moment.

As the article from the Enquirer relates:


Larkin played the role of hero, homering off Toby Borland to open the 10th and break a 4-4 tie. The 1995 National League MVP has hit the Reds' only two homers in four games this year.

''People scoff when I talk about Barry being the best player in the game,'' said Reds manager Ray Knight. ''I've just seen him do whatever it takes time and time and time again. For my money, there's nobody I would pick before Barry Larkin to start a baseball team.''

...As for Larkin, he stood fast after Borland threw a 2-and-1 pitch that nearly beaned him.

''I didn't think he was trying to throw at me,'' Larkin said. ''I really thought the ball was going to hit me in the face. I refocused and regrouped because I said, 'Oh my gosh, I almost got hit in the face.' I didn't try to hit the ball any harder because of that.''

http://reds.enquirer.com/redsgame0406.html

and from the Philadelphia Enquirer:


In the 10th, Toby Borland began his second inning of pitching. After scrambling out of the way of a high-and-tight fastball, Barry Larkin torched Borland with a smashing homer to left.

http://articles.philly.com/1996-04-06/sports/25660281_1_phillies-strike-three-kevin-stocker

[Johnny Footstool]

Eric Davis HR off Dave Stewart to win the 1990 World Series in Game 1. Yes, I typed that on purpose.

A great AB doesn't necessarily mean you see a lot of pitches. Eric knew the Reds needed to step up and punch the A's in the mouth, and he did it.

[Captain13]

Kirk Gibson's HR in Game 1 vs. Dennis Eckersly. The dude could barely walk and he went deep on the best closer in baseball on a 3-1 slider. Clutch.

[RedsBrick]

Kirk Gibson's HR in Game 1 vs. Dennis Eckersly. The dude could barely walk and he went deep on the best closer in baseball on a 3-1 slider. Clutch.

This AB always comes to mind. Totally changed the complexion of the series!

[RedsBrick]

We've all seen ab's where the hitter just battles and battles until he can get something to drive. We've seen the ones that work the count and work the pitch count. We've seen the ones that ruin the "pitchers pitches" and refuse to bite on those "pitcher's pitches". What do you look for in a good at bat?

And for the record, THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3h7SSNSlms) is the best AB I've ever seen...and it's simply due to the mental aspect of it and the intensity. Was it a gimmick? Maybe, but out-thinking the pitcher is what I want to see. Making the PITCHER uncomfortable...you pull that off, and you win.

I loved this AB. Definitely a back story on this one....would love to know what Lowe was thinking during.

[cumberlandreds]

I loved this AB. Definitely a back story on this one....would love to know what Lowe was thinking during.

It may have had soemthing to do with Dusty and Lowe's fued. That was a good AB. It shows the batter can up the tempo of the pither if he chooses. Liked the way Lowe tried make him skip rope on the 2-2 pitch and Votto just cooly lifted a foot and sat it back down.

[mth123]

Kirk Gibson's HR in Game 1 vs. Dennis Eckersly. The dude could barely walk and he went deep on the best closer in baseball on a 3-1 slider. Clutch.

I'm a Reds fan, so I can't always be objective, perhaps if I was not a Reds fan I'd consider Carlton Fisk (or Bernie Carbo). I'm not old enough to remember Mazeroski's HR and Bobby Thompson was before my time. So, for me, Kirk Gibson's HR is the single best moment in Baseball history (non-Reds of course).

[VR]

George Brett.