Yeah, this year pretty much sucked for us, with the lowest win total for the Arizona Diamondbacks since the nightmare which was 2004. But any 162-game season will inevitably have its moments of light among the gloom, and that was the case in the campaign just ended. We start off the annual 2010 AZ SnakePit Awards - informally known as the 'Pitties - with your chance to select the single play which was the highlight of the year
After the jump, you'll first find five honorable mentions, and then the five nominees selected by our panel of judges [well, okay - mostly the plays I made a note of during the season as particularly cool, with a little help from kishi]. The links for each will pop open a new window with, in most cases, video of the play in question. The poll below closes next Friday at just before midnight, and I'll announce the winner on Saturday, along with the next category.
Honorable mentions
- July 4th, vs. Dodgers: Racing Gracey silly-strings Mandy
- August 7th, vs. Padres: Chis Young, walk-off HR at SnakePitFest
- August 28th, vs. Giants: Ryan Roberts dives into the stands
- August 31st, vs. Padres: Adam LaRoche switches Kelly Johnson's music
- September 6th, vs. Giants: Gerardo Parra keeps it 0-0 in the ninth
And the nominees are...
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June 23rd, vs. Yankees: Gerardo Parra, diving double-play in left-field
With the score at the time 4-2 to the Diamondbacks, the Yankees were threatening in the fifth, with men on first and second and one out. Robinson Cano swatted a pitch off Blaine Boyer down the line. But Parra made a diving grab just shy of the warning track, then got the ball back to the infield, in time to double A-Rod off first-base. "That might be the best play I've seen this year," said Mark Grace. -
June 25th, vs. Rays: Mark Reynolds, guns a runner down at home
While Reynolds' offensive season disappointed, his defense continued to improve, with a continuing knack for the spectacular. There was perhaps less diving into the stands by Mark, but this one was just as impressive. With the bases-loaded, he fields a sharp grounder to his left, spins, and from his knees, throws the runner out at home. Edwin Jackson went on to complete a no-hitter that day.
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July 5th, vs. Cubs: Cole Gillespie, diving catch in left-center
Aramis Ramirez was robbed of extra-bases, despite clobbering a ball from Ian Kennedy towards the gap in left-center. Gillespie closed the gap quickly, on what was more a line-drive than a foul-ball, then leaped, catching the ball at full extension in mid-air. Even the Cubs' fans in attendance at Chase had to recognize the beauty of this one. -
August 31st, vs. Padres: Kelly Johnson, dive up the middle
On the same day Johnson got punk'd by Adam LaRoche (see above), he also made one of the best infield plays seen by a Diamondback in 2010. With a runner on this, a groundball back up past Ian Kennedy sent Johnson sprawling to his right, but he sprung back up to his feet, side-armed the throw to LaRoche at first, getting just enough on it to nail the speedy Chris Denorfia and save a run.
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September 1st vs. Padres: Brandon Allen, come-from-behind grand-slam
It was only the second time in more than six years that a D-backs grand-slam turned a deficit into a lead: Chad Tracy did it September 26th last year - also in the seventh inning at Chase, against the Padres, off Luke Gregerson. Allen had a great catch in left, earlier the same contest, and it was his first game of the season with the big-league team. Welcome to the 2010 majors, Brandon.