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This is always one of the trickiest to curate. Since I work in the evenings, I get to watch less than half of the D-backs games over the course of the season, and that makes it quite easy for a great play to slide by, especially if it doesn't make the highlight reel of the game when I watch it the next morning. While there are other metrics you can use to decide things like Performance of the Year or MVP (and I'm wondering if I even need a ballot for the latter!), there isn't really much to go on in the way of objective measurement as to how "good" a play was. So this is a category where I particularly need your help.
It's open to all areas of the game: the most obvious class is defensive gems, which have historically been most often nominated. But offensive plays have also been honored, and there is also pitching to be considered. For the purposes of the award, "play" is defined as a single plate-appearance by either side. Factors you may wish to take into consideration include the skill of the participants, the opposing hitter/pitcher, the game situation, and the significance of the play in the final result. But whatever works for you: there are really no "wrong" answers to be had.
During the course of the season, I did scribble down a few plays which stood out in my mind. Here's the basic list of those. [When we get to the actual voting thread, I'll try to track down video of those to assist you in making your final decision, but this thread is to try and hash out the nominees]
- 5/17 Paul Goldschmidt homers on the 13th pitch of an at-bat
- 6/7 Goldschmidt homers, changing the game vs. Giants
- 7/26 Gerardo Parra steals a home-run from Wil Venable
- 8/7 Didi Gregorius starts a double play from his back
- 8/14 Brad Ziegler dials up double-play to escape a bases-loaded extra-inning jam
- 8/27 Gregorius ranges into center and sprawls to make the out.
- 8/27 Martin Prado snares a line-drive to save the game in the ninth.
Those are just the ones which I saw, stuck in my mind, and that I remembered to write down. I'm sure there were others, so let's hear about them. Some of the many walk-off wins, perhaps? Or what about one of Parra's many outfield assists this year? This is your opportunity. If you don't speak up now, I will be particularly brusque with regard to any whining of "You should have mentioned XXX", in the actual voting thread!