Brandon Phillips makes insane behind-the-back toss to start double play
Recently, Toronto Blue Jays third baseman made quite possibly the catch of the year. On Thursday, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips may have made the throw of the year.
With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth, nerves were already high. They didn’t subside after Andrew McCutchen led off the inning with a walk. With a man on first and Neil Walker at the plate, Phillips struck.
On the third pitch of the at-bat, Walker hit a 93 mph fastball from J.J. Hoover up the middle. Phillips ranged to his right, and was able to make a diving stop. What happened next was ridiculous.
With his back to second base, Phillips had to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible if he hoped to pick up the double play. In order to do this, he had to flip the ball behind his back to shortstop Eugenio Saurez. Saurez quickly pivoted off second, and threw out Walker, completing the double play. 
The play was as impressive as it was important. The game remained tied 4-4 through nine, and went to extra innings.
In extras, Phillips struck again. This time, he did so with his bat. In the top of the 13th, Phillips finally broke the tie. He led off the inning with a solo home run, giving the Reds the 5-4 lead. Cincinnati was able to keep Pittsburgh off the board in the bottom of the frame, picking up the victory.
Phillips was no slouch at the plate during the contest. Phillips finished 3 for 7, with a home run, a triple and a single. He raised his average to .290 with the performance.
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Though the offensive performance was impressive, the behind-the-back toss remains the real highlight. We’ve seen some impressive double plays in the past, but it’s tough to get better than what Phillips did Thursday.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
