Funniest Plays of the Year: Jeff Francoeur can’t throw (No. 1)
Editor’s note: This week, Big League Stew is counting down the five funniest plays of 2015. Come back to see who guffaws into the No. 1 spot. Here’s No. 1:
Baseball can often be a relentless, punishing game. Going 3-for-10 at the plate is considered a success, meaning players are expected to fail during most of their at-bats. On top of that, there are occasional moments where even the most routine plays can result in embarrassing defeat.
That’s precisely what happened to Jeff Francoeur on this play. During a June game against the Washington Nationals, Francoeur attempted to play a Denard Span double that was hit down the right field line. He was able to get to the ball pretty quickly, and that’s when all hell broke loose.
Francoeur initially had trouble getting a handle on the ball. Sadly, the initial bobble wasn’t enough. Francoeur eventually managed to grip the ball and, knowing the speedy Span was advancing on the bases, attempted to uncork a monstrous throw.
That wasn’t what happened. Francoeur lost his handle mid-throw, causing the ball to travel roughly three feet. He managed to eventually get the ball in, but Span had already advanced to third base on the play.
It was just another brutal reminder that baseball is harsh and unrelenting.
PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES:
• A.J. Pierzynski’s tries really to frame this pitch
• Adrian Beltre kicks a ball foul
• Bartolo Colon swings and loses his helmet
• Kevin Kiermaier gets stuck on the wall
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
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