David Freese's Slide Into Third After His Game Tying World Series Triple Is Still One Of The Coolest Things I've Ever Seen

MLB is airing a ton of classics today through all of their various channels to help get us through this bullshit we're living in. One of those games was of course Game 6 of the 2011 World Series between the Cardinals and Rangers. It's probably my favorite non-Yankees baseball game ever. The back and forth here was absolutely incredible and impossible to look away from. I know baseball can get boring at times, but there was nothing boring about this. You were forced to be on the edge of your seat the entire time even if you didn't have a rooting interest. I mean look at the scoring plays. I'm sweating just reading down the list. 

Of course two of the biggest hits in the game came off the bat of David Freese, who dropped a fly ball earlier in the game which led to a go-ahead run. 

In the bottom of the 9th Freese fell behind 1-2 with 2 out and 2 on against Neftali Feliz. Freese sent a charge into one to deep right where Nelson Cruz awaited. If he caught the ball the World Series title would have been awarded to the Rangers. What followed was something out of the surreal. It felt like a movie. How did this possibly happen? 

To this day I still can't believe Cruz doesn't catch the ball. Every time I watch it I think the outcome is going to be different. How Ron Washington kept a guy out there for defense, who was admittedly afraid of walls, is beyond me. Endy Chavez sat on that bench instead of heading out to right. Washington's defense of the move was horrible. 

"At one time we did think of that, but Nelson had gotten us as far as he gotten us. Putting Chavy in, what difference would have that made? When Freese started fouling balls off, Nelson came in a little bit. Then he [Freese] beat us. I’ve heard those rumors that Nelson had bad legs. It had nothing to do with his legs.”

What difference would that have made? Uh, I don't know maybe the final out of the game right then and there. Cruz basically started walking to the infield getting ready for the championship dog pile. He never imagined in a million years that a ball was going to be hit in his direction. Washington wanted him out there for the celebration, not think that Freese could possibly make contact and force Cruz to make a season ending play. 

I always look back and watch Freese's slide into third. It's the coolest thing I've seen on a sports field to this day. What a fucking feeling that's got to be. So smooth. So cool. That dude was born for that moment. 

After a Josh Hamilton homer in the 10th, the Rangers once again were just one strike away from the title. Up at bat was Lance Berkman. I feel like Lance Berkman's game-tying base hit here into center is the most forgotten part of this game. Not really sure why Hamilton was basically playing on the warning track there, but it's probably a hit even if he's in normal defense. Still, what a moment. 

And then an inning later Freese does it again. Magic. Awesome call by Buck as well. 

Probably the best game of baseball ever played. It had literally everything. Rewatching this game today helped me grieve a little with no live baseball being played. 

If you want to watch the end of the '03 ALCS come watch on the Short Porch twitter once this game heads to the 8th. We'll be going live then. See ya there!

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