Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments of 2011

As 2011 comes to a close, I look back on what was a great year in baseball. There was tons of anticipation going into it, and while not all expectations were lived up to, it was a great MLB season nonetheless. From career milestones to great individual games to clutch playoff performances, 2011 was a baseball season that will go down in history as one of the greatest.

One moment that I remember vividly is New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter joining the 3,000-hit club on July 9, when he got the elusive hit with a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays. In doing so, he became the first Yankee to ever reach that plateau.

Jeter's milestone hit is just a small drop in the bucket compared to some of the other great moments of 2011, so let's take a look at the 25 greatest and relive the magic before we shift into 2012.

No. 25: Jason Giambi's Message to the Haters

Ever since a benign tumor essentially robbed him of his 2004 season and his confessing to using steroids prior to the 2005 campaign, Jason Giambi was basically a shell of his former self. The power bat remained, but the ability to hit well for average was gone for the 2000 AL MVP.

Thus, once his contract with the New York Yankees expired after 2008, Giambi returned to the Oakland A's as a DH before his ineffectiveness got him released. He has since played for the Colorado Rockies as a backup first baseman/pinch-hitter.

He was having a forgettable 2011 before he was penciled in to start on May 19, when the Rockies played the dangerous Philadelphia Phillies. By some stroke of luck, Giambi carried the team that night, as he hit three home runs and had seven RBI, driving in all runs in Colorado's 7-1 victory.  In doing so, Giambi became the second-oldest player to ever hit three homers in a game.

The moment itself may seem small, but it was a feel-good experience for Giambi and his fans as his career slowly grinds to a close.

No. 24: Bartolo Colon's Comeback

Prior to 2011, the last time hard-throwing righty Bartolo Colon pitched was in 2009, when he went 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 12 starts for the Chicago White Sox.  After missing all of 2010 with shoulder issues, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees for the 2011 season.

Colon did so well in spring training that he ended up making the team as a long reliever out of the bullpen, and when Phil Hughes' early-season troubles wouldn't go away, Colon was moved into the rotation. Overall, he appeared in 29 games (26 starts) and went 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.

Those are pretty respectable numbers for someone 38 years old who had sat out an entire season.

No. 23: Braves Win in 19 Innings...or Do They?

On July 26th, baseball fans got to see a truly rare occurrence. I'm talking about a game that goes into extra innings and just won't end. This particular contest occurred in Atlanta as the Braves hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Going into the bottom of the 19th inning, the score was tied 1-1, and the Braves got runners on second and third with one out. That sent relief pitcher Scott Proctor up to the plate, and thus the Pirates brought the infield in.

On an 0-2 pitch, Proctor swung and hit a grounder to third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who threw the ball home to catcher Michael McKenry. Looking at the replay, it appeared that he tagged runner Julio Lugo out. Instead, home plate umpire Jerry Meals called Lugo safe, and the game was over, blowing a call that will surely go down as one of the most epic in the history of the game.

The game itself meant nothing in the grand scheme of things, but the moment itself is definitely one to remember.

No. 22: Frank McCourt Forced to Sell Dodgers

Ugh. What a horrible soap opera this was. The entire Los Angeles Dodgers season was overshadowed by the drama going on with owner Frank McCourt and his divorce from his wife Jamie as the two battled over who would own the team once the divorce was final.

What should have been a private matter turned into a complete circus, as commissioner Bud Selig was forced to get involved after a TV deal with Fox fell through and the team filed for bankruptcy. When the dust settled, the divorce settlement allowed McCourt to keep the Dodgers. Still, in bankruptcy court, a deal was reached for him to sell the team.

I have one thing to say about that decision: THANK GOD. The Dodgers are a storied franchise and should have a true-blue owner running the team, not one whose personal life overshadows his baseball ventures.

No. 21: Jered Weaver Flips out

This has got to be one of the funniest things I've ever witnessed in all my years of watching baseball.

On July 31, the Los Angeles Angels were playing the Detroit Tigers, and Jered Weaver was on the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning with his team trailing 2-0. The big righty then gave up a solo home run to infielder Carlos Guillen, who stood and watched his home run before going into the traditional trot.

Weaver took exception to this and threw his next pitch close to batter Alex Avila's head, thus getting himself ejected from the game. Instead of walking off the field in a timely manner, Weaver proceeded to start pointing fingers and cursing at the Detroit dugout, eventually being walked off by his manager Mike Scioscia, who was also ejected. Weaver's actions netted him a six-game suspension.

Full video of the incident can be seen here, so look out for Weaver when he gets the crazy eyes going!

No. 20: Infielder Wilson Valdez Is the Winning Pitcher

For his entire career, Wilson Valdez has been a utility infielder. Thus, when his Philadelphia Phillies ran out of pitchers and sent him to the mound in the top of the 19th inning in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, those of us who were still awake were eager to see how he would do.

Sure enough, Valdez got three outs (including the dangerous Joey Votto and Jay Bruce) and was named the winning pitcher after the Phillies won in the bottom half of the inning. Valdez then became the first position player to earn a win since catcher Brent Mayne did so for the Colorado Rockies in 2000.

It was an insignificant moment on the outside, but the rarity of it helps it make this list.

No. 19: Bobby Valentine's Return to Managing

Following being fired from his managing job with Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines in 2009, Bobby Valentine took a job as an analyst on ESPN. Yet this offseason, his name was mentioned in Boston following the departure of Terry Francona. Sure enough, on November 29, it was announced that he would become Boston's new skipper.

The Red Sox job is Valentine's first MLB managing job since he was fired by the New York Mets after the 2002 season. In his time with the team, he engineered a miraculous run in 2000 that led to the World Series against the New York Yankees, known as the "Subway Series." The Mets may have lost in five games, but it was a series that the fans loved nonetheless.

I believe I speak for the rest of the B/R community when I wish him luck in his latest managerial venture.

No. 18: Justin Verlander's No-Hitter

I could go on and on about how great a season Justin Verlander had, but for now I would like to focus on one particular game. The date was May 7, and he was on the mound as his Detroit Tigers faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. After the final out, the Tigers were on top 9-0.

Yet, more importantly, the victory is significant because he just happened to throw his second career no-hitter. On the game, he allowed just one walk and struck out four batters while throwing just 108 pitches. This game marked the start of what would become a seven-game winning streak for the Tigers.

Now about that awesome season...

No. 17: Verlander Wins AL MVP and Cy Young Awards

24-5 record, 2.40 ERA, 250 strikeouts, 0.92 WHIP and a .192 BAA. Enough said.

No. 16: Jim Thome's 600th Home Run

As one of the game's classiest people, it's hard to root against Jim Thome. With that in mind, when the man became just the eighth member of the exclusive 600 home run club, it's safe to say that every single baseball fan on the planet was cheering for him.

The milestone was reached when Thome's Minnesota Twins faced the Detroit Tigers on August 15, when Thome's two home runs contributed to his team's 9-6 victory. After he hit the milestone homer, the second one, all of his teammates met him at home plate and embraced him.

He was later sent to the Cleveland Indians and this offseason signed a one-year-deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. He's 41 years old and doesn't have many playing years left, but fans will always remember this one small moment as a big one in his Hall of Fame career.

No. 15: Robert Andino Buries the Red Sox

On the last day of the regular season, September 28, the reeling Boston Red Sox were facing the Baltimore Orioles as well as something no team ever wants to experience: playoff elimination.

After holding a nine-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL wild-card race, the team was staring an early offseason right in the face, as a loss and a Tampa Bay win would kill Boston's playoff chances.

At first, the Sawx appeared to be on their way, as they entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead and closer Jonathan Papelbon on the mound. Papelbon struck out the first two batters he faced but then gave up back-to-back doubles that led to the score being tied 3-3. At that point, normally light-hitting shortstop Robert Andino came up to bat.

Andino would work the count 1-1 before hitting a line drive to left field that Carl Crawford tried to catch fancily, thus letting the ball drop. Nolan Reimold scored all the way from second base to give the Orioles a 4-3 victory.

Just three minutes later, the Tampa Bay Rays would win their game and eliminate Boston, but more on that later.

No. 14: The Marlins Actually Spend Money

For the longest time, the now-Miami Marlins have had a reputation for being a penny-pinching team, refusing to spend money on many star players and thus losing them to eventual free agency. As a result, the team constantly seems to be in rebuilding mode.

Yet this offseason, team owner Jeffrey Loria seems to have turned over a new leaf now that a new stadium will open next season. Let's take a look at how much money he has spent this offseason:

Closer Heath Bell: three years, $27 million.

Shortstop Jose Reyes: six years, $105 million.

Pitcher Mark Buehrle: four years, $58 million.

I don't know about you guys, but I think I'll be watching the Fish quite a bit in 2012.

No. 13: Ryan Braun Wins NL MVP

I don't care if he's facing a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a "banned substance." In my eyes, Ryan Braun deserved this year's NL MVP Award because without him, the Milwaukee Brewers might not have even made the playoffs.

On the year, Braun hit .332 with 33 home runs and 111 RBI and also stole 33 bases. If that doesn't demonstrate value, then I don't know what does.

On top of that, Braun is easily one of the game's most charismatic players. He doesn't have an attitude, is a team player and just goes out there to give his best every day.  He is a dying breed of player, and thus this honor was well deserved.

No. 12: Theo Epstein Goes to the Cubs

Following all of the drama that came out following the Red Sox being eliminated from the playoffs, it was clear that changes needed to be made in Boston.

One of the greatest changes following the announcement that Terry Francona would not return as manager came in the form of longtime GM Theo Epstein announcing his resignation so that he could take a similar job with the Chicago Cubs.

It was then reported that the Cubs would give Epstein a five-year contract worth $18.5 million to serve as President of Baseball Operations. Shortly afterward, former Red Sox coworker and then-San Diego Padres GM Jed Hoyer was brought in as the new GM.

Though he was responsible for teams that regularly beat my beloved New York Yankees, I'm big enough a person say that Epstein is one of the greatest baseball minds of all time. He knows how to put winning teams together, so I'm excited to see how he works his magic in Wrigleyville, as I'm sure all Cubs fans are as well.

No. 11: Matt Moore's Playoff Debut

Prior to the start of this year's ALDS, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Moore had only appeared in three MLB games, starting one of them. Over that stretch, he went 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Given his status as a top prospect, one wouldn't have thought that he would be a starter for his team come playoff time.

However, with the Rays needing to rest their pitchers following their epic comeback-clinching win on the last day of the season, Moore got the call to start Game 1 against the Texas Rangers (in Texas, no less). I'm not going to lie—I thought he would get shelled pitching to a lineup full of heavy hitters playing in their home park, notorious for being hitter-friendly.

Instead, Moore absolutely dominated. He threw seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits, striking out six and walking two as the Rays won that game 9-0.

Sure enough, he was rewarded with a five-year, $14 million contract extension for his efforts.

How was this a great moment? Well, how about the fact that a relative unknown went up against possibly the most dangerous starting lineup in all of baseball and basically made them look like amateurs?

No. 10: Cliff Lee Dominates Two Different Months

I know I may be cheating by including two technically different moments, but this was just too good to not include.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee was practically unstoppable in June and then again in August. In June, he went 5-0 with an 0.21 ERA while posting the same record in August with an 0.45 ERA.

Now, let's do the math. Combining those two months, that's a record of 10-0 with an ERA of 0.33. That's just plain ridiculous, and both months' performances combine to form one of the 2011 season's best moments: Lee's dominance.

No. 9: Albert Pujols Goes to L.A.

Though I was personally disappointed that he left St. Louis, I have to give Albert Pujols credit for the way he handled his decision in signing a 10-year, $254 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

Instead of pulling a LeBron James and making a media circus out of it, he handled it very quietly and just had his representatives inform the press of his choice.

Looking at it now, it can be argued that he went to Los Angeles simply because it was time to move on from the St. Louis Cardinals, who he had become a legend with and helped take to three World Series (winning two).

In going to the Angels, Pujols becomes the power-hitting face of a franchise that has become known for playing small ball, as in relying heavily on pitching and not scoring a lot of runs. Now, he has the opportunity to change all of that as the Angels look to get back to the playoffs.

No. 8: Rays Clinch the Wild Card

Entering the final day of the season, the Tampa Bay Rays were so close to winning the AL wild card. All they needed to happen was to win their game against the New York Yankees and for the Boston Red Sox to lose.

Going into the bottom of the eighth inning, it looked as though Boston would bring home the wild-card berth, as it led the Orioles 3-2 and the Rays trailed the Yankees 7-0.

Suddenly, a bit of baseball magic happened. The Rays put up six runs in the eighth inning on the back of a three-run shot by Evan Longoria and were within one run. In the ninth inning, first baseman Dan Johnson tied the game with a solo home run.

Shortly before the Rays came back up to bat in the bottom of the 12th inning, the Red Sox blew their 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth and lost 4-3. Once again, Longoria came up to bat, and he launched a solo home run to give the Rays both a victory and a spot in the playoffs.

Not that I'm hating on the Red Sox for what happened, but watching the Rays win this game was kind of awesome. It had a very Rocky Balboa feel to it, as the Rays just refused to go down without a fight and absolutely refused to be knocked out. Instead, they went the distance and ended up with a playoff berth.

No. 7: Pujols Hits Three Homers

When people talk about the most recent World Series, the games that get the most attention are Games 6 and 7 since one shifted momentum back to the Cardinals and the other gave the Cardinals a championship.

That being said, it shocks me that people barely talk about Game 3. You see, a bit of baseball history occurred in this contest.

The St. Louis Cardinals won the game 16-7 to take a two games to one lead, but that's not the best part of it. In the game, Albert Pujols went 5-for-6 with six RBI. Why is that important? Well, three of those five hits were home runs, and Pujols became just the third player to ever hit three home runs in a World Series game, joining Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson in this exclusive club.

I remember watching this game at a pub with friends, and even though it was crowded on a Saturday night, it was almost poetic how utterly silent it got when Pujols came up to bat in what would ultimately result in that third home run. Sure enough, when he hit it, the place erupted in cheers.

No. 6: Cardinals Win Game 7

Following a crazy Game 6 that will be discussed shortly, the St. Louis Cardinals entered Game 7 with the momentum on their side. After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, they quickly tied the game in the bottom half and never looked back.

Pitching staff ace Chris Carpenter held the dangerous Texas Rangers bats at bay for six innings as the Cardinals went on to win the game 6-2 and bring home their 11th World Series championship.

The series itself featured two relatively small-market teams (at least compared to New York, Boston and Los Angeles), and I won't lie—I wasn't that interested in watching once the matchup was set. Yet after Pujols' epic Game 3, I was hooked and made sure to be glued to every game. I wasn't the only one, as Fox reported a 14.7 rating for Game 7, its highest for a World Series broadcast since Game 4 of the 2004 World Series, and we all know that story.

Simply put, this World Series was epic in nearly every way possible from start to finish. In a perfect world, all Fall Classics would be like this one.

No. 5: Cruz's Dropped Catch

If you ask me, Game 6 of the 2011 World Series could go down as the greatest game in baseball history. The entire contest from the ninth inning and on was just an emotional roller coaster, and if I could experience it all over again, I would in a heartbeat.

The Texas Rangers entered the game up three games to two and were leading 7-5 going into the bottom of the ninth. Rangers manager Ron Washington sent closer Neftali Feliz to the mound to get the final three outs, and what resulted can only be described as a miracle.

Feliz struck out Ryan Theriot to open the ninth before giving up a double to Albert Pujols. He then walked the dangerous Lance Berkman before striking out Allen Craig for the second out. That sent third baseman David Freese up to the plate, and he quickly fell behind in the count, 1-2.

On the next pitch from Feliz, Freese launched a high drive to right field, and in a remarkably Bucknerian manner, outfielder Nelson Cruz misplayed what looked to many fans like the final out of the Series. Both runners scored, and Freese ended up on third base with a triple. But wait, there's more!

The Rangers quickly scored two more runs off a Josh Hamilton home run in the top of the 10th inning, giving them a 9-7 lead. Veteran lefty Darren Oliver came in to pitch the bottom half and gave up two singles and a sacrifice bunt before being pulled for Scott Feldman with runners on second and third with one out. Feldman gave up an RBI groundout before intentionally walking Pujols to take his chances with Berkman and on a 2-2 pitch gave up a game-tying single.

I know that's a lot of information to take in, but it's just astounding. The Rangers twice came within one strike of winning the World Series and blew it both times! Then, in the bottom of the 11th, the following happened...

No. 4: Freese Forces Game 7

Following the 10th-inning fiasco, the Texas Rangers simply had no wind left in their sails. They managed to get one runner on base in the top of the 11th inning but couldn't move him past first base. When the bottom half of the inning began, they sent righty Mark Lowe to the mound to face David Freese.

The hometown hero worked the count full before launching a rocket to center field that landed over the fence and forced the deciding Game 7.

Even for those of us who aren't Cardinals fans, this home run struck a chord. It symbolized everything all of us had dreamed of when playing Little League or just having a pickup game in the park. In an instant, everyone was on Team Freese.

Sure enough, the man was named World Series MVP the next night.

No. 3: Rivera Sets the All-Time Saves Mark

Easily the greatest closer to ever play the game, it's almost surprising that there was a long period of time when Mariano Rivera was not the all-time leader in saves.

This can be attributed to him beginning his career as a starter in 1995 before being shifted to a setup role in '96 and then the closer's role in '97. Because of his late start, Rivera was always in something of a battle with his contemporaries and, in recent years, longtime San Diego Padres stopper Trevor Hoffman.

Hoffman finished his career with 601 saves, and in a game against the Minnesota Twins on September 19, Rivera entered the game tied with him. Sure enough, Rivera got two quick outs before striking out Jason Parmalee to become the alpha dog of saves, cementing his status as the greatest relief pitcher in baseball history.

The game itself meant nothing in the standings, but the sheer moment of the final out along with the fans' erupting in celebration was just priceless.

No. 2: Chris Carpenter Shuts Down the Phillies

With their highly publicized "Four Aces" starting rotation, it's no secret that the Philadelphia Phillies were the favorites to win the World Series at the start of the 2011 season. Unfortunately for the Phils, the St. Louis Cardinals had other ideas.

These two teams went toe-to-toe all throughout the NLDS, so much so that a deciding Game 5 was to be held in Philadelphia with Phillies top ace Roy Halladay getting the start. The Cardinals drew first blood on a triple by Rafael Furcal and a double by Skip Schumaker that made the score 1-0, and the team never looked back.

Staff ace Chris Carpenter absolutely shut down the dangerous Phillies, pitching a shutout and holding them to just three hits as the Cardinals went on to the NLCS. For fans who wanted to see the Phillies crash and burn, this game was one that they will surely never forget.

No. 1: Derek Jeter Hits 3,000

In the nearly 20 years that I've been a diehard Yankees fan, I've always been a fan of shortstop Derek Jeter. The man is just so unbelievably classy on and off the field that it's nearly impossible to hate him. Even as he's struggled the past two years, I've defended him to the death.

Thus, you can understand why I and so many other Yankees fans were excited as the 2011 season began, for Jeter was surely going to reach the 3,000-hit plateau. The fateful day game on July 9, when the New York Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays at home.

In the bottom of the third inning, with the Yankees trailing 1-0, Jeter launched a 3-2 pitch from David Price into the left-field stands for his legendary 3,000th hit, becoming just the second player to reach the milestone in that fashion.

All of his teammates and the entire coaching staff left the dugout to greet him at home plate with hugs and high-fives as the fans roared and chanted his name in an ovation that lasted nearly three minutes. Even the Rays stepped out of their dugout and offered their applause.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I may have gotten a bit misty during the post-homer congratulations, but come on. It's Jeter! Name one player more deserving of recognition for a particular milestone in recent history, and I'll show you an epic moment of the 2011 season that was just the icing on the cake of a Hall of Fame career.