let's turn two

when i played baseball, i spent most of my time at short or second. mostly second as i got older and my arm got weaker. it makes sense, then, that my favorite play was turning two. i really loved it as a shortstop - breaking towards second to field a ground ball up the middle, gliding over second base and throwing to first as my momentum took me out of the path of the runner. playing second base was different - running to cover the bag, waiting for the throw, and then heaving the ball while somehow avoiding the slide. i got taken out a few times, of course, but that wasn't enough to sour me on the cosmic ballet that is the double play.

so, i collect cards that show the turn at second base. sometimes the fielder is standing his ground, sometimes he is airborne, and sometimes he gets taken out. all's fair with the hard, clean slide into second.

here's a good sampling of the three: rey ordonez standing tall in the face of john cangelosi on his 1999 topps card,

rafael furcal jumping over ordonez on his 2004 upper deck card,

and mike scioscia barreling into tom foley's knees on foley's 1989 upper deck issue, at dodger stadium no less!

finally, it wouldn't be prudent to ignore the fact that the dodgers beat the cubs in game 1 tonight, so, courtesy of 2002 fleer, here's then dodger and former cub mark grudzielanek trying to avoid former dodger and cub todd hundley at chavez ravine.

it's the trifecta! good times!