With Atlanta having won 15 of their 17, who can begrudge the Rockies from taking advantage of every possible break as they cling to their Wild Card berth? “”Greatest. Catch. Ever,” was how Colorado outfielder Carlos Gonzalez described a diving grab / game-ending double play pulled by off by Bambi-killer Clint Barmes to conclude Sunday’s 4-3 victory over St. Louis. But you’ve got to hand it to those folks in Denver ; though they never found Jon Benet Ramsey’s killer, they have raised serious doubts about whether Barmes fielded the ball cleanly, as the Post’s Troy E. Renck explains.
(photo taken from Colorado Rockies Photos)
Photos taken by The Denver Post and a spectator in the right-field stands at Coors Field during Sunday’s dramatic 4-3 victory over the Cardinals reveal that second baseman Clint Barmes bobbled the final popup, with one picture showing the baseball on the outfield grass. Barmes rolled on the grass, jumped to his feet and fired to first to double off Albert Pujols to end the game.
But did he catch the ball?
“Only me and Barmes know the truth. It’s the same as (Matt) Holliday touching home plate,” outfielder Ryan Spilborghs said Monday of the controversial slide that clinched the Rockies’ 2007 playoff berth. “It’s better that. it’s (mysterious).”
Barmes could not be reached Monday, but said after Sunday’s game, “It all happened so fast. . . . I think as I was going down it hit my glove and then it went across my body or something. I don’t know. I know I came up with it in my bare hand.”
Quizzed about the play by Renck, SS/ethicist Troy Tulowitzki responded with “who cares now, we won.” Bill McCartney couldn’t have put it any better.