October 5, 2012, a day that will live in infamy. Prior to the 2012 season MLB made the decision to add a second wild card team to the playoffs. With five teams now in the playoffs the two teams with the best records in their league that did not win their divisions would play a winner-takes-all game to advance to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The day of the first Wild Card games, October 5, 2012.
The 2012 Atlanta Braves finished the regular season 6 games ahead of the St Louis Cardinals, which under the previous format would have meant the Braves eased into the playoffs, but not this year. It is also important that the year before the Braves had a historic collapse down the stretch (Chipper lost a ground ball in the lights) to miss the playoffs by a single game, the team that made the playoffs… the St Louis Cardinals, who went on to win the World Series. Also of note is that before the 2012 season Braves legend Chipper Jones announced it would be his last season. A true recipe for disaster.
After taking an early lead the Braves fell behind 6-3 going to the bottom of the eighth, but that inning they started a rally. With runners 1st and 2nd and one out Andrelton Simmons came to the plate to face Cardinals closer Jason Motte. On a 3-2 pitch Simmons hit a lazy fly ball to left field. It seemed a certain out, but then a stroke of great fortune. Cardinals left fielder Matt Holiday and shortstop Pete Kozma misplayed the ball and it dropped in left. Simmons reached first and the Braves, down three, had the bases loaded and one out with the winning run coming to plate. Wait what was that? Why are the umpires calling Simmons out? An infield fly? I don’t understand. Who’s doing this? Sam Holbrook?! THE LEFT FIELD UMPIRE?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!?!?!?! They had to cut to wide view to get the infield in the shot. INFIELD FLY!!!
This abhorrent and despicable call led to a 19 MINUTE delay as fans littered the field with whatever they could find. I twisted my ankle as I ran blindly around in complete and utter astonishment. This couldn’t be happening. Why?!?! SAM FUCKING HOLBROOK!!!!!!!!!!!! The Braves protested the call, but justice doesn’t exist. The Braves tried to rally in the ninth as they managed to get the tying run to the plate, but all Dan Uggla could do was ground out.
It’s been nine years and my rage has not abated. This was Chipper’s last game, his LAST GAME. The symbol of the Braves for the entirety of my life, my childhood, had his career ended because “Big” Sam Holbrook had to let everyone know he was there. Think about this for a second, the left field (that’s in the outfield) umpire called an infield (not the outfield) fly. What kind backwards ass logic is that. Sam Holbrook.
Two years in a row the Cardinals took out my heart and stomped it right in front of my eyes. An infield fly. AN INFIELD FLY!!! AN INFIELD FLY THAT WENT OVER OVER 250 FEET!!!!!!!! Never and I mean never will I move on! To the end of my days I will curse the man’s name. Why?!?! I just can’t get my head around it. Deep breath, deep breaths, deep breaths. Well at least “Big” Sam Holbrook and the Cardinals can’t combine to do anything worse against the Braves… Right? RIGHT?!?!?