It Hurts To Watch - version 3

After another trip to the coast comes motivation to do another of the 'It Hurts To Watch' series. While the weekend was beautiful the waves still did come rolling in. Rolling in like a base-runner rolling into the plate looking to score. There's a few new faces to the followers list so if you are new to this series I'll give you a rundown.

I love the play at the plate more than any other play in baseball. In honor of the play I present three cards that feature this great play. The first card is the catcher preparing to make the play. The second card is of the actual play at the plate itself. Then the third card is the aftermath of a play. So for your viewing pleasure....

Today's post contains a first for the series. Why I'm choosing to do this so early in I have no idea. Maybe it's just that this guy has had some of the greatest cards when it comes to action shots. The difference between this card, and past pre-plays is the angle. This is our first time featuring the look on the face of the base-runner. While we already know that catchers are not looking forward to this play. Manwaring shows us that as a base-runner he doesn't look forward to this collision either. With the look on his face I'm going to say that he isn't sure being the runner is going to end any better than it does when he's catching

Not all the great collisions at home need to contain the runner trying to jar the ball loose. Looking at McCann diving back to the plate shows this fact off. McCann had to feel this when the play is over as he's exposed to the spikes rolling in on him. His motion going one direction and the runner going the other had to add into making this a serious collision. You don't have the typical wall, and runner. You have two bodies colliding. One of the two has to give.

This card confuses me for this set. Part of me feels that this card should have been put in as the actual play happening. The other part of me, the part that won out feels that this is an aftermath card. Pena is falling backwards with his mask still falling off which says still in the play. He is holding the ball up to showoff the fact he held on which says aftermath. The holding the ball up is what eventually won out.

The McCann, and Pena cards leaving me conflicting about these card styles. Every-time I do one of these I can't decide which card fascinates me more. Which card has the more amazing look to it? Is it the actual play itself or is it the aftermath? I don't know if I will ever be able to decide.