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silveradept[This is part of a series exploring the Baseball Tarot.]
The grand slam is the only play in baseball that scores four runs, the maximum possible in any one play, without an error. To be even able to potentially collect a slam, the bases must be loaded, already generating tension and pressure for everyone on the field and, generally speaking, reducing the number of pitches that can be hit well to near nil, as the pitcher consciously avoids trying to put the ball anywhere but the absolute edges of the strike zone. Out of that situation, the hitter must make contact, and so do well enough to put the ball sufficiently out of reach of the fielders that all four players will score.
In short, one must jack a junk ball with the bases juiced.
A grand slam brings the fanatics to their feet in applause and generally allows for a bit of soaking it in while the batter makes the home run trot. This is the singular offensive achievement, the Holy Grail of the hitter, and the feather in the cap of the Power hitter, who hopes to collect many, many more of them over the course of their career. To hit one will be immensely fulfilling and may very well get you a round or two of drinks at the bar after the game. The record books will put you in a good category, even if your career is otherwise unremarkable. Short of hitting a walk-off, where the winning runs get scored without the defense being able to stop it, this is going to be the place where hitters find a hero. This is a happy, happy event for the hitter and should be celebrated.
There's one tiny thing to remember, though, about a grand slam. Much like finding the Golden Snitch, a slam by itself does not guarantee victory. It helps, a lot, certainly, but unless those four runs are exactly what you need to win in the bottom of the ninth, there's still the rest of the game to be played. getting a slam when down eight is great - you've cut the deficit in half. But if your defense gives up another three in the next half-inning, then you're basically back to where you started. You have experienced a local maximum - the point on the curve that is currently the highest at that point, but is not the actual highest point on the curve - that happened sooner or will happen later.
For the pitcher, this is an unmitigated disaster, to give up four runs on one swing, and a swing that the defense could not even make an effective play on. There's some small consolation in the fact that being the pitcher that gave up the grand slam doesn't mean you, too, will end up in the record books unless you continue to distinguish yourself by giving up more of them. It's frustrating to give up a home run, and even more so this kind of home run. But now you have another batter to face and the game continues.
This is a generally positive card, representing great success in your affairs, sometimes even the very best success that is possible, unless you really feel that you're the pitcher in this affair and you've just had something blown up in your face. Just keep in mind that showboating is still frowned upon, and that there's still game to be played.
The grand slam is the only play in baseball that scores four runs, the maximum possible in any one play, without an error. To be even able to potentially collect a slam, the bases must be loaded, already generating tension and pressure for everyone on the field and, generally speaking, reducing the number of pitches that can be hit well to near nil, as the pitcher consciously avoids trying to put the ball anywhere but the absolute edges of the strike zone. Out of that situation, the hitter must make contact, and so do well enough to put the ball sufficiently out of reach of the fielders that all four players will score.
In short, one must jack a junk ball with the bases juiced.
A grand slam brings the fanatics to their feet in applause and generally allows for a bit of soaking it in while the batter makes the home run trot. This is the singular offensive achievement, the Holy Grail of the hitter, and the feather in the cap of the Power hitter, who hopes to collect many, many more of them over the course of their career. To hit one will be immensely fulfilling and may very well get you a round or two of drinks at the bar after the game. The record books will put you in a good category, even if your career is otherwise unremarkable. Short of hitting a walk-off, where the winning runs get scored without the defense being able to stop it, this is going to be the place where hitters find a hero. This is a happy, happy event for the hitter and should be celebrated.
There's one tiny thing to remember, though, about a grand slam. Much like finding the Golden Snitch, a slam by itself does not guarantee victory. It helps, a lot, certainly, but unless those four runs are exactly what you need to win in the bottom of the ninth, there's still the rest of the game to be played. getting a slam when down eight is great - you've cut the deficit in half. But if your defense gives up another three in the next half-inning, then you're basically back to where you started. You have experienced a local maximum - the point on the curve that is currently the highest at that point, but is not the actual highest point on the curve - that happened sooner or will happen later.
For the pitcher, this is an unmitigated disaster, to give up four runs on one swing, and a swing that the defense could not even make an effective play on. There's some small consolation in the fact that being the pitcher that gave up the grand slam doesn't mean you, too, will end up in the record books unless you continue to distinguish yourself by giving up more of them. It's frustrating to give up a home run, and even more so this kind of home run. But now you have another batter to face and the game continues.
This is a generally positive card, representing great success in your affairs, sometimes even the very best success that is possible, unless you really feel that you're the pitcher in this affair and you've just had something blown up in your face. Just keep in mind that showboating is still frowned upon, and that there's still game to be played.
