Bonds' homered? That reminds me of another homerun...

[pravata]

All the MLB team websites are recounting their favorite homeruns.  Certainly seems like they're trying to change the subject. The Astros and Whitesox recall faded glory,

Posednik's in Game 4
"Generation after generation had gone by without seeing a World Champion," Podsednik said. "To be able to do it and bring the trophy back to Chicago and see how passionate these fans were made it that much more special. The parade that we had at the end of the season was one of the craziest things that I have ever been a part of."
Link

Burke in the NLCS
"At the time, I don't think I really grasped it or had a whole lot of perspective on it," Burke said. "Since then, I've been able to get away from the moment and realize how important it was, not only for us as a team but to people in the city. I've had a lot of people say extremely nice things.
"I've had people tell me they had some of the greatest times of their lives sitting at that game. It's humbling to think you were part of a moment like that."
Link

[Limey]

Ausmus' in the same game was bigger, IMHO.  If Burke doesn't hit it out, the game continues.  When Brad hit his, the Astros were behind by a run in the 9th, there were 2 outs, nobody on base and two strikes against him.

[MusicMan]

Ausmus' in the same game was bigger, IMHO.  If Burke doesn't hit it out, the game continues.  When Brad hit his, the Astros were behind by a run in the 9th, there were 2 outs, nobody on base and two strikes against him.

IMHO, if the Ausmus HR had been into the seats, instead o the carom above the line that most of us originally thought was a double, it would be remembered as more dramatic.

[Taras Bulba]

IMHO, if the Ausmus HR had been into the seats, instead o the carom above the line that most of us originally thought was a double, it would be remembered as more dramatic.

Bobby Cox hasn't been able to take a decent crap since.

[Guinness]

Maybe I'm old, but I immediately thought of Billy Hatcher...

[remy]

Even Kent's was more thrilling than Burke's, imho.  But as for sheer clutch, dramatic and unexpected, Ausmus's takes the cake.

[Amy]

IMHO, if the Ausmus HR had been into the seats, instead o the carom above the line that most of us originally thought was a double, it would be remembered as more dramatic.

Maybe, but I still love the picture of Andruw Jones splatting against the wall and missing the ball.  That shot was really so amazing for Ausmus because it was a line drive to a very deep part of the ballpark.  The improbability of Ausmus ever hitting such a HR, plus the fact that most people probably thought Garner should pinch hit for him with Bagwell, made the whole thing even more dramatic.  I remember that HR more fondly than Burke's.

[BudGirl]

Ausmus' was a great shot.  I took a tour of the ball park earlier this year and tried to create the Andruw Jones leap at that spot. 

I loved both of the homeruns.

I have not gotten into the whole Bonds show.  I think it is because he isn't an Astro.  Plus, he is an ass and I am not going to waste time on him when I think A-Rod will pass him eventually.

[ValpoCory]

Even Kent's was more thrilling than Burke's, imho.  But as for sheer clutch, dramatic and unexpected, Ausmus's takes the cake.

Unexpected: Ausmus.

Sheer Clutch, dramatic: Berkman in 7th inning of Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS against Carpenter. 

[Limey]

IMHO, if the Ausmus HR had been into the seats, instead o the carom above the line that most of us originally thought was a double, it would be remembered as more dramatic.

...but then we would've been deprived of Andruw's SpiderMan act against the LCF wall.

[MusicMan]

...but then we would've been deprived of Andruw's SpiderMan act against the LCF wall.

Is it to late to call him "Spider Pig"?

[MRaup]

Is it to late to call him "Spider Pig"?

ABSOLUTELY not.

[dirty steve]

even with going to the 18 inning affair, i still put Kent's HR #1 on my list.  i still remember him saying after he crossed home plate, "one more game..."  other than 10/19/05, my best Astros moment.  that, and it's the most air on a vertical leap i have ever gotten.

[JackAstro]

Is it to late to call him "Spider Pig"?

Oh my God, that's awesome.

[ybbodeus]

...but then we would've been deprived of Andruw's SpiderMan act against the LCF wall.

As well as Chipper Jones stepping out of the batter's box in the 15th or so and telling Ausmus..."You know; this is all YOUR fault."

[TheWizard]

On the "jumped my ass out of the chair" rating scale, I'd say the Ausmus HR > Burke's HR, because I thought the team was dead when he hit that HR.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

On the "jumped my ass out of the chair" rating scale, I'd say the Ausmus HR > Burke's HR, because I thought the team was dead when he hit that HR.

And don't forget the team was dead in the water before Berkman's grand slam resuscitated them. What a great game that was for Astro fans.

[Ty in Tampa]

Kent's made me go the most apeshit, and I mean apeshit.. Ausmus' was 'FUCK YEAH' but the game wasn't over, yet. Burke's was pure exhaustion euphoria.

[Limey]

On the "jumped my ass out of the chair" rating scale, I'd say the Ausmus HR > Burke's HR, because I thought the team was dead when he hit that HR.

Right.  And as for Kent's homerun, you just knew that he was going to do something, and a shibby was not needed, just a base hit.  You don't walk Berkman to get to Kent and expect to get away with it.  Ausmus' dinger was completely out-of-the-blue, holeee shit, type of thing.

I wasn't around for Hatcher's homer, so I recuse myself from any comparisons there.

[JimR]

Kent's was #1 for me.

[Limey]

Kent's was #1 for me.

It's "The Shot Still Ringing in My Ears", but Ausmus' was more remarkable, IMHO.

[WulawHorn]

Right.  And as for Kent's homerun, you just knew that he was going to do something, and a shibby was not needed, just a base hit.  You don't walk Berkman to get to Kent and expect to get away with it.  Ausmus' dinger was completely out-of-the-blue, holeee shit, type of thing.

I wasn't around for Hatcher's homer, so I recuse myself from any comparisons there.

Didn't even need a basehit, just a sac fly (there were either 0 or 1 outs and guys on 1st and 3rd).

When he hit it I was like- cool- deep enough to get the gw run home.  And then it kept going and going and we all went nuts.

Still my favorite game ever to be at.

The berkman shot a year later to give us the 2 run lead late was pretty freaking sweet. It's hard to compare those two feelings and figure out which was better. Both were awesome.

[HurricaneDavid]

I'd take Kent's everyday.  The fact that it was a no-doubter coupled with the image of him saying "one more, one more" after crossing home makes it impossible to top, IMHO.

[MusicMan]

Kent's was #1 for me.

You know what I'll remember about that HR, other than the aforementioned personal record for the high jump?

The atrocious call on the TV.  "And we're going back to St. Louis!" (pause while the announcer remembers that a 2-2 series was guaranteed to go back to St. Louis) "with the Astros holding a 3-2 lead!"

[Kevin]

Maybe I'm old, but I immediately thought of Billy Hatcher...

Kent's shot bumped Hatcher to #2 IMO because it won the game and established a new high-water mark for Astros postseasons. Hatcher's shot more dramatic though to me for several reasons -

1. Like the Ausmus whack, it came from a very unlikely source (Hatcher was a renowned slappy and had only hit 6 HR all year before the AB);
2. Unlike the Kent situation, the Astros were at death's door (very stressful top of the 14th with Senor Smoke, lucky Mets only scored one run) and all the life was out of the building with one out before Hatcher steps in;
3. Early in the AB, Hatcher hits one a mile down the LF line, but about 20 feet foul. This roused the crowd, but there was disappointment in that he probably missed his best opportunity as nobody's expecting a tying HR from this guy, just hoping for him to get on as Davis is due to bat 4th in the inning. Amazingly he gets the same pitch and doesn't pull it quite as much.
4. Like Kent's, this was a moon shot (Loge level) and part of the ensuing pandemonium was the shock over what a mammoth shot it was.
5. The ball hugged the line, and nobody knew if it was going to stay fair.

[HurricaneDavid]

I didn't think the call was that bad, but maybe because I've watched it so many times... it's actually "Kent waits... in the air... we go to St. Louis, with Houston in front three games to two."

[Phil_in_CS]

Kent's shot bumped Hatcher to #2 IMO because it won the game and established a new high-water mark for Astros postseasons. Hatcher's shot more dramatic though to me for several reasons -
3. Early in the AB, Hatcher hits one a mile down the LF line, but about 20 feet foul. This roused the crowd, but there was disappointment in that he probably missed his best opportunity as nobody's expecting a tying HR from this guy, just hoping for him to get on as Davis is due to bat 4th in the inning. Amazingly he gets the same pitch and doesn't pull it quite as much.

After the foul, the guy I was watching the game with said "oh god, he will never hit the ball that far again in his life...."