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Steve Pearce and Max Scherzer experienced the entire gamut of human emotion on this single play

Ever since Steve Pearce hit 31 home runs between three Minor League levels with the Pirates in 2007, I've been telling everyone he's the greatest hitter in history.

I stuck with that story when Pearce went from the Twins to the Yankees to the Orioles to the Astros back to the Yankees and then back to the Orioles in 2012. And this season when the Orioles released him and then brought him back again, watching in awe as his new closed swing led to a batting line of .293/.373/.556 with 21 homers.

So when Pearce launched a laser into the Baltimore night off Max Scherzer, it was sweet, sweet vindication. Only problem: someone had futzed with Camden Yards' dimensions. Pearce's joy had soon turned into the bitter taste of regret and infield dirt. 


As for Scherzer, he played it real cool. Sure, at first he was like "Oh nertz." But then he was like, "Yeah, that was my plan all along."