One More Thing On That Amazing Pederson Catch

Look, I agree, Joc's game-saving catch in the ninth inning last weekend was indeed incredible. But I have to laugh when reading shoddy journalism like this mlb.com recap from Lyle Spencer:

Like the incomparable Willie Mays, the eternal gold standard for center fielders, Pederson has the knack of anticipating where a ball is going to land and turning and sprinting to that location. It is something his father taught him when he was a kid, Joc said.

If Willie Mays is incomparable, then why the heck are you comparing him to Joc Pederson?!

Spencer goes on to make sure we are not, in fact, comparing this catch to any of Mays' catches:

In the grand scheme, there likely never will be a catch to match the one Mays made in the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds in New York, stealing extra bases from Vic Wertz with an over-the-shoulder stab with his back to home plate. The park was as big as Yellowstone, and Mays seemingly ran forever to get there and glove it.

Pederson, running full tilt off the crack of the bat, made it to the spot about 40 feet from the 396 sign in right-center and met the wall leading with his head.

So that's clear. Incomparably so.