The Walkoff Homerun

There are few things like it in professional sports. The opportunity for a walk-off presents itself on a regular basis, after all, a save acquired by a closer on the road is nothing but a walk-off avoided. The feel of tension in the park rises to an otherworldly level, and then is either dashed or fulfilled with a single at-bat.

There is nothing inevitable, or even probable about this event. This is not a field goal kicked from the 35 yard line, where a good kicker has at least a coin flip chance of making the kick. This is not a shootout in a hockey game or soccer match, where someone is going to outscore their opponent to pull it out. This is the odds against you, back against the wall, pulling victory from the jaws of defeat. According to one Win Expectancy Finder tool that is online, the odds of coming back from 2 runs back in the bottom of the 9th is .075%. The improbability of this happening is part of what makes it so exciting. If you are within 2 runs, you know that the potential winning runs will bat in the inning, but you also know that your team faces long odds. The added drama of a home run sending the other team morosely off the field only makes the event that much more exciting.

The only thing that could make it even more sweet would be having it happen against the team currently leading your division.

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