Ozzie Smith was a defensive WIZARD!

[@paulsparanormal-lk9bt]

I was lucky to have grown up watching Ozzie play here in St. Louis. He's royalty here! In my opinion, best shortstop ever! The guy never had much power, but he was clutch. Quick story about Ozzie, I worked for a grocery chain here in STL and I was filling in at one store that happened to be the one where Ozzie shopped at. I was there for two days, he was there both days as well. The first day, of course I recognized him and made it a point to say hi to him, but didn't want to bother him too much. He smiled and gave me a wave and said hi to me. The next day, he remembered me and made it a point to say hi to me first. Great guy! He's one sports idol that I have never been disappointed by. Great human being!

[@drizzle452]

As a Cubs fan who loves baseball played the right way and with freedom-I just couldn’t hate him. His game was the definition of how baseball should be played. Simply the greatest defensive player I’ve ever seen.

[@josephhale9198]

Same way I felt growing up in stl watching wgn day games at Wrigley with Harray Caray n Steve Stone and Wrigley Field. It was so pure💯⚾️

[@sunshine_tidings6983]

Strong agree! I'm not a big fan of the three-true-outcome game today. I miss drama in the infield. Smallball, I think some call it.

[@axg5929]

@@josephhale9198 i'm a 21 year old but my dad, who is from orange county and is a huge angels fan, talks about how much fun it was to turn on a cubs broadcast and listen to harry carry. would love to experience that for myself. sounds like a ton of fun man

[@fluoriteheals]

RESPECT!!

[@RamezeronRomeshku-lc8by]

I watched all Ozzie's career from the beginning.......Undoubtably the greatest shortstop I've ever seen......HANDS DOWN!!!

[@ChrisL-ni9tb]

Every kid growing up playing baseball in the 80s wanted to be Ozzie!!

[@daverichards9141]

THE 🐐 of short stops.

[@Matts_Smirkingrevenge]

I was born in STL in 89. This man was an institution unto himself when I was a kid. Loved the wizard.

[@mrjamesgrimes]

How would you know if you were born in 89?

[@Matts_Smirkingrevenge]

@@mrjamesgrimes because he played till 96 and was massive in the city from the time l was born through his retirement...?

[@treygray2817]

@@Matts_Smirkingrevenge So ages 0-7?

[@Matts_Smirkingrevenge]

@@treygray2817 Correct. I remember going to games in his retirement year because they had made changes to the stadium.

[@ethanbradley2089]

@@mrjamesgrimes I was born in 94 and I adore Ozzie. Stan Musial is my all-time favorite player. If you're going to be a St.Louisian you have to know your Cardinals history.

[@ryand667]

Smith, Coleman and McGee: that was baseball magic.

[@grahck4391]

As a kid in the 80s, Ozzie is still one of my favorite players. If Ozzie didn't catch the ball, it wasn't possible to catch it. Even today, when I watch a game, I'll see a line drive that is missed, and just chuckle because I know that Ozzie would've caught it.

[@JustJefferson]

Lifetime Orioles fan and I appreciated Ozzie even as a youth but took him for granted, we had Ripken jr for 20 years, so you end up being spoiled. But now at 42, I marvel even more at the fact of what a tremendous athlete Ozzie was….. he doesn’t get nearly the shine as he deserves imo.

[@BrandonCrouch]

If I had no idea who Ozzie Smith is, this complication would not impress me. So, so many plays to choose from that are better than what’s in this video. This video doesn’t even begin to do Ozzie justice.

[@jordel2010]

I agree. Not a Cardinals fan here, but this man not only is one of the best SS ever but definitely among the best (if not the best) defensive players in MLB history. Hands down.

[@1biasedherbertfan979]

@@jordel2010 statistical he is the best defender of all time

[@jgfunk]

That play at 2:02 though....would be on jomboy....

[@senorpepper3405]

Agree

[@jimknowlton342]

Creates magic and jogs to the dugout with his head down and shares his teammates congratulations with 100 class and zero flash. That's why everyone loved him.

[@kevinsmith5202]

That last one, my god!! Owning souls with that leap!

[@neiljohnson7051]

I am a 44 years old, and Ozzie Smith is still the best infielder I have ever seen play the game. Period. Only a couple other players ever came close. Simple as that. Looking back at these old reels, I almost can't believe how great he was. Incredible.

[@randydubin7118]

One of the very few players who got into the Hall of Fame based solely on his defensive skills. Brooks Robinson also comes to mind in that regard.

[@sirsaint88]

In terms of defense he's one of those once in a generation players. My goodness he was awesome.

[@extraspicy4715]

I can see this happening to Andrelton Simmons in a couple years

[@Xhabit300]

@@extraspicy4715 ehhh , ozzie was still a very good hitter & he has 2800 hits , andrelton is a poor hitter who can be slight average at best

[@scott.moresh7]

He also was a prolific base stealer, 580 stolen bases!, and small ball skills (bunting, sacrifice hits). He had over 400 doubles. He struck out less than 600 times in almost 11,000 plate appearances. He had close to twice as many walks and strikeouts. Guys strike out 150 times a year on a regular basis nowadays. He certainly wasn't a Ripken, Trammell, or Yount at the plate, but he definitely was an asset for the Cardinals small ball.

[@sawchiefs29]

Preventing runs scored is just as important as scoring runs

[@fluoriteheals]

I hit the like button before the video even started!!! Something to celebrate about my Hometown! It needs some serious LOVE!

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Ozzie made the whole squad better ...just by how he played ...so valuable to team

[@sleazysid253]

Born and raised in MO. This man was a God when I was growing up. So much fun to watch. The play he made when he was with the Padres is still, hands down, the greatest defensive play ever made by a SS.

[@felixgonzalez5882]

If someone comes along better than Ozzie Smith defensively. He most likely will be an alien from another planet.

[@CanadaMMA]

A lot of times I've felt disappointment as a baseball fan when I look back at the stars from when I was a kid. The defensive metrics we have now often highlight that defensive stars of previous years weren't always good defenders. Sometimes they were down right terrible. They could just make really athletic looking plays that fooled everyone. Not Ozzie though. A diving stop for most players is a regular groundball for Ozzie. And the ones Ozzie has to dive for? Most players don't even move for it.

[@squirrelguy2195]

Best defensive shortstop of all time and it's not even close.

[@hagamapama]

@@squirrelguy2195 Hard to make an argument for another guy in consideration ere.

[@scottrackley4457]

@@hagamapama Only Omar was close.

[@JeremiahSMathis]

My Cousin got the moves🙌🏾🖤🖤

[@Aunny123]

The jumping double play is my favorite Ozzie play of all time. In the old game guys were allowed to basically tackle the guy at second to prevent the double play, and Ozzie just glided over it and made the throw.

[@DerekWill-qp5ge]

I watched him live at the old shea stadium! And he would take my breath away at some of the plays he made!

[@eggsbacon1538]

That throw at 2:03.. Holy smokes

[@jamessnedeker4799]

He was until the Springfield Mystery Hole

[@vivalavivarium]

Makes me so happy to see talent like mason Wynn getting this kind of tutelage. Like look what happened in 1-2 years with Nolan Gorman. Wynn could be the next Ozzie with a canon and a 300 hitter

[@sashek8451]

as a kid in the 80s in STL, I had two brothers and semi followed the Cards. But I don’t know if I’ve yet to witness the jacked up love buzz I could feel from those around me when his name would be mentioned. Adults, kids at school..wherever.

[@randywatson1296]

This is when I loved baseball

[@glensmillie5101]

2:08😮 Incredible 😅

[@jeremygeller9145]

i knew ozzie by reputation but have never seen him play, watching this is is crazy

[@fluoriteheals]

I actually enjoy watching the highlights of the 80's and 90's more than watching baseball these days! UGH

[@eimonperez1551]

Grande Ozie 🙏🏽💪🏾

[@scottyp2505]

Gravity forgot about Ozzie on that last DP

[@jrahhk8223]

That last throw is ALL arm strength - in mid air. Ridiculous.

[@christiannunezmachin9414]

Que Clase de Shorp Stop pero la mejor jugada él pivoteo para Doble Play caminando por encima del Corredor

[@philip7833]

Casually doing back flips is insane

[@Jayhova89]

His vertical was crazy!

[@cards1985]

Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie

[@philipkelly3756]

Why would there be thumbs down in something so Positive?

[@seanlaunius8033]

Best ever!

[@ryanrurode904]

Love it. I have his wizard card.

[@Jive33]

A highlight clip of Ozzie and you didn’t include his best highlight. The bare-handed play from the funny bounce.

[@zacharys.3764]

In the last clip of the video, the runner heading to second base tries to block Ozzie with a slide, but Ozzie is able to make the play. After reviewing more closely, it appears like Smith steps on the to make the throw to first. The slow mo looks like he tap dances on the guy for playing dirty before making the jumping throw. tl;dr: did Ozzie step on the guy sliding at him to propel his jump at the end of the video? If so, that's great.

[@JarrodFrates]

If you watch the first slo-mo replay closely, you'll see that the top of Ozzie's toe brushes the runner from back to front, and that the appearance of pushing off the runner in the second is an illusion from low resolution. All that height he got was from his own jump, nothing added from the runner, yet another aspect of his athleticism.

[@mitch5944]

78 WAR almost purely off of defensive excellence is insane

[@nickkaufmann6554]

That last play might be the greatest play ever committed on a baseball diamond dude tried to pedroia Ozzie and he hurdles and threw a strike to first like it was catch with his son in the backyard are we sure hes human?

[@troycurrie7784]

Can you still touch the plate that the runner is coming to and then leave it before the runner gets to it like that last jump play?

[@evanfunk7335]

Yes, if it is a force out. Runners coming from first to second only require a tap of the base

[@scottrackley4457]

I can only think of one SS that gets close, Omar

[@ElvisRosado-p7e]

You can try to make an argument who's better but in the end in my opinion he wins hands down

[@miguel.ledesmaledesma1790]

Fernandez was very very good,but Ozzie was just great.

[@DrewStice-ht4zx]

Keeping it hundo to the onedo

[@coreygolphenee9633]

The cocaine cardinals were so awesomew

[@Wanderlust598]

He makes these difficult plays look easy. I bet the spoiled pitchers got annoyed on the rare occasion a ball got up the middle.

[@terryhill4732]

The wizard of Oz had no equal at shortstop

[@icy8268]

Bro ozzie was the jeter of his time

[@MrBrokentowels]

The player at 2:03 was definitely trying to take out Ozzie’s legs! Dirty

[@7Roeth]

I want to see that ump take the field the same way Ozzie does.

[@seanwebb605]

Tony Fernandez was as good or better than Ozzie Smith defensively, but for a much shorter time. Fernandez was a superior hitter though. If you love baseball you can enjoy both of them.

[@chrischar9428]

Tony was great. He's no ozzie

[@Mister8224]

He had subpar arm & non-existent bat. But his backflips were good.

[@donavinrideout7841]

Ozzie. Cal. Oneil?

[@robertseymour2530]

Play ball

[@georgevincent1834]

He was really good, but Bowa, Conception, Belanger, and a couple of others of that same era were just as good defensively but didn't didn't get the same attention because they didn't do back flips and hot-dog it up the way Ozzie did,

[@namelastname5844]

If we use TZ and dWAR guys like Belanger are great but Smith still is better than them by those metrics which are the most accurate defensive metrics we have from that era

[@JA_WILL]

Those guys were all good. Seen them all play. Not sure they could have made that last double play or the bare-handed catch. The Wizard was the best defensive SS of all-time.

[@chrischar9428]

ROFLMFAO. concepcion? His numbers pail. Not even close. Bowa don't make me laugh. HA ha ha

[@Nuschler22]

Brandon Crawford makes these plays look average. Ozzie was overhyped. Good player with great public relations.

[@ericmonaco4509]

The best Shortstop before Derek Jeter

[@ericschuster2231]

Lol