SB Nation MLB Awards 2014: The White Sox's best defensive plays of the year

If you haven't voted on the Funniest Moment or Most Regrettable Moment yet, the polls are still open. For those that have, get ready for the third installment of the SB Nation MLB Awards selection process: top defensive play of the year.

Gordon Beckham's clutch 4-6-3

With the bases loaded, nobody out and the White Sox clinging to a 2-0 lead in San Francisco on Aug. 12, Joe Panik hits a potential game-tying grounder up the middle. Beckham has different ideas, hitting the ground to his right to snare it, followed by a glove-flip to Alexei Ramirez for the spectacular 4-6-3 double play. It could've been a game-saver, but Jake Petricka allowed the tying run to score on a single. Beckham ended up winning it, but with a single.

Adam Eaton robs David Ortiz at U.S. Cellular Field

In his first weeks as a White Sox, Eaton made his mark in center field by taking a home run away from the Red Sox's slugger to keep the Chris Sale-Jon Lester pitching duel on April 17 scoreless. Even Big Papi had to give him a hand for it.

Carlos Sanchez's barehanded turn

With two on and nobody out in the eighth inning on Sept. 27, Ramirez fields a high two-hopper and flips to Sanchez, who catches the ball with his bare hand and makes a jump-throw to first in time to get Eric Hosmer by half a step.

In previous discussions, it seems like I'm more impressed by this play than others. The criticism is that it's unnecessarily complicated, but I haven't seen enough from Sanchez to know if he could make that throw in time while planed. It seems like he's expecting great speed from both runners, and he doesn't have Beckham's arm to get Hosmer at first while absorbing contact. If anything, he might've overestimated Lorenzo Cain's speed, but getting Hosmer by half a step showed that a quick release was warranted.

Adam Eaton robs David Ortiz at Fenway Park

Here's another play I enjoyed immensely from a game against the Red Sox on July 10. This time, Ortiz hits a Jose Quintana fastball deep toward the triangle in center field. Eaton runs it down without a dive, but he has to slide after the catch to avoid a collision with Moises Sierra.

It's a play with a lot going for it -- he doesn't have to dive because he got a great jump and took a great route to get there, and his concentration withstood Fenway's oddly shaped dimensions and another outfielder bearing down on him.

Fan catches bat so baby doesn't

By now, everybody seated in and behind the third-base dugout should be on alert when Tyler Flowers is at the plate. On May 26, White Sox fan Eileen DePesa was ready when Flowers executed his signature bat toss to the left side. She kept her head up as the bat bounced off the top of the dugout and made a one-handed catch to protect the couple with a baby behind her.