The biggest home run day of the year so far, with 40 balls leaving the yard around the league. It wasn’t just quantity that made Sunday a great trot day, however, with Miguel Cabrera, Billy Hamilton and others giving us some very memorable tater trots.
Let’s get to those trots!
Home Run of the Day: Miguel Cabrera #1, Detroit Tigers – 28.68 seconds [video]
In case you were worried that the season was a week old and Miguel Cabrera still hadn’t hit a home run, worry no longer. Miggy hasn’t forgotten how to launch bombs. He also hasn’t forgotten how to round third in his own unique way.
It’s a joy watching Cabrera hit.
Slowest Trot: Miguel Cabrera #2, Detroit Tigers – 28.88 seconds [video]
In case Miggy’s first-inning 28.68 second trot wasn’t slow enough for you, the Tigers slugger beat it with his second trot of the day in the fourth inning. In the Yankees-Red Sox contest that closed the night, Boston’s Hanley Ramirez joined Cabrera in the slow-trot club. Ramirez’s trot was clocked at 28.09 seconds, but, thanks to ESPN, that’s not a perfect time. The camera only cut back to Hanley at the end of the trot, so it’s hard to say the exact moment he stepped on home plate. It’s possible, then, that the trot was a bit faster than the recorded time.
Quickest Trot: Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati Reds – 16.45 seconds [video]
The fastest player in baseball is no guarantee to also have the fastest trot in baseball. After all, once that ball clears the fence, the trotter can take all the time he likes – a full sprint is far from necessary. That’s why it’s nice to see that speedster Hamilton doesn’t slack on the basepaths when he hits a home run. This 16.45 second trot will stay near the top of the leaderboard all season.
All of Today's Trots Miguel Cabrera #2......28.88 David DeJesus.....21.57 Miguel Cabrera #1......28.68 Andrew McCutchen..21.5 Hanley Ramirez.........28.09* Darin Ruf.........21.49 Jhonny Peralta.........26.24 Hank Conger.......21.46 Adam LaRoche...........24.01 Buster Posey......21.43 Nelson Cruz............23.82 Jonny Gomes.......21.42 Albert Pujols..........23.75 Travis Snider.....21.17 Luis Valbuena..........22.99 Rickie Weeks......21.1 Jose Bautista..........22.95 Carlos Gomez......21.03 Jake Marisnick.........22.8 Bryce Harper......20.96 Brian McCann...........22.7 Dexter Fowler.....20.66* Salvador Perez.........22.62 Will Venable......20.55* J.D. Martinez..........22.52 Stephen Drew......20.14 Adam Jones.............22.52 Jay Bruce.........20.06* Neil Walker............22.41 Matt Carpenter....19.94 Alex Guerrero..........22.37 Joc Pederson......19.91* Michael Cuddyer........22.04 Gordon Beckham....19.61 Kevin Pillar...........22.01 Yasiel Puig.......19.33 Jarrod Saltalamacchia..21.81 Billy Hamilton....16.45 Chase Headley..........21.73 Dalton Pompey.....REV Wil Nieves.............21.72*
Click here for the ongoing 2015 Tater Trot Tracker Leaderboard. You can also follow @TaterTrotTrkr on Twitter for more up-to-the-minute trot times.
