A hot, humid weekend means we get a few dingers around the league. Let's get right to the trots!
Home Run of the Day: Kendrys Morales, Seattle Mariners – 26.88 seconds [video]
Kendrys Morales once missed nearly two full years in the big leagues when, after a walkoff grand slam, he broke his leg at home plate. As is the style these days, Morales sped down the third base line into a crowd of cheering teammates. At the last minute, he leapt into the air so he could stomp on the plate emphatically. Instead, he landed weird and broke his lower leg. This was in May 2010. He did not play again until Opening Day 2012.
On Sunday, Morales hit another walkoff home run. He circled the bases as he normally does (ie, slowly). His teammates crowded around home plate again, but Morales refrained from jumping, instead twinkle-toeing all the way to the plate. It was a good, safe way to celebrate the win.
Slowest Trot: Kendrys Morales, Seattle Mariners – 26.88 seconds [video]
Morales wasn't the only slow trot on Sunday. Down in San Diego, the Dodgers beat the Padres on back-to-back home runs in the top of the ninth inning. Those two home runs came off the bats of Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez. Both trots were in the 26-second range, just barely behind Morales' ginger walkoff.
Quickest Trot: Justin Ruggiano #1, Miami Marlins – 18.96 seconds [video]
One of only four trots to clock in under 20-seconds. Ruggiano ended up with two home runs on the day. One was this home run to leadoff the game. The other came in the top of the ninth. Nice way to bookend the game.
All of Today's Trots Kendrys Morales.....26.88 Matt Carpenter......21.25 Adrian Gonzalez.....26.64 Justin Ruggiano #2..21.19 Hanley Ramirez......26.01 Ryan Flaherty #2....21.08 Brandon Phillips....24.78 Nolan Arenado.......20.96 Anthony Rizzo.......23.74 George Kottaras.....20.92 Jordan Schafer......23.73 Jonathan Lucroy.....20.91 Marcell Ozuna.......23.49 Michael Cuddyer.....20.84 Edwin Encarnacion...22.97 Shin-Soo Choo.......20.78 David Wright........22.74 Ryan Flaherty #1....20.7 Brandon Moss........22.54 Pedro Alvarez.......20.7 Colby Rasmus........22.5 Chris Johnson.......20.68 Drew Stubbs.........22.49 Carlos Quentin......20.53 Adam Dunn...........22.43 Hunter Pence........19.58 Raul Ibanez #1......21.89 Raul Ibanez #2......19.49 Ryan Sweeney........21.72 Jarrod Dyson........19.2 Brian McCann........21.39 Justin Ruggiano #1..18.96
Click here for the ongoing 2013 Tater Trot Tracker Leaderboard. You can also follow @TaterTrotTrkr on Twitter for more up-to-the-minute trot times.
