Home Run of the Day: Wilson Betemit, Kansas City Royals #2 (Trot Time: 20.87 seconds) [video]
Wilson Betemit hit two home runs yesterday off the Minnesota Twins. Wilson Betemit. In light of that, and considering that there weren’t many, if any, big home runs hit yesterday, I think I must make Wilson Betemit the Home Run of the Day. It just seems impossible to do anything else. (Though the Florida guys messing up the “His name is Dan Uggla!” radio call was pretty funny [video]).
Actually, now that I think about it, Omar Vizquel‘s first home run of the year is also pretty noteworthy. For someone who has hit only 79 home runs in 11,367 plate appearances, and who had only one home run since 2007, it’s a pretty neat thing to see. And, who knows, the fan who caught that ball just may have the last home run ball that Omar Vizquel will ever hit.
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Slowest Trot: A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox – 24.6 seconds [video]
There were 24 home runs hit yesterday, but only two trots lasted longer than 24 seconds. That’s a pretty quick day, even if there aren’t many 18-second trots out there. A.J.’s is the slowest of the day, beating out Adam Dunn‘s trot by just a hair (24.54 seconds). When you take longer to circle the bases than Adam Dunn does on a home run that could have been either fair or foul, you know you’ve done something special.
Quickest Trot: Michael Young, Texas Rangers – 18.51* seconds [video]
Anyone know why Baseball Reference calls him Mike Young when everything and everyone else in the world refers to him as Michael Young? Just wondering. Young’s trot was one of only three trots yesterday to come in under twenty seconds (Corey Hart and Henry Blanco were the other two). Josh Hamilton also went yard for the Rangers yesterday. He would typically be at or near the fastest trots of the day, except yesterday he had the misfortune of batting with Vladimir Guerrero on first base. When you hit a home run with Vlad on first, you’re basically circling the bases at Vlad’s speed – and he’s not the quickest guy.
