Home Run of the Day: Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves (Trot Time: 22.09 seconds) [video]
Wait a minute, I’m confused. Was yesterday “free home runs for veterans day”? Did the universe briefly change back to 2001 at professional ballparks last night? Because, otherwise, I’m confused as to how Chipper Jones, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Todd Helton could all have hit home runs last night? Especially as Chipper seemed to spend all afternoon teasing the good folks at the Atlanta Journal-Constituion (and good friend of the blog and huge Braves fan, Craig Calcaterra) that he would be announcing his (end of the year) retirement yesterday. That home run he hit late in the game must have tasted rather sweet then.
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Slowest Trot: Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies – 26.07 seconds [video]
There were a number of 25-second trots yesterday (Hanley Ramirez, David Ortiz, Travis Hafner), but it was only Helton who broke past 26-seconds. My favorite part of the clip is how the Rockies broadcast had to let the video of Helton talking about a Rod Carew/”This Week in Baseball” video play all the way through as he circled the bases on his trot before the broadcasters started talking because they didn’t expect him to hit a home run there.
Quickest Trot: Matt Tolbert, Minnesota Twins – 17.08 seconds [video]
From the same Rockies-Twins matchup (how’s that for an interleague must-see?!), Matt Tolbert hit this scorcher to the right-field power alley late in the game and booked it around the bases. I saw someone on Twitter exaggerate it to “the first 8-second home run trot!”. Not quite, but plenty good enough to make himself the quickest man not named Adam Rosales to run out a home run hit over the fence this year. That’s a pretty nice little feat.
It should be noted that Mark Teixeira had a nice, quick trot last night after hitting a home run off of Roy Halladay, but I was unable to get a good time for it. The YES broadcast cut away when he was still about 20-30 feet from the plate, and didn’t return until he was already well past it. The Philly broadcast didn’t even show him circling the bases, instead focusing on the guys in right field who caught the ball. All evidence made it look like he’d be putting up a 19-19.5 second trot, but all I can say for sure is that he was well past the plate at 20.5 seconds.
