Yoenis Cespedes does the most epic bat-flip ever during Home Run Derby
Yoenis Cespedes is only in his second year in the MLB, and would have won the AL Rookie of the Year any other year but had the misfortune of being in a the same rookie class as Mike Trout. The Cuban defector is having another solid campaign, despite being limited by injuries.
Despite all of the career success, Cespedes seems to be a guy that gets overlooked. A blip on the radar. An immensely talented guy that has to fight to get the recognition of guys playing in LA and New York. He's like the kid who got picked last kickball at recess and then went out and surprised everyone by dominating.
One of the reasons is Mike Trout. Yoenis' fine rookie season last year was overshadowed by the even-better, historic season Trout had just a few hours south in Anaheim. Another reason is that Cespedes plays for the Oakland Athletics. The reality is that aside from "Moneyball", the small market team will always be overlooked by their counterparts on the other side of the bay. And that's just in the same metropolitan area.
In addition, the emergence of Yasiel Puig all over ESPN makes Cespedes not even the most recognizable Cuban outfielder to the casual fan. Puigmania took over the baseball world for a good month and even his bat-flip got headlines...
One of the reasons is Mike Trout. Yoenis' fine rookie season last year was overshadowed by the even-better, historic season Trout had just a few hours south in Anaheim. Another reason is that Cespedes plays for the Oakland Athletics. The reality is that aside from "Moneyball", the small market team will always be overlooked by their counterparts on the other side of the bay. And that's just in the same metropolitan area.
In addition, the emergence of Yasiel Puig all over ESPN makes Cespedes not even the most recognizable Cuban outfielder to the casual fan. Puigmania took over the baseball world for a good month and even his bat-flip got headlines...
On Monday night, Cespedes decided that he was done being overlooked and decided to smack a s--- ton of baseball over the left field fence at Citi Field during the 2013 Home Run Derby. Cespedes made it look easy smacking 32 balls out of the park and the man who wasn't even in the All-Star game upstaged everyone else in the Derby.
He nailed three balls into the third deck, put a dent in a Chevy truck in center, put a few off the window of the restaurant in the second deck, sent a couple over centerfield and became the only player to win the Derby who wasn't selected for the All-Star game.
He made us all look silly (even I overlooked him in our Home Run Derby Preview) Oh, and in addition to letting America know that he's not a blip on the radar, he also officially challenged Yasiel Puig to a "Bat-Flip Off" with this epic flip after his winning home run.
It doesn't get any better than that. No one will wonder who Yoenis Cespedes is again after this week. And also from the other angle....
After the Midsummer break, baseball resumes tonight. Have a great weekend baseball freaks...
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