I’ve been watching baseball for around 35 years. I’ve been watching it closely and obsessively for most of that time. Given our prejudices which favor recency over memory, I’m willing to admit that, perhaps, I have seen a throw better than Yoenis Cespedes’ throw in last night’s A’s-Angels game. But if I have, I simply can’t think of one.
Eighth inning, Howie Kendrick on first base. Mike Trout doubles to left field. Cespedes goes to retrieve it but he misplays it, it kicks off his glove and rolls to the wall going down the left field line. Kendrick is on his horse, rounds third and heads for home. Then:
[mlbvideo id="33614681" width="600" height="336" /]
That’s probably 300 feet on the fly, in high arc but coming straight down into Derek Norris’ glove. The umps reviewed. Officially to see if the tag was made and/or the plate blocked. Unofficially: because the video guys in New York just wanted to see the throw again. I assume, anyway.
Someone will find some old video of a Vlad Guerrero or a Dave Parker or a Bo Jackson throw today that they will claim featured a better throw than the one Cespedes uncorked. And, as these things go, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’ll take some pretty impressive old video, however, to get me to say this one wasn’t the best.