Home Run of the Day: Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves (Trot Time: ?? seconds) [video]

A walk-off home run where the batter spends about two minutes standing at second base while the umpires debate and review his home run isn't something you see everyday. In fact, it's not something you've ever seen before because it's never happened before. Instant replay on home runs only came into being last year, and this is the first time they've ever been used on a walk-off blast.

I've been asked a number of times what McCann's trot time would be, and whether it'd be the longest walkoff home run trot ever. But, I've said this many times before, an interrupted home run trot - whether it be due to instant replay or just a few seconds worth of confusion between the batter and the umps - doesn't get counted for the Tater Trot Tracker purposes. The goal is to time how long it takes a player to run the bases after hitting a home run - not how long it takes them to run to second, pause for 90 seconds while they catch their breath and chat, and then run around again. That's not what we're trying to judge here.

But I know that won't do for everyone. So, how much time actually elapsed between McCann making contact and then touching home plate? From the time the bat touched the ball to the time his foot touched the plate, McCann's home run took 2 minutes, 42.37 seconds to complete. (He was at second base in right about 10 seconds).

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

Home Run of the Day: Dan Johnson, Tampa Bay Rays (Trot Time: 20.47 seconds) [video]

One of two walkoff home runs from Saturday, Dan Johnson clearly deserves Home Run of the Day over Cleveland's Asdrubal Cabrera because, unlike the Indians-Royals tilt, the Rays-Red Sox game had serious postseason implications. Both players managed to do the deed in the tenth inning, but that just wasn't enough for Cabrera.

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

Home Run of the Day: Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds #3 (Trot Time: 21.28 seconds) [video]

There were a few pretty good games, home run-wise, throughout the league yesterday, but none were better than Jay Bruce. He finished off the night going 3-for-3 with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs. Even better, none of his three trots were slower than 22.01 seconds. That means, in his three trots, he was hardly on the basepaths for more than 60 seconds. That's how it should be done.

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

Home Run of the Day: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (Trot Time: 23.61 seconds) [video]

Home run #400 was like practically every other one before it for Albert Pujols: crushed the ball right off the bat, and you knew it was gone; Pujols watches the ball fly for a moment at home plate; eventually, he runs hard to first base and then around the bases, coming in with a respectable 23.61 second trot.

It was quite the feat, though. Pujols became the first player to hit 400 home runs in his first 10 years in the league (though that's only because guys like Alex Rodriguez got called up for a handful of games at age 18 and 19). I give Pujols a hard time here and elsewhere sometimes, but I like the guy. I love being able to watch him play everyday, with the promise of even more years to come. It's something special.

(And, by the way, Jose Bautista hit his 100th career home run last night. He ran it out in 21.43 seconds, just a tad faster than his previous home run.)

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

Sorry for yet another abbreviated post. I went to the Brewers/Dodgers game this afternoon and it kept me from getting to this until late in the evening. Hopefully things will settle down soon. In the meantime, don't miss the Michael Jordan Home Run Trot post from this morning...

Home Run of the Day: Willie Bloomquist, Kansas City Royals (Trot Time: 23.76 seconds) [video]

Huh? Willie Bloomquist? Of the Royals? Hitting a 12th inning home run to put the Royals ahead for good? Yeah, I know, I don't believe it either.

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

Michael Jordan's minor league baseball career in the summer of 1994 was not all that productive, especially when you consider that Jordan retired from being the greatest basketball player ever only to struggle mightily in Double-A baseball. In 127 games, Jordan received 497 plate appearances. In that extensive action, he batted .202/.289/.266, with 17 doubles, 1 triple, 30 stolen bases (and 18 caught-stealings), and 114 strikeouts. He also managed to hit three home runs.

His first career home run came in the eighth inning on July 30, 1994, against the Carolina Mudcats' Kevin Rychel. It was a solo home run that went over the left field fence. Here's the video, recorded off my television (I don't have any of that fancy tv-to-computer technology, so this is the best I can give you):

That trot feels kind of slow, doesn't it? Well, as the proprietor of the Tater Trot Tracker, I can't not analyze it. Here's what I can tell you:

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

Home Run of the Day: Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies (Trot Time: 21.95 seconds) [video]

For the home run that set it all in motion - the 14th-inning ejection Ryan Howard by a minor-league ump, the left-field shenanigans of All-Star pitcher Roy Oswalt, all 16 innings of fun - we can do nothing short of award it the Home Run of the Day. Rollins tied the game up at two with a two-out, ninth-inning solo home run to right field, and there was not a quiet voice in the building. That must have been some game to be at.

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)