But Seriously, Watch This Yoenis Cespedes Home Run Again

I know, I know, you’ve already seen it like four or five times, I’m sure. The home run in question occurred on Friday, and this post is going up on a Tuesday. Time has passed. You’ve moved on. This is how things work. I’m not here to argue with any of that, or to try and stem the ever-brisk tide of baseball fandom in the modern and internet-abled age—I’d just like you to watch this Yoenis Cespedes home run again.

Holy sweet goodness, that ball went a long ways. It’s being reported at 462 feet, which feels a little insulting, actually. After numerous viewings of this complete and utter monster, I’m not willing to accept anything less than a 600 foot measurement. Maybe you could talk me into 550. No matter the number placed upon it, this is one of those home runs that makes you yell out at your television. That makes your significant other look at you sideways like maybe you have a problem, like maybe you’re just a little too into this whole baseball thing if you’re squealing out into the living room while watching grown men play a children’s game. And why are you watching the Mariners and A’s on a Friday night anyway? Get out of the house and see the world a little bit. Breath some fresh air every once and a while, why don’t you.

If the GIF isn’t doing it for you, here’s a the official MLB video, along with the announcing and the cheering and the whole thing. It’s worth noting that Cespedes paused for a moment to admire his handiwork. I have to imagine it was hard not to, it looked like he had just hit a golf ball with a metal bat—but some people don’t care for such shenanigans, Jason Vargas probably being key among them. To his credit, Cespedes was quoted after the game as saying:

"I followed the ball, but I don’t like that to do that again,” he said. “I come from Cuba, where it’s a little less quality games, so we do that. But here I don’t want to do that."

As a baseball enthusiast who enjoys ridiculous home runs and as Mariners fan with forgiveness in his heart, this statement is certainly good enough for me. I’m easy like that. I mean, seriously, that ball was destroyed. Even the umpire behind the plate seems to admire the hell out of it.

Moving on from this spectacle for a moment, what to make of Cespedes the ballplayer? It’s been four games, so, nothing, but let’s have a little fun with the small sample anyway. As of this writing, Cespedes has had 15 plate appearances, and he has struck out in seven of them. He has recorded four hits, none of them singles. One was a double and the other three were home runs. He’s triple-slashing .308/.400/.1.077. His OPS+ is 307. Those numbers are hilarious. If memory serves, despite zero errors to his demerit, he’s had a few adventures out in the field, misplaying a ball or two against the Mariners that lead to extra bases. Most Mariners haven’t seen past first base since AAA, so the gestures were appreciated. Yoenis Cespedes has, in a very short amount of time, managed to offer quite the impression. A very humorous, exciting, and interesting impression. Here’s hoping things continue in a similar manner.

So even though you’d already seen it, perhaps more than once, wasn’t it nice to revisit that Yoenis Cespedes home run again? It’s pleasant to stop and reflect for a bit, to recalibrate our perspective, isn’t it? Soak it in for a bit. Consider what you’ve seen. Allow yourself a moment of satisfaction at having been fully entertained. At the very least, let’s cherish it for the A’s and their fans. They don’t get a lot of play around the baseball internet and this very well could be the last time anyone speaks about them for the rest of the season.

You can follow Call to the Pen on Twitter @FSCalltothePen or like us here on Facebook.

Kyle writes baseball nonsense at The Trance of Waiting. You can follow him on Twitter @AgainstKyle.