Hopefully, by now, you know that we here at Baseball is Fun love bat flips more than just about everything else in the baseball world (follow us on Twitter @FlippingBats).
But while my permanent, blanket position that all bat flips – no matter how big or small – should be welcomed with open arms remains in effect, I don’t think I ever expected to see one quite like this. Get ready for the most show-boaty, the most confident, the most cocky bat flip you have ever seen in your life.
If you consider yourself at all old-school or a baseball purist, I suggest stopping right here. But if you’re awesome and like when players enjoy themselves in huge moments … proceed:
This is the controversial 2-run homer from Starlin Rodriguez in the 7th that broke a 3-3 tie, gave @IBLBaycats the lead for good in their series clinching game, and drew the ire of the Panthers. #IBLFinals #IBL100 #batflip pic.twitter.com/kWxuxO6Z7U
— Ken Hashizume (@khash27) September 10, 2018
OH.MY.GOD.
Even BEFORE he tossed his bat up into the stratosphere, he stood at the plate admiring his blast for a full five seconds. That’s the sort of performance that would get you beaned once a day for about a week 15 or 20 years ago. And then the bat flip of the century comes.
Unlike other, casual, almost one-motion bat flips that seem to come naturally at the end of a swing, this one was decidedly on purpose. He was at a full stop, reached down for the right grip, and launched that puppy into space. I really don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that in a game like this and I don’t know if we will again anytime soon.
But again, while I’m pro-bat flips (even crazy ones like this), I have to admit I can see how this one would anger a few more people than normal. When a bat flip is “natural,” as I explained above, it becomes easier to shrug off as an unconscious response/reaction, as opposed to whatever the alternative is.
For example, consider this smooth-as-hell, but-still-wild behind the back bat-flip:
OMG OMG OMG OMG ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!!! (gif via @sung_minkim) pic.twitter.com/zc5qQyuuLn
— Baseball is Fun (@flippingbats) September 9, 2018
While that’s almost as egregiously in-your-face as the first flip in this post, it doesn’t generate nearly as much ire, because it all happens so fast. It’s almost like you can convince yourself that he didn’t know what he was doing. But lemme be the first to tell you: he knew exactly what he was doing. And I love it.
I love them all.