Cubs fans love them some prospect home runs. And when three big names hit home runs all in succession? Cubs fans burst into flames of ecstasy.
There’s a little more fun to be wrung out of yesterday’s Soler-Baez-Bryant going back-to-back-to-back homers:
(1) Even if we generously say each of the three would normally homer in 1 out of 15 plate appearances (that’s a 40-homer pace in 600 plate appearances), the odds that the three would go back-to-back-to-back is 1 in 3,375. There was a 0.0296% chance that it would happen. If you make their individual homer rates a slightly more plausible 1 in 20 plate appearances? The odds drop to 1 in 8,000.
Truly, what we saw yesterday – even in a mere Spring Training game – was pretty special.
(2) And fans reacted appropriately. At last check, the BN Facebook post about the homers has been seen by 750,000 people, which is just an absurd number, and proportionate to the excitement folks were feeling at the time. To that I say: thanks for sharing it, folks!
(3) The homers weren’t just back-to-back-to-back shots, by the way. All three were absolute bombs:
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Each of the Soler and Baez shots went way, way out to left, and, although Bryant’s homer didn’t clear the wall by quite as much, he sent it to right center where it easily passed the 380′ sign by 20+ feet. I’m going to bet that each of those homers was over 400 feet.
(4) Cubs teammates and the players, themselves, were having a whole lot of fun with the homers (Cubs.com, ESPN), and even the man off of whom the homers came – Indians starter Trevor Bauer – acknowledged the enjoyment: “Hey, you have to let the hitters have some fun in spring training, too,” Bauer told Cleveland.com. “I actually thought the fourth inning was probably my best inning as far as what I’m working on.” So … Soler, Baez, and Bryant did what they did off of Bauer at his best. *winky face*
(5) A few other reactions:
Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant just hit three consecutive home runs. Commence Cubs prospectgasm.
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) March 10, 2015
Everybody OK?
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 10, 2015
Congrats to @Cubs Soler, Baez, and Bryant HR show. Reminded me of my Kieschnick, Brown, and Glanville show, except ours were singles. #Cubs
— Doug Glanville (@dougglanville) March 11, 2015
.@Cubs, this isn’t fair.@JorgeSoler68: http://t.co/BtVNtyIHdn@javy23baez: http://t.co/Z4D4EZmik3@KrisBryant_23: http://t.co/pknPJxrY0D
— MLB (@MLB) March 10, 2015
Man. Anyone else need a cigarette?
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) March 10, 2015
(6) Finally: that perfect Bryant-Soler-Baez lo viste picture is by BN’er Dylan Heuer, who is a stud photographer. You probably don’t even realize it, but so many of your favorite top Cubs prospect pictures in recent years are by none other than Dylan.
UPDATE: You win, Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo …