Each day, I highlight the quickest, slowest, and most interesting home runs of the day in Major League Baseball. Some days the calls are easier than others, but it's always fun. Who doesn't love home runs?

There's a lot more out there than Major League Baseball that I'm missing, though. Thankfully, the world is a pretty cool place these days and people can get a hold of me in all kind of fancy ways: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Facebook, Twitter. On Tuesday afternoon, Twitter user @TheRTTC (Eric Krauss of Race to the Crown) sent me the link to this awesome video.

For those who didn't click through, it's a news report of a game between the Rangers' Class-A affiliate Bakersfield Blaze and the Visalia Rawhide on Memorial Day. Blaze prospect Engel Beltre crushes a tenth-inning, walkoff home run to right field and, after a little preening at the plate, gets involved in a bench-clearing brawl before he even reaches home plate. It is by far one of the more interesting home run trots you may ever see.

(Click "Read More" to continue reading.)

But this is the Tater Trot Tracker, and if a trot can't be tracked from contact-to-plate, it's not that interesting. The video linked above, being an on-air news report, just doesn't have what I'm looking for. So I contacted Pep Fernandez, the sports anchor in the report and the proprietor of Sports With Pep, and asked him if he had the full video available. He got back to me very quickly and, before you knew it, the full video of Beltre's walkoff home run was available on YouTube. You can watch the video below.

So how long did that trot last? From the moment the ball left the bat to the moment Beltre emphatically stepped on home plate while flipping off the Rawhide, the trot lasted 1 minute, 7.47 seconds. That's more than two whole David Oritz home run trots! Sadly, the video doesn't capture what exactly Beltre does at home plate, but there was obviously a bit of showboating in the box. He doesn't reach first base until about 10 seconds after contact, which is slow by all accounts. He's at second base at about 15 seconds, though, and at third under 19 seconds. And that's with the constant jawing between Beltre and the Rawhide players starting just past first base.

The pitcher, Billy Spottiswood, comes out to meet Beltre on the basepath between second and third and it escalates pretty quickly from there. Spottiswood, and what appears to be the third-baseman, Ryan Wheeler, are definitely causing some trouble here, but Beltre doesn't do anything to ignore or diffuse the situation. The benches clear and a brawl ensues.

Eventually the players are separated and Beltre steps on home to seal the victory. You've gotta wonder, though, should that run count? Beltre certainly left the basepath and it's not like his antics weren't worthy of an ejection if an umpire were so inclined. I suppose no umpire wants to be responsible for continuing that game, though.

In all seriousness, I would never count a trot time like this on my official list if this had happened in a Major League game. It's still a rather entertaining thing to watch, though. One doesn't exactly expect to see that kind of fireworks in a standard home run trot, so, when it does happen, I feel compelled to post it. If anyone has any other exciting trots, I'd love to hear about them. In the meantime, we can always get our kicks from Engel Beltre and his Memorial Day walkoff blast.

Comments (8)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

out of baseline
written by Paul frelich, June 04, 2010

I would have to look it up somehow but I believe you are only out for being out of the baseline if you are avoiding a tag

• 
• +0
• 
• 

not necessarily
written by DGL, June 04, 2010

The runner can also be called out for "obviously abandoning his effort to touch the next base."

• 
• +0
• 
• 

CoralGables
written by CoralGables, June 04, 2010

Not sure of minor league rules on this, but his own catcher grabbing him between third and home and pushing him to continue to the plate...interference?

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Batter-Runner Interference
written by MyHandleIsSteven, June 04, 2010

In theory, the batter-runner could be called out for coach's interference (the third base coach grabs him and points him toward the plate), but the rules make an exception for contact such as a slap on the back. I think the umps might consider this contact more in line with a slap on the back than assisting the batter-runner, since there is no possibility of a fielder making a play on him.

The batter-runner might also be awarded third base and home based on fielder's interference, the pitcher's attempting to engage and distract him.

That said, the umps did the right thing - attempt to separate the teams and allow the batter-runner to score when things calmed down a bit. There's been a lot of beating on umps lately, but most of them are just trying to get through a job that is far, far tougher than it seems.

• 
• +1
• 
• 

Slowest
written by chandank, June 05, 2010

slowest hr trots....the internet truly has everything!

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by Watch It Again, June 06, 2010

Why is no one mentioning that the actual problem here is caused by THE OPPOSING PLAYERS. They got in his face (talking sh*t, I'm sure) DURING HIS HOME RUN TROT! That's truly bush-league.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Dot the I
written by Buzzardface, June 07, 2010

This was caused by the batter taunting the other team as he rounded the bases and this is only chapter 1. He will get hit with a pitch above the shoulders at some point. It's called "Dotting the I" or hitting him in the head with a with a pitch. He is a bush league punk.

• 
• +1
• 
• 

Milford
written by milford, June 07, 2010

Many times the third base coach slaps the player on the back after hitting a home run. The rules for a home run are different for the rules of running the bases with a ball still in play.

That being said, he has so many feet away from the base path before he could be called out, when the catcher pushed him that became a moot point as he had not passed the distance away from the baseline. The catcher at that point interfered with his advancement and he could legally be awarded the plate no matter what from then on.

The main reason that they did not do anything to him was the fact the umpire was right there following the pitcher as he may have heard him saying things as he left the mound. He knows what went on at that moment. Of course the commish of the league will probably not do anything about this as all of them are too afraid to do anything unless they get a backlash. The catcher should be suspended as well as the pitcher and third baseman. But that will never happen as baseball does not care about its sport anymore.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

Add Comment