Welcome back to the Thunderdome!
After an exciting first day of matchups, we move into the Electric Eight to determine which bat flips and drops will be moving on in the tournament. If you thought making decisions yesterday was hard, Tuesday’s matchups only dial up the intensity.
Let’s take a peek at the updated bracket:
by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)
And once again, here are the rules:
- You will be voting on the best batting celebration, which includes the bat flip/drop as well as anything the hitter does running down the first base line (e.g. snapping a selfie, yelling at the dugouts, etc.)
- You can only vote on a matchup once, so make sure you pick the one you absolutely want.
- Voting will continue until 12:00 a.m. EST the following morning.
Now that you’ve had your coffee and a quick refresher, let’s dive in! Bat flips, coming up!
Will Smith vs. Willson Contreras
After a close opening bout with Trevor Story, Will Smith’s Gemini Man bat flip walked the tightrope to victory, garnering 54% of the votes. Smith will now face off with the early favorite, Willson Contreras, and his mammoth bat flip in the Cubs’ crosstown matchup with the White Sox earlier in the year. Contreras’s bat launch walked all over Carlos Correa’s ALCS bomb in the first round, with a decisive 62% of the vote. Let’s see how the two fair as the stakes climb in this round.
https://gfycat.com/elementaryadventurousaustralianfreshwatercrocodile
VS.
https://gfycat.com/narrowhighlevelconey
Vote!
Tim Anderson vs. Ji-Man Choi
After a back-and-forth struggle for most of Monday, Tim Anderson just barely edged out Max Muncy in the battle of the bat drops, with a razor-thin 8% margin of victory. He will now go toe-to-toe with the magnetic Ji-Man Choi and his bomb against Houston’s Josh James in the American League playoffs. Choi cruised to 84% of the vote in the first round, but we’ll see how the two stack up here in the Electric Eight.
https://gfycat.com/mintysharpgraywolf-chicago-white-sox-tim-anderson
VS.
https://gfycat.com/constantcomplexamericanwarmblood
Jordan Luplow vs. Cody Bellinger
If you thought the last round was tough, you’re in for an entirely new challenge here. In our rowdiest matchup yet, we have a battle between Jordan Luplow and Cody Bellinger, as the two slugged it out with key home runs in the opening round of 16. Luplow overcame an intense opening bout with Fernando Tatís Jr. to advance, and just scraped through with 54% of the vote. Bellinger’s side of the field was much less contested, as he pretty much waltzed into the next round with two-thirds of the vote, despite a strong bat flip from his competition, Brian Goodwin. The second-round face-off presents a much greater challenge, and it’s anyone’s guess as to who will come out on top.
https://gfycat.com/joyfulbogusbooby
VS.
https://gfycat.com/glumassureddodo
Marcell Ozuna vs. Fernando Tatís Jr.
Our final matchup is full of flair and swagger, as it pits Marcell Ozuna’s infamous selfie home run against the live wire, Fernando Tatís Jr. While Tatís’ other home run from this game just fell short in the first round against Luplow, this celebration represents another fan favorite, and will present an exceptional challenge for Ozuna. I also anticipate this duel to come down to the wire, though that will all depend on you.
https://gfycat.com/freeunlinedhaddock
VS.
https://gfycat.com/complicatedbruisedcowbird
Phew. These are going to be tough. Be sure to follow along with the Bat Flip Thunderdome on Twitter, and to come back tomorrow to see how your favorite celebrations did. Also, be sure to build your case for the ones you think are the best in the comments section below! You might just sway someone to your side.
Until next time!
(Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire) | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)