Will Votto Ever Stop Banging?
14 home runs in 19 games. That’s the most ever for a Red in that time span.
The 37-year-old Joey Votto must have found the fountain of youth because his .585 slugging this year is the best since his MVP-winning season in 2010 (.600 SLG). Yesterday, Votto was a walking highlight reel not just for his on-field performance, but also for his celebrations.
First, he showed off his diverse handshake repertoire as he crossed home plate following his 26th HR of the year.
we would very much so like to be part of joey votto’s home run celebrations pic.twitter.com/3CV0bbxJHL
— Cut4 (@Cut4) August 14, 2021
Then, after Eugenio Suárez blasted his own bomb in ninth inning, the two Reds had a little tango in the dugout.
https://gfycat.com/embellishedtornamericanbulldog
And finally, Votto flashed a cheeky grin after winning a challenge at first base.
Need a new favorite GIF? Look no further. pic.twitter.com/eq6s4NNPCb
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 14, 2021
Never stop banging, Joey.
HOTTEST HITTER ON PLANET EARTH pic.twitter.com/dN2yJhes5n
— ATBBTTR (@ATBBTTR) August 14, 2021
Oh How the Turntables…
When umpires started enforcing the sticky substance ban with regular hat & glove checks, we saw some pitchers struggle to cope with this new policy.
But Joe West is here to you relieve your anxieties. When Rowan Wick entered the Cubs game, West allowed Wick to see that he’s got nothing to hide either.
Nice moment when Country Joe West fools around with #Cubs reliever Rowan Wick regarding the mandatory ump hat/glove check.@Cubs #GoCubsGo pic.twitter.com/6wDS6XvsPV
— Billy Krumb (@ClubhouseCancer) August 14, 2021
A Wholesome San Francisco Summer
It’s been a wonderful summer in Oracle Park. The best team in baseball has a comfortable lead in a division that featured two pre-season “super teams.” Did you know that the Giants lineup is the oldest in baseball with an average age of 30.6 years? Nonetheless, beloved Giants like Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford are having career years. Crawford has parlayed his fantastic performance (.296/.364/.540 in 371 PAs) into a two-year, $32 million contract extension, and Giants fans showed him some love with a standing ovation.
A standing ovation for Brandon Crawford 👏 pic.twitter.com/dJZlQG0J2O
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 14, 2021
It’s easy to see why the Giants both new and old love playing for this team. Especially Kris Bryant, whose son has already fallen in love with the team. During last night’s fireworks show, Bryant and his son shared a special moment on the field.
Kris Bryant and his son shared a cool moment watching fireworks on the field after the win 🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/0eORqxbO5r
— KNBR (@KNBR) August 14, 2021
Selfies Are Bigger Than Baseball
Speaking of winning… how about them Brewers?! Their 7.5 game lead in the NL Central is the second best in baseball behind the White Sox, and a big reason for that success has been the unbelievable performance of Willy Adames.
Since his first game with the Brew Crew, Adames has been the most valuable player in the NL by fWAR (3.4 in 71 games). And when he’s not mashing at the plate, Adames always has some time to take a selfie with the fans.
https://twitter.com/BAndersonPxP/status/1426340290000982016
This Is the Best Era Ever To Be Named Will Smith
When Albert Pujols debuted back in 2001, Will Smith was riding high in pop culture. He was a couple years removed from his breakout roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men In Black, and later that year he would receive an Academy Award nomination for his role in Ali.
But there’s a new Will Smith stealing the spotlight in Los Angeles. He’s just 26 years young, but he’s already arguably a top three catcher in the game. And yesterday, Smith crushed the Mets fans with a 10th-inning, two-run bomb to give the Dodgers their first extra-inning win since April. Pujols couldn’t help but be proud of the budding star.
Will Smith made his Tío proud tonight. #Dodgers
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) August 14, 2021
Between Will Smith, Will Smith and Will Smith, it’s a great time to be named Will Smith.
Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)