Yoenis Cespedes hit a home run in the Dominican Winter League last night
Jan 19, 2012, 8:52 AM EDT
Yoenis Cespedes‘ early struggles in the Dominican Winter League playoffs have been well documented, but he finally caught up with one last night. The 26-year-old outfielder turned on a 97 mph fastball from Astros’ Rule 5 pick right-hander Rhiner Cruz for a long home run over the left field fence.
Below is the video footage, courtesy of Baseball America:
Wow. That’s enough swag to make Bryce Harper blush. But honestly, should we expect anything less from this guy?
Cespedes is now 3-for-23 (.130) with six strikeouts in six games with Aguilas Cibaeñas. It’s not clear when he’ll be granted residency in the Dominican Republic, an important hurdle before he can be declared a free agent by MLB.
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- dcfan4life - Jan 19, 2012 at 9:26 AM
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The real question is does any of his early struggles derail any of the teams after him? I don’t think so.
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- flaviusflav - Jan 19, 2012 at 9:35 AM
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Wow, and I thought advertising was intrusive in the states…
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- yankeesgameday - Jan 19, 2012 at 9:36 AM
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Came this close to making the rum and cigar joke, but man that felt really racist in this context. How bout this: his stance and swing reminds me of Jose canseco.
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- Matt Adams - Jan 19, 2012 at 10:00 AM
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We all want to believe, no?
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- marshmallowsnake - Jan 19, 2012 at 10:09 AM
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Wow…a fastball…every major league hitter can kill a fastball (well, maybe not Nick Punto, but anyway)…
Show me a video of him killing a slider (instead of all of those swings and misses), and I may be impressed.
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- Old Gator - Jan 19, 2012 at 10:30 AM
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“Swing hard, in case you hit it.”
-Ralph Kiner
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- paperlions - Jan 19, 2012 at 11:07 AM
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Joaquin Andujar used to say (and do) the same thing.
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- Alex K - Jan 19, 2012 at 11:52 AM
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Willy Mo Pena feels the same way.
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- cur68 - Jan 19, 2012 at 1:09 PM
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Cespedes in the post game interview: Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bats. I offer him cigar, rum. He will come.
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- marshmallowsnake - Jan 19, 2012 at 4:06 PM
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One day he will realize the truth, and say, “F**k you Jobu…I do it myself.”
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- marshmallowsnake - Jan 19, 2012 at 4:08 PM
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- cur68 - Jan 19, 2012 at 5:05 PM
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Coolest baseball player name EVER!
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- jaygiants - Jan 19, 2012 at 2:35 PM
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He’s not worth all of the hype and money being put into his name. He’s a bum
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- stex52 - Jan 19, 2012 at 2:37 PM
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Of course he hits it off of an Astros prospect. Hate to sound so one-track, but I am dreading the season already.
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- baseballisboring - Jan 19, 2012 at 2:45 PM
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I really despise all the “swag”, bat flipping disrespectful bullshit, especially when you’re hitting .100 in a Dominican winter league.
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- bobwsc - Jan 19, 2012 at 3:24 PM
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that ‘r’ roll by the commentator as he’s rounding second is ridiculously sweet.
