The Home Run Derby might be the perfect sporting event.
Junior Caminero being robbed of a homer was the HR Derby’s best moment
This web gem from a young fan capped off a perfect Home Run Derby
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
Beyond the incredible feats we see from the participants, there are some other performances each year that are also notable. As someone who has struggled to throw a decent batting practice session in his day, I always come away impressed with the pitchers during the Home Run Derby, who find remarkable consistency on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Then there is always the chaos in the outfield. Major League Baseball floods the outfield with young boys and girls who are tasked with shagging the balls that come up short. It must be an incredible moment for these young athletes, getting a chance to play alongside their heroes on one of baseball’s biggest nights.
Monday night in Atlanta Cal Raleigh knocked off Junior Caminero to continue his magical campaign, becoming the first catcher to win the contest. We were also treated to Oneil Cruz hitting absolute rockets, including a 500-foot home run, and a tiebreaker that went deep into the decimal points:
But the biggest moment of the night? A web gem from one of the aforementioned young outfielders. With Caminero at the dish he lofted a fly ball to left-center, but this outfielder was not to be denied:
The best part of this incredible play? The fellow outfielder at the bottom of the screen, arms outstretched, wondering what the heck just happened.
The play was quickly ruled a home run, as officials determined that the ball would have cleared the wall. In the end, the web gem did not play a role in the contest, as Raleigh defeated Caminero 18-15 in the final round.
Caminero took the play in stride.
“Things happen,” Caminero said through an interpreter after the Home Run Derby. “He was enjoying himself out there too. He did something he thought was fun and it was fine.”
The outfielder in question was identified by The Athletic as Sam Musterer, the 17-year-old son of a Braves official scorer.
“I wasn’t quite aware of where I was on the fence,” Musterer told The Athletic. “I thought the fence was a little taller there. I kind of just reached up and grabbed it.”
And made a play for the ages.
See More:
