Bartolo Colon is not here to amuse you, wants to continue to improve hitting
Bartolo Colon has become something of an internet meme over the last two years. When he signed a two-year deal with the New York Mets before last season and returned to the National League it meant he had to take regular at-bats for the first time since 2002.
Now the 42 year old, who weighs in at a listed 285 pounds, is the source of ridicule every time he comes to the plate. Photos like the one to the right have become popular online, along with endless GIFs, Vines, and stats about his lack of prowess at the plate.
This week, even commissioner Rob Manfred cited Colon’s at-bats as a reason to not install a designated hitter in the NL, saying it “would deprive us of the entertainment that Bartolo Colon has given us this year. It’s been a great source of entertainment for me.”
But it’s not so entertaining to Colon. He is tired of being the butt of jokes.
“Colon doesn’t see his hitting as a source of humor. Perhaps he did once, but not anymore. He realizes that he made a fool of himself last season, his first year playing in the National League since 2002. He went 2-for-62 (.032) with 33 strikeouts and emerged as a comic folk hero among baseball fans for his wild, body-contorting hacks. Entering 2015, Colon was 12-for-158 (.076) at the plate in 17 big-league seasons.
The reaction to his failures left him feeling ridiculed and ashamed. So Colon vowed to himself that he would silence the laughter in 2015—that he would compete every time he appeared at the plate. Now Colon already has three hits in 21 at-bats this year, and the Mets insist that no pitcher on the team works harder in the cage.”
As noted, his hard work is paying off, even if it’s still awkward to watch or he’s still a source of comedy. On Sunday, Colon hit an RBI double in a win over the Marlins. It was only the second extra-base hit of his career, but it was already his third RBI of 2015 – he had none last year. But even when he succeeds the internet laughs. His double to the wall? Should have been an inside-the-park home run, they say.
Colon isn’t fazed. Again, from the Wall Street Journal:
“There’s days where I tell him, ‘Hey, you don’t need to hit today,’ ” said assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler, who works with all the Mets’ pitchers on their hitting and bunting. “And he says, ‘No, I want to hit.’
Colon credits Roessler for his newfound hitting prowess, however slim. Roessler treats Colon’s desire to better himself with reverence, and spends the time helping him with his mechanics, especially his timing and discipline in the batter’s box. More important, Colon says, “He’s given me the confidence [to] get it done in the game.”
So far, so good. No matter how much he improves, Colon will always be fun to watch. And hey, maybe Jon Lester should take some lessons from him.
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Ian Denomme is an editor and writer for Yahoo Sports. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter.
