Yasiel Puig unleashed a throw for the ages at Coors Field
You never know what you’ll get on a day-to-day basis from Yasiel Puig.
That reality is part of what makes him so frustrating, but it’s also part of what makes him so fascinating. You just can’t help but watch him every chance you get, because you know when he does something well, it’s often a thing of beauty.
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That was the case again on Friday night, as Puig unleashed one of the absolute best in-game throws you’ll ever see.
It’s interesting to note that in past seasons, this throw wouldn’t have been possible at Coors Field. Over the winter, the Rockies decided to raise the fence in right-center field to take away some of those frustrating home runs that get in the jet stream and sneak into the bullpen. Unfortunately for them, it’s taken away at least three more home runs from rookie sensation Trevor Story already, including one during Friday’s game.
On the other two, Story ended up with relatively easy triples. When Puig leaped high but couldn’t pull down his deep drive on Friday, Story again tried to race around to third. But Puig wasn’t having it. With a scoop, step and launch, he fired a 310-foot missile to third base that was just in time to get Story.
Not everyone will be comfortable going that far, but it’s difficult to not think about some of Clemente’s legendary throws when watching this one from Puig.
And yes, we’ve seen Puig’s arm on display many times before. We’ve often reacted the same way, by calling it one of the best throws we’ve ever seen. This one truly deserves that acknowledgment, as it ranks right up there with the likes of Clemente, Bo Jackson and even Jose Guillien.
That was also at Coors Field, showing again that the ball obviously travels well there in all directions.
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Where Puig’s latest throw ranks among baseball’s best and even his own catalog will be the source of much debate. As far as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is concerned though, it’s among the best he’s seen.
“As far as degree of difficulty, it might be one of the best plays I’ve ever seen,” said manager Dave Roberts. “People made amazing plays throughout history. From trying to make play off the wall to recover a ball running away to picking it up and throw a strike from however far. I can’t think of a player that can make that play.
“I just put my fan cap on and just appreciate it. I’m really starting to get it with Yasiel. Every time he gets on the baseball field, something special can happen. That’s at the top of the list.”
We always welcome a good debate, but just like when the announcer says save your applause for the end, we could save our time and energy by waiting to see Puig’s finished collection of outfield assists before judging. After all, it’s likely his best is still yet to come.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
