Mike Napoli shatters bat into pieces, still hits a home run (Video)
By Will Osgood
The Boston Red Sox’s Mike Napoli is one of the most powerful hitters in baseball, and he showed it Monday night.
The Boston Red Sox figure to have a fairly powerful lineup in 2015. We might think of David Ortiz or Pablo “Panda Bear” Sandoval or Hanley Ramirez. But don’t make the mistake of leaving out Mike Napoli and his Nazirite beard and power.
Napoli, 33, has 186 career home runs in 985 regular season games in the majors. He hit a career high 30 homers in 113 games for the Texas Rangers in 2011. But his Spring Training home run Monday proves that power is just as readily available now.
That bat is done. All that is left is the stub of the handle in his hands when the swing is completed. Sure, it’s not the first broken bat homer in the history of baseball, but it is probably the most impressive.
The ball cleared the mini green monster in left field–a replica of the actual one in Fenway Park in Boston–as is much of JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, FL, the Spring Training home of the Red Sox.
Note one other thing about the impressive blast. Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe backed away on contact, seeing out of his peripheral vision the bat headed toward him. He then picked up the bat showing it off to Napoli like a trophy he’d won as Napoli neared third base in his home run trot.
Because it’s Spring Training, Plouffe and Napoli were able to share a laugh. A week from now, we’d all be criticizing them for that moment.
More from FanSided
- Joe Burrow owes Justin Herbert a thank you note after new contract
- Chiefs gamble at wide receiver could already be biting them back
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- Yankees: Aaron Boone gives optimistic return date for Aaron Judge
- MLB Rumors: Yankees-Phillies trade showdown, Mariners swoop, India goes to Seattle