Bobby Witt Jr. evokes fond childhood memories everywhere with special HR blast

If you were a kid in my age bracket who grew up loving all things baseball, there's a good chance you played Backyard Baseball. I can remember it clear as day, sitting at the bulky desktop in our basement, under the stairs, like some sort of American Harry Potter. And there he was at home plate, ready to do some damage.

Pablo Sanchez is a legend, a myth we can pass down for generations to come. The greatest all-around ballplayer to grace this great blue orb we call Earth.

Backyard Baseball didn't feature actual MLB players, but it did allow baseball kids to sit down at the computer and experience the joys of their favorite sport. Sanchez was the best player in the game — somebody you wanted on your side every time.

He could do it all, the classic five-tool player. He could even pitch, too.

For Players Weekend in the MLB, Kansas City Royals All-Star Bobby Witt Jr. decided to pay homage to Sanchez with a commemorative bat.

That right there is the face of greatness. And Bobby Witt is pretty good, too.

Witt is probably the closest we'll get to Pablo Sanchez in the MLB (aside from Shohei Ohtani, of course). He's just dominant all around. The weaknesses are few and far between. Witt can hit for contact, but he also gets the bat around quickly and absolutely detonates on a regular basis.

He did just that on Friday night, using the Pablo Sanchez bat for a 430-foot bomb against the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ballpark.

Bobby Witt Jr. rockets home run using 'Backyard Baseball' Pablo Sanchez bat

Witt secures his second straight 25-25 campaign with the home run. None are doing it like Witt right now. He is arguably the hottest bat in the sport, with the possible exception of the Intentional Walk King in New York. It wasn't just the home run on Friday night either. Witt finished the game 3-for-3 with a walk. A truly Pablo Sanchez-esque performance.

Through 122 games, Witt has 25 home runs, 25 stolen bases, and 90 RBIs on the season, including a .352 average and 1.021 OPS. Witt has an fWAR of 8.3, second only to Aaron Judge in the entire MLB. So much for the 'he can't hit on the road' narrative. At just 24 years old, it feels like a matter of when — not if — Witt is considered the greatest player in the sport. What a luxury for Kansas City fans.

Patrick Mahomes and Bobby Witt Jr. in the same city? We haven't seen anything like it since Pablo Sanchez dominated Backyard Baseball and Backyard Football. Unfortunately, Patrick Mahomes and Bobby Witt Jr. are not the same person. It takes two all-time athletes to achieve that level of greatness.

Tune in next week, when Bobby Witt Jr. does something else incredible that defies logical expectations for a mortal human.