Having a slow day? Looking for a way to avoid what you need to do? Want to settle a debate about which Twins are the fastest base- runners in the game?
Here's a rabbit hole for you to sprint into. It's the baseball savant part of the MLB.com website that measures speed on the bases.
If you're a Twins fan, you're probably reasonably certain that Byron Buxton is the fastest base- runner in baseball. According to data compiled this season, he's not. That distinction goes to Cincinnati center fielder Billy Hamilton, who clocks in at 30.1 feet per second.
Buxton is second at 29.9.
One interesting nugget from the article, the great Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt has clocked in as high as 37 feet per second in the first 40 meters of his runs. There is no data, however, on his ability to hit the fastball — much less breaking pitches.
No other Twins are in the top 12, and the MLB average is 27 feet per second.
HOWARD SINKER
