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 baserunners in the game?
Here's a rabbit hole for you to sprint into. It's the baseball savant part of the MLB.com web site that measures speed on the bases.
We'll spare you much of the explanation about how the data is compiled -- except for these two points. The site uses runs where a player is judged to be running at max speed -- advancing two or more bases (except when scoring from second base on an extra-base hit) -- and measures a player's fastest one-second window in feet per second.
Here's the full breakdown on how the measurements are made.
If you're a Twins fan, you're probably reasonably certain that Byron Buxton is the fastest baserunner 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 players are in the top 12, and the MLB average is 27 feet per second.
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