Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Cooler, where we grow closer every day to having a new favorite Twins player. Let's get to it:
*I have not hidden my affection for Twins utility man/catcher Willians Astudillo and his approach at the plate — the antithesis of everything slowing the game down these days.
He has 48 plate appearances in the majors this season and has continued very nicely along his minor league trend line. Walks? Zero. Strikeouts? Two. Pitches seen per plate appearance? A paltry 2.92.
In a game where extending counts is valued and striking out is suddenly not taboo, Astudillo is the antidote (and his .511 slugging percentage in that small sample size shows that while he could stand to be maybe a little more patient, there is something to seeing the ball and hitting the ball).
On Wednesday, the legend of Astudillo — La Tortuga, the turtle — grew considerably. After smacking an RBI single (second pitch) to give the Twins a valuable insurance run against the Yankees, Astudillo chugged home from first base on Max Kepler's double in the gap. Astudillo, generously listed at 5-9, 225 pounds with flowing hair, was a sight to behold.
The video has been circulating through the masses, with Deadspin calling Astudillo "a true sports hero."
In case you missed the play in question, here it is in all its glory:
"I just wanted to show that chubby people also run," he said postgame through an interpreter.
