How to Throw Like Yoenis Cespedes
Yoenis Cespedes is great at throwing baseballs. In fact, he’s one of the best in the world. Here are some examples of the glory and magnificence of his right arm:
If you were an outfielder, you might be inclined to emulate Cespedes while practicing your throws. Why not learn from the best? Let’s try and break down a Cespedes throw for instructional purposes to figure out the secret to his mechanics.
On Monday, Marlins rookie Braxton Lee was gunned down at second base by Cespedes while trying to stretch a single into a double. Nick Stellini of Baseball Prospectus named it his Defensive Play of the Day. We can separate the play into three distinct phases.
Phase 1: Set Up
The first step, obviously, is to field the ball cleanly. Cespedes grabs it in the gap on a bounce.
With the ball secured, Cespedes transfers to his throwing hand while clicking his heels like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
Cespedes has now planted his back foot and pushes off to generate power. Notice the necklace smacking him in the right cheek. This may or may not be integral to executing a perfect throw.
Phase 2: Getting Tackled by an Invisible Linebacker
Here’s where things get weird. Cespedes’ bottom half looks perfectly fine. The top half appears to be going through some kind of exorcism as he tries to detach himself from the baseball, which is now somewhere between his head and the ground. Also, he no longer has any facial features.
Put down your phone, computer, or tablet. Get up from wherever you are and go find five consecutive feet of empty space. Now, try to contort yourself into whatever the hell position this is. Note how his elbows are in completely opposite positions like pedals on a bicycle. This looks less like an outfielder and more like a quarterback that’s about to throw an interception.
Cespedes is about to release. Look at his front foot. His toes are off the ground. His toes are off the ground! How do you throw with your toes off the ground? WHY would you throw with your toes off the ground?
Phase 3: Somehow, it Works
Cespedes avoids falling to the ground, barely. Mitch Williams would be jealous.
After all of this, the ball lands perfectly in the second baseman’s glove…
…who makes the tag for an easy out.
There you have it: an outfield assist from one of the best in the game in three easy phases. Watch, learn, and be amazed.
-Daniel R. Epstein
