Nicholas Castellanos unleashed an epic bat flip ... and the umpire caught it!
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We've all seen bat flips before. They're almost so common at this point that their majesty, at times, feels ordinary (unless it's an adorable two-year-old).
But during Thursday's Twins-Tigers game, we witnessed a bat flip that was different than any we've encountered during our long hours of bat flip research and analysis. Nick Castellanos unleashed a vicious toss after a two-run homer and home-plate umpire Manny Gonzalez caught it. He. Caught. The. Bat. Flip:
It almost looks rehearsed.
Imagine being that close to bat-flip excellence and just snatching it out of the air. The fire he felt. The power he absorbed.
Manny Gonzalez, we salute you.