While there will always be traditionalists who try to limit personality and showmanship in baseball, the younger generation of ballplayers certainly seems to have the right idea: Baseball is supposed to be fun.
That was on display Tuesday at the Little League World Series.
During his fourth-inning at-bat of a scoreless game between Nicaragua and Panama, Nicaragua’s Luis Garcia launched a no-doubt, three-run home run to left field. And he took in the moment in a way that would make Major League bat flippers like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Tim Anderson proud.
Garcia watched the ball’s entire flight over the wall and with both hands on the bat, he launched it straight up in the air. The trot was just as good.
The bomb
The bat flip
The griddy#LLWS pic.twitter.com/FOgG6B2nDj— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 23, 2022
Amazing.
It’s not too often that these kids get to play baseball on a stage like the Little League World Series, so you just love to see players like Garcia make the most of the whole experience. Fans certainly enjoyed the celebration.
This was how Twitter reacted
The bat flip of the year ⚾🔥🇳🇮
— Ernesto Guillén Jr. (@netoguillenjr) August 23, 2022
inject it into my veins https://t.co/3hpi5LVTzF
— Ryan Heffernon (@RyanHeffernon) August 23, 2022
This is what baseball needs more of 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/Ndo9HCtwxu
— Sam Eddy (@SJEddy3) August 23, 2022
That’s a bad man https://t.co/8ejEgyVV2k
— DANI 🇳🇮 (@dvnibrixnes) August 23, 2022
these kids putting on for nica 🇳🇮😤 https://t.co/ZmD0a4yyfa
— Debonaire™️ (@Debonaire_Jason) August 23, 2022
baseball needs this https://t.co/CfnilnNQkw
— ov (@ortizvisualz) August 23, 2022
I may or may not have a new favorite player. Love it https://t.co/YIsT8dPsoe
— Smitty (@__VSmithII) August 23, 2022
lets sign him @Dodgers https://t.co/5AKOYeRySy
— Tony Vongprachanh (@tplusrex) August 23, 2022
This kid is probably gonna be on @kileymcd’s radar sooner rather than later https://t.co/PDwC0Nd74y
— Sean Rosales (@Sean_ESPN) August 23, 2022
The home run propelled Nicaragua to an 8-1 win.
