Watch: Chicago Cubs shortstop records slowest pitch to get a strike then almost hits Kyle Farmer in the head
The Chicago Cubs indulged Major League Baseball fans in a time-honored tradition of letting position players take the mound in a blowout. Down 15-5 against the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago Cubs turned to shortstop Andrelton Simmons in the eighth inning.
When placed in that situation, a player has two goals; get a strikeout and go viral. Well, Simmons was able to do one of the two.
The Chicago Cubs shortstop showcased a wide variety of speeds on the mound
The strategy seemed quite sound for Simmons as he started his at-bat against Cincinnati Reds' shortstop Kyle Farmer with the slowest pitch ever for a blisteringly slow strike of 45 miles per hour.
Up 0-1 in the count, Simmons decided to bring the heat. But the pitch got away from him as the 78-miles-per-hour fastball headed straight for Farmer's head!
Andrelton Simmons blows 45 MPH passed Kyle Farmer and then nearly takes his head off with 78 MPH https://t.co/eXKB1utMBp
"Andrelton Simmons blows 45 MPH passed Kyle Farmer and then nearly takes his head off with 78 MPH"- Jomboy Media
78 miles per hour may not seem like a big deal (just ask Nolan Arenado and Pete Alonso). However, when the last pitch you saw was 45 miles per hour, 78 miles per hour does seem a lot faster.
Farmer would go on to line a single into left field in what would be a miserable inning for the Chicago Cubs shortstop.
: trib.al/PNcvkCvThere’s high heat, and then there’s whatever Andrelton Simmons (@Andrelton) was throwing against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday 🤣
⚾️💨: trib.al/PNcvkCv https://t.co/vABbrrpZEQ
"There’s high heat, and then there’s whatever Andrelton Simmons (@Andrelton) was throwing against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday"- Sports Illustrated
Simmons would go on to surrender five runs in the eighth inning and the Cubs would fall to the Cincinnati Reds by a score of 20-5.
Simmons came to the big leagues after growing up in Curacao, where he played baseball and basketball during his childhood with Atlanta Braves reliever Kenley Jensen and Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorious.
After coming to the United States to play baseball for Western Oklahoma State, Simmons was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
From the moment he arrived in the big leagues in 2012, Simmons was the greatest defensive shortstop in Major League Baseball. He won six straight Fielding Bible Awards, which is awarded to the best defender at each position based on statistical analysis.
While his career may have tapered off, his glove is clearly still among the best in the game.