The Twins learned that Francisco Lindor is a competitor with compassion
Baseball really missed Francisco Lindor when he was on the IL earlier in the season. The pure joy he brings to games rubs off on everyone around him, and he loves being goofy on the field. He just makes everything so much more fun.
Tuesday offered a perfect example. In the bottom of the first against the Twins, Lindor led off with a walk, and Devin Smeltzer tried to keep him close. First baseman Marwin Gonzalez wasn't entirely ready for the pickoff throw though, and it nicked him in the arm.
Good man that he is, Lindor offered his helmet to Gonzalez for protection:
I fully endorse bringing back the John Olerud look, for the record. Gonzalez should consider it, and not just because Lindor's a friendly dude.
Unfortunately for the Twins, Lindor's generosity did not extend to the plate. After the first-inning antics, he took Smeltzer deep not just once ...
... but twice:
The man might be kind, but he's also a competitor. C'est la vie.
Andrew Mearns is a writer for Cut4 whose baseball obsession was born from the shattered dreams of Mike Mussina's perfect game attempt in 2001. He has a startling memory of World Series highlights that barely functions as a party trick.
