Assuming Velasquez isn’t ambidextrous, this is right up there with the Mark Buerhle kick-save, glove-flip between his legs as he fell.
Buehrle’s play (which feels like it happened 100 years ago now) was certainly more acrobatic, but we’ve all tried throwing with our non-dominant hand. You can get better at it as you practice more and more, but you generally can’t make that throw like Velasquez did.
More importantly, most people wouldn’t have the stones to even attempt that throw. Even if it was in a adult league or a beer league softball game, I feel like most people would be more inclined to let it go and give up the run, rather than run the high risk of throwing that ball into right field or the stands.
But Velasquez made the play without the slightest bit of hesitation.
Sucks he had to leave the game after that comebacker destroyed his forearm. But I think Velasquez, like any sane person, would say the start-shortening injury was worth it for the miraculous play.
