He Did What???

Bartolo Colon has become a bit of a cult hero and novelty act since joining the Mets in 2014. The oldest starting pitcher in baseball sports a physique more suited to someone watching at home or in the grandstand. Though he resembles the trim image of the modern pro athlete, more often than not he outsmarts his competition on the field. Saturday night against the Padres, he pulled off something you had to see to believe. Colon didn't just confound the Padres (save for Jon Jay's three run homer), with 6-2/3 effective innings, but in the second inning, claimed a piece of baseball history.
Stunningly, the pitcher who often makes a strong argument in favor of the DH, crushed a James Shields pitch for his first major league home run. Just watching him jog around the bases -- in 30 lesurely seconds -- was something you had to see to believe. 16 days shy of turning 43, it also made Colon the pitcher who was the oldest when he hit that first big league homer. It was the big guy's third vcitory of the year, number-221 lifetime.
Does Colon's "life begins at 40" success surprise you? Keep in mind, this is someone virtually given up for dead a decade ago by the Angels, when after a 21-win season, he "lost it." He bounced around a few other AL teams. After a year away, he began rebuilding his career at age 38 with the 2011 Yankees. Moving to Oakland as a free agent, he won 10 and then 18 after moving into Jack Benny territory. Now in his third Mets season, he's posted a winning record since donning the orange N-Y while cutting one of game's most recognized profiles.
(These images of Colon are from July 1st, 2015 against the Cubs at Citi Field.)

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