Touch ‘em All Time: Welcome to the Francisco Lindor Show

Welcome to the second installment of “Touch ‘em All Time”, our weekly look at recent Cleveland home runs and how awesome they were. Last week, there were three contenders, and with an overwhelming 76% of the vote, Edwin Encarnacion’s game tying home run against the Texas Rangers was the best home run from the week.

If you’ve been paying attention since last Wednesday, you may recognize the one (and only) name on the list this week. Francisco Lindor was the only Tribe player to have a home run in the past week. Not only that, but the madman hit four over the course of five games. Currently in the American League, Lindor is tied for first in home runs (4) with Khris Davis, Salvador Perez, and George Springer. In short, it was a good week for the star shortstop. But which home run was the best? Okay we all know which one was the best, but at least pretend to consider the other options.

Francisco Lindor (4/5/17 v. Cole Hamels, WPA .113)

Francisco Lindor’s recent power surge began last Wednesday in the series finale against the Texas Rangers. Having already botched a defensive play that ended in three runs for Texas, Lindor was uncharacteristically stoic after launching a home run into the left field bleachers to bring the Tribe to within one run. While it was nice to see, Lindor (most likely) felt like it was too little, too late. Thankfully, he would get one more at-bat to make things right.

Francisco Lindor (4/5/17 v. Sam Dyson, WPA .499)

And make it right he did. Sam Dyson had already blown a save suffered a loss on Opening Day, and he didn’t look any better in this one. Having already walked in a run, the bases remained loaded for Francisco Lindor. Now from the left side of the plate, on a 1--1 count, Lindor turned on a pitch and wrapped it around the right field foul pole, bringing in four runs for the Indians and stunning a Texas crowd into silence. This time, Lindor was all smiles as he rounded the bases after his first career grand slam.

Francisco Lindor (4/7/17 v. Shelby Miller, WPA .094)

Lindor’s bat cooled a bit in Arizona (as did the rest of the team), but that didn’t stop him from powering a home run into the hands of a Cleveland Cavaliers fan in his first at-bat of the game. His home run was the first of three runs that the Tribe would score in the inning, but the Arizona bats would roar back in the fourth and fifth inning to ultimately hand the Indians their first loss of the series and the season.

Francisco Lindor (4/11/17 v. James Shields, WPA .100)

For the Cleveland home opener, fans were treated to the hoisting of the 2016 AL pennant, the ring ceremony, and a walk-off in extra innings by Michael Brantley. But the festivities of the game started in the first inning when Francisco Lindor (again, in his first at-bat of the game) hit a moonshot to deep right field to put the Tribe on the board first. Lindor also bunted earlier in the game, but given the week that he just had at the plate, I think I can forgive him this time. THIS TIME.

Verdict

I don’t think you can really argue that any home run last week was more significant or more entertaining than Lindor’s grand slam. The narrative alone makes it the perfect bookend to an exciting opening series against a potential playoff rival. Not only that, but Hammy’s call was vintage and gave me chills. But, since this is a democracy (unlike North Carolina), I’m obligated to present every home run as a voting option. But, realistically, Lindor’s grand slam was far and away the best Tribe home run of the week. Congratulations Francisco!