The Rush: Fernando Tatis Jr will stop flipping bats when pitchers start getting him out
Padres SS Fernando Tatis Jr. joins Jared to discuss whether MLB is actually ready for bat flips, recent comments by Darryl Strawberry in favor of baseball's unwritten rules, what the commissioner could learn from the KBO’s championship swords, his New Year’s Resolution, and who has the league’s best hair! (besides him) PLUS: The Padres SS joins Gatorade’s roster of all-stars to help spread the word about BOLT24, the newest drink from Gatorade that includes electrolytes from watermelon water and sea salt, and has no artificial sweeteners or flavors.
Video Transcript
FERNANDO TATIS JR: No, he can't play shortstop. He's going to be an outfielder. He's going to be a center fielder. He's going to end on the corners.
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JARED QUAY: What's up, everybody? I'm here with MLB superstar Fernando Tatis Jr, man. How are you doing today, brother?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: I'm doing great. I'm doing great, my man.
JARED QUAY: You're here on behalf of Gatorade, and I just say how does it feel to have the name Tatis along with like, names like Michael Jordan, and Serena Williams, and Peyton Manning as a Gatorade-sponsored athlete?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Oh, man. It just-- it feels great. It feels great just being part of that family. I feel like it's a true blessing just being part of it. And, you know, it means a lot to me, to my career, and, you know, to everyone in my family. It's just great news all around and under.
JARED QUAY: We had Darryl Strawberry on "The Rush" last week, and he wasn't really down with the back flips and the cool stuff. In fact, he said it's more respectful to the game to put your head down after a home run. Do you agree with Straw with this? Or you kind of saying that, you know, it's a different age?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: You know, I respect his opinion. I respect it. But, you know, when I'm out there and if you don't like it, you can just play better. Play better than me. You can just play better than me. If you play better than me, you know, I'll respect the [BLEEP] out of you. And if I don't hit a home run, probably got to do bat flips.
JARED QUAY: As long as we're talking about bat flips though, what's your favorite bat flip of all the time. Excluding you, what's another person's bat flip that you're were like, that's pretty dope?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Oh, man. You know, there's a lot of history on this one. But one of joy bats-- Jose Bautista.
JARED QUAY: That was my favorite.
FERNANDO TATIS JR: --famous one. You know, the market standard and, you know, it's something that you just got to have there to see it.
JARED QUAY: One thing I learned this quarantine was crazy. Like, I was watching a Korean baseball. And I seen after they won the championship, they win a huge sword-- this big like, heavy sword. And I'm wondering, do you feel like MLB it's time to get a cooler trophy? Or do you like what they currently have?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Maybe they can do a little bit bigger. But I don't know if a new trophy.
JARED QUAY: You want a trophy that two people need to be able to pick up, man.
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Yeah, two people all at the same time. [INAUDIBLE] at the same time.
[CHEERING]
JARED QUAY: Also, the new year is coming around. And, you know, that's a resolution time. Is there any Tatis resolutions for 2021 that you're willing to share publicly?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Maybe a better baseball player-- that's my goal.
JARED QUAY: I mean, that's hard to do right there. Yeah, it's like, man, how do you top last year?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: That's been my thing since I signed when I was 16. And, you know, I take it year by year. You know, every year at the beginning I just tell myself I want to be a better version of myself. And I just work into that.
JARED QUAY: Man, that's good. It's been working well for you since 16. You're just constantly getting better. I'm kind of excited to see where it goes next. Another young superstar in the MLB, Cody Bellinger, had off-season surgery after he dislocated his shoulder, giving a high five. What's a crazy injury you've seen that was off of something that really wasn't, you know, in the sport?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Well, I got a friend in winter ball. And he made a nice diving catch. And after that he just went like a for a fist pump to celebrate, and he kind of dislocated his shoulder. I was like, what?
JARED QUAY: Wow. That was-- yeah, he was trying to really break somebody's hand with that fist pump. Well, obviously, we know you got some of the coolest hair in baseball. So we're going to exclude you from this question. You can't say yourself, all right? Other than you, who has the coolest hair in the MLB?
FERNANDO TATIS JR: I like Chris Paddock-- a pitcher from San Diego.
JARED QUAY: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You got to go home team.
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Yeah, I got to go home team. I got to go with my boy, you know. And he puts really work into it. So that's-- you know, I like the details. I like how, you know, how he pays attention to his hair. But for me, that's one of those.
JARED QUAY: Well look it, man, I appreciate you rushing with me today, man. I can't wait for the next season to start and to see how you elevate in 2021.
FERNANDO TATIS JR: Thank you. Thank you, thank you. It was my pleasure being here, brother.
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