What To Be Thankful For In 2017: Atlanta Braves' Bartolo Colon
Bartolo Colon could be the most entertaining player for the Atlanta Braves in 2017.
Big Sexy. Bartbino. Meme Jesus. These are just a few of the nicknames of Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bartolo Colon. The 5’11”, 285 pound starting pitcher will be pitching in his 21st season in Major League Baseball for the Bravos this coming season.
If there’s one thing to be thankful for about the Braves in 2017, it is that they finally have some players with personalities. Besides having Freddie Freeman and his hug parade, we have Dansby Swanson with his “hair and flair” at shortstop. Now the Braves have a 43-year-old Dominican teddy bear who will be on the mound every fifth day.
Bartolo Colon has become a cult phenomenon. From his helmet falling off when he swings, to his grace when “running” down the first base line, and even accomplishing the most improbable and impossible feat of hitting a home run. They have all contributed to Big Sexy’s worldwide popularity.
There is even an Instagram account dedicated to honoring the great Bartbino. Named “@thebartolocult“, the parody account of big Bart has over 17 thousand followers. Here is just a sample of some of the fantastic Bartolo memes featured on the account.
And my personal favorite . . .
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What’s even more remarkable about Bartolo, besides becoming a nationwide meme, is that he is still able to be a quality starting pitcher at age 43.
Last year was Colon’s best year statistically since 2013, posting a 15-8 record with a 3.43 ERA in 191.2 innings pitched. Those numbers were good enough for Colon to be named to the 2016 NL All-Star Team, making it his fourth career All-Star appearance.
This success can be attributed to Colon’s superb baseball body. No one is saying he has a perfect beach body, but make no mistake — Bartolo Colon is an athlete. And this offseason, Colon has been training hard on perfecting his beautiful figure.
Bartolo Colon is getting after it in the Dominican Republic. He's chasing Marichal for the most wins by a pitcher from the DR. #Braves pic.twitter.com/8yBO5Z3oQh
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) December 15, 2016
Let’s be honest. This video could save the world, which is why Braves fans should be thankful for Bartolo Colon in 2017.
Don’t be surprised to see a sold out crowd for Bartolo’s SunTrust Park debut this spring.
