We’re witnessing baseball-crushing, hair-flipping, hip-wiggling excellence. We’re breathing in the rarest of professional athletes who can excel without arrogance, transcend without smugness and solve an exasperating game with the ease of a kid racing around a sandlot.
He slams the brakes on your day. He dares you to walk away from the TV, even for a second. He reimagines baseball, in spite of history books filled with Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr., and yes, even San Diego sons Ted Williams and Tony Gwynn.
The fact Fernando Tatis Jr. is doing what he’s doing for the Padres, at age 21, is causing us to reconsider what’s possible while spurring America to take full and undivided notice.