We've Got Footage Of Pat McAfee's First Professional At-Bat, Which Is His First At-Bat At Any Level Including Tee Ball

The kids who never played past Little League won’t think this is impressive, but this is impressive as hell. Tonight, our guy Pat McAfee is playing for the Washington Wild Things of the Independent Frontier League. He has never played baseball in his life. Not high school, not AAU, not Little League, not even tee ball. The pitcher that he faced in his first at-bat is coming off a complete game shutout and homeboy checks in at a svelte 270 pounds.

We had Pat on Starting 9 today (download, rate, subscribe and listen to the episode here) and we gave him some pointers. Turns out this pitcher gives up north of 13 hits per nine innings. With that in mind, Dallas Braden and I told him to time this pitcher in the on-deck circle, under the assumption that A.) he’s probably only going to throw him fastballs and B.) the first pitch is more than likely going to be the best pitch he sees. Swing at the first pitch.

What’s Pat do? He’s up there hacking at the first pitch, and he actually puts the ball in play. I don’t even care that it’s an out. The fact that his first at-bat ever in an organized baseball game came in a professional baseball league, and he put the ball in play with decent contact is very, very impressive. A pointer, Pat, if you’re reading this in between innings — you’re all arms with that swing, my man. Gotta incorporate those tree trunk legs of yours and you’ll be driving that ball in the gaps and over the bleachers in no time. Squish the bug.

Also, couple things that stood out to me — pro move asking for time upon getting into the batter’s box. That’s your domain. Make that pitcher your bitch. He throws the baseball when you’re ready and not the other way around. And shout out to Pat for making his walk-up song the Stone Cold Steve Austin entrance theme. I wouldn’t have expected anything else, now hit the damn music.