Who's the rookie all San Francisco Giants fans seem to be going crazy for? Kelby Tomlinson, that's who. Since his Major League debut on August 3, the bespectacled Tomlinson has rocked the baseball world and has made Giants fans fall in love with him. Here's why we should be seeing more of him in the future, and what makes him so lovable.
1. The Glasses
Duh. Ok, this one was a given. I was at a game last week and heard the women sitting behind me talk about Tomlinson's glasses. There's just something about those thick black rims that make you go, "Awww."
2. Joe Panik Who?
Tomlinson was called up to the big leagues at the beginning of August to replace the injured Joe Panik. The way he's been playing lately almost makes you forget about poor ol' Joe. Just kidding. Come back. We miss you.
3. His First MLB Hit
The rookie made his first Major League debut a memorable one. The Giants were playing the Atlanta Braves, and Kelby came up to hit in the 12th inning. And guess what? He hit a single and scored a run. And what's even better — his wife and father were there to watch it!
4. He Loves Buster Posey
And fans love Buster Posey, too! Nothing better than a guy who loves his teammates, right? Tomlinson recounted his first big-league hit and said: "Once I got back to the hotel and started thinking about the game, I think the thing even cooler than getting my first hit was that Buster Posey drove me in!"
4. He's Sweet
Following the Giants at Atlanta, Tomlinson dedicated his first Major League hit to fallen batboy Kaiser Carlile. Turns out, Kelby Tomlinson played for the Liberal Bee-Jays (the team Kaiser Carlile batboy'ed for) back before he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2011. To commemorate Carlile, Tomlinson posted a video on Facebook with this caption: "Edited this video for the purpose of honoring two Bee Jays--both of which were 'called up.'"
*heart shatters into a million pieces*
5. He's San Francisco's Clark Kent
Since he gained attention with Giants fans, San Franciscans have been comparing Kelby to Clark Kent due to his bespectacled nature. Maybe Tomlinson really is Superman?
6. He's been SPECtacular!
In a game against the Chicago Cubs on August 27, Tomlinson hit his first major league home run, which was also a grand slam. (!!!) This helped lift the Giants above the Cubs, 9-to-1.
The next day, in a game against St. Louis, Tomlinson won the game for the Giants. It was the bottom of the 9th, bases were loaded, and he hit a walk off single to win the game for the Giants, 5-to-4. What an incredible month he's been having.
With Joe Panik close to game-ready, the future of San Francisco's newest star hangs in the balance. Myself and many other Giants fans would love to see more of Kelby Tomlinson, so let's hope he stays for good.
