Remembering the time that Softball legend Jennie Finch struck out Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds,
So we’re throwing it back with this clip, but it’s a part of the ongoing debate we see quite a bit within the baseball realm.
Could a baseball player hit off of a softball pitcher?
The mechanics behind the windmill pitch are completely different than the overhand fastballs we see in the Major Leagues, but whenever the debate comes up, one of the main things people think of is the various times that arguably the biggest name in Softball history, Jennie Finch, struck out Albert Pujols.
Getting in our little time machines, we’re going to throw it back first to the 2004 Pepsi All-Star game.
In just his fourth season with the St. Louis Cardinals, the future Hall of Famer was coming off his first three seasons with a .334 BA, .613 SLG, and 114 home runs.
So when he got into the batter's box against Finch, we have a feeling quite a few people’s expectations were completely flipped upside down after seeing Finch light up the mound.
The first pitch was down the middle but a bit too high, though it still had Pujols turning around in a kind of “whoa, okay” kind of vibe.
The second pitch on the other hand was a perfect down-the-middle fastball that left Pujols swinging and missing.
The third pitch is high but it still has a hungry Pujols swinging and missing yet again.
The count is 2-1 and Pujols is barely hanging on. As the ball goes down the middle, Pujols swings and spins out, striking out to Finch.
It’s almost hard to compare softball and baseball pitchers as the windmill pitch and shorter distance to home plate, roughly a 17-foot difference, all are factors in the difference in reaction times for hitters in either sport.
Regardless, this moment was a turning point for not only women’s softball, but women's sports as a whole. Finch put respect on her name, softball, and women’s sports as a whole and showing that women truly can roll with the boys.
Now don’t mind us, we’re just going to replay this video a few more times.
