Carlos Martínez with the quick hands - A Hunt and Peck

Carlos Martínez is a wave, a tsunami if you will, of fun and personality. While we at Viva El Birdos typically celebrate this wonderful attributes of the Cardinals most electric pitcher on Thursdays, dubbed Tsunamy Thursday in his honor, such a man cannot simply be contained to one day of the week.

During his start on Wednesday, Carlos made a great catch - in fact, he now holds the record for catching the hardest hit ball to a pitcher since MLB began tracking these things in 2015.

Nice reflexes, @Tsunamy27.

That 107.5 mph liner is the fastest comebacker caught by a pitcher in the #Statcast era. https://t.co/h67k7HmygT pic.twitter.com/nbrXCqJlMH

— #Statcast (@statcast) June 1, 2017

Statcast tracks Carlos Martinez's quick catch | MLB.com

what else is going on in baseball...

• Tampa Bay’s Attendance Problem | FanGraphs Baseball
• Park Factors and Other Early-Season Statcast Fun | FanGraphs Baseball
• Which American League shortstop will be All-Star snub? | SweetSpot | ESPN
• Vote: Best baseball rivalry in 2017? | Buster Olney Blog | ESPN

what the cardinals are up to...

• Randal Grichuk working on offense in Minors | MLB.com
• Real or not: Wainwright is awesome again, Yankees have another great outfielder | SweetSpot | ESPN
• Announcers don't sugarcoat Cardinals' sour play | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• As Pujols nears No. 600, a look at 13 of his most memorable home runs | Baseball | stltoday.com
• An Aging Albert Pujols Is About To Hit Home Run No. 600. Never Forget His Greatness As a Cardinal | 101Sports.com
• Fowler ready for his return to Wrigley Field | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com

KNOW THINE ENEMY...

the chicago cubs

• Kris Bryant doesn’t seem interested in an extension with the Cubs | SBNation.com
• Is it time for Cubs fans to panic? | SBNation.com
• Struggling Chicago Cubs see a 'fresh slate' in their return to Wrigley | Chicago Cubs Blog | ESPN
• Series preview: Cardinals at Cubs | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• The Cubs slump: The signal and the noise | Bleed Cubbie Blue
• Cardinals next three games are against the Cubs | Viva El Birdos
• On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Cardinals series preview | Bleed Cubbie Blue

the nl central

• Rogue bat boy collides with Mets infielder, ruins play | SBNation.com
• The Brewers-Mets series has featured some hilarious moments | Brew Crew Ball

viva el stuff...

• Viva El Birdos Podcast: Episode 84 | Viva El Birdos
• FANPOSTS:
  Why I'm a Fan of the St Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos
  Why I am a Cardinals Fan | Viva El Birdos
  Why I'm a Fan of the St. Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos
  My Cardinals Fandom: A Wandering Narrative | Viva El Birdos
  Why I'm a Fan of the St. Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos
  How I became a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos
  How I Became A Cardinals Fan | Viva El Birdos
  Why I am a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos
  Why I am a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals | Viva El Birdos
  The Ideal Roster Construction Part 2 | Viva El Birdos

other things...

• Genius Analyst Clayton's 'This Is SportsCenter' Commercial Is the Best One ESPN Ever Aired | 101Sports.com
• Kevin Durant’s Warriors are becoming unbeatable | SBNation.com