VIDEO: 52-Year-Old Omar Vizquel Can Still Make the Quickest Transfer in Baseball
By Jared Kish
Omar Vizquel had some of the quickest hands for an infielder baseball has ever seen. Known for his defense and extraordinary plays on defense, Vizquel could turn a double play faster than anybody. Now at 52-years-old, the former defensive star looks like he could still turn a double play with the best of them.
Even seven years removed from his playing days, Vizquel's transfer would undoubtedly rank as the cleanest in the sport.
Vizquel's quick hands can be attributed to his youth, as the infielder played on a lot of fields that were not in the best condition in his native country of Venezuela. Playing on a field in rough condition causes the ball to hop all sorts of ways, providing Omar with the tools needed to snag a ball switching direction.
As a kid Vizquel carried around a rubber ball or a tennis ball and consistently threw it against something catching the ball bare handed leading him to be one of the smoothest in the game.
Vizquel won 11 Gold Gloves as a shortstop which is second in MLB history, trailing Cardinals legend Ozzie Smith. In 2006, at 39-years-old, Vizquel became the oldest shortstop to win the defensive award.
Clearly the Indians legend has not lost the ability to make a quick transfer, as he was dazzling fans with his swift hands during All-Star weekend at Progressive Field.