The Giants and Angels got together on Sunday in Anaheim (SF-LAA GameTracker), and the early story without question was Brandon Belt's unthinkably prolonged at-bat against Halos starter Jaime Barria in the first inning. How unthinkably prolonged? Count 'em up for yourself:

player headshot
Brandon Belt
TOR • 1B • #13
First at-bat vs. Angels on Sunday, April 22
Foul, Ball, Strike swinging, Foul, Foul, Ball, Foul, Foul, Ball, Pickoff attempt, Foul, Pickoff attempt, Foul, Foul, Foul, Foul, Foul, Pickoff attempt, Foul, Foul, Foul, Pickoff attempt, Foul, Foul, Belt lined out to right.
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OK, we'll help you out: That's 21 pitches, and that, people, is an all-time MLB record for pitches in a single plate appearance: 

Bonus points for those three pickoff throws. Now here's a look at the zone grid plus the concluding line-out: 

For those counting, Belt fouled off 16 pitches (!) in the course of that at-bat, including 10 in a row before the line-out. Officially, the Battle of Barria Gulch lasted 12 minutes and 45 seconds. Yes, one plate appearance lasted almost 13 minutes. Here's a somewhat more permissive timing of the affair in question: 

Finally, the pretty moving pictures: 

Belt's long been a patient hitter at the plate, but he strikes out a bit and isn't thought of as one of those gnat-like hitters who makes a habit of fouling off pitch after pitch. On Sunday, though, Belt sprouted gnat wings the likes of which we've never seen. Speaking of which, Belt in the second inning piled on Barria for an eight-pitch at-bat that ended with an RBI single to right. In the fifth inning? Belt wrenched out another nine-pitch at-bat that culminated in his fifth home run of the season. Speaking of which: 

Brandon Belt, abuser of arms.