Wednesday afternoon was just a typical day at Petco Park in San Diego, with a baby tyrannosaurus rex throwing the ceremonial first pitch to a cartoon friar. Wait — what?
I wouldn’t believe it either, but MLB.com has video proof of this scene taking place before the Padres and Royals played their matinee.
Go ahead and make fun of the T-Rex’s short arms, which probably compelled him (or her — I shouldn’t be sexist) to throw the baseball with his mouth. But considering that he predates the invention of baseball by at least 66 million years, that really wasn’t a bad effort. That dinosaur also got the ball much closer to the plate than recent first pitchers such as Carly Rae Jepsen or Jim Thome.
If the Padres weren’t already well stocked in the bullpen, general manager Josh Byrnes might want to consider signing the baby T-Rex as a reliever. Who cares if the dinosaur can throw strikes? Just imagine him coming in from the bullpen. Opposing batters would be like, “Is that a dinosaur… ?” Yes — strike three. You’re out! (I’m presuming the dinosaur can throw strikes.)
What perplexes me is one of the Padres’ broadcasters (Mark Grant?) referring to someone wearing a costume. Was that his way of attempting to rationalize what he saw? Did he not believe what he just saw? Did he choose not to believe that a dinosaur walked out to the mound at Petco Park and threw a pitch from his mouth?
Your move, Godzilla. Let’s see what your first pitch looks like.
[Deadspin]
