True Facts: Ballplayers in Film
Word from the internet is that ESPN: The Magazine will soon be publishing a film-themed issue — featuring, among other things, Mariner ace Felix Hernandez and Mariner other player Garrett Olson (pictured above) as Pulp Fiction’s Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega, respectively.
It may surprise the reader, however, to learn that ballplayers are no strangers to film. In fact, a number of current or recently retired players have actually found themselves quite involved in the motion picture industry. Below are some notable — and super-not-made-up-at-all — cases of Major Leaguers and their respective contributions to this popular medium.
1968: An infant A.J. Pierzynski appears briefly in title role of Roman Polanski horror film Rosemary’s Baby.
1998-99: Pedro Martinez stars in two-year-long meta-film, exploring what might happen in the event that a mortal were given god-like capabilities.
2002: Apropos of nothing, Ebert & Roeper give Alex Rodriguez two thumbs down “for being kinda douchey-seeming.”
Late-2000s: Mustachioed Brendan Ryan, hoping to develop reputation as serious actor, is instead frequently typecast as bandito.
2014: After retiring from baseball, middle infielder and scrapaholic David Eckstein goes on to successful career as child actor.
H/T: News Tribune
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Pedro’s 2000 gets no love?
That was a big topic of conversation after filming was over — i.e. that Pedro was actually better in 2000 than in the ’98 season during which he supposedly possessed divine powers — and, to this day, remains a mysterious mystery.