13 June 2011

finders keepers

sometime back in the mid-90's, a buddy and i went to a dodger game.  i would usually try to get there early, because traffic was always a pain and i didn't want to be one of those fans that strolled in during the third inning.  sometimes i would get there in time to watch some batting practice, but i would usually make my way over to the bullpen to watch the starting pitcher warm up.  there were always autograph seekers along the half rail in the left field corner, but i never paid them much mind.

i don't recall who was warming up in the bullpen that day, but when i left to go get some pre-game grub as warmups ended, i found this card on a step in the aisle.  it's a 1993 donruss triple play card, signed by the pistachio himself, pedro astacio
there was no one around, so i kept the card, and still have it today.  not a bad souvenir.

and, since i am featuring astacio in this post, i feel compelled to mention that in all my years of playing ea sports' tony larussa baseball (which later became mvp '[year]), the only no-hitter i ever threw came with pedro astacio on the mound.  i even gave a celebratory arm waggle in his honor.

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