As a child of the ’60s, it makes me sad that my decade is no longer represented on major league rosters. I started That ’70s Project on this website to chronicle the disappearance of old-timers like Derek Jeter and Paul Konerko from the game, but I thought players born in the ’60s were like carbon paper: gone and never coming back.
But how wrong I was! The ’60s are back in style, baby, in the person of a hot prospect named Will Ferrell. How hot is he, you might ask? Hot enough that the Cubs, Angels, Mariners, A’s, and six other teams have all added the 6-foot-3, 115 pound prospect to their rosters for Thursday’s games in the Cactus league. At 115 pounds, though, he needs to put on some weight if he wants to make it in this game. There are Little Leaguers who weigh more than that. Have a sandwich or two, why don’t ya?
The pride and joy of 1967 will have so much on his plate on Wednesday that he’ll need a helicopter to keep up with it all. Not since Phil Collins played at Wembley Stadium in London at Live Aid, and then hopped on the Concorde and crossed the Atlantic to play a second time in Philadelphia, have we seen such a feat. Maybe we can call him Will Collins, instead.
Will the 10 teams get into a bidding war for Will Ferrell’s services? After all, he’ll be showing off his versatility by playing all nine positions on the field, and taking a turn at DH as well. And for those who doubt he can pull it off, remember this: Where there’s a Will (and a helicopter), there’s a way. We’ll be calling him will.i.play by the time he’s done tomorrow.
So play on, Will Ferrell, and make those of us born in the ’60s proud. My ’60s project — let’s call it #WillPlayForCharity — is going to be a short-lived affair. But I’ll have some fun with it, and I’m sure that he Will, too. (Aren’t you glad there won’t be another one of these articles?)
You also can follow Will Ferrell’s progress at #FerrellTakesTheField during the following games:
3:05 pm ET: Mariners at Athletics
4:10 pm ET: Cubs at Angels
5:10 pm ET: Reds at Diamondbacks
7:05 pm ET: Giants at White Sox
9:15 pm ET: Dodgers at Padres