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Rick Sutcliffe is awesome, and you’re not

Posted on May 27th, 2008 – 3:17 PM
By Michael Rand

sutcliffe.jpgMost of you are probably aware that Rick Sutcliffe is battling colon cancer. Well, the K.C. Star recently caught up with the man who once talked about George Clooney solving that thing. What ensued (via SbB) was a hilarious tale of Sutcliffe stealing a base just to win Bill Murray a case of beer.

Sitting in the booth, Stone and Murray had to stall while a new pitcher warmed up. Murray looked at Stone and said, ‘I betcha a case of beer Sutcliffe steals second.’ Stone laughed and pointed out Sutcliffe had never even attempted to steal a base. He pointed out Sutcliffe had a bad hamstring. He pointed out Sutcliffe was not exactly the world’s fastest human being.

“But,” Sutcliffe remembered Stone saying, “I’ll take the bet because I’d like to win a case of beer from you.”

The pitcher was still warming up when word spreads and a fan yelled, “Hey Sut, Murray just bet Steve Stone a case of beer you’ll steal second!”

Standing on first base, Sutcliffe decided: Screw it. I’m going.

“All of a sudden the pitcher comes down and I tell my mind to go but my body won’t move and I literally almost fell down,” he said.

Then Expos manager Buck Rodgers yelled to first baseman Andres Galarraga, ‘Play behind him, he ain’t frickin’ going anywhere!’ ”

Sutcliffe took off running. All 6-7 of the Red Baron hauling ass for second base just to mess with Cubs announcer Steve Stone.

“I am gone,” Sutcliffe said. “He comes down and looks over. Well I’m halfway to second. I’m going, ‘Ah, he got me.’ Well the dummy goes to home so now I’ve got to get going again. But there’s still a play. That’s how slow I am.”

The throw. The slide. He’s safe.

And that’s why we love baseball.

10 Responses to "Rick Sutcliffe is awesome, and you’re not"

Jon says:

May 27th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

True story: Thurman Munson once ate an entire fried chicken on a bet with Harry Caray.

Stu says:

May 27th, 2008 at 3:53 pm

Awesome. Nobody would do that for Jimmy Fallon.

By the way, the Deadspin says Sutcliffe is back on the WWL.

Clarence Swamptown says:

May 27th, 2008 at 4:04 pm

Rick Sutcliffe’s beard impregnated Baron Davis’ beard. 9 months later Willie Nelson was born.

lattewarrior says:

May 27th, 2008 at 4:22 pm

Rick Sutcliffe destroyed the periodic table because he only recognnizes the element of surprise.

Rick Sutcliffe does not sleep. He waits.

The leading causes of death in America are: 1) Heart Disease; 2) Rick Sutcliffe; 3) Cancer.

Crop circles are Rick Sutcliffe’s way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie down.

Brandon says:

May 27th, 2008 at 4:26 pm

It seems unfair that just because Sutcliffe is awesome, I can’t be.

Stu says:

May 27th, 2008 at 4:37 pm

It seems unfair that just because Sutcliffe is awesome, I can’t be.

You’ll have to settle for “Brandong” being an awesome typo.

Clarence Swamptown says:

May 27th, 2008 at 4:44 pm

The movie “Basic Instinct 3″ was simply a picture of Rick Sutcliffe eating a roast beef sandwich.

Stu says:

May 27th, 2008 at 5:01 pm

Roughkat: oh dear.

StraightCashHomey says:

May 27th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

If he’s really trying, the only person who could get a hit off of Rick Sutcliffe is, in fact, Rick Sutcliffe.