Very Good Bat Dog Has Identity Crisis, Chases After Ball

Adorable bat dog Rookie had been logging time with the Double-A Trenton Thunder until yesterday, when he got the call—he’d be moving on up to the Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders. Wow! A chance to prove his mettle and talent and cuteness at the next level! (His father and fellow bat dog, Derby, was also called up.)

But while Rookie is far more of a very good boy than any of us can claim to be, he is not any more immune to the pressures of being expected to perform at a high level on a big stage. A few innings into his first Triple-A performance, I’m sorry to say, Rookie fucked up. It was a classic mishap—a bat dog forgetting his place and listening to some primal instincts to instead go after the ball. Thankfully, opposing pitcher Alec Asher was a good sport about it and didn’t embarrass Rookie any more than he had to:

Sadly, Rookie and his dad have been sent back down to Double-A. But it’s okay. They’re still very good boys.

[ MLB.com]