The Cincinnati Reds are playing in the Field of Dreams Game on Thursday. They may have picked up a new teammate along the way.
First baseman Joey Votto mentioned on Twitter that he picked up a hitchhiker on his way from New York to Iowa. According to Votto, his new traveling companion is a ballplayer named Archie Graham.
Joey Votto finds new player for Cincinnati Reds
Unfortunately, Votto cannot guarantee anything. Graham may be a ballplayer, but Votto did mention that he could not promise that he will get into the game for the Reds. He also seemed concerned by Graham’s instance of winking at the pitcher, something he said that his companion “keeps rattling on about.”
It certainly could not hurt to see what Votto found along the way. The Reds do need to find pieces for the future as they started another rebuilding process. Maybe Graham could get an inning in the outfield during the game, giving the Reds a quick look at what they have. It would be far more than any hitchhiker could have expected.
In all seriousness, moments such as this are part of why Votto is so beloved. He has taken a part of the lore of Field of Dreams and Moonlight Graham and brought it to the current game. It shows that he is more than just a player who happens to be part of the contest on Thursday – he is also a fan and someone who truly loves everything that the sport, and related media, have to offer.
Joey Votto has found a possible new teammate on the Cincinnati Reds. Maybe Archie Graham can get an inning in the Field of Dreams Game.