NEW YORK – Nick Lodolo typically looks ahead two starts when he’s mapping out his pitching schedule, so it was around the trade deadline when he saw his day lined up to pitch in Thursday’s Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa.
Still, Lodolo wanted to wait until he was formally told he’d pitch in the marquee game. Plans can change.
MLB Field of Dreams Game:Vote for your all-time favorite baseball movie here
'Didn't know if I was going to get back here':Justin Dunn grateful to make Reds debut
Analysis:Projecting 2025 Cincinnati Reds roster with new prospects from trade deadline
The big announcement, the moment Lodolo learned he was the starting pitcher in Iowa, came in a hotel elevator in Miami during a conversation with manager David Bell.
“He’s like, ‘you know you’re pitching, right?” Lodolo said. “I was like, ‘yeah, I kind of figured. It just lined up.’ It’s going to be cool. I’m excited for it. Obviously, it’s probably going to be a little different, probably take it in a little bit while you still have to pitch. It’s probably like once in a career, I would assume, type of game.”
It’ll be hard to top the fanfare of last year’s inaugural Field of Dreams Game when Kevin Costner, who starred as Ray Kinsella in the film, led the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox from the cornfield onto the field. White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson hit a walk-off homer.
Almost all Reds players saw highlights from that game, so they’re at least a little familiar with what everything will look like at 7:15 p.m. Thursday (TV: FOX; Radio: 700-WLW).
“I mean we can act like it’s no big deal, but I know that playing in this game and I would think being the starting pitcher in this game is a big deal,” Bell said. “I know they have to keep it in perspective not to make too big of a deal out of it because they have to go out, compete and try to win the game, but at the same time, I think there is a lot there.”
Many players will have family at the game, a chance to experience the unique atmosphere together. Reliever Buck Farmer has family flying from Georgia and other family members driving from Des Moines. Ross Detwiler is bringing his daughters, along with family members that will drive from Missouri.
Detwiler was supposed to play in the Field of Dreams game in 2020 when he played for the White Sox, but it was delayed for a year because of the pandemic.
“It’s just a super unique experience,” said Detwiler, who has spent 14 seasons in the Majors. “It’s one of those movies from my childhood, too. That’s kind of where love for baseball started when I was young. It was always a good movie that was on TV quite a bit. We owned it. We could throw it the VCR whenever we wanted, so I think it’s going to be a really cool experience, especially after seeing what they did last year. I think MLB did it up right.”
The Reds will remain in New York after concluding their series against the Mets on Wednesday. They will fly to Iowa on Thursday and return to Cincinnati after the game, so it’ll be a unique travel day, along with the game.
“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t even know what to expect,” said Lodolo, who hasn’t watched the 1989 film. “I feel like we’re literally just going to show up and play a game in the cornfield. I don’t know what else is going on and all that.”
There will be some surprise elements to added for the game’s broadcast, though it’ll be hard to match Costner’s entrance. Joey Votto and Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, a University of Cincinnati product, will wear a two-way mic for a half-inning to carry a conversation with the broadcast booth. Both teams will wear 1919-inspired uniforms.
“I’ve been looking forward to it the last couple of weeks,” Detwiler said. “It just seemed like time started to move a little slower. Once you start looking at a certain date, time moves a little slower toward it, but it’s one of those things that you try to get family and everybody involved that can be there. I know they are all excited for it too, everybody is. I’m getting a bunch of text messages, more and more every day.”
The Field of Dreams park features a manual scoreboard in the corn beyond the right-field fence. The dimensions are 335 feet down the lines, 380 feet to the alleys and 400 feet to dead center. The right-field fence is designed to show off cornstalks that stand 10-12 feet high.
Last year’s game drew six million TV viewers and was the most-watched regular season baseball game on any network since 1998. The game will unlikely match that viewership with two rebuilding clubs, but several players called it a “once in a lifetime experience.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Lodolo said. “I’m excited. I’ve seen cornfields, but probably nothing like that, let alone with just a baseball field in the middle of it.”
Source link
