Killing Us, Smalls! A group of Yankees players paid homage to the 1993 baseball classic The Sandlot in a charming way this week.
Members of the 2015 season lineup Brett Gardner, Dellin Betances, Jacoby Ellsbury, CC Sabathia, Didi Gregorius, Brian McCann, and Chase Headley reenacted one of the most memorable scenes from the beloved flick about a young pickup baseball team.
Gardner, 31, stepped into the role of Scotty Smalls (originally played by Tom Guiry), the new kid in town who knows nothing about baseball and has few friends. He has borrowed a baseball from his stepdad’s study, only to learn that the ball was a priceless piece of memorabilia signed by Babe Ruth.
Headley, 30, opens the clip as Timmy Timmons (Victor DiMattia), marveling, “You mean to tell me you went home and swiped a ball signed by Babe Ruth and brought it out here and actually played with it?”
“And actually played with it?!” chimes in Gregorius, 25, as Tommy “Repeat” Timmons (Shane Obedzinski). Gardner as Smalls defends himself, saying he was going to bring the ball back.
Ellsbury, 31, joins in with an impressive impression of Michael “Squints” Palledorous (Chauncey Leopardi), throwing his hands up as he exclaims, “But it was signed by Babe Ruth!”
“Yeah, yeah, you keep telling me that but who is she?” Smalls says, inspiring cold stares from his teammates, who shout out, “The Sultan of Swat,” “The King of Crash,” and “The Colossus of Clout.” McCann, 31, does an incredible Hamilton “Ham” Porter (Patrick Renna), slowly repeating “The Great Bambino!”
The MLB players took the time for their hilarious acting stint in the midst of spring training in Tampa, Fla. The Yankees have seen a mix of wins and losses in the pre-season, falling to the New York Mets and the Washington, D.C. Nationals in the past few days, but beating out the Detroit Tigers and the Houston Astros.
Watch the sluggers pay tribute to The Sandlot in the video above!
