Brent Rooker already is planning who he wants to meet at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game on July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Speaking with reporters after the Athletics' 8-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, Oakland's lone All-Star explained why he wants to meet Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels' two-way star.
"So there's a really cool picture of me hitting a homer off Shohei in Anaheim, and I'm going to approach him very humbly and try to get him to sign it because I think that is something I would love to have forever," Rooker said.
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Rooker had high praise for Ohtani's ability to dominate seemingly every facet of the game.
"If there's anybody doubting that he's the best baseball player of all time, I don't really know why they are because he could be the front page story in every newspaper every day and it wouldn't be talked enough, what he's doing from an offensive and pitching standpoint," Rooker added. "It's crazy.
"So I wanna definitely introduce myself to him and again, very, very humbly and very meekly see if he will sign that picture for me."
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The home run Rooker is referring to happened on April 27, when the A's visited the Angels. Down 5-0 in the top of the fourth inning, Ohtani threw a pitch that was slightly higher than he wanted it to be.
Rooker took advantage and smashed the ball just barely over the right-field wall for a three-run shot to cut the deficit to two.
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Despite Oakland losing that game, at least Rooker can take solace in the fact that he was able to do something very few players in MLB have done.
And now, he gets to have a keepsake and a memory that will last forever.
