I can only imagine what it’s like to be in the minor leagues and get the call into the managers office after a game and be told, "You’re going to the show". Personally, I’ve seen it happen twice. Once was in Bull Durham, if that tells you anything.

I can imagine that the excitement and the adrenaline that flows inside of a person are mind-boggling. I can imagine feeling in awe of the whole major league experience for the first time, walking into a baseball cathederal like Yankee Stadium or a modern day gem like Petco Park…****, even a piece of garbage like Tropicana Field would be cool, too. Thousands of fans, white baseballs for batting practice, infields like pool tables, pristine pitchers mounds and silky smooth batters boxes. I can only imagine.

I can imagine that is how John Lannan felt when he was called up to the Washington Nationals the other day. Lannan was called up by Washington after he went a combined 12-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 20 games with three minor league teams this season. His call up told him he’d be on the bump at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelhpia. The southpaw pitcher three years pro out of Siena College made his first major league start yesterday against the Philadelphia Phillies. That’s big. The Phillies can hit, and they’re in the thick of the National League pennant race, they have intimidating marquee sluggers like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard to deal with. A daunting task for any pitcher, really. Let alone a rookie on day one. 

According to Hoyle, all things were going OK for Lannan. He was working four innings, giving up three runs and scattering six hits. Until something unraveled with one out in the fifth.

Lannan, known for his control, let loose with a few wild ones and in the process, matched history, if not set it all by his lonesome.

First, he hit Utley on the right hand. The next batter he faced, Ryan Howard, was plunked in the shoulder. The home plate umpire, Hunter Wendelstedt, without any warnings, immediately ejected the rookie pitcher, set off a tirade from Nats manager Manny Acta, getting him tossed and sending Lannan into baseball history.

Outrageous.

I tried checking with the Elias Sports Bureau on whether or not a rookie pitcher was ever thrown out of a game in his Major League debut. I looked and looked, I couldn’t find squat, so I am going to assume that it has either a) never happened before, in which case, kudos to Lannan on being numero uno or b). it has happened before but I just can’t find it anywhere, in which case, congrats to Lannan on tying numero uno!

Lannan’s line for the day in his major league debut: 4 1/3 innings pitched, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HBP, 8.31 ERA, 1 Broken Hand (Utley), ejected in the fifth inning, for a total of 1 broken (or tied) major league baseball record.

Now, the stories he has to tell about his time in "the Show" for many years to come will be priceless.

I can only imagine what they’d sound like.