Will's Excellent Adventure

I was able to track down a compilation video of some of Will Ferrell's day yesterday. As I mentioned, he played all 10 positions (including Designated Hitter) for 10 different teams during Spring Training.  It was over the course of five games (he'd be "traded" to the other team during a game and switch uniforms and sides).  This was done as part of a Funny or Die TV special for HBO as part of a charity effort to raise money for cancer research.  It was also, in part, an homage to when Bert Campaneris accomplished the feat 50 years ago for the Kansas City A's, playing a different position in each inning of a nine-inning game.  (Campaneris followed Ferrell around yesterday.)

Though it got less attention, it was a major logistical effort to pull this off.  Keep in mind that he had to get to five different games.  It helped hugely, of course, that Spring Training in Arizona is laid out such that most teams there play quite nearby one another.  But still "nearby" is not next door, and most importantly it had to be coordinated such that he could get to each game in time to play in every inning.  If he missed an inning, it would have thrown everything off.  At home point at least, a helicopter was used.  (That was probably as much for show, but I'm sure it was still needed.)

Anyway, here's the video.

The video doesn't do it all justice.  While you see him above strike out twice, he did get his bat on the ball in one game, I believe with the White Sox.  It was a foul ball, grounded to the first baseman, but still.  Also he had a bit of action, and some funny moments which I'll embed below.

This first comes from the Cubs-Angels game, as Ferrell took over in centerfield for the Angels, replacing last year's MVP Mike Trout. 

The second clip is when he moved over to left field for the Arizona Diamondbacks against Cincinnati, and actually got into quite a bit of action.

And finally, this video isn't of him playing, but after having played first base for the Chicago Cubs and pinch hitting as the DH and striking out, the team made him their third base coach in the same game as the first clip above against the Angels.  He gives new and literal meaning to the baseball phrase for third base coaches "giving signs."  

One thing to note, so that a joke makes sense, is that the Cubs have a star rookie Jorge Soler who the ballclub is carefully handling this Spring because he's had some muscle strain issues early in the season previouslyhum