CLEVELAND — Have you ever watched a baseball game and thought: "Hey, I could do that?" Soon, you can put that to the test as part of Cleveland Guardians' pitcher Triston McKenzie's partnership with Miller Lite.
McKenzie and Miller Lite are looking for dedicated Guardians fans who think they have what it takes to hit a major-league speed fastball inside Progressive Field, holding a contest to do just that.
Fans can upload a picture or video on Instagram repping Guardians, Ohio or Miller Lite pride, tagging Miller Lite (@MillerLite) and the Guardians (@CleGuardians) with the hashtags #ProudlyBrewedinOhio and #MillerLiteSweepstakes. Fans who are selected will have a tryout in person at Progressive Field.
"I'm just looking for dedicated fans that are really fans of Guardians ball. Being able to come out there and just show their love for the team and show their love for the sport," McKenzie said. "I'm going to help coaching them, just being able to have them be ready for 96. It's something that they're going to have to see with their own eyes first."
A day at the ballpark getting coached up by McKenzie while trying their hand at the sport they love might be enticing enough, but those selected will also be entered for a chance to win the Grand Prize, which is the Honorary Pro for a Day title, which earned them a day's worth of a rookie salary ($2,100) and of course, all of the bragging rights.
McKenzie, who won't be throwing the fastball to the fans selected but has tossed his fair share, expects it to be quite the challenge for Guardians fans who enter.
"Being that I don't hit personally, it's very hard. It's something that I would choose not to do," he laughed.
As part of the initiative by Miller Lite, the beer brewed in Ohio, other professional teams in Ohio are also getting on board.
Down in Columbus, fans can enter to attempt to stop a penalty kick in 96 seconds or less with Aidan Morris of the Crew at Lower.com Field. In Cincinnati, fans can try to run a 96-yard touchdown with Sam Hubbard of the Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
