Scott Van Slyke has been a bit of a hot head lately, as the Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was thrown out of Friday’s game for arguing a call from the dugout.
On Sunday, Van Slyke’s “fire” took on a very literal form.
With its team holding a comfortable 6-0 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals thanks to another dominating performance from pitcher Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers bench decided to have a little fun with the second-year player.
Working with admirable patience and care, the players managed to set up a “hot foot” by sticking a bundle of matches on the unsuspecting Van Slyke’s heel using a piece of gum.
At the start of the eighth inning, the plan was finally set in motion when first baseman Adrian Gonzalez struck the matches, causing Van Slyke a great deal of alarm as smoke rose toward his nostrils.
[mlbvideo id=”34164517″ width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
The blaze was fortunately very small and contained, allowing Van Slyke’s teammates to bask in the success of their hilarious prank without worrying about burning the stadium down. Even Dodgers play-by-play man Vin Scully got in on the act, giving viewers constant updates on the state of Van Slyke’s right foot.
Van Slyke has scuffled a bit in his last three games, going 1-for-8 with four strikeouts. After Sunday, though, we’re sure he’ll heat up.
h/t Deadspin
