I poked fun at Bill "The Spaceman" Lee's anticipated return to the baseball field three weeks ago. Lee coming back to baseball for one game at the age of 63? Yeah, right. Let me know how many Tylenol he takes once that game is over.
I called him crazy -- and he is crazy! -- but the guy is also confident, because his start on Sunday was actually ... really, really good.
Lee did not mess around in his start for the Brockton Rox. He worked 5 1/3 innings, allowed five hits, two runs, struck out one and walked none. The most impressive numbers may have been the fact he threw 61 pitches and 43 of those went for strikes:
"It felt good out there," the Spaceman told the team's website. "Everything was where I wanted to be. I got pulled before I could use all of my pitches today. I was hoping to be able to break out my Juan Marichal screwball."
The Brockton website speculates that at age 63, Lee is believed to be the oldest pitcher to earn a victory in a professional game.
Lee didn't help himself at the plate, however, suffering an 0-for-3 day at the dish.
Sure, he didn't face the Yankees or the Rays, but he did face some of the better baseball players in America and he looked quite good. I don't care if your name is Bill Lee or Cy Young, if you can pitch 5 1/3 innings of two-run baseball at the age of 63 -- in any league -- you deserve some serious credit.
So keep doing your thing, Spaceman. Keep being crazy and keep that arm warm. Heck, maybe we'll even see the screwball at some point in the near future.