The official picture of the Bootcheck All Star movement

WE’RE GOING STREAKING!!!!

The Bootcheck All Star party started two weeks ago and hasn’t stopped. Some people may or may not still be on a two week bender full of American pride, faith in humanity and copious amounts of alcohol, drinking the official beer of the Bootcheck All Star movement, Boozecheck Pale Ale.*

If you were acting like you had a life and weren’t paying attention the past two weeks, Bootcheck was the only Toledo Mud Hen selected for the All Star team**, winning the fans vote (which made up 1/3 of the criteria) handily. He didn’t just win his relief pitcher category but garnered the most votes of any pitcher in the International League.

WE DID IT (officially). I just realized how much power I have. I could sway elections. I could change the course of history. I could take over the world.

This is how all the great villains get their start. Luckily, I’ll never forget the words Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben told Peter before he was murdered by the guy Peter let past into the elevator because Peter is a spiteful little man: With great power comes great responsibility.

So I’ll let you make your own decisions. I’m out of the advocating game. The only thing I’ll tell you to do is keep reading, tell a friend if you like what you see and to ‘Like’ the Hustle on Facebook. But enough about me, let’s catch up with the man of the year.

He may have been celebrating as hard as I may or may not have. In his first two appearances since the celebration began, Bootcheck gave up three earned runs. That isn’t exactly horrible, he even registered the save in one of them, but this is the RHP we’re talking about. Fortunately, he didn’t make his voters look stupid, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings in his last two appearances.

The season ERA rose slightly in the past three weeks, to 3.38. Bootcheck’s 15 saves are still second in the league, one behind Buffalo’s Fernando Cabrera. The stats basically keep telling the same story over and over again. Bootcheck’s twitter account does not.

Perhaps the most surprising thing the past two weeks has been Bootcheck’s lack of tweeting. He sent out just one non-retweet this week. Maybe he’s gone to focusing on the games more, but I have to say, his early domination came during (and maybe because) of his hilariousness on twitter. It saddens me to see a once crappy-turned-great twitter account go silent.

Maybe they allow tweeting in the bullpen for the AAA All-Star game and he’ll make a triumphant return by tweeting his pitches before he throws them while striking the hitters out anyway. Or maybe not.

Either way, the AAA All Star game is just one week away. Start planning your viewing parties now.

Oh, and one more thing.

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

*(For the record, I have not been on this bender … I just know a guy. And Boozecheck Pale Ale doesn’t exist. Yet. …. I mean, of course it does, just send me the money and I’ll send you a case. But I have to warn you, it’s been known to get lost in the mail.)

**(When selected he gamely deferred that his teammates deserve the honor. It was a classy move, even though we all know that isn’t true.)