Kirk Rueter playing in Hall of Fame Classic

I'm a simple man, and I get excited by simple things. If you had asked me what I was looking forward to most in life, I suppose it would be my daughter's first steps or her first words. Then came an email from the Hall of Fame:

Giants Fan-Favorite Kirk Rueter Headed to Cooperstown for Hall of Fame Classic, May 24

Cancel the camping trip, honey! Hold off on those first whatevers, baby! Kirk Rueter is going to pitch in a baseball game again!

Kirk Rueter. Only one starting pitcher has more seasons in a San Francisco Giants uniform, and that's Juan Marichal. Rueter pitched for 10 seasons, and while he had his moments, it's not like he was better than pitchers like Bobby Bolin or Terry Mulholland. But if you made a list of the ex-Giants you would want to have dinner with, Rueter might crack the top 10.

The Hall of Fame Classic is an old-timer's game, played on Memorial Day weekend. There are other ex-Giants, too:

Vinny Castilla (Rockies)
Scott Hatteberg (A’s)
Aaron Rowand (White Sox)
Brady Clark (Brewers)
Livan Hernandez (Nationals)
Kirk Rueter (Giants)
Jeff Conine (Marlins)
Todd Jones (Tigers)
Reggie Sanders (Reds)
Adam Everett (Astros)
Brad Lidge (Phillies)
Mike Sweeney (Royals)
David Eckstein (Angels)
Hideki Matsui (Yankees)
Jim Thome (Indians)
Steve Garvey (Dodgers)
Carl Pavano (Twins)
Dan Wheeler (Rays)
Alex Gonzalez (Blue Jays)
Kerry Robinson (Cardinals)
Jack Wilson (Pirates)
Luis Gonzalez (D’Backs)
Ivan Rodriguez (Rangers)

Aaron Rowand, huh. Livan Hernandez and Jim Thome were just playing, too, so it's not like this is the classic old-timer's game, with gray-haired dudes running around looking like they're going to give birth to a platter of digested hamburgers. There are still some skills up there that haven't eroded all that much. Rowand's the same age as Carlos Beltran, after all.

We're probably burying the lede here, and that it's possible that Kirk Rueter can hit Steve Garvey in the dick with a baseball. I'm not sure how the teams are set up, but there's an outside chance. Apologies for if I offended you, there, but I thought for 10 minutes if any other body part would work just as well for Garvey, and I came to the conclusion that it wasn't even close.

This could be a battle between light and dark, as the prophecies foretold.

If it isn't, though, it's Kirk Rueter suiting up in a Giants uniform to throw a slow, slow pitch. Man, I've missed that. I wonder if the Brewers fans feel the same way about Brady Clark.