The moment carried extra meaning for Scout. A few years earlier, he claims he challenged Astros third baseman Alex Bregman to the same game — and lost.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Spring training often gives fans rare access to Major League players. For 12-year-old Scout Garner, it delivered something even more memorable: a bat from Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña.
Like many young fans, Scout spent his day near the fences at the Astros’ spring training complex, hoping for an autograph or brief interaction with a player. Instead, he walked away with one of Peña’s bats after challenging the shortstop to a game of rock, paper, scissors.
“I said, ‘Do you want to play rock, paper, scissors for a bat?’ And he said, ‘How about this? If I win, then I don’t have to give you anything. I won’t sign anything at all.’ And I said, ‘OK, but if I win, I get one of your bats,’ and he said, ‘Deal.’”
Scout won the game. Peña later followed through on his promise, walking along a pathway and handing him the bat.
The moment carried extra meaning for Scout. A few years earlier, he claims he challenged Astros third baseman Alex Bregman to the same game — and lost.
This time, he was determined not to leave empty-handed.
Scout said the All-Star shortstop suggested double-or-nothing.
“I’m like, ‘No, you can’t take it back,’” he said.