Savannah Bananas reveal iconic Yankees special guest to level up Yankee Stadium visit

The Savannah Bananas, and their unique brand of warped and frenetic baseball, have been playing to sold-out crowds across the country, wallpapering MLB stadiums in bright yellow and cacophony. But the longer the escapade went on at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night, the harder it was to believe that Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine were actually cool with this.

Kudos to the decision-makers on the Yankees' side for understanding the revolution and green-lighting a roaring two hours of frantic nine-man scrambles after every walk, behind-the-back catches, and a pitcher on stilts (who couldn't find the plate - wtf, Boone?!). But, because this is New York, and because the pinstripes are the pinstripes, even the Bananas had to show a little respect to the old school, too.

After bringing out guests like Big Time Rush and Hamilton's Miguel Cervantes for coordinated spectacles, the Bananas let the clock tick down fairly close to its resolution before an honest-to-goodness Yankee emerged from the dugout. But, when the time came, they couldn't have picked a better one.

Joe Torre, head-to-toe in Bananas gear, tipped his cap to the crowd and took a spot in the first base coaching box with about 10 minutes remaining in the contest. The Bananas won it after regulation in a showdown, as the batter took four bases on a walk, out-sprinting the incapable pitcher. Just the way Torre drew it up. Probably.

Savannah Bananas Special Guest on Saturday: Yankees manager Joe Torre

If you'd asked me to brainstorm a list of potential Yankees who'd be Banana-fied, it would've taken a long time before I got to the stoic Torre. Nick Swisher, who's been Banana Pilled since the day he was born, would've topped the list (and is my pick for the special guest pinch-hitter at Sunday's 3:30 PM EST game in the Bronx). Honestly, even someone like Kyle Farnsworth would've come to me before Torre.

But there was something special going on for 2.5 hours in the Bronx on Saturday, from raucous pregame intros, to a fire dog sprinting from third to home after dingers, to even somber moments, like a Sept. 11 remembrance that topped the Yankees' efforts and a lights-down singalong to Coldplay's "Yellow" that mellowed and chilled the body. Unity was the name of the game, but so was a forward eye to the future.

Early on in the contest, a trio of kids, all under age 10, returned from the concession stand sporting fresh Bananas hats. Later in the game, they returned again, all clad in jerseys this time. The version of baseball that will live on to capture their attention involves some unpredictable elements of what the Bananas do best, and Torre, a gatekeeper for gut feeling, was a more appropriate spokesperson than it may have seemed at first blush.