MESA, Ariz. -- The Chicago Cubs' front office may have just had the last laugh in an ongoing prank war with back-up infielder Tommy La Stella after team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer had first baseman Anthony Rizzo record a message that was played on the video board during the Cubs' sold-out spring game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
Rizzo implored the crowd to help find a “life partner” for La Stella while making fun of him for not being very social and having poor hygiene.
“Tommy is really, really lonely,” Rizzo said. “It’s really kind of sad. He’s desperate and really needs to find a life partner. We want to help Tommy find love.”
The front office got the last laugh by showing a graphic of La Stella’s real cell phone number minus the last two digits. They ended the video with a lasting message.
“Thank you Tommy. Good luck in love….and in (Triple-A) Iowa.”
Don't mess with the brass. pic.twitter.com/vCzHwXG8AZ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 24, 2018
The prank war began early in spring when La Stella parked in Epstein and Hoyer’s private parking spots at the Cubs' practice facility, then escalated when the front office replaced La Stella’s uniform with office attire. La Stella was forced to wear khaki pants during infield drills one day. He promptly cut the pants with scissors to give him more room in the crotch area.
A few days later La Stella had a bouncy house for kids blown up and put in the execs' parking spots before the front office retaliated on Friday.
