The Tale of Fernando Rodney and the Magic Plantain

According to full-time Yahoo! Expert and part-time baseball writer Jeff Passan, Fernando Rodney had a bizarre lucky charm specially delivered for him from the Dominican Republic before Monday night's victory over the Netherlands.

That charm? A magic plantain -- i.e. the fruit of the banana family typically enjoyed as dessert. Here's Passan:

The Magic Plantain arrived on a flight from the Dominican Republic at 2 p.m. Monday, special delivery for Fernando Rodney. He brought it to AT&T Park, threw on his uniform for the World Baseball Classic semifinals, shoved the fruit in his beltline like a holstered weapon and strutted around Dirty Harry style, packing some serious Vitamins A and C.

It had a message for him, too, because what good is a piece of produce if it doesn't talk to you? "If you keep me close to you," the plantain said, according to Rodney, who did not indicate whether it spoke Spanish or English or maybe Fruitish, "you're going to get the win." And in this world of lies and cynicism, maybe what we truly need to bring us together is the Magic Plantain, a teller of great truths.

I know Rodney has always been kind of a weird guy, but until last night I never thought he was bananas. Heyo!

When asked what he plans on doing with the fruity oracle once the WBC ends, Rodney responded:

"We're going to eat it," he said. "Maybe we can make scrambled eggs."

A smell a new supermarket campaign... "Plantains: not only magical soothsayers, but also eggs."

Here's an exclusive look at Mr. Crooked Hat making a special call after the win...

If you have that terrible "Banana Phone" song stuck in your head now, I'm sorry. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm also sorry.

No word on whether Rodney intended to call Jason Motte.

- Screencap via @RJ_Reilly