Magic behing ‘Amazing Pie-derman' revealed

OAKLAND -- All magicians use diversionary tactics to pull off their illusions. They distract your attention and then trick you. Josh Reddick had an amazing diversion at his disposal. As the A's celebrated their major league-leading 13th walk-off win on the field, he slipped away and got into costume. In just two minutes and four seconds he re-emerged as Spider-Man -- or PIE-derman as he is being called now. As the famous web-slinging comic book character ran onto the field -- a pie in each hand -- those that endured the 15-inning marathon game were treated to an unimaginable scene. POW. Pie-derman planted two whipped cream treats onto the head of walk-off hero Coco Crisp, who wore the pies like earmuffs. Instead of slinging webs, this Spiderman slings pies. "That was definitely shocking," Crisp said. "I knew he had a costume obviously, but I didn't know he was going to pie me in a Spider-Man outfit."At this rate nothing seems to amaze A's manager Bob Melvin. He makes sure not to watch his clubs crazy celebrations but admitted that he caught the Spider-Man act on television after the fact."He's the first one off the field so I know when he comes off in that fashion he is going to do something," Melvin said of Reddick. "Whether it's with the pies and all that, it seemed like he added to the dynamic."Prior to Saturday's game, the Spider-Man outfit was hung with care in Reddick's clubhouse stall. After 13 walk-off wins, it must be tough to come up with new and interesting ways to celebrate. "You pretty much know what's going to happen now for the most part," Crisp said. "You're going to get freezing cold ice all over you, Gatorade and water, pie, maybe some seeds, but the new thing to our walk-off celebration was the Spider-Man."With some further digging, it was discovered that Reddick didn't act alone. He had to clear the costume with one of the club's veteran leaders. That man was Jonny Gomes, whose stall is located next to Reddick's in the clubhouse. "I guess you could put that in my job description as giving that the green light, yellow light, or red light," Jonny Gomes said. "For whatever reason the kid really wanted to do it. Who am I to un-shape how you want to be known and how you want to carry yourself?"Gomes said he has a huge respect for the game and is a big fan of the history of baseball. He says that if he thought in anyway the celebration would be disrespectful to the game he would have shut it down. Crisp, the victim of the celebration, says he is happy the celebration wasn't taken the wrong way."It's fun and everybody enjoyed it. There was nothing negative said about it and that's awesome," Crisp said. "Everybody took it in stride. It was a 15-inning game. For the fans, it was worth it."The loose and fun atmosphere in the A's clubhouse is why this team is succeeding on the field. It is carrying over in the win column and with the fan base. The Bernie, the pies, the walk-offs ... it's all working for the Oakland right now. They hold the top spot in the American League wild card race. "These guys aren't arbitration eligible, they're not free agents, so they're not playing for the money, they're playing for the fun factor," Gomes said. "I think Reddick had fun doing it. I'm not here trying to crush dreams. I'm trying to make them come true." After 13 walk-off wins you might be wondering what they will think of next. Well apparently, something is indeed in the works. Crisp divulged that there are plans for a new celebration -- possibly for walk-off No. 14. "There's an idea for something different, not quite Spider-Man suit status," he told me.Stay tuned.