New Cardinals pitcher quickly shuts down ridiculous Savannah Bananas speculation

It's a question that has been asked ad nauseam regardless of the sport, but fans love to ponder whether a great amateur team could take down a terrible professional squad. Think back to when Joe Burrow and LSU went undefeated on their march to a National Championship; at the time, people genuinely asked if that college team could take down perennially awful franchises like the Detroit Tigers or Cleveland Browns.

The answer, of course, is no. The talent and physicality it takes to be a pro athlete exist on a different plane than being an amateur or college star. The worst role player in the pros could return to college right now and probably emerge as a Heisman Trophy or Wooden Award candidate.

Because of the chasm that exists between college and MLB -- mostly thanks to all of the levels in the minor leagues -- that question hasn't really spread to baseball. Still, with a few select franchises routinely losing 100+ games per season, someone was bound to wonder if a high-profile squad like the Savannah Bananas could take down a pro team.

Luckily, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins stepped in with the voice of reason:

Maybe we should leave it to the experts on this one.

Hunter Dobbins refutes the idea that Savannah Bananas could beat an MLB team

Look, the Colorado Rockies are a bad team. Like, really bad. They're fresh off a season in which they lost a franchise-record 119 games and hired Paul DePodesta of Moneyball fame to try and turn the ship around.

That being said, the Bananas wouldn't even stand a chance in a regulation baseball game. All of their talents -- while flashy and impressive and great for bringing fans to the ballpark -- pale in comparison to the fundamentals of pro players. Would you pick the Harlem Globetrotters to take down the Sacramento Kings in a basketball game? Of course not.

Now, maybe one day this conversation will be worth revisiting. Former MLB All-Star Jackie Bradley Jr. joined the Banana Ball league last year, and infusing an amateur level with more pro talent (even if they're retired or former pros) could open the door for a one-in-a-million upset.

But, for now, it's probably best to trust Dobbins on this one. A 26-year-old who had to scratch and claw his way to the majors, the right-hander has seen every level of pro baseball over the past few years. He knows the baseline level of talent that exists in the big leagues, which means if he says the Bananas aren't beating the Rockies, then there isn't much room for us to disagree.