For the past 46 summers, the city of San Diego has welcomed a bunch of folks wearing colorful uniforms and performing amazing feats to vanquish opponents. These aren't MLB's All-Stars, though. (Unless, of course, it's Noah Syndergaard dressed as Thor, as he appeared on the streets of New York City.) Each year, more than 100,000 fans dress up as their favorite superheroes for San Diego Comic-Con -- an annual convention of comic book lovers that has grown into a pop culture extravaganza -- to celebrate their favorite comic books, TV shows and movies.
So, in honor of Comic-Con, which returns to the San Diego Convention Center across the street from Petco Park on July 21, we asked some hotshots on the diamond to talk about their favorite comic book heroes and the superpowers they most envy.
Mike Trout, Angels
Favorite Superhero: I love Superman. If I could, I'd fly everywhere.
Ideal Superpower: What's better than flying? You can go wherever you want. Teleporting would be good, too. If you're at dinner but just want to go to bed and lay down, you just go. It'd be great to teleport home to see your family. And then you can fight crime afterward.
Eric Hosmer, Royals
Favorite Superhero: Superman was my guy. He was really the first one I started watching. I always had Superman shirts, and later on, Superman boxers. When you watch cartoons and see people saving the world, you want to do that, too.
Ideal Superpower: I would want to experience the way Mike Trout sees the game and how easy baseball is for him. We all respect how great of a player he is, but to experience the way he goes about the game and the fun he has playing it, that'd be something special.
Tyler Clippard, D-Backs
Favorite Superhero: I like Superman because we all have this innate instinct to want to fly. Plus, he can shoot lasers out of his eyes and can't get damaged by bullets.
Ideal Superpower: I'd love to be able to teleport anywhere on earth instantaneously. I don't know that there would be times I'd teleport away from the mound, but it would be cool to just teleport a ball into the catcher's mitt for a strike.
Chris Stewart, Pirates
Favorite Superhero: I dressed up as Captain America last year, so I'd have to stay with him. I've always liked what he represented: the All-American superhero.
Ideal Superpower: I wish I could be Superman and Captain America. If there could be Super Captain America, that'd be it for me. I want to fly, for some reason. I always have those dreams.
Héctor Santiago, Angels
Favorite Superhero: I was a fan of Superman's powers growing up, like x-ray vision and shooting lasers out of his eyes. And Goku from "Dragon Ball Z" had some great transformations. He was a regular person but every level he'd move up to, he got stronger.
Ideal Superpower: I like the Hulk's powers. You get to be huge and strong, jumping from one place to another. You're bigger, badder and better than everyone. Why not change color too? I'd be Angel red. There's nothing scarier than a huge red guy running around.
Jordy Mercer, Pirates
Favorite Superhero: I'd be Spiderman because he's different -- and he shoots a web.
Ideal Superpower: I'd like to fly and be invisible, but I'd also love to be really fast.
This article appeared in the MLB Official All-Star Game Program. Click here to purchase a copy.