ST. LOUIS — Max Scherzer might be the best pitcher of our generation.
He's a three-time Cy Young winner, has pitched in two World Series, is on his way to 3,000 strikeouts and will likely end up in Cooperstown when it's all said and done.
Also, you probably know by now he's from St. Louis. A Parkway Central grad to be precise.
While he was in high school, Scherzer wasn't quite the "Mad Max" we know today, but he was still one of the most hyped pitchers in the area.
By our research, there are only five area players lucky enough to own a home run off Scherzer while in high school.
We were able to track down three of them this week, to see what it's like to own bragging rights over a future Hall of Famer.
Brent Lacy - Lafayette
First up, former Lafayette Lancer Brent Lacy.
Lacy's homer off Scherzer came in 2001, Max's sophomore year.
"I don't remember a ton about high school games, but I remember that game," Lacy said. "The first pitch I saw was a low 90's fastball and it was pretty apparent we were in for a battle."
It turns out, Lacy almost had an even cooler story to tell during that game.
"I was a single shy of the cycle in that game," Lacy said. "The shortstop my very first at-bat made an unbelievable play in the hole and dove and threw me out at first and I didn't think much of it at the time other than just disappointment I didn't get a hit, and as the game went along I had a triple, double and a home run after that and just missed a cycle by that single."
Going three for four with a double, triple, home run and four RBIs isn't too bad of a day off Max Scherzer, though.
Lacy said he doesn't bring up the home run to a lot of people, but every once in awhile he'll find himself looking back on that moment.
"Not very often. Select people when I'm having a drink and we're telling funny stories or I'll see [Scherzer] on TV and stuff," Lacy said. "But he was a sophomore in high school. If I did it in the minor leagues or even in college it would've been a little different."
When asked if he would bring it up to his kids when they grow up though, Lacy admitted they'll end up learning about dad's home run at some point.
"Probably. It's gonna come out at some point in time. In high school he wasn't the Max he is now... so I wish I could say I had hit it off 98," Lacy said.
Spencer Thomson - Marquette
Former Marquette Mustang Spencer Thomson is up next. He took Scherzer deep in Max's senior season of 2003.
"It was cold, I remember that," Thomson said. "[Scherzer]'s physically imposing. He threw hard. Plus he had the two different colored eyes, which you do see. It kind of looks a little bit wild and yeah, he was intimidating."
Thomson and the Mustangs had a big game against Scherzer that day, tagging him for six runs in six innings. Thomson had three of those RBIs.
"That was kind of us slaying the dragon," Thomson said. "We weren't expected to win that game."
Thomson, who now is an assistant at Marquette and works for 314 Baseball Training Academy in St. Louis, said he doesn't talk about the homer a lot, but it does come up from time to time.
"I think my dad gets more of a kick out of it than anyone," Thomson said. "My sister just had a baby boy so maybe I'll tell little Thad when he gets old enough. He might get a kick out of that."
Jeff Sargent - Francis Howell
Francis Howell's Jeff Sargent also took Scherzer deep in 2003, and had a huge game as well.
Sargent went three for five with six RBIs in the Howell victory, as the Vikings chased Scherzer after 3 1/3 innings.
Sargent recalls the home run at-bat well.
"I think it was a 3-1 or 3-2 count... I probably shouldn't have swung at all and took the walk, but I ended up hitting a home run to right field," Sargent said.
The former Viking and now current Wright City head football coach also said he doesn't bring up the home run too often, but did make mention of it to his stepdaughter during the World Series.
"I brought it up to my stepdaughter the other night because she really wanted to watch the World Series, and she was just like 'Oh, cool,' so she didn't really think anything of it."