It isn’t even Super Bowl Sunday yet, but baseball has arrived.
    Thursday at Georgia Southern’s Nesmith-Lane Conference Center, Ned Yost and a bunch of former Eagles will speak during GSU’s annual Evening with the All-Stars event.
    Yost, who currently manages the Kansas City Royals, will join one of his pitchers, former GSU Eagle Everett Teaford, along with Victor Roache, Chris Beck and Shawn Payne, who are all currently in the Minor Leagues.
    Roache was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners, even after suffering a season-ending injury to his wrist early in the 2012 season.
    Roache hit an NCAA-leading 30 home runs in 2011.
    “I think it’s always good to have former players up there,” said GSU coach Rodney Hennon. “I know I’ve gotten a lot of questions about Victor and the injury last year, how he’s doing, and he’ll be there to update everyone on how he’s doing, as well as the rest of the guys.”
    Past headliners of the event were former Atlanta Braves John Smoltz and Chipper Jones.
    Jones and Jonathan Broxton, then a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, had one of the more memorable candid moments in 2011.
    “Anybody that knows Jonathan, he’s not a big talker,” Hennon said, “and Chipper kind of played off that.”
    Both players were asked what the scouting report would be on the other guy.
    “I’m not even sure Jonathan was even trying to be funny when he said it,” Hennon added, “but he made the comment, ‘As a kid, watching Chipper…’ and that got a pretty big laugh from the crowd.”
    Hennon is glad for the opportunity to get people talking baseball.
    “You’ve got the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday, and not a lot of people are thinking about baseball,” he said. “There’s some news of some off-season trades and deals going on in the Major Leagues, and the college season is just two weeks from Friday. So this just helps get people thinking about baseball again.”
    Tickets for the event are $75 for adults and $50 for children. Corporate tables can be purchased for $800.
    A silent auction featuring GSU and professional memorabilia will take place at 6:30 p.m. The dinner begins at 7:30 p.m.
    Georgia Southern’s season gets underway at home on Feb. 15 against the Georgia Bulldogs at 6 p.m., in J.I. Clements Stadium.

    Matt Yogus may be reached at (912) 489-9408.