Top 10 Nicknames From 2014 World Series Players
World Series 2014 Game 7 is airing tomorrow night , besides enjoying the last game of MLB season, you might also get interested in the top 10 nicknames from players who take part in the world series. Check it out!
No. 10: "Tiny" – Tim Collins, Pitcher, Royals
A classic usually reserved for people that aren't actually tiny at all, in this instance, it’s literal. Collins stands 5 feet 7 tall, which is rather short for a pitcher, but that didn’t stop him from making it to the majors.
No. 9: "The Beast" – Mike Morse, Outfielder, Giants
While this lacks originality, Morse’s nickname stems from his time in Washington with the Nationals. He had his best year as a pro while in our nation’s capital in 2011 when he smacked 31 homers and averaged .303 at the dish.
No. 8: "White Shark" – Gregor Blanco, Outfielder, Giants
There’s a simple explanation for this one. Dating back to days in his native Venezuela, Gregor was dubbed White Shark because blanco means "white" in Spanish, and the team he played for was the Tiburones, which means "Sharks".
No. 7: "Big Game James" – James Shields, Pitcher, Royals
Here’s one that came under fire this postseason as Shields hasn’t pitched all that fantastic in his three 2014 postseason starts — that and the fact that "Big Game James" was originally the legendary Los Angeles Laker James Worthy’s nickname.
Shields will have a chance to revalidate himself as a great big-game pitcher in Game 1 of the World Series (on FOX!).
No. 6: "The Freak" – Tim Lincecum, Pitcher, Giants
While Big Time Timmy Jim hasn’t even pitched yet this postseason — despite the fact that he threw a no-hitter earlier this year — he still makes this list with a superb nickname.
With two Cy Young Awards to his name and two World Series titles, the 5-11 (former) fireballer and long-hair enthusiast is still deserving of the (complimentary?) nickname.
No. 5: "Moose" – Mike Moustakas, Third Baseman, Royals
This one scores lots of points for its ability to be yelled by a crowd. The big third baseman elicits a moose call from the fans at Kauffman Stadium that virtually ensures he’ll never hear boos, as the two sound nearly identical.
No. 4: "Baby Giraffe" – Brandon Belt, First Baseman, Giants
Another great animal-themed name that first took hold in 2011 while Belt tracked balls as an outfielder, Belt’s name was taken to the next level when a real baby giraffe was reciprocally named after Belt.
No. 3: "Kung Fu Panda" – Pablo Sandoval, Third Baseman, Giants
Perhaps the most well-known entry on this list, Sandoval’s nickname has taken on a life of its own.
Sandoval’s major-league debut coincided perfectly with the 2008 release of the movie "Kung Fu Panda", Barry Zito is credited for gifting the nickname to Sandoval in‘08 after he scored a run by jumping over a catcher’s tag at home plate.
No. 2: "Country Breakfast" – Billy Butler, Designated Hitter, Royals
According to one writer, the story of Butler’s nickname is a long one involving an actual Country Breakfast, Coors Light, Twitter and an unusual and spontaneous TV broadcast cutaway.
That may or may not be true, but the name does seem to embody the Royals DH, despite not sounding very flattering.
No. 1: "Captain Underpants" – Hunter Pence, Outfielder, Giants
"Captain Underpants" is actually a children’s book series by Dav Pilkey that looks so awesome I want to read it in its entirety right now.
For our purposes, though, it’s Hunter Pence’s listed nickname.
There is some ambiguity on how he received it, but the story I’d like to believe is that somebody overheard his introduction by an announcer and thought "Hunter Pence" sounded like "Underpants" Which it does! And you can basically add "Captain" to anything to make it sound cooler.
(source:foxsports.com)
