The best player nickname for each MLB franchise
With players wearing nicknames on their jerseys for the Aug. 25-27 Players Weekend, we look back on the greatest nickname in each team's history.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy 'The Big Unit' Johnson
At 6-foot-10, Johnson entered the league in 1988 as the tallest player in MLB history. That season with the Expos, 5-foot-8 Tim Raines walked up to his teammate, gazed at his massive size, and said “You’re a big unit.” The rest is history.
Atlanta Braves: 'Hammerin' Hank Aaron
With 755 career home runs, Aaron could hammer any pitch out of the yard. While the slugger can still claim to be MLB's RBI king, he can’t call himself the original "Hammerin' Hank," as that title is reserved for Hank Greenberg.
Baltimore Orioles: Cal 'Iron Man' Ripken Jr.
When it comes to durability, there's never been anyone better than Ripken. From May 30, 1982 to Sept. 19, 1998, he played 2,632 consecutive games for the Orioles. The almost-superhuman feat awarded him his "Iron Man" nickname.
Boston Red Sox: Bill 'Spaceman' Lee
Lee was certainly not a typical ballplayer. Known for his spacey personality, Lee got his nickname from Red Sox teammate John Kennedy who told reporters that Boston had their "own spaceman" during the 1960s Space Race. Honorable mention goes to Ted "The Splendid Splinter" Williams and David "Big Papi" Ortiz.
Chicago Cubs: Ernie 'Mr. Cub' Banks
There's never been a more beloved Cub than the incomparable Banks. For 19 seasons, Banks roamed the Wrigley infield, making 14 All-Star appearances and capturing two NL MVPs. In 1982, he became the first player in Cubs history to have his number retired.
Chicago White Sox: Frank 'The Big Hurt' Thomas
He bounced between nicknames for a few years, but when White Sox announcer Hark Harrelson yelled "The Big Hurt!" after a Thomas home run, the nickname battle was decided. For 19 years, Thomas put the hurt on opposing pitchers, batting .301 with 521 home runs.
Cincinnati Reds: Pete 'Charlie Hustle' Rose
There was no dilly-dallying for Rose. In 1970, he infamously bulldozed Ray Fosse at the All-Star game in a violent home-plate collision. It shouldn't have been a surprise to Fosse considering Rose got his nickname for his all-out style of play in 1963 when he sprinted down the first-base line after a spring training walk.
Cleveland Indians: 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson
Better known for his alleged part in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, Jackson played six spectacular seasons in Cleveland. With blisters ravaging his feet, Jackson decided to play his 1908 Mill League game shoeless. Nobody seemed to care until a fan yelled out "You shoeless son of a guy, you!"
Colorado Rockies: Andres 'Big Cat' Galarraga
Known for his big smile and cat-like reflexes, Galarraga was a five-time All-Star at first base. Despite being 6-foot-3, 265 lbs, the Venezuelan was a nimble defender, earning him the name "El Grand Gato," or "The Big Cat" in English.
Detroit Tigers: Ty 'The Georgia Peach' Cobb
Despite being one of the most sour players in baseball history, Cobb got his sweet nickname from sportswriter Grantland Rice for his Georgian roots. He could certainly impress with the bat, but it was his hands that got him into trouble when he attacked a handicapped fan in 1912.
Houston Astros: Nolan 'The Ryan Express' Ryan
With a fastball regularly hovering around triple digits, Ryan was a strikeout machine. For helpless batters, his fastball whizzed by like a locomotive. His record of 5,714 career strikeouts will probably never be broken.
Kansas City Royals: Tom "Flash" Gordon
Lacking in the creativity department, Gordon got his nickname for putting up ridiculous strikeout totals early in his career. The 5-foot-10 Gordon made three All-Star appearances, but it's his speedster son, Dee Gordon, who is more worthy of the nickname.
Los Angeles Angels: Vlad 'The Impaler' Guerrero
Named after 15th-century Ottoman prince, Vlad the Impaler (aka Dracula), Guerrero knew how to strike fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers. In six seasons with the Angels, Guerrero hit .319 with 173 home runs and captured the 2004 AL MVP award.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Fernando 'El Toro' Valenzuela
In 1981, Valenzuela burst onto the scene with the Dodgers, winning both NL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year honors. He started the aptly-named "Fernandomania" craze that season, but later adopted the nickname "El Toro" (The Bull) for being a workhorse pitcher.
Miami Marlins: Dontrelle 'D-Train' Willis
Though A.J. Burnett takes credit for coming up with Willis' nickname, it was D-Train's grandmother who gave him the name. "He was steamrolling through the house, chasing the dog, everything," she said. His unorthodox windup led him to two spectacular season in Florida, but his career went off the rails in 2008 with Detroit.
Milwaukee Brewers: Paul 'The Ignitor' Molitor
Few players have been better at sparking late-game rallies than Molitor. Over his 21-year career, he hit .311/.380/.453 in high-leverage situations. However, he wasn't a fan of his misspelled nickname. "It's a terrible nickname," he said. "I never once entered a room and my friends said, 'Hey, it's The Ignitor.'"
Minnesota Twins: Leon Allen 'Goose' Goslin
For 12 seasons, Goslin roamed left field for the Washington Senators (later the Twins) and captured the 1928 AL batting title with a .379 average. He got his name from his unorthodox outfield play that opposing players believed resembled a bird flapping its wings as he chased fly balls.
New York Mets: Bartolo 'Big Sexy' Colon
At 5-foot-11, 285 lbs, and about as wide as he is tall, Colon may not be what most people would consider "sexy." In 2015, the Mets wore "Big Sexy" shirts to the ballpark with Colon's face plastered across the back. He has since filed for the "Big Sexy" trademark.
New York Yankees: George 'Babe' Ruth Jr.
Signed in 1914 by the Baltimore Orioles after impressing then-owner Jack Dunn, teammates began referring to him as "Jack's newest babe." From the Orioles, to Boston, to New York, the nickname stuck as Ruth racked up a then-record 714 home runs.
Oakland Athletics: James 'Catfish' Hunter
According to urban legend, when Hunter was 6, he disappeared down to a creek to fish for catfish. Unfortunately, there's no truth to the rumor. Then-A's owner Charlie Finley just gave Hunter the nickname because he wanted his star pitcher to have a flashy name.
Philadelphia Phillies: Lenny 'Nails' Dykstra
Known for his scrappy, hard-nosed play, Dykstra was the leadoff hitter for the 1986 World Series-winning New York Mets. In eight seasons with the Phillies, he hit .285/.388/.422 and made three All-Star appearances.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Honus 'The Flying Dutchman' Wagner
Though "Honus" wasn't his birth name, Wagner's other nickname came from his German (Deutsch) heritage and a nod to the 19th-century German opera of the same name. His blazing speed added to the nickname, but it was his bat that made Wager one of the greatest players in baseball history.
San Diego Padres: Tony 'Mr. Padre' Gwynn
He's the greatest player in Padres' history, and it isn't even close. Over 20 seasons in San Diego, Gwynn racked up 65 WAR, almost 35 ahead of Dave Winfield in second place. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Gwynn hit .394 in 110 games, the closest anyone has come to hitting .400 since 1941.
San Francisco Giants: Willie 'The Say Hey Kid' Mays
The origin of Mays' nickname is rather underwhelming. In his 1951 rookie season, sportswriter Barney Kremenko gave Mays the name because he "would blurt 'Say who,' 'Say what,' 'Say where,' 'Say hey.'" In the paper, he referred to him as the Say Hey Kid, and it stuck.
Seattle Mariners: Ken 'The Kid' Griffey Jr.
Griffey wasn't the first "The Kid," but when he burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old can't-miss prospect, his swing certainly had shades of Ted Williams. Over 22 years, Griffey made 13 All-Star appearances and, in 2016, was inducted into the Hall of Fame with 99.32 percent of the vote.
St. Louis Cardinals: Stan 'The Man' Musial
Cardinal fans can't claim the origin of "Stan the Man." In 1946, fearing the impending doom he was about to deal their team, New York Dodgers fans began chanting "Here comes the man" when Musial stepped to the plate. Sportswriter Bob Broeg heard the chant and brought it back to St. Louis that year.
Tampa Bay Rays: Fred 'Crime Dog' McGriff
One of the many nicknames created by Chris Berman, "Crime Dog" comes from McGruff the Crime Dog, a 1980s cartoon meant to increase crime awareness. McGriff bounced around throughout his career, but spent five seasons in Tampa, racking up a nine WAR, primarily at first base.
Texas Rangers: Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez
At 5-foot-9, 205 lbs, Rodriguez was a little pudgy during his playing days. He was so short that he tried to literally stretch himself out as a child. Fortunately, his height never hindered with his playing career. Over 21 seasons, he made 14 All-Star games and won the 1999 AL MVP award.
Toronto Blue Jays: Roy 'Doc' Halladay
The two-time Cy Young award winner was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. His nickname came from Blue Jays' radio announcer Tom Cheek, a reference to 19th-century gunslinger Doc Holliday. In 313 games with the Blue Jays, he pitched to a 3.47 ERA in an ultra-competitive AL East.
Washington Nationals: Rusty 'Le Grand Orange' Staub
Like the nickname "Rusty," Staub got his French nickname from his bright red hair. An All-Star with the 1969 expansion Expos, he quickly became a franchise icon and got his nickname from a Montreal woman who yelled "C'est Le Grand Orange!" (It's the big orange!) upon seeing him in a local mall.