28 August 2018

Evaluating the Orioles Player's Weekend Nicknames

Baseball can get dry. By it's nature, it attracts an older audience that can get stuck in the past. Unwritten rules, suppression of individuality, beanball; things are improving in the sport but there remains a large swath of players and fans alike who have no interest in changing their ways.

MLB introduced Player's Weekend in 2017 and continued with it this year. Basically, it's really freakin' cool. The club's wear different uniforms and hats that are meant to reflect a little league look. On the back of those jerseys, rather than a last name, is a nickname. And on the sleeve is a patch dedicated to someone vital to that player's rise to the game's highest level.

On top of that, the guys tend to have customized cleats, that don't necessarily match the team uniform, and other accessories like bats and gloves that are a little more on the "wild side" than you see of typical game days. It's a lot of fun and shines a light onto the person rather than the player. In a sport that often complains about lacking marketable talent, this is an opportunity to show off personalities and connect fans with more than a stat line.

How did the Orioles do as far as showing off their non-baseball side? We talk about it on this week's episode and let's just say that one of us wasn't impressed.

You can subscribe or listen to the podcast on iTunes/Apple PodcastsGoogle PlayStitcherPodbeanTuneIn and a few other places as well. If you are into social media, we can be found on TwitterFacebookInstagram and YouTube. Wherever you go, give us a five-star review or a "Like". It helps us out a ton! Thanks for the support!

No comments: