With the MLB postseason in full swing, we take a look at the 27 most memorable nicknames that baseball has ever seen.
Nicknames have always had a prominent role in sports, and baseball is no exception.
These nicknames can give our favorite players a new persona and namesake from which to recognize them. They also interject emotion and energy into a broadcast, and bring personality to the game that a fan can feel from their living room.
Some nicknames have the ability to fully encapsulate a player’s personality and reflect the way they play the game. Lenny Dykstra, known as “Nails,” is a perfect example of this. He gained a lasting reputation for being hard-nosed, tough and fearless, both on and off the baseball diamond.
Others are whacky, with incredible and often humorous stories to go along with them. “The Human Weather Delay”, “Big Puma” and “Oil Can” are just a few of note that fall into this category.
Some were coined by legendary sportswriters, others came about in the locker room and a few simply do not make any sense.
There are countless factors that can affect a nickname’s place in history. There is the humor aspect, which can give an unknown player his own special place in baseball lore. Sentimental value plays a role as well. Perhaps most important is longevity, and whether or not a nickname can stand the test of time.
With the MLB postseason in full swing, the next all-time great nickname could be just one pitch away.
Here is a look at the 27 greatest nicknames in MLB history.
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