Kansas City Royals: Ranking the Best ‘Players Weekend’ Jersey Nicknames

Best Avoidance of “Name” Nickname

El Niño — Salvador Perez

It would have been easy for Salvador Perez and Eric Hosmer to follow the trend of several aforementioned teammates and stick with their name-inspired nickname.

But thankfully they went with their more common “in-house” nicknames. Both have Latin-inspired names around the clubhouse with Perez’s “El Niño” edging out Hosmer’s “Papo” for this award.

Personally, I would have loved to seen Perez go with “Salvy Splash” and Hosmer go with “Wizard of Hoz.”

According to MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, part of the special jerseys will be dedicated to the journey the players have taken to reach this point in their careers.

Given that information, it’s fitting that both went with nicknames earned while establishing themselves as two of baseball’s brightest stars.

Here’s hoping Perez is able to wear his “El Niño” jersey behind the plate and not just in the dugout.

And here’s also hoping that the Kansas City Royals are even still in the postseason hunt that weekend.

Best (Accidental?) Nickname Combination

Sledge and Hammer — Peter Moylan and Jason Hammel

I have yet to see any article on the Players Weekend jerseys that mentions that these two were coordinated, and that might make me love this combination even more.

I mean look how great they look next to each other.

The two are solid (and fitting) on their own.

Sledge is apparently an Australian slang term for trash talking. That’s awesome in its own right. But it also lends its name to Moylan’s famous Sledge-iatto. (Chronicled here by the Kansas City Star’s Rustin Dodd.)

Hammel’s obviously is more of a play on his name, but it’s pretty sweet by itself.

Together, though, they are incredible. Whether or not they were planned.

Best New Guy Nickname

Maurer Power — Brandon Maurer

The Kansas City Royals brought in three players at the trade deadline not named Brandon Maurer.

According to the Kansas City Star’s Maria Torres, those three chose the following nicknames:

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• Book — Ryan Buchter
• Melkman — Melky Cabrera
• Big Trev — Trevor Cahill

I have always loved “Melkman” as a nickname for Cabrera. The only thing better is when people dress up as actual milkmen for games.

But Maurer gets the nod here, because we’ve already had a full season in 2011 of the Melk Man thing.

When it comes to nicknames, alliteration is absolutely amazing, as is the ability to rhyme. So, with a tinge of recency bias (and because Buchter didn’t steer into the skid and use Butcher), the award goes to Maurer Power.

Yeah, that holds up.

Best Movie Reference Nickname

The Don — Drew Butera

A confirmed reason for this choice was not readily available at the time this was written.

Multiple articles mentioned Butera’s choice, but none included a quote from the catcher. Maybe the reporters were too afraid to ask?

It could be based on Butera’s Italian heritage. (He played for Italy in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.) It could be that he loves The Godfather.

Or both.

It helps Butera’s case that his Italian heritage and the massive popularity of The Godfather sync up to create one of the coolest nameplates.

It also helps that none of the other nicknames that have been reported fall into this category.

Uncontested wins are still wins.

(Note: Drew, if you are reading this, I am in no way implying your family is—or ever was—involved with the mob. Please don’t ice me! I have a family!)

Best Viral Moment Nickname

Bear — Danny Duffy

According to the Kansas City Star’s Pete Grathoff, Duffy says this nickname actually came from his mother when he was younger.

That may be true, but the name is utter perfection for those who fondly remember Duffy’s interview with FSKC’s Joel Goldberg after the Kansas City Royals clinched the American League Central Division in 2015.

If you didn’t watch the video (and I don’t know why you wouldn’t), Goldberg asks Duffy what he is wearing.

“A bear suit, wearing a bear suit, Joel,” Duffy responds.

In the lexicon of Kansas City Royals fans, though, the phrase was changed a bit to “It’s a bear suit, Joel.”

The moment, which came during a historic day for the franchise, inspired T-shirts and even a tattoo.

One would assume that the childhood nickname led to Duffy possessing (either as a gift or his own purchase) a bear suit to be worn for such an occasion.

Next: Meet Rising Royal Jake Newberry

Even if the two are unrelated, Kansas City Royals fans will assuredly reflect on that spectacular 2015 season when they see Duffy in his new “Bear” suit.