Blue Jays release dubious slate of 'Players' Weekend' nicknames

Nick Ashbourne
·Writer
Updated
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 24: Ken Giles #51 of the Toronto Blue Jays wears a nickname on the back of his jersey on Players Weekend as he delivers a pitch in the ninth inning during MLB game action against the Philadelphia Phillies at Rogers Centre on August 24, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Ken Giles is persisting with the 'Hundred Miles Giles' nickname. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Theoretically, MLB Players’ Weekend should be a fun opportunity for ballplayers to show off their creativity and forge a deeper connection with fans.

In practice, most of the nicknames selected are either not actually nicknames, deep cuts, or inside jokes fans can’t be expected to understand, or just lame. Once in a while, they are actually good - though those instances are in the minority.

With that in mind, here are your Toronto Blue Jays Players’ Weekend nicknames sorted into the aforementioned categories.

Not Actually Nicknames

Bo Bichette - Bo

Buddy Boshers - Buddy

Derek Fisher - Fisher

Jacob Waguespack - Waguespack

Pretty simple, if it’s your first or last name as it appears on the team’s roster it ain’t a nickname. Special discredit to Fisher and Waguespack because their jersey says the same thing it would normally say, showing the pair have poor instincts for moving merch.

Deep Cuts

Wilmer Font - Fonky

Freddy Galvis - Toco

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - El K

Thomas Pannone - Lil G

At this point it’s hard to judge the quality of these nicknames fairly. However, it seems likely that ‘Lil G’ is on the iffy side.

Just Lame

Cavan Biggio - Biggy

Brandon Drury - B Dru

Sam Gaviglio - Sammy G

Randal Grichuk - Grich

Ken Giles - 100 Miles Giles

Danny Jansen - Jano

Tim Mayza - Mayz

Sean Reid-Foley - SR-F

Justin Shafer - Shaf

Justin Smoak - Moakey

Most of these names are slight extensions on names that don’t move the needle. Biggio’s ‘Biggy’ would be a thousand times better if it were spelled ‘Biggie’, although the fit would be a bit tricky. Giles gets thrown in here because he’s only thrown *one* pitch at 100 mph this season. The guy throws hard, but he doesn’t live up to the nickname.

‘Jano’ might be the best of this questionable lot, because it’s one that actually gets used, but it certainly doesn’t move the needle.

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Actually Good

Brock Stewart - Beef Stew

Reese McGuire - Pieces

Derek Law - Lawdog

Teoscar Hernandez - Mr. Seeds

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - #PinapowerJr.

Trent Thornton - Butters

In this category we’ve got a few creative takes on names and a couple of plays on well-established phenomena - Gurriel Jr.’s hair and Hernandez’s sunflower seed showers. If we’re nitpicking here ‘Seeds’ would have probably been better than ‘Mr. Seeds’, but overall these are solid. Trent Thornton’s ‘Butters’ might go over the heads of folks who don’t like South Park, but it’s a strong self-effacing choice and the fact that nickname has been circulating for him is well-known in Blue Jays circles.

Blue Jays fans don’t know much about Brock Stewart yet, but going for a name like ‘Beef Stew’ is a good way to make an early impact.

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