Baseball nicknames just aren’t what they used to be.
As imaginative as abbreviations can be (insert sarcastic font here), referring to Alex Rodriguez as “A-Rod” or Derek Norris as “D-No” has become the standard for hardball monikers. And while there remains a few exceptions to this disappointing rule (the aptly-named “Big Papi” absolutely fits into this demographic), the majority fall far short of the standard set by high-profile stars of seasons past.
Mickey Mantle as the Commerce Comet. Willie Mays as the Say Hey Kid. Ted Williams as the Splendid Splinter. Baseball’s Golden Age of Awe-Inspiring Epithets came early.
White Queso: Enter stage right.
Who’s White Queso, you ask? That would be Wil Myers, the first baseman for the Swingin’ Friars of San Diego. He’s a former top prospect, the 2013 A.L. Rookie of the Year, and the centerpiece of two massive trades in two years. Oh, and he should be the clear-cut favorite to be the San Diego Padres’ lone representative when the organization hosts the MLB All-Star Game this July.
While sacrilegious at times by San Diego standards (his nickname was earned in a spring training radio interview during which he expressed a deep-founded affinity for North Carolinian Mexican food), Myers has nevertheless hit his way into the hearts of locals. On the back of a June that’s making fans swoon and rival front offices drool, he is well on his way to the best season of his young career.
Just how good has he been? For perspective, here’s an anonymous comparison of 2016 stats to date:
Player A: 252 batting average, 15 home runs, 43 RBIs, 43 runs, 8 stolen bases
Player B: .279 batting average, 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, 43 runs, 2 stolen bases
Player C: .308 batting average, 15 home runs, 50 RBIs, 50 runs, 10 stolen bases
Player D: .286 batting average, 17 home runs, 50 RBIs, 49 runs, 10 stolen bases
So who’s who? Well, Player A is reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper, baseball’s Chosen One since high school. Player B is Anthony Rizzo, the Chicago Cub first baseman who currently tops all National Leaguers in All-Star votes. Player C is none other than the man widely regarded as the best player in baseball, Mike Trout.
That leaves Player D: Mr. Myers himself.
By standard measures of offensive production, Myers’ 2016 campaign deserves recognition among the best in the majors. Seeing as how the All-Star vote is based on comparisons made specific by position and league, however, Myers should find himself even more deserving of votes. Among National League first basemen, he is first in runs and steals, second in homers and RBIs, and third in slugging percentage. On the other side of the ball, Myers is also the only first baseman in the league with a positive defensive rating, and routinely makes stops that the late Padres broadcaster Jerry Coleman would have enthusiastically hung a star on.
A two-way star who plays for the hometown team? A starting spot in the All-Star Game certainly seems fitting. And yet, Myers doesn’t even rank in the top five at his position in All-Star game votes. While this is likely due to the small-market team he plays for (the Padres and their 33-44 record don’t do a whole lot to garner national media attention), there is no reason he shouldn’t be garnering more acclaim.
The fact that he isn’t? Almost as blasphemous as his disinterested shrug when offered the Mexican cuisine of America’s Finest City.
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