D-backs show off fun uniforms, Bradley said ‘it’s good for baseball’
Aug 25, 2017, 7:30 PM | Updated: 10:02 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt (44) follows through on a single after knocking the glove off of San Francisco Giants catcher Nick Hundley, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Some people love bat flips, stare downs and personalities on the baseball diamond. Others just want the players to play.
It should be no surprise that Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley is the former, who made clear he wears his heart on his sleeve when he jumped off the mound and started yelling with excitement against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this month.
Bradley joined Bickley & Marotta Friday on 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station and said he was looking forward to MLB Players Weekend because they get to show their personality a little more.
“I just think it’s a nice way — obviously we’ve come a long way. Guys are wearing custom cleats almost every night now. Batting gloves and arm bands and all this stuff, I think it’s great,” Bradley said.
“To be able to step outside the norm and kind of show a little flash and guys can truly express themselves in a lot of different ways for the three or four games this weekend, I think it’s good for baseball. I think it’s good for the sport to be able to kind of express yourself and get outside the black and white rules of what we have to abide by sometimes.”
Friday marks the first day of MLB’s inaugural Players Weekend, where guys have more freedom to change up their uniforms.
Each player chose a nickname weeks ago to throw on the back of their jersey that they will wear proudly this weekend.
And. Here. We. Go. #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/UHtzTCJ0xe
— andrew chafin (@BigCountry1739) August 25, 2017
It's time for #playersweekend #bull #bigbear pic.twitter.com/Gqi3XI0xTy
— Zack Godley (@godleyzt) August 26, 2017
Even the nameplates above the lockers have changed for #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/mUy5JlSbyy
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) August 25, 2017
Some weren’t all that creative, like D-backs pitcher Zack Greinke and Cleveland Indians infielder Jose Ramirez, who chose Greinke and Ramirez as their nicknames respectively.
Others had fun with it though, especially Bradley, who had a backstory to his “Hollywood” nickname.
“It’s kind of funny, though a lot of people are a little confused or haven’t heard that before, but I pulled out my Broken Arrow [High School] Letterman jacket today because I remembered I had ‘Hollywood’ put on it and I just had to make sure that was correct,” Bradley said. “So yeah, the Letterman got taken out of the closet today with ‘Hollywood’ on the chest.”
The D-backs play the San Francisco Giants for three games on Players Weekend, where Greinke, Tai-Weezy (Taijuan Walker) and Corby (Patrick Corbin) are set to take the mound.
