Sal, Scals and The Sheriff weigh in on Players Weekend nicknames
Aug 24, 2018, 5:36 PM
PHOENIX — It’s normal for the Diamondbacks to enter the clubhouse before a game and find their jerseys hanging neatly in a locker stall that has their name displayed in large letters up above.
It is not normal for those jerseys and nameplates to read “The Sheriff,” “Choir Boy,” “Goldy,” or “Hollywood.” Thus is the fun that’s had on Players Weekend, which began Friday as the D-backs hosted the Mariners.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo’s jersey will read Sal, for his given first name, Salvatore.
“It’s … a way for the players to connect to the fans,” Sal said. “I know that baseball’s always done a really good job of trying to find ways to make that happen. This is a really special time for all of us. We expose ourselves a little bit differently and share something with the fans that you might not get to see.”
#PlayersWeekend is nearly upon us. Here's who you'll be seeing at Chase Field the next three games. pic.twitter.com/lZRByEWJOd
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 24, 2018
Players Weekend doesn’t just mean nicknames on jerseys — it also means players can wear cleats that would normally not adhere to MLB policy, and players can write the name of someone to whom they’re thankful on a patch on their jersey that says “THANK YOU.”
“I think it gives guys an opportunity to express themselves in whichever way they choose,” Daniel Descalso, also known as Scals, said. “It’s just kind of a time where you can get a little creative and give the fans a little more insight into who you are as an individual.”
Players may also have unique and eccentric bats.
😎🙏⚾️Players weekend La pica pa mundo ⚾️🙏😎🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪🇻🇪#fogopower pic.twitter.com/hAnfWfe9No
— eduardo jose escobar (@escobarmaracay) August 24, 2018
Scals explained that someone from the Diamondbacks organization will ask players which nickname they want on their jersey. He said players will tell them the nickname that others in the clubhouse call them, and those who don’t have a nickname may come up with one.
When queried on which teammate would wear the worst nickname or the one that reflected a player thinking highly of himself, Descalso looked around and offered an answer.
“Oh, probably Archie [Bradley], with Hollywood,” Scals said. “Nobody ever calls him Hollywood, even though he might be a little Hollywood.”
Hollywood could not immediately be reached for comment to return fire.
One player on the Diamondbacks, Zack Greinke, had a nickname that was more eyebrow-raising than most: “Greinke.”
“That’s just Zack. I don’t know,” Scals said.
“I like Greinke’s [nickname],” Andrew Chafin, a.k.a. The Sheriff, said. “That’s pretty par-for-the-course right there.
“Greinke does whatever he wants and it’s perfectly acceptable. He does things the right way, so he can do what he wants.”
🦄 #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/V3CQ1Z7MKp
— Brad Ziegler (@BradZiegler) August 24, 2018
INJURY UPDATES
Jarrod Dyson (groin) was scheduled to throw, run and hit on Friday and will continue running drills around the diamond. The next step will be to have Dyson run the bases, and a timeline for his return was not clear.
Shelby Miller (elbow inflammation) threw from 100 feet on Friday and “felt good,” according to Lovullo via the team trainer. There was not yet a timeline for Miller to face live hitters.
“He hasn’t spun a breaking ball, he’s just been staying behind the ball and working on some extension,” Lovullo said. “And the fact that he’s pain-free and feeling good is the most important thing right now.”
Lovullo said Miller will need to increase the intensity of his throwing program before getting into a bullpen session to throw his secondary pitches.
