I Was Ready to Give Up

Baseball nicknames have pretty much been lame for the last few years. Sure the Yankees have Joba and A-Rod (A-Rod isn't really that good, it's just short for Alex Rodriguez) and, of course, Moose, short for Mussina.

Look back to the 50's and 60's when the lineup included Moose (had nothing to do with his last name) Yogi (where did that come from?) Scooter, Joltin' Joe, Old Reliable, Whitey, and The Mick. They were managed by Casey. Even the 70's had Goose, Sparky, and Catfish.

What happened?

Sure, today, there are still some good nicknames. The Twins starting pitcher is Boof Bonser. What a great baseball name. You have your Big Papi, and a few Coco's, but not a whole lot of great names.

But compare that to some of the names from the past. Names so well-known, that most fans couldn't give the players real name.
Try these on for size
Satchel Paige
Babe Ruth
Vinegar Bend Mizell
Honus Wagner
Boog Powell
Oil Can Boyd
Casey Stengel

How many can you give the real first name without using Google?

Go Yankees