The Captain's Blog

For some major leaguers, their name is a unique identity, while others are saddled with a moniker so common or mundane that they are compelled to change it. However, from among both groups is a special breed…one who can answer the question, “What’s in a name?”, with the spelling of their own.

Bostonians are hoping Xander Bogaerts’ close association with the Red Sox goes well beyond the spelling of his name. (Photo: USA Today)

Take Xander Bogaerts. Sure, some might be impressed by his extraordinary talent, but what really sets the young Boston short stop apart from his peers are the letters in his name. When Bogaerts made his major league debut, the 20-year old became only the second player in the 113-year history of Red Sox to contain the letters “R-e-d-S-o-x” in his name. Over that span, nearly 1,700 players have suited up for the franchise, but before Bogaerts, only Jennings Poindexter could make this rather unique “claim to name”.

Bogaerts is not alone among active players who share a special link to their team’s name (let’s call them the “I-Team”). Devin Mesoraco (Reds), Shawn Kelley (Yankees), Santiago Casilla (Giants), Daisuke Matsuzaka (Mets), Yunel Escobar (Rays), and Logan Morrison (Marlins) all share the same distinction. However, throughout baseball history, the company is extremely select. According to baseball-reference.com, 18,130 players had participated in the big leagues as of August 30, 2013, but only 315 could use the letters in their name to spell the one emblazoned across their chest.

I-Team: Franchises and Players Sharing the Common Bond of a Name

Note: Data as of August 30, 2013 (see the full list for explanation of the criteria used).
Source: Baseball-reference.com (data) and proprietary

Not surprisingly, the shortest team monikers have yielded the most players whose names could be distilled into the franchise’s identity. Among these “four letter” clubs, the Reds, with 143 qualifiers, or 7.6%, stand head and shoulders above all others, more than doubling the rate compiled by the Rays in their much briefer history. On a per-name basis, the Mets rank as the second most populous team. Since 1962, 26 players have been able to spell “M-e-t-s” with the letters in their name, although it’s worth noting that among the 963 big leaguers to suit up for the franchise, only Tommie Reynolds could boast of being “M-r-M-e-t-s”. Last among the four letter teams, of course, is the Cubs, whose contribution to the I-Team is less than 1% of its all-time roster, and that includes Bill Hutchinson, who played in Chicago when the ballclub was known as the Colts.

There are still six clubs who have never had a player with enough letters in his name to spell the team’s moniker. With 12 letters, the Diamondbacks don’t even come close to having a member of the I-Team, but even if you consider the abbreviated Dbacks, the franchise is still shutout. Among more recent franchises, the Blue Jays  just missed with Yunel Escobar, who couldn’t muster a “j”, while Washington has had four players with the seven distinct letters in “Nationals”, but none with the requisite number of “n’s” and “a’s” to join the club. During its Montreal days, the Washington franchise also had 10 players come within one letter of spelling Expos, including Alex Pacheco, who was at least able to supply the singular form.

Despite each having well over 1,500 players during their long histories, the Cardinals, White Sox, and Athletics have also been shutout of the I-Team, although, but for the grace of one letter, Claudell Washington could have represented the latter two. The former outfielder lacked the necessary “x” to qualify for Chicago and second “t” to fill the bill for the Athletics, leaving each franchise in the lurch. Had Washington been able to seal the deal in each case, he would have joined an even more exclusive fraternity of only eight players who qualified for the I-Team with two franchises.

Two Timers: Multiple Members of the I-Team

Note: Data as of August 30, 2013.
Source: Baseball-reference.com (data) and proprietary

Most remarkable among teams without an I-Team representative is the Cardinals. In 132 seasons covering over 2,000 players, St. Louis has never had a player who could arrange the spelling of his name to match the team. Charlie Swindells, Charlie Hudson, and Bill Richardson came the closest, but neither had the second “a” needed to clear the bar. Even when considering the players who suited up for the team under alternate names like the Brown stockings, Browns, and Perfectos, St. Louis’ National League franchise still falls short of inclusion.

When the Red Sox’ Bogaerts became Boston’s second member of the I-team, it left only three franchises with exactly one representative. The Phillies, who have one of the longest histories in baseball, can thank Pickles Dillhoefer for giving them one players whose name can be distilled to spell the team. Similarly, albeit with much more abbreviated histories, the Mariners and Brewers are also represented by one player. In 2003, Milwaukee finally got off the schneid with Wes Obermueller, while Seattle joined the ranks in 2007 when Charlton Jimerson made his Mariners debut as a pinch runner.

For a complete list of the players and teams who shared common letters in their names, click here. And, the next time someone tells you “there’s no I in team”, be sure to refer them to it.