There’s a lot I don’t understand about modern big leaguers versus what I grew up watching: more guys thinking they’re prima donnas, the insane reliance on performance enhancing drugs, lack of hustle, blah-blah-blah, I’m getting more nostalgic with every passing year, so on and on and on.
However, all those pale compared to too many players’ shifts from clipping one’s socks so elastic could raise them further up the calf, to wearing their pant-bottoms like pajamas. Manny Ramirez, I’m looking square at you. Rephrase: Manny, I’m looking square at pre-suspension you and remembering what you looked like when in a uniform. Please pardon me while pause for a brief schaudenfreude moment …
OK, I’m back, and with an even larger smile on my face after seeing the below at Paul Lukas’ ESPN Page 2 story this morning. Stirrups love, kids: It’s fantastic!!!
STIRRUPS ON THE RISE
Don’t look now — or better yet, look very closely, because there’s an old-school revival brewing on MLB diamonds this season. It can be found on an increasing number of players’ lower legs, where more and more big leaguers are choosing to wear that long-lost accessory: the humble stirrup.The titular leader of this latest crop of hosiery heroes is A’s pitcher Josh Outman, whose green stirrups are nicely accented by Oakland’s gold sanitaries (and who threw six scoreless innings Tuesday night, incidentally). But he’s just the face — or, if you prefer, the shin — of this uprising. Look deeper and you’ll find several signs of a trend in the making:
• New members of Stirrup Nation this year have run the gamut from rookies like Outman and Luke Hochevar to established stars like David Wright — an impressive range of class diversity.
• There was a rare stirrups vs. stirrups matchup last week, as Corky Miller faced Jeremy Sowers.
• Even the steroid news has favored stirrups, as Manny Ramirez’s suspension has meant more playing time for Juan Pierre.
• And you know something’s up when an article about stirrups appears in the Wall Street Journal, of all places.
Toss in established hosiery heroes like Jamie Moyer, Nyjer Morgan, Jamie Walker, A.J. Dickey, Brendan Ryan and Reed Johnson, and you’ve got the foundation for a return to baseball basics.
The future looks bright too, with stirrups superstar Corey Wimberly waiting in the minors, and lots of college programs like Florida State enforcing stirrups-inclusive dress codes. Of course, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but don’t worry, we’ll get that stirrups clause written into the next collective bargaining agreement yet.
I now await the inevitable flood of Manny-related photos.
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First!
The pants always bothered me too, Eric.
Yeah, the guy quit on his team, faked injuries, threw an old man to the ground, and used PEDs. None of that incurs my wrath as much as those pants.
And the pine tar on the helmets—come on! Show a little pride, Red Sox!
His pants were just as bad with the Dodgers, though:
The pants are most obvious when he’s in motion—you can see how far down below the heels of his shoes they fall.
I’ve been trying my best, though, and I can’t seem to find a picture of Manny running.
Ha! I think we’ll sooner find a photo of Mr. Mojo tokin’ a doob with the Loch Ness Monster than Manny running.
One thing I must admit I like about the pajamas-bottom style happens when I umpire. Due to the optical illusion, calling a lot more low strikes than I would if kids embraced old school. Strikes = outs = an umpire’s friends.
Half the fun of playing Little League in the 70′s was the stirrup pants over super tall socks with big, wide stripes in your team’s colors! One year I was on the Orioles, which I thought was cool because of the wacky bird on the hat and the orange striped socks. Then, when we got further into the season and the sun got hotter I realized wearing a black hat while parked in Center Field was not much fun. When a ball was hit near me the first thing I’d do as I took off running towards it was make sure my mitt “accidentally” knocked the brim of my cap so it would fall off as I continued running.
Amen, Inigo. Little League Orioles, also fantastic…
I used to love Manny. I overlooked the ‘hood fit of his clothes externally, but internally, I was like, “What a slob.” If I want to watch The Pajama Game, I’ll throw in the Doris Day movie.