MLB MVP front-runners at the midway point of the season
SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale breaks down the favorites to win the MLB MVP awards and the halfway points of the season.
USA TODAY
The Rally Monkey has been a fixture at Angels Stadium since 2000.
But it wasn’t until the Los Angeles Angels’ 2002 championship run that it became a popular tradition that players and fans rallied around during games. And while the Rally Monkey is still visible at the Big A, players on the Angels have started a new tradition using a cowboy hat to celebrate a home run.
The Angels aren’t the only club that celebrates in grand style after a big play or home run. Many other major league teams have gotten into the act.
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Here are some of the best team celebrations from around the league:
Atlanta Braves: Sword Slice
Atlanta has gone from the popular (albeit controversial) Tomahawk chop to the sword slice. It started last July when outfielder Guillermo Heredia ran around the field with two pink plastic swords after a walk-off RBI single by pitcher Max Fried. The celebration has now evolved to an arm swing that imitates a sword slicing the air.
MilwauBrewers: Infinity gauntlet
Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same once a Brewer hits a home run. During this dugout celebration, the Brewer who homered gets to wear the infinity gauntlet worn by the mad titan Thanos in the movies “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” and ring the home run bell.
Toronto Blue Jays: Home Run Jacket
The Masters’ green jacket may have a rival. The players invented a blue home run jacket. Slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the first to wear the home run jacket last season when he blasted a pitch. Players are granted the fashion item only when a player hits a homer. It has the team logo on the back and surrounding the logo are the names of all the countries represented by the players, coaches and the support team.
Los Angeles Angels: Cowboy Hat
The Angels turned the clock back with a 20-year celebration from their glory days. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani smashed his first career grand slam in a game versus the Tampa Bay Rays and received a Cowboy hat from his teammates when he returned to the dugout. The hat was a giveaway commemorating Game 7 of the 2002 World Series when outfielder Tim Salmon hoisted a Cowboy hat to the sky to honor former team owner Gene Autry.
Baltimore Orioles: O’s chain
Home fans can affect a team. They can root for them in the stands. Or they can inspire the team’s latest home run tradition. An Orioles fan known as Mr. Fired Up Guy sported a large orange chain with the team’s logo that reached the clubhouse one game.
San Diego Padres: Dugout polaroids
The Padres’ most recent home run celebration comes courtesy of pitcher Joe Musgrove – and, partially, Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna. According to MLB.com, Musgrove was inspired by Ozuna mimicking taking selfies during a home run trot, electing to one-up him by buying an actual Polaroid camera.
Boston Red Sox: Laundry cart ride
The Red Sox (48-45) may not be in the middle of a great season, but they still have found ways to have fun with a laundry cart. The joy-ride idea originated from backup catcher Kevin Plawecki and coach Jason Varitek, who pondered one series why there was a cart in the dugout at the end of last season. One thing led to another and catcher Christian Vázquez was the first to give it a spin.
Detroit Tigers: Macho Man belt
How do you try and inspire confidence in a struggling young team? By invoking the Macho Man himself, of course. Former Tigers reliever Derek Holland bought the belt-and-glasses combo last year to hand out as a post-game player of the game trophy, but the props resurfaced this year as the Tigers’ go-to prop for home run celebrations.
