A few more notes on the first week of the Merkin Valdez Era:
- The Cardinals fan site Redbird Nation headlines its Valdez post “My Fellow Merkins,” while Only Baseball Matters calls him “Mercury” Merkin Valdez. I can’t wait for the inevitable Lee Greenwood parody, “I’m proud to be a Merkin, for at least I know I’m free.”
- On an alt.sports.baseball.sf-giants thread titled “The Giants Get Their Pubic Wig,” one poster comments that he “can't wait for that promotional give away day,” while another makes the obvious “Merkin on the mound” joke.
- When the Twins traded A.J. Pierzynski to the Giants after last season, they could conceivably have asked for Merkin in return, but instead picked up future All-Star closer Joe Nathan, as well as another Name Hall of Famer, Boof Bonser.
- I just realized- if Valdez ends up becoming a superstar pitcher (and he’s a top prospect, so it’s very possible), he’ll be a household name, and everyone will just assume that the pubic wig is named after him. It’ll put him right up there with Lou Gehrig and Tommy John.
- And finally, I have officially changed the name of my fantasy football team to “The U.S.S. Merkin Valdez.”