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The Baby Bull

There has been a lot of discussion about an appropriate nickname for Angel Villalona with some folks objecting to the commonly used "Big V."  While I don't share those sentiments, I thought of another possibility.  Take a look at these two pictures:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=c/a/2006/09/26/SPG4MLCNCV1.DTL&o=2

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Field/9257/OCepeda.htm

I think there is a helluva similarity here.  How about bestowing Cha Cha's old nickname on the new kid who looks and plays so much like him?

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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Re: The Baby Bull
I know I've gotten pretty snotty about "Big V" before. I don't actually find it offensive or inappropriate, though I do have a certain associative flair that perhaps says more about myself than it does about the actual nickname. Mostly, I just don't think it's trying very hard, and I'm so fond of the creative, powerful (or degrading) nicknames we have for the rest of our beloved.

That said, I think Baby Bull works very well. I don't see how the kid can't remind anybody of a bull to begin with, it jives with that baby face, and it has the sheer power of history on its side.

In the past I've been a fan of Angel Villalongball, but that's cumbersome to type and I think I'll keep it saved for, oh, 40-70 appropriate times a year during the course of his career (I see what I'm optimistically doing there). It just sounds good, though.

But I like Baby Bull. It's got the thought behind it. It might take a bit of getting used to (heck, took me months to really get used to "The Enchanter"), but you can put me square on the bandwagon.

He is Vengeance. He is the Knight. He is Dave Righetti. PRAY TO HIM!

by howtheyscored on Jan 27, 2008 12:05 AM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
Considering all the comments about his weight, how about the Bashful Bull?

BTW don't listen to the haters. The Bashful Bull isn't the greatest, but it's decent.

Nattowear | comics | Durham? I hardly know 'im!

by Natto on Jan 27, 2008 12:18 AM PST   0 recs

Eh?
"When Jackson Williams thinks of how many times Madison Bumgarner has tried to kill Tyler Walker..."

by multiphasic on Jan 27, 2008 9:48 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I'd be fine with Baby Bull until he actually does mash 40 homers and swipe 40 bases.  Then I'd be a little skeptical of the 'baby' part, even if it is just refering to his face.  But for now I'll settle for Baby Bull, but I'd still be open to finding a better nickname, should there be one.  Good idea.

by boonitez on Jan 27, 2008 12:25 AM PST   0 recs

Give me the Full Set of Retreads
Why stop there? I've  given all the following nicknames a lot of deep thought.

Let's name the next tall, powerhitting first baseman "Stretch," the next bad-tempered, crappy hitting shortstop "Boo" and any  Caribbean pitcher who throws strikes "The Dominican Dandy."

Oh, and any guy in the future who hits over 50 home runs in a season -- We're just going to call him "Barry Bonds."

I've got more nicknames in me, but I'm going to rest for a while beause I'm kind of exhasuted after all that effort.

by Moggeee on Jan 27, 2008 12:57 AM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I'm pretty sure that loser Jonathan Broxton already has the nickname "Baby Bull."

by kingofthacove on Jan 27, 2008 2:18 AM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
According to Wikipedia, Broxton's nickname is "The Ox"

by redseal on Jan 27, 2008 2:39 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
Wouldn't that make him "The Baby Baby Bull"?

by English Professor on Jan 27, 2008 2:57 AM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
How about just "the calf."
Fool me seven times, shame on you. Fool me eight or more times, shame on me.

by Bhaakon on Jan 27, 2008 3:26 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
+1
there is no pain greater than being behind the Rockies in the standings

by oldjacket on Jan 27, 2008 9:07 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I don't think Villalona has earned a nickname yet.

Let's face it.  In less than a year, there were more than a few good nicknames for Lincecum derived by those of us here.  I was particularly fond of 'Tim The Enchanter.'

But ultimately, the nickname almost everyone knows him by is one we never mentioned: 'Franchise.'

Angel's nickname will come in time, and it'll come naturally.  Offseason diaries won't change much in that regard.

SFDugout.com is BACK! Top 50 Prospects is starting...but, why are there two #50's?

by BruteSentiment on Jan 27, 2008 3:36 AM PST   0 recs

The Franchise
It's pretty obvious Brian Sabean doesn't call Tim Lincecum "The Franchise" since he darn near traded him to Toronto for Alex Rios.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 27, 2008 2:22 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Response
Thanks for all the feedback.  I was mostly trying to share my thought that there is a striking resemblance in the pics of a young Cepeda and Angel Villalona.  Just thought it might make everybody feel a little bit better.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 27, 2008 8:32 AM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
Wingless
Idolizing the Nuschler Face since April 8, 1986 / GIANTSPACE returns!

by SoFa King Mike on Jan 27, 2008 9:43 AM PST   0 recs

Wingless
OK, I guess I'll go back to Big V.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 27, 2008 9:52 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Gynecology
Big V is bordering on "Big Vagina" imo.

Well, I'll hold out on the nicknames until he hits at Mays Field then.

Idolizing the Nuschler Face since April 8, 1986 / GIANTSPACE returns!

by SoFa King Mike on Jan 27, 2008 11:27 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Español
How about a different variation of Baby Bull:

El Toro Niño

Or just call him Toro. Feel free to bring your orange capes come game time.

Idolizing the Nuschler Face since April 8, 1986 / GIANTSPACE returns!

by SoFa King Mike on Jan 27, 2008 11:34 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Gynecology
To each his own.  It certainly doesn't conjure up that kind of image for me.  To me, it's just V, like Jimmy V for Jim Valvano.  Unimaginative?  Maybe.  Not prurient, at least in my mind.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 27, 2008 2:24 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Gynecology
It's like saying everything attached to the letter V represents "vagina." That scifi miniseries V? Vanadium, the element that is represented by V on the periodic table? V the guy from the comic book and film V for Vendetta? Do they automatically conjure up vagina?

Here's one for you: I learned that one of Eugenio Velez's nicknames is VC, from one of his last names Vancomper. Now shall we assume Eugenio's nickname relates to female genitalia and oh, I dunno, vitamin C? Or whatever else you can come up with that relates to the letter C.

All this fuss over the nickname is dumb.

Democracy is lovely but baseball is more mature. BVCE supports Manny Burriss and SF Dugout.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 27, 2008 3:31 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Vancomper?
I immediately thought of Viet Cong. But then, I was once Robert Macnamara'd into submission. I think.
"I think I'd trust Amy Winehouse to guard my bag of coke before I'd trust Sabes to build my offense." -Dan Szymborski, Baseball Think Factory

by Lyle on Jan 29, 2008 2:11 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
Baby Bull sounds good to me. Good eye, DrB.
"I think I'd trust Amy Winehouse to guard my bag of coke before I'd trust Sabes to build my offense." -Dan Szymborski, Baseball Think Factory

by Lyle on Jan 27, 2008 11:57 AM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
While I do agree that Cepeda and Villalona look very similar from what I recall nicknames for players usually come from two different sources.
  • Baseball people including players, managers, coaches, scouts, broadcasters, sports writers
  • Family, childhood friends, classmates
Wasn't it Steve Kline who gave Lincecum the nickname "franchise"?

My point is we'll have to wait to find out what nickname Villalona's will be given.

by Cainer on Jan 27, 2008 12:34 PM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
Sure, regular nicknames come from those places.

But OUR nicknames don't. I can't remember the last time somebody here called Tim Lincecum "The Franchise" (generally regarded as "lame"), whereas he is regularly called "The Enchanter" on these boards for no such reason that has to do with his family, friends, coworkers, or media. So much so that it even came up in an interview that he had (was that a TV or radio interview? I remember he seemed confused by it).

He is Vengeance. He is the Knight. He is Dave Righetti. PRAY TO HIM!

by howtheyscored on Jan 27, 2008 1:21 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I remember hearing that Lincecum likes the nickname "seabiscuit" which was given to him in college.

by Cainer on Jan 27, 2008 1:56 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
If you watch Scrubs, there's a reference to "seabiscuit" used as a euphemism for vagina. OMG VAGINA PEOPLE WE CAN'T HAVE OUR BALLPLAYERS NAMED AFTER GENITALS
Democracy is lovely but baseball is more mature. BVCE supports Manny Burriss and SF Dugout.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 27, 2008 3:32 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I'm beginning to think that I never should have started this who vagina thing....

For me, anyway, it was never about vagina. That was just me being offhand. The same way I sometimes would quote Serenity when Zito was called "The Albatross." They are just nicknames I don't care for. They're very blah to me. Vagina has nothing to do with it, except as a throwaway line that made me laugh a couple times.

Frankly, it doesn't matter what I think. People are going to call him what they call him and I'll call him what I call him, and the worst I can do is be snide if I don't like it. And I can only be snide for so long before I get sick of myself.

He is Vengeance. He is the Knight. He is Dave Righetti. PRAY TO HIM!

by howtheyscored on Jan 27, 2008 4:26 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I just find the whole fuss silly. :)
Democracy is lovely but baseball is more mature. BVCE supports Manny Burriss and SF Dugout.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jan 27, 2008 4:36 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
It certainly has become more of a fuss than I ever thought it would.
He is Vengeance. He is the Knight. He is Dave Righetti. PRAY TO HIM!

by howtheyscored on Jan 27, 2008 4:39 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
Dick Pole?
Nattowear | comics | Durham? I hardly know 'im!

by Natto on Jan 27, 2008 5:09 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
The Vagina Monicles
NL West TempestTeapot...the AL doesn't care WHO you sign.

by victor frankenstein on Jan 29, 2008 11:31 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I'm going with Angel Baby for now. Hoping he graduates to the Holy Bopper.

by NearestNorwich on Jan 27, 2008 1:18 PM PST   0 recs

Perucho Cepeda was The Bull
Orlando Cepeda's nickname was The Baby Bull (his father Perucho was The Bull) so that nickname should not be bestowed on another SF Giant.

by wilriv21 on Jan 27, 2008 4:27 PM PST   0 recs

Re: Perucho Cepeda was The Bull
That's quite alright with me.  Again, I was mostly wanting to post the pics to call attention to what I think is an uncanny physical resemblance.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 27, 2008 5:07 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
How about we just call him No Bull?  If one thinks about it, that pronounciation has two meanings to it -- a third of one considers that Angel actually isn't the Baby Bull (Peruchin).  Orlando was the Baby Bull (Peruchin) because his father was known at the Bull (Perucho).

by sharksrog on Jan 27, 2008 6:48 PM PST   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I see Jerome Williams without the puka shells.

by drysdalecousin on Jan 27, 2008 9:25 PM PST   0 recs

Dodger Fan
Thanks for the input.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 27, 2008 10:12 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Re: The Baby Bull
I saw Livan Hernandez.
NL West TempestTeapot...the AL doesn't care WHO you sign.

by victor frankenstein on Jan 29, 2008 11:32 PM PST   0 recs

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