Minor League Moniker Madness

[Mass Haas]

Stosh Wawrzasek is a # 3 seed, Norris Hopper is a # 6 seed, Maverick Lasker a 7, and Zelous Wheeler a 13. Former Brewer Callix Crabbe is a 4 seed.

 

MiLB.com does a pretty terrible job with its seedings, by the way. Al Albuquerque a # 1 seed again? And no Dexter Bobo?

 

Story

 

Brackets / Vote

[Mass Haas]

From Helena's front office:

Stosh Wawrzasek (his REAL name) is up against Beamer Weems (his nickname..how lame) in Round One.

 

I so hate that aspect of the tournament. Agreed.

[DHonks]

MAss, what's funny is that I remember hearing Bob Wickman used to run around MLB clubhouses referring to a certain appendage of his as "Bobo".

 

Is Barzilla in it? I always liked that last name...could be huge in the Japanese leagues

[And That]

The nickname thing is ridiculous. I only vote for real names. And how is Seth Schwindenhammer a 15 seed?

[Mass Haas]

Stosh Wawrzasek is a # 3 seed, Norris Hopper is a # 6 seed, Maverick Lasker a 7, and Zelous Wheeler a 13. Former Brewer Callix Crabbe is a 4 seed.

 

Lasker, Wheeler, and Crabbe advance.

 

Stosh gets upset by a nickname, rendering the entire process useless. Hopper's out, too.

 

LINK -- you can vote to get Maverick, Zelous, and callixinto the Sweet 16 over the next few days.

[Mass Haas]

Maverick and Callix lose to nicknames, but Zelous Wheeler and his given name move on to face veteran Gookie Dawkins (he's still around)?

 

Notice that in Zelous' bracket, the sweet 16 seeds are the 13, 14, 15, and 16. You'll never see that in the NCAA's.

 

So vote Zelous! He's holding the banner of Brewer nation on his own now...

[Mass Haas]

Zelous falls to Gookie Dawkins in another case of nickname over real name -- the Elite Eight is set.

 

Despite the uniqueness of his moniker, 23-year-old shortstop Zelous Wheeler of the Huntsville Stars nonchalantly explains that there's no special story behind it whatsoever.

"My mom liked the way Zelous sounded, that's all it is," said Wheeler, who lost in the third round to Gookie Dawkins. "But growing up people just called me 'Dude.' That was my nickname."

 

Some might be intrigued and a bit confused by such a name as 'Zelous,' but Wheeler's not about to lose any sleep over it.

 

"A lot of people can't say it, or spell it," he said. "That bothers my mom, but it doesn't bother me. It's just my name. I can deal with it."

 

***

 

Cool, dude...