For those who are like me, and don’t want to spend months planning an outfit that you’ll only wear once, I thought it might be helpful to throw out a few ideas based on one premise: if you’re if you’re going to dress up for Halloween, why not dress up as something you enjoy?
Like baseball prospects! Not just your typical prospects, however, but minor leaguers who fit into the themes of popular Halloween costumes.
Many people enjoy a good scare on the big day and dress up as a monster or a demon. For the obsessive baseball fan, why not dress up as instead a Devil Ray? The most popular character this year is likely to be Elijah Dukes, who was suspended from the Durham Bulls twice this year and is someone who can always be counted on to terrorize his managers and coaching staff. B.J Upton (DUI charge) and Delmon Young (projectile bat sold separately) are also good ideas.
The film Pirates of the Caribbean has inspired a renaissance of pirate-themed Halloween costumes. Why be one of thousands of Jack Sparrows when you could be the only trick-or-treater dressed as Pittsburgh Pirates Captain Wardell Starling?
Currently hurling in the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League for the Honolulu Sharks, Starling, 23, split time between High-A Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona this year and put up a 2.98 ERA and a .228 BAA in 160.1 innings. No one may know about him now, but when he makes the major leagues you can bet all of your baseball fan friends will be coming to you for costume ideas.
Superheroes are Halloween favorites as well, and minor league baseball has plenty of those to choose from. With stilts and several pillows, anyone can dress up as journeyman first base prospect Walter Young (6-foot-5, 315-pounds). And with a pair of rollerblades you can be speedy second base prospect Eric Young Jr. (87 steals in 118 attempts) and collect more candy than anyone else in your neighborhood.
For those looking for lesser-known heroes, there is also ample selection. Reds prospect Brandon Szymanski (191 strikeouts in 482 at-bats) and Mets prospect Corey Ragsdale (182 strikeouts in 437 at-bats) make up the dynamic duo “The Two Caballeros,” a costume set not complete without matching golden sombreros.
Baseball fans don't have an excuse to be costumeless on Halloween. There are plenty of good ideas; all you have to do is be creative. This year I'll be dressed as “Can't Throw a Strike Man,” former first round draft pick Joseph Torres. I'm not sure how many people will be able to recall his 167 walks in his last 98 professional innings, but at least I'll finally have a costume that I'm proud of.
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The Project Prospect Geek Test
There was one player born on Halloween who made his major league debut this year. Who is he?
Last Week's Answer: Greg Reynolds and Scott Beerer who have both advanced to High-A Modesto.
Congratulations to Steve aka Pigdog8 who was the first prospect geek to respond with the correct answer!
Patrick is hoping people will recognize his Joseph Torres costume. To answer the trivia question or to chat about your Halloween costume, email him at theblacktornado@gmail.com.