Happy New Year, everyone! It’s Stacey from Second Place Is Not An Option and this is the first Designated Hotter installment of 2013. Now, since the duty has fallen to me – because people are understandably busy, returning to work after the holidays – I took it upon myself to nominate this week’s candidate.

Here’s the background: I had a thang for A.J. Burnett when he was on the Yankees. I know, he had a rough time during his three seasons in New York but I always felt bad for him and I thought he was nice to look at.

I also realize that is such a girl thing to say and it will probably damage my credibility as a female fan/baseball writer but to be fair, I am also human and can’t help finding players attractive. Though to be honest, I didn’t think much of him until the 2009 playoffs when he shaved his head.

Meow.

Anyway, without further adieu, here’s Mr. Allan James Burnett.

Stacey Gotsulias is the lead writer for Second Place Is Not An Option, the Aerys home of the New York Yankees. You can follow her on Twitter at @StaceGots.

So the Winter Meetings have come to a close and the writers of Aerys Sports figured we’d choose someone whose name was mentioned this week. No, not Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke. Not even Eric Chavez (because he was given this honor already). We chose Ben Revere who was traded from the Minnesota Twins to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Enjoy!

(All photos courtesy of Jen Nevius, lead writer of Aerys’ Royals site, Drinking the Royals Blue-Aid)

He’s already been named a recipient of a 2012 Gold Glove Award. Now, he’s taking home the title Designated Hotter. Congratulations, Matt Wieters.

Let’s take a look at what helped make this prestigious honor possible for Baltimore’s catcher.

All photos are via Keith Allison.

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Matt Wieters”

Tigers starter Doug Fister was the losing pitcher in Game 2 of the World Series but that doesn’t change his status as a Designated Hotter. Fister was hit in the head with a linedrive in last night’s loss to the Giants and was expected to undergo more tests today. Let’s hope Doug doesn’t have any lasting effects from the incident and that he has a chance to get back in action during this World Series. I’m all for a seven game World Series.

Click on a picture to be taken to its source.

Giants fans know him as George Kontos. Or Badonktos. Or Kontass. There’s a reason for that.

I’ve had a bit of an unfair advantage of knowing who this week’s Designated Hotter is because my friend had been telling me how great he was at pitching and how good looking he was when he was still with the Giants’ AAA team, the Fresno Grizzlies. But, the word is out now that he’s with the big league team: George Kontos is one fine looking man.

[All photos by Jen Mac Ramos]

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: George Kontos”

I like to think of Washington’s Jayson Werth as a diamond in the rough. I can see the hotness through his excessive facial hair. Also, that walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th to force Game 5 in the NLDS between the Nationals and the Cardinals didn’t hurt his Designated Hotter odds.

[All photos from Keith Allison.]

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Jayson Werth”

Tonight could be Chipper Jones’ last game as a Major League Baseball player. We’ve known for some time that he’ll retire at the end of this season.

I’m torn about this upcoming NL wild card one-game playoff. I threw myself into Cardinal nation last year after the Rays were eliminated but Chipper, well, his name has been known around my house for a loooonnng time. I can thank Grandma Tyson for that. Grandma’s been a Braves fan for at least my 24 years of life and probably came around to them when the Braves came to Atlanta back in 1966.

So back to Chipper. While I’m not the biggest fan of his current facial hair, he may have been my very first baseball crush. For that, and for the career that the 40 year old has had (all 19 season with the Braves!), I present this week’s Designated Hotter: Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones, Jr.

[All photos are from Keith Allison.]

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Chipper Jones”

We know he’s not a favorite of Boston Red Sox fans after the 2011 season, but with his walk off  hit in game 162, Robert Andino holds a special place in the hearts of Baltimore fans.

Just after the first anniversary of  the night of Game 162, we celebrate Robert Andino. All photos are from Keith Allison’s Flickr account.

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Robert Andino”

Today is a huge day for St. Louis Cardinals fans everywhere: it’s Carp Day. As in Chris Carpenter, the ace who had “season-ending” surgery on July 19 to alleviate a nerve condition that kept him from pitching and, oh yeah, involved removing one of his ribs (which he kept for his daughter) is making his season debut this afternoon at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

To say Cards fans are excited at the return of the team’s leader is an understatement. As soon as I heard the news, I scheduled the day off and bought a ticket so I could drive three hours to be there. I am far from alone in making the trek to Chicago.

With all of that, who else is better suited to be this week’s designated hotter? Because, yes, Chris Carpenter is rather nice to look at as well. Enjoy!

Chris was all smiles during this “jersey off their backs” giveaway this summer. (Photo: Tara Wellman)

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Chris Carpenter”

As you may have picked up by now, I like to get my fellow Aerys Sports writers to help me out when it comes to picking a Designated Hotter. This week’s DH is Carlos Quentin, outfielder for the San Diego Padres. The Padres are under .500 and fourth in the NL West so, as an Aerys MLB writer said of naming Carlos Quentin this week’s Designated Hotter: at least it would be something for the Padres fans.

So here ya go, Padres fans. Sadly, the only picture of Carlos in a San Diego uniform that I could find (and legally use) was his MLB headshot. Sorry about that. The rest of the photos come from Keith Allison, one of my very favorite Flickr users.

Serious works for Carlos.

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Carlos Quentin”