Best Players' Weekend cleats: Big Papi, 'The Office,' Nipsey Hussle

7 years ago

MLB

The 2019 Players' Weekend has arrived, and with it comes all the glory of wild monikers, uniforms, and customized cleats.

The following shoes are just a few colorful examples of what major leaguers will be rocking.

Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts is going all-out in a tribute to David Ortiz after a shooting in June left the legendary slugger hospitalized for almost seven weeks:

Mookie's Big Papi #PlayersWeekend cleats are 🔥. pic.twitter.com/OqyiMvrnu2
— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2019

Catcher Christian Vazquez is showing off his spider senses.

#PlayersWeekend senses are tingling!

Bat & spikes property of Vazquez. 🕸 pic.twitter.com/f1n7RfIHXo
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 24, 2019

Betts and Vazquez's Boston teammate Michael Chavis is proving that just because "Game of Thrones" is over doesn't mean its cultural impact isn't felt among players:

Hooked up these @GameOfThrones custom @MizunoBsballNA cleats for @MichaelChavis11 to wear for #PlayersWeekend #GameOfThrones #icehorse #RedSox pic.twitter.com/qI4g5FBejb
— Mike Jordan (@mikejordan_art) August 23, 2019

New York Yankees outfielder Mike Tauchman is also a fan of the show:

Hooked up these @newbalance cleats with a GOT theme for @MTauchman including portrait of his husky, Kota #yankees #PlayersWeekend #gameofthrones pic.twitter.com/GguPyn286Z
— Mike Jordan (@mikejordan_art) August 22, 2019

Left-hander CC Sabathia is clearly a fan of another drama:

You did it again @MACHE275 !!! #peakyblinders to start @MLB #PlayersWeekend 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/49WEgY4PJ1
— CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) August 23, 2019

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. documented the moment he unveiled his kicks:

The moment when @ronaldacunajr24 saw his #PlayersWeekend cleats for the first time. pic.twitter.com/zLFUZUBI98
— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2019

Chicago Cubs left-hander Derek Holland, meanwhile, dedicates a pair of cleats to one of the most popular TV shows of all time and another to one of the most successful superhero films ever made:

Derek Holland’s #theoffice cleats for #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/hxdoVg5Oa7
— Mike Jordan (@mikejordan_art) August 22, 2019

#darkknight themed @UABaseball customs for @Dutch_Oven45 for #playersweekend pic.twitter.com/VtdonVaPSR
— Mike Jordan (@mikejordan_art) August 23, 2019

Fellow Cubs player Kris Bryant channels the streets of Chicago for a great cause:

.@KrisBryant_23 partners with 3 Chicago street artists – AFROKILLA, ELLO, Blake Jones – for Players' Weekend gear. Each artist designed cleats and bat and both will be auctioned off with proceeds going to spinal cord research foundation #WingsForLife.

(📸: @redbull Media House) pic.twitter.com/aXEVmmSEjr
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) August 22, 2019

On the South Side, Chicago White Sox rookie Eloy Jimenez reminds people he's still just 22, despite his massive frame:

@Lamantha21 is rocking these “big baby” themed custom @NB_Baseball cleats for #playersweekend pic.twitter.com/W08wNLvcJp
— Mike Jordan (@mikejordan_art) August 23, 2019

Minnesota Twins reliever Sergio Romo was thinking of his four kids when selecting his footwear.

@Twins reliever Sergio Romo’s spikes for #playersweekend. Four boys, four favorites of his kids. pic.twitter.com/tcCryF5XUT
— Pedro Gomez (@pedrogomezESPN) August 23, 2019

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge got some help from players in the Little League World Series for his design - all of them, in fact:

.@TheJudge44's Players' Weekend cleats are signed by every single player at this year's #LLWS! pic.twitter.com/qXD7Q7ehR2
— Play Ball (@PlayBall) August 22, 2019

Texas Rangers pitcher Shawn Kelly honors two of the most important things in his life - family and whiskey - with this sleek scheme:

Rocking these bad boys tonight for #PlayersWeekend @MLB all the important stuff in life in one photo, ain’t that right @JackDaniels_US #relieversarepeopletoo pic.twitter.com/BikrY7kVfT
— Shawn Kelley (@kelleytime27) August 23, 2019

Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart pays tribute to an animated blockbuster with a design featuring plenty of visual pop:

“My name is Mater. Yeah, like tuh-mater, but without the ‘tuh.’”@Tucker_Barnhart crushed his #PlayersWeekend cleats. pic.twitter.com/oRmWOS3OtO
— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2019

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Tommy Pham shows some love for a slain rapper:

@adidasBaseball Nipsey Hussle tribute customs for @TphamLV #NipseyHussle pic.twitter.com/aAQXtDlE1L
— Mike Jordan (@mikejordan_art) August 23, 2019

Pham wasn't alone. Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Jones also paid tribute to Nipsey Hussle:

All my life, been grindin’ all my life.@SimplyAJ10 pays tribute to the late @NipseyHussle.#PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/XtzAJiWJTj
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 23, 2019

Rays hurler Ryan Yarbrough brought big-time color:

#Rays Yarbrough with some custom cleats as well ... pic.twitter.com/5osHmnjmeW
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 23, 2019

Pittsburgh Pirates starter Trevor Williams has his eyes on the skies with these alien-themed cleats:

* @MeLlamoTrevor has RSVP'd to 'Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us' on September 20, 2019 * pic.twitter.com/ViVDiY0FCD
— Subscribe to Cut4 on YouTube!!!! (@Cut4) August 23, 2019

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler went very bright indeed.