Ask the average baseball fan what they know about Mariners star catcher Cal Raleigh, and they might bring up his playoff-drought-ending walk-off homer from 2022. They might know he won a Platinum Glove last season, or if they're particularly plugged in, that he just hit his 100th career homer on Wednesday. But if we're being honest, there's a strong chance they would know his nickname.
And for good reason. "Big Dumper" is unquestionably one of the best -- maybe the best? -- nicknames in baseball. Though Raleigh wasn't a fan of it at first when then-teammate Jarred Kelenic coined it (then tweeted it), he's now all-in.
Raleigh starred in a "Big Dumper Trucking" commercial for the Mariners (slogan: "We got junk in the trunk!"), the team has had "Big Dumper" jerseys in the team store at T-Mobile Park and even ran a "Big Dumper Era" ticket special. Just last week Seattle had a Raleigh bobblehead giveaway, and let's say it might be the first bobblehead that got more attention for its back than its front.
But there's someone out there who's not on board the Big Dumper train. And it might not shock you that that person is Raleigh's mom, Stephanie. ROOT SPORTS sideline reporter Brad Adam asked her about it during an interview in the stands at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, and she didn't mince words: "It stinks!"
"I'll roll with it," she continued, laughing. "He's accepted it, so I'm good with it, too. I won't say I love it though."
Understandable! But the nickname has taken on a life of its own as Cal's star has risen for very deserving, baseball-related reasons, so even mom can't be too mad: "Go ahead, call him 'Big Dumper.' He's embraced it."