MLB: Ranking the Best Names for Each National League Team

Trade deadlines and separating the sellers from the buyers are all crucial parts of mid-July for serious baseball fans.

I'm no different, but must warn you: I interrupt such considerations to bring you a list of the best (dare I say coolest?) names for each team in Major League Baseball.

What follows is the National League edition, and should spark even more debate than another very good question: Are the Minnesota Twins buyers or sellers?

In compiling this list, there are no stats to draw upon, just a subjective analysis of who has the best name on each team's current active roster.

In the case of a mythical tie, I did favor the better player, which is also a subjective choice. At the same time, I tried not to be swayed by a player's stats, Hall of Fame likelihood or apparent potential.

I did try to imagine a favorite announcer, such as the late, great Harry Kalas or the ageless Vin Scully enunciating each selected name.

Some players were chosen because of how ironic or fitting their name is, and others were selected simply for alliteration.  I used the names as listed on the active rosters for each team on their MLB.com websites. No nicknames were used, unless that was how they were listed.

So much for the methodology behind this show.

As always, please enjoy and also feel free to weigh in with your own opinions. 

The teams are listed alphabetically by city name, and baseball fans should recognize the "mystery" player pictured above. Did he make the cut?

Arizona Diamondbacks: Yhency Brazoban

Arizona does not throw too many great names at you, so I went with this portly Dominican reliever as my first choice.

Left-handed starter Zack Duke is quick and to the point, and catcher Miguel Montero almost made it—he is a good young receiver and his name is quite alliterative.

In the end, I just envisioned a sound byte of the late, great Phillies' broadcaster Harry Kalas elongating the last syllable of "Yhency Brazo-bannnnnnn."

Of course, everything sounded great when Harry said it.

Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman

Young first baseman Freddie Freeman appears to be celebrating his victory a little too exuberantly here, but I didn't penalize him for it.

The Braves certainly offer more unusual names, but I favored the simplicity of Freddie Freeman over some other worthy candidates.

Pitcher Brandon Beachy came close, but I'll take a free man over a "beachy."  On second thought...

Cy Young candidate Jair Jurrjens is too hard to pronounce and spell.

Wilkin Ramirez almost got it based on his unique first name, and Julio Lugo is a pleasure to say out loud, if you have an excuse to.

Reliever Jonny Venters almost stole it; he has just a classic name with the added bonus of an unusual spelling of his first name.

Chicago Cubs: Geovany Soto

The Cubbies have underperformed on the field this year, but they flat-out have some great names.

I don't quite know what to make of Kosuke Fukodome; if he were American, his last name would sound like a stadium. Welcome to the Kosuke Fuko Dome.

Rodrigo Lopez is a very cool name, and almost took the prize.

Then there's new All-Star Starlin Castro, already a Castro and soon to be a star.

Darwin Barney could be a long-established law firm or investment house.

In the final analysis, Geovany Soto just sounded right. He's a pretty good catcher, even if he hasn't lived up to his billing and great name.

Cincinnati Reds: Homer Bailey

Homer Bailey is not the most colorful of names, but it just seems either fitting or ironic for a MLB pitcher. Maybe both.

In the end, I chose Bailey ahead of fellow pitchers Aroldis Chapman, Sam LeCure, Dontrelle Willis (he's back) and the aptly quirky Bronson Arroyo.

The Reds' outfield has great All-American names like Jay Bruce, Johnny Gomes and Drew Stubbs.

Their best player has a cool name, Joey Votto.

But I just couldn't resist a pitcher who has given up eight homers in nine starts (and 55.1 innings) this year.

So congrats, Homer Bailey. Please send regards to your brother, Gopherball.

Colorado Rockies: Troy Tulowitzki

Much as I'd like to think otherwise, I may have been swayed just a little by the star power and unlimited potential of the Rockies' great all-around shortstop.

Tulo undeniably has the best name of all of the non-pitchers on Colorado's active roster, and I had trouble deciding from among pitchers Rafael Betancourt, Jhoulys Chacin, Huston Street and Ubaldo Jimenez.

There's just something about Troy Tulowitzki, though. It's catchy and alliterative enough, but it's also a big name, which befits this cannon-armed, power-hitting shortstop.

Florida Marlins: Emilio Bonafacio

Looking at the picture, a question comes to mind.

Why is Emilio Bonafacio giving the safe sign when it looks like he beat the throw by about 25 feet?

Is he excited to have been chosen for this list?

He did beat out Hanley Ramirez (I couldn't go with two star shortstops in a row, could I?), Omar Infante, Javier Sanchez and Burke Badenhop.

Emilio is obviously thrilled at beating out Burke Badenhop.

Houston Astros: Sergio Escalona

First of all, I can't decide whether I like the name Hunter Pence. He's a terrific player, but that's mostly besides the point.

The Astros' representative (and each team needs one) came down to the Rodriguez Brothers—Aneury, Fernando and Wandy.

They have another pitcher named Enerio Del Rosario, but his name does not roll off the tongue. It kind of rolls off the keyboard, actually.

Journeyman catcher Humberto Quintero would be a wonderful addition to anyone's roster (and we share a birthday, if not the same year), but my favorite is Sergio Escalona.

The Phillies got rid of him, apparently because it would not be fair to carry a lefty reliever with that great of a name when they already have Antonio Bastardo.

LA Dodgers: Rubby De La Rosa

Rubby De La Rosa. Does that name rub you the right way?

The 22-year-old righty has been toeing the rubber pretty successfully for the Dodgers, and has rubbed out 44 batters in 45.2 innings. Not bad.

To make this list, he had to beat out better-known pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda as well as utility outfielder Eugenio Velez.

Milwaukee Brewers: Takashi Saito

Prince Fielder is no prince as a fielder, but he is one of baseball's kings as a hitter.

Yuniesky Betancourt has a unique name, but it doesn't thrill me.

Marco Estrada is solid, Ryan Braun's name gets the job done, and Rickie Weeks sounds like a ballplayer.

This ended up being a two-name race between Yovani Gallardo and Takashi Saito, and the latter won on a coin flip.

NY Mets: Lucas Duda

Since first hearing of Lucas Duda, I thought he had one of the best names in baseball. I still do.

As I once wrote here, many thousands of dudes have played in the majors, but there has only been one Duda.

Pedro Beato, Dillon Gee, Ryoto Igarashi and (the oxymoronic sounding) Angel Pagan all gave it a shot, but I went with the Duda.

Philadelphia Phillies: Antonio Bastardo

The Phillies have a great pitching staff, are perennial contenders (since 2007, anyway) for the world championship and have shrugged off a boatload of injuries to still claim MLB's best record.

Great names on their roster? Not so much.

They are presently handicapped, with Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco not yet off the disabled list.

But would these two All-Stars have beaten out Antonio Bastardo, who is pitching the kind of lights-out ball that may make him a household name?

Doubtful—Bastardo takes the prize.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Pedro Ciriaco

True MLB fans are enjoying this (apparent) turnaround season in Pittsburgh. A once-proud franchise has seemed to have become a respectable once again, and they play in a beautiful home park.

The Pirates, like their more famous cross-Pennsylvania rival, do not have a roster full of colorful names.

Lyle Overbay is a solid, veteran appellation and Xavier Paul brings a little something to the table.

The best name came down to two somewhat obscure shortstops, Pedro Ciriaco and Chase d'Arnaud.

It was hard to choose a Pennsylvanian (by way of California) middle infielder named Chase who isn't Chase Utley, so I went with Mr. Ciriaco.

St. Louis Cardinals: Yadier Molina

The Cards have some fine players, but picking a best name from their active roster was not easy.

My choice was their All-Star catcher, Yadier Molina.

Other candidates included: Jon Jay (six total letters), Raul Valdes (a pleasing name), Skip Schumaker (almost won) and Tony Cruz, but Molina won on the strength of a very unique given name.

San Diego Padres: Ernesto Frieri

Part of me wanted to select Mat Latos. Last year, in a Phils-Padres game recap, I mentioned that the Phils offense looked Latos-intolerant against the big righty.

That consideration aside, Latos has not pitched all that well since my quip and he did not get my vote as best name on the Padres' roster.

I did consider Cameron Maybin, Alberto Gonzalez and Aaron Harang (can't decide whether I like his name, actually), but went with a 26-year-old reliever named Ernesto Frieri. The Colombian pitcher actually turns 26 today, so double congrats to him.

San Francisco Giants: Eli Whiteside

Eli Whiteside is not the catcher Buster Posey is, and his name may not even be quite as good, but he got my nod for the defending World Champions.

The Giants have a pitching staff that includes Ramon Ramirez, Madison Bumgarner, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla.

Aaron Rowand, Aubrey Huff and Pablo Sandoval add colorful names to their position players, but when I went through their roster, I just liked the sound of Eli Whiteside.

Rational minds may differ here.

Washington Nationals: Danny Espinosa

The Nats also throw a lot of good names out there, but lack that one killer name.

For irony, there's Jayson Werth, who has been anything but worth his huge contract so far.

Tyler Clippard and Livan Hernandez add name value to the pitching staff, and Jesus Flores and Wilson Ramos offer terrific baseball names from behind the dish.

Veteran pinch-hitter Matt Stairs' name sounds incomplete: Matt "Stairs" at who?

Roger Bernadina almost sneaked in, and I don't know what to do with "Laynce", so I "Nixed" him...sorry, it's getting late.

In the final analysis, I went with the Nats' promising young second baseman, Danny Espinosa.

Espinosa will now take his place on a squad with 15 of the other best names in the National League.

I hope you enjoyed this stroll through the NL rosters; please vent your pleasure, displeasure and other nominees below.