The Greatest Acting Job in the History of All 30 MLB Teams

While baseball players focus first and foremost on playing the game and helping their team win, there are a number of fun perks that come with being a professional athlete as well.

Among the best perks are getting to star in commercials for their various endorsement deals, be it a local ad or a national TV spot. Regardless, it gives the players a chance to step away from the game and try their hand at acting.

For some, they are even given an opportunity to take the next step and appear in TV or on the big screen. So here is a look at the best acting job in the history of each MLB team.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy Johnson

There is little doubt that the most marketable player in Diamondbacks history is Randy Johnson, as he was not only one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, but is also a pretty funny guy.

Even dating back to his days with the Mariners he had some great commercials, but it is this 1998 Nike commercial that earns him a spot on this list for the Diamondbacks.

Aside from commercials, he also appeared in the movie Little Big Leagues back when he was on the Mariners, as well as lending his voice to an episode of The Simpsons, when he helped promote left-handed teddy bears at a left-handers convention that Ned Flanders attends.

Atlanta Braves: Fred McGriff

Not only does Fred McGriff have one of baseball's best nicknames as the "Crime Dog" but he is also featured on one of the longest running commercials in television history.

He was the spokesperson for Tom Emanski Baseball Training videos, and while I was unable to find a clip on YouTube, anyone who has watched ESPN between 1991 and now has most likely seen the spot more than once.

There is nothing quite like the "Crime Dog" himself rocking a pink wrist band and a Baseball World hat and t-shirt while being dubbed a "Baseball Superstar". Truly a legend among sports commercials, and fitting of inclusion on this list.

Baltimore Orioles: Jim Palmer

The 1970s were an era that featured some of the greatest starting pitchers of all time, and at the head of the group was Orioles ace Jim Palmer who won three AL Cy Young Awards in the decade.

He was also the spokesperson for Jockey brand underwear, appearing in both print and commercial ads. That paved the way for a number of spokesman jobs later on down the line, as he has appeared in commercials for the Money Store, Nationwide Motors Corp., and various nutrition products.

Aside from his commercial work, Palmer also appeared in the Leslie Nielsen movie The Naked Gun as a baseball announcer back in 1988.

Boston Red Sox: Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon

While Fever Pitch will never go down as one of the greatest sports movies of all time, it was an entertaining one and it featured a number of current and former Red Sox players.

Among them was Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon who were enjoying lunch at the same restaurant that Jimmy Fallon's character found himself at.

The clear star of the group is Damon, who is not the brightest crayon in the box but is among the most entertaining and charismatic player in all of baseball.

Chicago Cubs: Sammy Sosa

While his star has faded from his days of launching home runs on the North Side of Chicago, there was a time when Sammy Sosa was among the most recognizable and well-liked athletes in all of baseball.

He was front and center as part of the 1998 home run chase with Mark McGwire and was always good for a funny sound bites as one of the better interviews in sports at the time.

That all parlayed into him playing a small part in the movie Hardball starring Keanu Reeves as he coaches a Little League team from the Cabrini Green housing projects of Chicago and takes them to a Cubs game at one point in the movie.

Chicago White Sox: Frank Thomas

The "Big Hurt" was the face of the Chicago White Sox throughout the 1990s as one of baseball's premiere sluggers. He was also among the most marketable athletes of his time, as he had a very likable personality.

That earned him a role in the Tom Selleck movie Mr. Baseball where he was the hot-shot rookie first baseman that took Selleck's starting first base position and led to him being sent to Japan.

The movie was made in 1992 as Thomas was just beginning to become a star, and while has no lines he puts on a clinic in batting practice complete with excessive bat-on-ball sound effects.

Thomas later appeared in an episode of Married With Children as well, as he has a decent amount of acting experience under his belt.

Cincinnati Reds: Pete Rose

Pete Rose is among the most controversial figures in all of sports, as one of the best players in history and the all-time hits leader is excluded from the Hall of Fame and banned from baseball for gambling on his team.

While he finally admitted to betting on baseball in 2004, he denied the allegations for years in one of the most public acting jobs in sports history.

He also appeared at WrestleMania from 1998-2000 in what can also be considered an acting gig, as he served a guest ring announcer before eventually getting involved in the "action".

Cleveland Indians: Jim Thome

Admittedly the pickens were slim when it came to finding something Indians related that was not Major League, and while it was tempting to just make Charlie Sheen the representative for the Indians I was able to find this local gem of a commercial from 1995.

Jim Thome, who recently joined elite company in the 600 home run club, was just scratching the surface of his abilities when this commercial aired, but he has done a number of other commercials since.

Generally viewed as one of the all-around good guys in the game today, Thome should have no problem making the Hall of Fame and there could be even more endorsements in his future.

Colorado Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez

Ubaldo Jimenez being dealt to the Indians was the surprise move of the trade deadline this season, and while he has not been able to match the immense success he enjoyed in the first half of last season, he did manage to make himself a household name of sorts.

Apparently not enough of a household name for "Ubaldo" to be stocked in novelty license plate form though, as his MLB Network commercial demonstrated this year.

It is simple but effective, and I thought it was incredibly clever the first time I saw it. Granted Ubaldo is not doing a whole lot of acting here, but the commercial is a good one nonetheless.

Detroit Tigers: Sparky Anderson

While he is not a player, Sparky Anderson is arguably the face of the Tigers franchise to this point or at the very least one of the most recognizable figures in the history of the team.

Back in 1983, a TV movie entitled Tiger Town centers around a player in his final season with the team and a pair of fans who stick by the team through thick and thin, and the Tigers' manager in the movie is none other than Sparky Anderson.

The movie was a drama and won a CableACE award for Best Dramatic Film, as Anderson brought an heir of authenticity to an otherwise fictional movie.

Florida Marlins: Jeff Conine

The Marlins have won two World Series in their brief franchise history, but because of their small market payroll they have never been able to retain players long enough to have a true face of the franchise.

However, Jeff Conine is viewed as "Mr. Marlin" after playing for both World Series champion teams, and while he has not necessarily been all that involved in acting he keeps himself plenty busy since retiring.

He does a good amount of charity work and serves as a special assistant for the Marlins, but he is also a spokesperson for ShopToEarn, an online shopping website.

Houston Astros: Mike Scott

One of the more underrated pitchers of all time due to that fact that his career and his prime were relatively short, Mike Scott was one of the NL's best during the 1980s as he won 86 games from 1985-1989. He took home the 1986 NL Cy Young as well.

While Nolan Ryan got much of the attention on those Astros teams, Scott did manage to land an ad campaign encouraging Texans to stop littering.

In the commercial, Scott demonstrates his nasty "split-finger trash ball" before blowing up a garbage can. Good stuff.

Kansas City Royals: George Brett

Who else would it be for the Royals, as they have not had many marketable players throughout their time in the league, and George Brett is unquestionably the face of the franchise.

He also had an ad campaign for Ben-Gay, but this 7up commercial was clearly his crowning achievement as an actor.

From the over dramatic swing and miss to the hammy fake laugh at the end, this commercial is a great example of what big name athletes are capable of in the commercial world.

Los Angeles Angels: Reggie Jackson

There is no denying Reggie Jackson has a big personality, so when he landed a part in the movie Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad in 1988 it was to no one's surprise.

The movie is a classic comedy, as Leslie Nielsen tries to track down the person who is plotting to kill the Queen of England. Jackson plays himself in the movie and he is a pawn in the bad guys plan, as he has been programmed to carry out the assassination.

Aside from his rather large role in that movie, Jackson has also appeared in Richie Rich, BASEketball, Summer of Sam and The Benchwarmers on the big screen.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Ron Cey

What Gatorade is to drinks, Wheaties is to food as there is no other food more closely linked to sports than the breakfast cereal from General Mills.

Throughout the years, thousands of different athletes have appeared on Wheaties boxes or been involved in a Wheaties commercial, and one of the earliest TV commercials for the cereal featured a trio of athletes from three different sports, including Dodgers' third baseman Ron Cey.

The commercial was a song, and included a line for what each player has to eat their Wheaties before doing. In Cey's case: "Before I swing for the bleacher seaties, I get the eaties for my Wheaties."

Milwaukee Brewers: Pete Vuckovich

As a baseball player, Pete Vuckovich had a decent but forgettable big league career, with his claim to fame being winning the AL Cy Young as a member of the Brewers in 1982 when he went 18-6 with a 3.34 ERA in helping the Brewers make the World Series.

However, he may be best known for his portrayal of Yankees' slugger Clu Haywood in the movie Major League as he a thorn in the side of Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn.

This may be the lone example on this list of a player who is better known for his work as an actor than he is for his playing career.

Minnesota Twins: Joe Mauer

Since joining the Twins as the first pick in the 2001 draft, Joe Mauer has quickly become one of the best players in all of baseball. Although he has been slowed by injuries this season, he already has three batting titles and an MVP under his belt.

Not only that, but he has become one of the better spokespeople in all of baseball. His ads for Head and Shoulders with Steelers safety Troy Polamalu are hilarious, but they are far from his only TV face time.

He is also the cover athlete for the MLB: The Show video game series, and has endorsements with Gatorade, Pepsi, ESPN and my29.

New York Mets: Keith Hernandez

Nothing does more for a baseball players prospects on TV and in films than playing in the Big Apple, and Keith Hernandez was the face of the New York Mets in the 1980s, and that was more than enough to land him a number of roles.

He is probably best remembered for a two episode stint on Seinfeld but that is far from his only experience as he appeared on the big screen more than once as well.

He was in the movie The Scout when he was blown away by Brendan Fraser's character during his tryout, and he later appeared in the 1999 film The Yards, a crime drama starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix and Charlize Theron.

New York Yankees: Roger Clemens

His reputation has certainly gone down the drain, but there was a time not too long ago that Roger Clemens was among the most admired players in all of baseball and because of that he has had a handful of acting opportunities.

He first appeared in the biopic Cobb, as an opposing pitcher in the movie of Ty Cobb's life starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Wuhl.

Next, he played the part of redneck Skidmark in the 1999 bowling comedy Kingpin starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Bill Murray.

He also appeared in the 2003 film Anger Management starring Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler where he had a cameo with teammate Derek Jeter.

Oakland Athletics: Jose Canseco

Despite a career in which he hit 462 home runs, won AL Rookie of the Year and 1988 AL MVP, Jose Canseco is more a caricature at this point than an accomplished former athlete.

His role in the Steroid Era will forever make him a pariah, but he also played a role in opening the MLB to just what a problem they had on their hands.

Regardless of his legacy, one thing is clear, and that is that Canseco loves the spotlight. He has appeared on a number of reality shows including Surreal Life and Celebrity Apprentice, fought some MMA and this past spring he launched a Twitter campaign in hopes of earning a tryout with the Mets. It is safe to say that we have not heard the last of Jose Canseco.

Philadelphia Phillies: John Kruk

While he was a good baseball player, John Kruk has always been a better personality and he has become a major part of Baseball Tonight because of that.

However, commentating was not his first action behind the camera as he played a part in the 1996 thriller The Fan starring Wesley Snipes and Robert De Niro.

The movie has a number of baseball players in it but only one of them gets stabbed and that is none other than Mr. Kruk.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Bill Mazeroski

There is no doubt that Bill Mazeroski's walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series goes down as one of the biggest home runs in baseball history.

On a lesser scale, he also achieved quite a feat in The Odd Couple movie where he had a brief cameo as he hit into a triple play while Oscar as on the phone with Felix, causing him to miss it.

It took Mazeroski only two takes to hit the ball where it needed to be and get the take they needed, so while he had no lines, he was certainly an efficient actor to work with

San Diego Padres: Bip Roberts

While Tony Gwynn was no doubt the face of the Padres, utility infielder Bip Roberts gets my pick here for a commercial that I remember very fondly from my childhood.

In confusing himself with Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts, Bip vastly over values his rookie card and is called out by teammate Gwynn.

As a baseball card collector, the commercial has always stuck with me, and while Roberts was by no means a star he was perfect for this commercial.

San Francisco Giants: Brian Wilson

Who else would it be for the Giants? Wilson is the quirkiest character in baseball today and while most teams expect their closer to be a little out there, he has taken that to a whole different level entirely.

His beard alone has been the subject of numerous commercials, and there is little question he is among the best interviews in all of sports.

Many have questioned if it is all an act or if he is really that crazy. If he is in fact acting, he is one heck of an actor, but if he's serious he is simply hilarious guy.

Seattle Mariners: Ken Griffey Jr.

There may not have been a more marketable player in baseball history than Ken Griffey Jr, as he was everywhere during the 1990s, from video games to commercials, to cameos in movies.

He approached the game the way it was meant to be played as he seemed to genuinely enjoy taking the field everyday, and that was a big part of what made him a fan favorite. That and the fact that he was really, really good.

Aside from his many endorsements, Griffey played himself in the movie Little Big League, and got to do one of the things he did best and rob a home run.

St. Louis Cardinals: Brendan Ryan

Heading into the 2010 season, the Cardinals launched a series of commercials pushing their new "Play Like A Cardinal" motto, and each one was more hilarious than the last.

Now this is coming from a Cubs fan, and I hate to give the Cardinals credit for anything, but I encourage everyone to watch the entire series of commercials as they are all great.

However, my favorite of the series is the "New Sheriff" one shown here starring Brendan Ryan. While he has moved on from the Cards, Ryan was always a funny guy and that is on full display in this commercial.

Tampa Bay Rays: Evan Longoria

The Rays have had a relatively short history, and to this point have yet to have a superstar, face of the franchise type player to call their own. Carl Crawford was good, but he was never that player for the Rays in his time there.

However, that could all change if Evan Longoria continues to improve as he is already one of the best third baseman in the game at the age of 25.

While he has not quite reached superstar status, Longoria has already landed a number of national endorsements including being the cover athlete for the MLB2K series, Pepsi, New Era and Gillette.

Texas Rangers: Rafael Palmeiro

In the history of baseball only four players have been able to tally 3,000 hits and 500 home runs in their career, with Rafael Palmeiro joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray back in 2005.

However, for all of that success Palmeiro will likely be remembered better for two things: being the Viagra spokesman during his time playing with the Rangers and making a complete ass of himself by lying to Congress.

It is a shame that so much success can be so easily undone, but Palmeiro will likely find himself on the outside looking in when it comes to enshrinement in Cooperstown.

Toronto Blue Jays: Roberto Alomar

While I have never heard of McCain fruit juice, nor have I seen this commercial before until now, it became very clear that this had to be the choice for the Blue Jays after some research.

Apparently the juice is very popular in Canada, and this commercial is a cult favorite to the point that Alomar is still frequently asked to recite his "catch the taste" line even at this point in his post-playing days.

The commercial received a huge ovation when it was played recently at Roberto Alomar Day in Toronto, and it has become clear that this list would be incomplete without its inclusion.

Washington Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman

While Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are on their way, the Nationals only true star player to this point has been third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.

While he is not a huge name outside of Washington, he has appeared in some national TV spots for GEICO with the caveman.

However, his best TV appearance to date has to be playing jazz kazoo in a local Mercedes Benz commercial, proving that he is not just a great player but also a talented "musician."