Bellyscratcher was the first one I ever heard call Brandon Claussen “pickle,” and it was in this comment on one of our smack talk entries:

I guess Pickle Boy is more relish than Dill, eh?

She immediately apologized for the lameness of the pun, but the name stuck, and now he's either “Pickle Man” or just “The Pickle” to me. It's a great nickname, because it works regardless of whether he's pitching well.

For example, after striking out the side, one might say, “Ha! I guess The Pickle left a pretty sour taste in their mouths!”

Or after walking yet another batter to load the bases, one could retort, “Dammit, Pickle Man, you're in another…pickle.”

OK, now I'm the one who should be apologizing.