I remember when I read Moneyball that there was a throwaway comment about how, at least back in the day, baseball scouts thought that they could identify a promising player by the structure of his face. Even now, you’ll occasionally hear mention of a “good baseball face,” though I haven’t heard anyone seriously seem to think that you can judge a good baseball talent by looks alone.

In fact here at the Red Hot household tonight, we were talking about just the opposite. It started when I came across a photo of Devin Mesoraco. I told Zeldink that I remembered when Mesoraco was drafted, and how I didn’t think he was very good looking then, and I still don’t think he’s particularly easy on the eyes. Nothing personal Devin and Devin-lovers–just not my type.

Zel commented on how, often, good baseball players aren’t very good-looking. “But what about Votto?” I asked. Hell, Brandon Phillips won our NLC’s Hottest Baller contest when we did that craziness a few years back (well, once we took Bubba Crosby out of the running) and between him and Votto there’s a lot of good-lookingness and good baseball going around.

“Yeah, what about Randy Johnson,” which ended the argument right there. While clearly ridiculously skilled, Randy Johnson has got to be one of the least appealing men out there. Visually, anyway. I mean, he *is* the Big Unit after all.

The good news for baseball players is that they’re dudes, and it doesn’t really matter what dudes look like if they’ve got money. Even Randy Johnson had plenty of women throwing themselves at him, I’m sure.

The other good news for baseball players is that, you can always get Brad Pitt (or at least Chris Pratt) to play you in the movie.