'Baby Shark' baseball bats and cleats are here and they're taking fatherhood to the next level

"Baby Shark."

If reading that phrase filled you with rage, I apologize. If, like some parents, you've been forced to put up with the song for far too long, then I feel for you. As an non-parent, I've only encountered the song through social media, usually from people complaining about how ubiquitous the children's anthem has been for ... however long it's been around. Feels like a few months, but it's probably a couple years by now.

But I've also encountered it on the baseball diamond, thanks to Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who adopted the song as his batting music earlier this season. And Elvis has fully leaned into his "Daddy Shark" status, so much so that he held a special Players' Weekend unveiling of his new, custom-made baseball bat stylized after the song. And -- this is important -- the bat came in a box that PLAYS THE SONG WHEN OPENED.

Giants outfielder Kevin Pillar is also a fan of "Baby Shark," as evidenced by his spiffy Players' Weekend cleats that ... well, you can imagine. They're adorned with art stylized after that-song-which-shall-not-be-named:

Over the years, I've found that leaning into things that most folks find "annoying" is a good way to deal with it. I received four copies of that Chumbawamba CD in 1997 for my birthday, when "Tubthumping" was everywhere nonstop all the time, and actually listened to the whole thing quite often. It was a weird album, and the songs are still in my head all these years later. And I ain't even mad about it.

Much the same way, I like "Baby Shark." Again, I haven't had to deal with my kid watching the YouTube video 300 times a day at full volume, which might make me #blessed. I don't know.

Regardless, I admire the elite-level Dad Energy of Andrus and Pillar for fully embracing the phenomenon that clearly won't die anytime soon.