Evil Eyes, Iron Frogs and more of the wildest looks for this year's Copa de la Diversión
Last year, Minor League Baseball introduced us to the Copa de la Diversión, otherwise known as the Fun Cup: a 160-game, season-long promotion in which MiLB teams across the country embraced and celebrated their respective Latino communities.
When the Copa came to town, everything changed -- the music, the entertainment, the food and, most especially, the logos. The Las Vegas Aviators became the Las Vegas Ghost Crabs. The Bowie Baysox became the Chesapeake Ghost Crabs. The San Antonio Missions became the San Antonio Flying Chanclas, complete with one of the coolest caps of all-time:
With style like that, obviously the Copa was a hit. Such a hit, in fact, that MiLB brought it back for 2019 -- with more than double the participating teams, 72 in all. Each team introduced its Latino alter egos on Monday, and while we strongly, strongly recommend checking out the full list for yourself, here are some of our favorites.
Mal de Ojo de Durham (Tampa Bay Rays)
The Durham Bulls became the Durham Evil Eye, inspired by either the snorting bull that sits atop the batter's eye at Durham Bulls Athletic Park or the Illuminati.
Caballeros de Charlotte (Chicago White Sox)
This is a direct translation of Charlotte's usual name, the Knights, but what truly sets it apart is the absolutely fantastic sugar skull horse logo:
Gallos de Delmarva (Baltimore Orioles)
Quite simply, this rooster is ready to mess you up:
Lowriders de Fresno (Washington Nationals)
Lowriding is a way of life in Fresno, and the new logo more than does those iconic paint jobs justice:
Coquís de Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Phillies)
Coquís -- small tree frogs -- hold a special place in Puerto Rico. So, to honor Allentown's significant Puerto Rican population, Lehigh Valley went from the IronPigs to the IronFrogs:
Alebrijes de Modesto (Seattle Mariners)
The Alebrije is, essentially, a spirit guide, tasked with guiding people from this life to the next. (They do not normally have antlers -- that's the Mariners' Class A affiliate's nod to Mariner Moose.)
Vejigantes de Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (New York Yankees)
The Yankees' Triple-A affiliate sees your alebrije and raises you an even more colorful character: the vejigante, a masked trickster that appears during carnivals and other celebrations.
Llamas de Hickory (Texas Rangers)
Of course, what would a celebration of Latino cultures be without a llama wearing a chullo? (As for what's in its mouth, that's a furniture leg -- Hickory, N.C., is known for its furniture manufacturing.)
Clinton Elotes (Miami Marlins)
Miami's Class A affiliate is typically known as the Clinton LumberKings. But, like any good Iowans, they have a deep and abiding appreciation for corn -- so they've transformed into the Clinton Elotes, the grilled street corn that you can't get enough of in the summer.
Murciélagos de Louisville (Cincinnati Reds)
The Louisville Bats have remained the Louisville Bats -- the Cuban greater funnel-eared bat, to be precise, which looks like a team from Legends of the Hidden Temple.