The origins of Dauri 'Big Bank' Moreta

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You can call him Big Bank. You can call him El Banco. You can call him Dinero Dauri or Money Moreta, too. Regardless of which one you choose, just make sure there’s currency in Dauri Moreta’s name.

In just two short weeks, Moreta has burst onto the scene and instantly become a fan favorite. It’s not just because he hasn’t allowed a run in five appearances and has worked himself out of jam after jam, though that helps. It’s because of how he’s done it.

At the conclusion of each outing, Moreta will bring both hands parallel to his face and rub his thumb, index finger and middle finger together with his non-glove hand. The gesture, of course, is the universal sign for “money.”

He’s also endeared himself to fans with his fire, his willingness to wear his heart on his sleeve. In his Pirates debut, Moreta emphatically slammed his hand into his glove and roared after stranding the bases loaded against the Reds, the team that traded him this offseason, his voice reverberating through Great American Ball Park. It’s a passion, a swagger that fans already love.

So, where did “Big Bank” and “El Banco” come from? As the story goes, during a flight, someone — Moreta can’t remember who — asked Moreta for change. Moreta obliged by pulling out $2,000 worth of $20 bills.

“They asked me for change, and I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, I got it here!’ Moreta laughed. “Then they started calling me Big Bank.”

Recalled Wil Crowe: “We were playing a little game on the plane, and he just dropped it on the table and said, ‘I’m Big Bank! I got the money! Anybody need the money?’ We were like, ‘What?’ He was like, ‘I got the money!’ and he just left it there. We were like, ‘All right, he got the money. That’s Big Bank.’ Big Bank or The Bank, it’s awesome.”

“It was a lot of 20s, that’s all I gotta say,” said Colin Holderman, who prefers to keep his money digital. “I snapped my head real quick on the plane when I heard how much money he was pulling out.”

The moniker was one thing. The gesture was another. Moreta’s teammates didn’t know that he was going to debut the “show me the money” fingers in Cincinnati, but given the popularity among the fans and players alike, Moreta’s flair won’t be going away any time soon.

“That’s part of his mantra,” Crowe said. “He wasn’t telling everybody that he was going to do it, but it’s electric. It’s good to see. It’s a good little addition to have in the bullpen, someone with some flame and fire.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that Moreta’s walk-out song at PNC Park is “Here Comes the Money” by Shane McMahon. Perhaps “Big Bank” by YG will be in circulation soon enough.

Moreta’s willingness to embrace the passion, to embrace the Big Bank persona is the product of a bullpen, of a team that has provided a welcoming environment. Moreta noted that he was “a little shy” during his rookie season with the Reds, wanting to make sure he did everything right. With Pittsburgh, Moreta now feels the confidence to unabashedly be himself.

“It’s incredible,” Moreta said. “We all play together as a team. It’s not everybody looking for themselves. No ... this a team. We’re here to win. We take care of each other. We’re family.”

“Everyone who comes and pitches for us belongs,” Crowe said. “Their stuff is good enough to be here. Their stuff is good enough to be a part of this team. So, as soon as you can get comfortable, the better you’re going to play, the better you’re going to perform. For us, as guys who have been around, as guys who have been here, we want to make people feel welcome. That’s our job.”