ANAHEIM -- Players Weekend gives the Angels a chance to show off some of their individuality, but many players are also using the event as an opportunity to pay homage to their roots.
In addition to wearing nicknames on the back of their colorful, non-traditional jerseys, players can also use uniquely colored and designed spikes, batting gloves, wristbands, compression sleeves, catcher's masks and bats, which the Angels unveiled on Friday ahead of their series opener against the Astros at Angel Stadium.
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Andrelton Simmons sported special blue-and-yellow spikes to mimic the color scheme of the flag of his native Curacao. C.J. Cron wielded a custom bat that channels the American flag, with a blue barrel, red handle and white stars wrapping around the middle. Kole Calhoun and Cliff Pennington donned white arm sleeves bearing the logos of their alma maters, Arizona State University and Texas A&M, respectively.

"This whole weekend I'm trying to kind of commemorate all the places I played and kind of came from," said Calhoun, who also wrote "West End Little League" on the tribute patch on his right sleeve to honor the organization where he first started playing baseball.
Many Angels also showed love to their hometowns by writing the places where they grew up on their tribute patches. When he took the mound against the Astros on Friday night, Parker Bridwell's patch read, "Hereford, TX."
"It's good to give back to them," Bridwell said. "They've been good to me."

Manager Mike Scioscia said he likes the concept of Players Weekend, which runs through Sunday. He added that his favorite nickname is Yunel Escobar's "El Gambao" moniker, which dates to his days in Cuba and means "bow-legged" in Spanish.
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"I think it's pretty cool, and it's all for a good cause," Scioscia said. "It definitely fosters some conversation, there's no doubt about it. Guys are saying, 'Well, why did you do that?' So it's pretty cool."