Sal Stewart, alliteration — and a Cincinnati Reds perfect fit originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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It’s hard to have an alliterative name that isn’t perfect for baseball.
Alliteration, when words begin with the same letter or sound, somehow fits America’s Pastime just right. Sal Stewart is just the latest example.
Stewart, the slugging corner infielder for the Cincinnati Reds, arrived in MLB at the end of last season and hit five home runs in a limited sample.
He’s known for his prodigious power, so that wasn’t a surprise, but he’s also just as memorable because of his name.
Sal Stewart.
Yep, that’ll work.
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The Reds obviously won’t just play Stewart because of his name. They need what he brings.
Last season’s Cincinnati ballclub did a lot of things right, enough to sneak into the playoffs. But they didn’t hit for power.
This offseason, they went after a Kyle Schwarber homecoming, but that didn’t work out. Instead, they signed Eugenio Suarez in free agency, which definitely helps in the slugging department.
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Stewart, though, could be the X-factor. He’s the guy who came up through the system with the promise of being a big-time home run hitter in the major leagues, and now he’s here.
And man, he’s got just the right name to be a ballplayer.
What else are you meant to end up as with a name like Sal Stewart? This is the stage he was named for. And now it’s time to shine.