How do you Spell...

Every sports team has that guy. And I'm not talking about the guy that sparks a family wide debate on whether he is good or not. This particular player is the one with the odd name. You know, the guy who's name comes up on the television screen and you have to ask the closest person to you how to say his name. Or if you are driving along listening to a game on the radio, this player's name will come up; and if he does something productive, the first thing you do when you get home is look up his career stats. Everyone knows who he is one way or another. This guy usually does not fill up the stats sheet, but he is often productive and is not a weakness to his team. So here are some of the best examples of "that guy" on sports teams past and present.

Leading off is First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz (Men-Kay-Vich)

One of the oddest names ever to put on seven different major league baseball uniforms. Mientkiewicz played on the Minnesota Twins, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets, the Kansas City Royals, the New York Yankees, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angles Dodgers. His best season came in 2001 with the Twins, when he hit .306 with 15 home runs and 74 runs batted in. That year, Mientkiewicz also won the gold glove award for best defensive first baseman. Mientkiewicz was regarded as one of the best  defensive players in the league, but offensively he was average at best. Over the course of his ten year career, his career totals include a .271 batting average, 64 home runs, 372 runs batted in, and a .358 on base percentage. Not Hall of Fame numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but serviceable. But for this oddly named defensive stud, his one shinning moment came with the 2004 Red Sox, when he recorded the out that gave the Red Sox their first World Series in 86 years. 

Let us stay with the Red Sox for our next player: Carl Yastrzemski (Yaz-Strem-ski).

One of the few exceptions to the rule that players with odd last names do not often fill up the stat sheet. In fact, Yastrzemski was enshrined in Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1989. Yaz was one of the best hitters in the majors during his 18 year career with the Boston Red Sox. His career accomplishments were extraordinary. Yaz had a .285 average, 452 home runs, 1844 runs batted in, was selected to the American League's All Star Team 18 times, and won seven gold glove awards.But the season that made sure everyone knew how to spell Yastrzemski came in 1967. He lead the league with a .326 batting average, 44 home runs and 121 runs batted in. Not only did Yastrzemski win the MVP that year, but he also accomplished one of the toughest feats in Baseball; he won the triple crown. Out of all the players who have ever put on a major league uniform, only 13 players, in the American and National Leagues, have ever won the triple crown. 8 is a great number in Red Sox history, thanks to Carl Yastrzemski.


This next player is quite large: Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Ill-gaus-kas)

This Lithuanian big man has been snagging rebounds in the NBA for a total of 13 years. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavilers with the 20th overall pick in the 1996, and went on to have a very serviceable career with the Cavs. Big Z's best statistical year came in the 2002-2003 season, when he averaged 17.2 points per game, while grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game and blocking 1.9 shots per game. The overall duration of Illgauskas' career with the Cavs are very consistent. Big Z averaged 13 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots during his tenure in Cleveland. His consistency and size made him a fan favorite in Cleveland. When Ilgauskas returned to Cleveland as a member of the Miami Heat, the fans gave him a very warm reception. Even in Miami, Big Z has been productive, for he started 51 out of the 72 total games he has played with the Heat. Ilgauskas is a guy that shows up to work everyday and is productive, and winning teams have a few Zydrunas Illgauskas'.

Let's hit the Grid iron with the next one: TJ Houshmandzadeh (Housh-man-zada).

Very few players in the NFL have been as successful at being the second banana for a team's wide receiving corps as Houshmandzadeh. TJ took the hard road to becoming an NFL player; he was drafted in the seventh round out of Oregon State in the year 2001 by the Cincinnati Bengals. Houshmandzadeh had a very productive career with the Bengals, for he averaged 72 receptions, 826 receiving yards, and 5 touchdowns over a seven year span. In 2009, Houshmandzadeh went to the Seattle Seahawks, where he maintained his serviceable skill set (79 receptions, 911 yards, 3 touchdowns). Houshmanzadeh has never been the star of his team because he played beside Chad Ochocinco (Johnson) in Cincinnati, Nate Burleson in Seattle, and now Anquan Boldin for his current team: the Baltimore Ravens. Yet despite being listed as the number two receiver in the depth chart, his humble beginnings and first rate work ethic make him a productive player.

Although these athletes play different sports, they all have unique names that catch the attention of their fans. These players' names may be a nightmare for the jersey makers, but to the fans, they are people that will always be welcome on their teams.