Cannonball Run...sort of

Now batting for the Princeton Rays, third baseman Burt Reynolds. But don't expect the mustache.

As we mentioned yesterday, the Princeton Rays of the Appalachian League boast a Dominican at the hot corner with the unlikely name of Burt Reynolds. According to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, his father came up with the name because he was a fan of the actor. Do West Virginians know how lucky they are to have Mayobanex Acosta and Burt Reynolds on the same team?

The younger Reynolds, of whom at least one fan club has taken notice, was born in the Dominican Republic but grew up in New Jersey. He was drafted by the Nationals in 2006 but ended up at a Florida community college. In 2007, he was discovered by Tampa Bay -- who surely saw the possibilities of his name -- and signed.

He's shown himself to have some hitting talent -- he batted .289 with six homers in 58 games last year -- but the name is always going to drive Burt's popularity. At least here. And here.