Brandon Belt - the ‘Baby Giraffe’

Duane Kuiper remembers the moment he first called Brandon Belt the Baby Giraffe.

“First flyball in the outfield in Milwaukee,” Kuiper said. “He looked like he just fell out of the mama giraffe.”

Now, it’s become a thing. The nickname has caught on. A fan in the stands Wednesday night actually wore a giraffe hat. On Thursday, Belt’s fan mail included an ivy and moss giraffe topiary created by a Marin County florist. Belt is rolling with it. It’s nothing new.

“I’ve always had animal nicknames,” he said. “In fifth grade, I got a lot of ‘monkey.’ That really did a lot for my confidence, especially with the ladies. It was tough growing up. Maybe I can be a human someday.”

Belt’s family and wife have embraced Baby Giraffe, so Belt wants to have fun with it too, saying with a smile, “It’s better to be recognized for something than nothing at all.”