We’ve heard some unusual songs being used for baseball players over the years. Bryce Harper rocking out to some Katy Perry back in 2014. Fellow Washington Nationals player Zach Walters walked up to the music from Frozen. Adrian Beltre, back when he was on the Mariners, used the theme from The Nutcracker as his walkup-music. And Josh Reddick used to stroll to the dish to the dulcet tones on Wham’s “Careless Whisper.”
All very ususual choices.
None of them can hold a candle to the walk-up music Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (speaking of Adrian Beltre) busted out for Monday night’s game versus the Cleveland Indians: “Baby Shark” by Pinkfong.
If you are or have been a parent of a toddler at any point since 2016, then you are very, VERY familiar with “Baby Shark.”
🎶 Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Baby shark! Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Mommy shark! Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Daddy shark! Grandma shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Grandma shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Grandma shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. Grandma shark! 🎶
And so on…
So, why on Earth would Elvis Andrus put this earworm back into the heads of all the fans in attendance and watching on TV?
Well, the song, which has 2,528,430,183 views as of my writing this (that’s TWO BILLION), is his son’s favorite, reported Fox Sports Southwest’s Emily Jones…
“I got to the bottom of the biggest mystery of tonight, and that is the story behind the Elvis Andrus walk-up song which is ‘Baby Shark’ doo doo doo doo doo doo,” she reported from the field. “I talked to Elvis in the dugout just a minute ago, and I said Elvie what’s up with the walk-up song? He got a giant smile on his face and said, ‘You like it?’ And I said, ‘not exactly.’ And he’s like, ‘It’s awesome. It’s my boy’s favorite song.” So he’s playing it for Elvis Jr. I do not know if this will continue throughout the regular season.”
Oh, it better. That song is catchy AF and if he does keep it he’ll be the favorite player of every kid under the age of 7.
🎶 Baby Shark doo doo do doo do doo 🎶
Yup – that's what @Rangers SS Elvis Andrus is going with for his walk-up song. #TogetherWe | @Rangers | @EmilyJonesMcCoy pic.twitter.com/cVzJFIuEo1
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) March 26, 2019
Based on fan reaction, they’re all for it as well.
Elvis is clearly pandering for the toddler All Star ballots and I am HERE FOR IT
— Blake (@pmotftac07) March 26, 2019
@samjaroszewski @realguydotan just jumped up 3 rounds in ADP after this
— Abe Jaroszewski (@AbeJaroszewski) March 26, 2019
Elvis the boss 🙌
— perezfrank13 (@perezfrank13) March 26, 2019
— Krista (@DosChelada_mama) March 26, 2019
🎶 Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo. 🎶