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Palacios to rock custom cleats in World Series
Rays second baseman Richie Palacios will showcase custom cleats featuring his signature postgame celebration and personal motto as Tampa Bay opens the World Series.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Rays second baseman Richie Palacios is known for making a statement with his footwear.
The custom cleats
The backstory:
His newest pair of custom cleats features his "zip 'em up" motto and a painted portrait of his signature celebration with shortstop Taylor Walls. The two teammates perform their "dunk" celebration after every Rays win.
Palacios shared a post from Lucia Footwear Company showing off the cleats on Instagram.
He is expected to wear them during the World Series, with Game 1 scheduled for tomorrow night. First pitch is set for 8:08 p.m.
Palacios wore another custom pair during the Rays' series against the Yankees. Those shoes featured Lisa Simpson wearing a superhero cape, along with her iconic "lizard queen" moment from Season 4, Episode 13.
The cleats were designed by Yeardley Smith, the actress who voices Lisa Simpson.
Earlier this season, Palacios appeared on Smith's new "Guard the Yard" podcast. He told her about a personal credo that has helped shape his career: "Rent is due every day."
"It [means], just never satisfied. I was a successful player today, okay that's cool, but I gotta lock in and figure out what I've got to do to the next day to be the successful player again. And when I do fail, I've got to do it again and again. It's rent's due every day. Yes I can be at the top of the mound and the best player ever, but you're only as good as your next at-bat. I live by that's been helpful to me in my career," Palacios explained.
Smith incorporated the phrase into the pair of custom cleats.
Palacios' game-day footwear has also included designs inspired by the Joker and Monsters, Inc.
What's behind the jump celebration?
Dig deeper:
The celebration is inspired by basketball, and Richie Palacios' love of the New York Knicks.
Palacios recently explained to MLB.com that he and Taylor Walls pretended to throw down a between-the-legs dunk as they leap toward each other after a Rays win. At 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-9, respectively, the two infielders are not exactly built for the basketball version.
"We both wish we could dunk," Palacios told MLB.com.
Palacios came up with the idea during the season, and Walls quickly agreed to go along with it. The two have turned it into a postgame tradition, performing the celebration after every Rays win.
Walls even jokes that their friendly competition continues in the air, saying he tries to jump higher than Palacios. mlb.com
What's next:
The Rays open the World Series in Milwaukee on Friday night at 8:08 ET. The game will air on FOX 13, the home of the World Series.
The Source: This report is based on Instagram posts from Palacios and Lucia Footwear Company, Palacios’ appearance on Yeardley Smith’s "Guard the Yard" podcast, and reporting from MLB.com.