Dad-hat fad proves players' biggest fans are also the littlest

FORT MYERS, FLA. — With much of the team having boarded buses for a game in Bradenton, it was a quiet morning at Hammond Stadium on Sunday. A few players milled around the field, in front of thousands of empty seats, as Bailey Ober walked to the mound to begin throwing live batting practice to a few of his teammates.

Suddenly, the near-silence was shattered. Halfway up the grandstand, four small children, the oldest only 5, began shouting at the Twins’ pitcher. “Go, Dad! Go, Dad! Go, Dad!” they yelled as Ober warmed up.

It was a heartwarming moment, but not an uncommon one. Many of the Twins players are fathers of young children, and the team generally welcomes them, especially during spring training.

Even when the toddlers aren’t around, there are reminders of them in camp. A few players have their kids’ photos in their lockers, or artwork they have made. And this year, several wear hats proclaiming their Dad status.

Ober frequently wears a cap that simply says “Dad.”

“They’re the big ‘why’ in my life — why I do this, why I work so hard at it,” Ober said. “They definitely give you a different outlook on life. They make you realize it’s a journey, not just a career.”

Christian Vázquez on Sunday wore a cap that read “Boy Dad.” Randy Dobnak has worn a cap all spring that proclaims him “Rad Dad” — a double meaning, given that his daughter’s name is River Ashtyn Dobnak, or R.A.D.

“That was on purpose,” Dobnak says of the initials. “It was my idea. My wife [Aerial] said, ‘What should her middle name be?’ and I said, ‘Well, it has to start with an A.’ “

And a handful of Twins, Byron Buxton among them, have sported “Dad Gang” hats, a collection promoted by Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts.

“Yeah, they’re for my [three] kids,” Buxton said. “When I saw Mookie with them, I really liked them. I bought a bunch, all different styles. Dad Gang — it’s cool being part of it.”