CLEVELAND — In the movie “Major League,” the first baseman for the fictional Cleveland Indians, a character named Pedro Cerrano, would make peace offerings to Jobu, his voodoo totem, hoping he would take the fear out of his bats. A cup of rum was the preferred sacrament, though sacrificing a chicken was also a consideration.
In real life, Jason Giambi carried a gold lame thong that he used — or lent to teammates — when he was struggling to hit for the Yankees and other teams. Aubrey Huff’s ruby-red, rhinestone-encrusted rally thong was a talisman for the San Francisco Giants during their 2010 World Series run.