If you have been watching Adam Ottavino on television, there have been glimpses. From a distant, whenever the reliever raises his hand to his cap there was always somewhat of a discoloration in the mix.
From afar, it almost appears as if Ottavino wrote a reminder on the outside of his hand. A to-do list, of sorts.
Well, kind of.
In actuality, the writing on the outside of both of Ottavino's hands are reminders, put there permanently via a pair of tattoos.
"One says '3-up and 3-down,' the other says '60-feet, 60 inches,' which obviously could be silly if they move the mound," he told WEEI.com while standing on the Fenway Park field barefoot following his pregame workout.
Ottavino explained he got the pair of tattoos fairly early in life, although they weren't his first. That honor goes to the message inked on the inside of his arm, fashioned in his father's handwriting and reading, "You are enough."
"It's something he always says, don’t do anything extra. Just be yourself is the message behind that," Ottavino said. "I will probably get more in the future I guess, but I’ve just been lazy."
There are others. One wrist has the empty-set symbol ("A one-of-a-kind type of thing," he explained), while the other is the image of a carbon atom. "To me, they have meaning, I guess," Ottavino said.
But when it comes to separating himself when it comes to tattoos and baseball, it's hard to overlook those two images on each hand.
"People think I’m silly, but I’m pretty good at making fun of myself so I don’t take it too serious," Ottavino said.
"I remember when I was closing, every time I would have a three-up, three-down inning Justin Morneau would point to his hand and be like, ‘Yeah, you did it.’ He thought it was the funniest thing. It’s really more than funny more than anything else. I don’t take myself too serious.
"That’s what I’m out there to do, face three guys and get them out."