Why stop there?
Damn players are constantly changing, might as well just refer to them by their position.
Right fielder has 34 home runs already this year.
#FuckNamesInSports
Fine with me, you'll have to ask the sports fans about that.
Hey wait a minute, is that why they have numbers on their uniforms, and by position pitchers are '1', catchers '2', 1b, 2b, 3b and ss are 3, 4, 5, and 6, with lf, cf, and rf 7,8, and 9?
In fact not knowing every member of every band people even refer to drummer, bassist, keys, vocalist, etc sometimes. I think you're on to something.