It’s last week’s news, but we never discussed it here: MLB’s lastest attempt to separate you from your money with Spring Training uniform and cap redesigns. Nevertheless, it is a reminder that Spring Training is almost here. I don’t know if you noticed, but it’s February. Our long national nightmare is soon over. No, not the U.S. election, silly. That’s just beginning. Congratulations, Iowa Republicans. You have an eye for talent, although I am convinced their ballot says, “Pick the batshit craziest candidate” in which case, they’ve been on point three elections in a row. No, no, my friends, baseball is almost back.
Some of the teams are keeping their jerseys and opting for alternates, but a few are going with some complete redesigns.
All teams will wear AZ or FL Highway state stylized patches on the caps and jerseys with the MLB logo in case everyone forgets where they are. Other helpful hints: If you see a cactus, you’re in Arizona. If you see a palm tree, you’re in Florida. If you’re Latino and a cop randomly asks you for ID, you are in Arizona. If you see something unbelievably stupid that makes you question your faith in humanity, you are in Florida.
A few teams are opting for a full blown redesign, and the White Sox jersey looks pretty sharp to me, using their old batter up logo:
I’m not crazy about the Rays’ look. I understand they’re going for the optimism and the sun Spring Training brings weary fans by featuring the yellow sunburst. I still think the sunburst works best as a small accent. It looks like a splatter of paint to me when it’s big. Still better than the Devil Rays old uni, but that’s not saying much. My kitchen dishrags are better than their old uniforms.
The Dodgers are going to wear a script D (“Dodgertown”?) on their cap as an alternate, which is a little jarring, but I do kind of like it.
I’m not fond of the Blue Jays’ Spring Training cap. It looks too much like the Toronto Maple Leafs cap. Maybe that’s what they were going for, but I would have liked a little red or their badass bird. They are mean little birds, always pushing all the other guys off the bird feeder. Cardinals don’t stand a chance.
Wear sunglasses when looking at Los Tigeres Sping Training caps. That’s a lot of orange in the sun and your retinas may never recover.
There are some other changes. Kansas City is adding a crown over their KC initials over their initials because they want you to know they are royal. It’s a little busy for my taste, but I’m sure it’ll please their fan base. Texas has added an outline of Texas behind the big T on their cap because if there is one thing Texas is proud of, it’s Texas.
You can check out the rest of the designs here. And here. And here.
So, what do you all think of the new caps and jerseys?
As an aside, I attend Spring Training games, and I promise (threaten) to bring you reports from the ground. This year I will attend mini-Fenway for the first time, so I am looking forward to that in spite of the proximity to lots of Red Sox fans. Spring Training is different. It’s like a game in September in which both teams have been eliminated, except instead of despair there is a scent of hope in the air, and all the call-ups are showing off. Everyone is chill, the weather is nice, the beer is cold, and nobody cares who wins or loses. You just want to check out the prospects, and enjoy the sights and sounds. The pitcher’s wind-up, the pop of the ball in the catcher’s leather, the crack of the ball off the wood, the grass gently blowing and glistening. Baseball isn’t ending. It’s coming.
Fan Interference 
Off on a related tangent, the Columbia Fireflies (Mets single-A team) are doing this
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2611980-milbs-columbia-fireflies-introduce-awesome-glow-in-the-dark-uniforms
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That is cool, but I was hoping for something like this:
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I want some of these. Thy would be great for terrorizing my neighbors.
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Best Birds In Baseball?
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“If you’re Latino and a cop randomly asks you for ID, you are in Arizona. If you see something unbelievably stupid that makes you question your faith in humanity, you are in Florida.”
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Yankees, Dodgers, Tampa, Tigers, Twins have two designs. The Yankees two are nearly identical. Orioles shouldn’t even count as a redesign as it’s just a black hat with the logo on it. Some teams like the Reds, Mets, White Sox and Oakland went old school with it. Arizona’s looks more like some new age minor league team logo. The Barves don’t know how to capitalize.
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Tampa BAY. 🙂
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They play in the water?
This has to be the dumbest naming strategy….
“hmmmm, we don’t want to just name ourselves after one city, that might alienate people from other parts of the region. I KNOW! Let’s name ourselves after the water, no one lives there!.”
“Bob, you are a goddamned genius.”
“That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”
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The body of water and the metropolitan area is called Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is comprised of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, the “big three” as well as smaller cities like Temple Terrace, Oldsmar, Lutz, Brandon, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Largo, Kenneth City, Pinellas Park, St. Pete Beach, Gulf Port, Tierra Verde, and I am forgetting some. Loosely, the market also includes Sarasota and Bradenton. People are sensitive about being left out. The Bucs are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lightning are the Tampa Bay Lightning. And the Rays are the Tampa Bay Rays. Calling the team Tampa would alienate all those markets. Not very smart. Caspisce, smart ass? 🙂
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Yeah, I mean….no one outside of Boston, NY, StL, Chicago, or where ever root for those teams because they are named after one city instead of the region.
I also remember how people in Tempe and Mesa suddenly became fans of the “Arizona Cardinals” after spurning the “Phoenix Cardinals”.
Now….where is my GFYS gif?
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Clearly, you don’t understand this region or the politics of this area. Cardinals and Yankees fans are lemmings who would follow their team off a cliff. It’s Tampa Bay or GTFO.
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You mean…people there are more petty and jealous of neighboring areas on the same body of water than I expect them to be?
I mean, Florida is fucked up, one of the few places that compares with Arizona or Texas for “what the fuck are they thinking” moments….but I didn’t realize they were quite that silly.
I am willing to bet that no one would really care if the name was changed…..that arguments sounds just like people complaining about additional netting obscuring their view. Something that gets their knickers in a twist, but once it is forced on them they realize it just doesn’t matter.
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You would be surprised. People would be very upset if the name was changed. This whole stadium battle has dragged on forever because St. Petersburg wants this team. The other two teams are in Tampa. This is a big deal to St. Pete. There’s a lot of regional rivalry. If all it takes to keep the peace is a simple “Bay” in the name, Tampa Bay it is. Besides, one half of the stadium chanting “Tampa” and the other half chanting “Bay” is kinda fun, but you wouldn’t know about that sort of fun. It’s silly.
Like I said, it is the name of a metro region, not just the name of a body of water. Stop being so obstinate. It’s not as if other teams don’t name themselves after regions too. New England Patriots, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (wtf) etc.
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You know….my lack of understanding (empathy, really) about this may be a result of the fact that I have lived in many places since leaving “home” at 18.
I continue to be amazed at relatives that will bitch about “Missouri drivers” or “Illinois whatever”, when they are all the exact fucking same people….many of them regularly moving back and forth from one side of the river to the other.
Apparently, if you live somewhere long enough, you have to identify neighbors that are really exactly the same as you…but that you hate for some reason you can’t reasonably articulate or justify (even though people think they can).
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I understand. It unites an area that has enough challenges in terms of unity with all its transplants and snowbirds. Like I said, if all it takes to keep them all happy is a stupid “Bay” in the name, “Tampa Bay” it is. The name of the team is Tampa Bay Rays and it has a nice ring to it. Besides, the Rays don’t play in Tampa. Yet, anyway. It would be more accurate to call them the St. Petersburg Rays.
When I lived in New Hampshire, they didn’t like people directly across the Connecticut River–Vermonters. A 10 minute walk. Why? I don’t know. I never figured it out.
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New England is a funny place.
After I was here about a year, I said something like, I don’t know why, but I get the impression that Rhode Island is kind like one giant trailer park. The guys I was fishing with, life-long CT residents, looked at each other, shrugged, and said, “well, yeah, that’s pretty accurate.”
Mainers are fucking nuts and also entertaining as hell (at least, to me). I think the winters are just too long. Their governor is among the dumbest people in government….and he’s crazy, too.
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I liked camping in Rhode Island as a child. I thought Providence was an adorable city. I remember we circumnavigated it in 15 minutes in the 80s and I thought, how cute! I liked Maine. Friendly. Water is too cold. “Who are those people swimming?” “Canadians.”
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No. Those people swimming are Mainers. They are nuts.
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Lol they said Canadians. I took them for their word. It was at Old Orchard Beach.
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I guess I should say something positive about Mainers. They are smart enough to actually want to cut the state in 1/2. The southern part of Maine, especially along the coast, is kind of like “Boston North”. Mainers would like Massholes to leave their state….but since they won’t, they want to divide it in 1/2, with only the northern part being properly called “Maine” and the southern part left to its own devices or free to join with Massachuesettes
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I didn’t think you said anything bad about Maine. Crazy isn’t bad.
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Hampshirites are very polite drivers.
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Look, if I want to save myself typing the three letters then I will DAMN WELL DO SO without a lecture! 🙂
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Tampa… BAY!!! 🙂 it is fun to chant, especially after a few beers.
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Plus a space. Spaces count, man.
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Especially after a bottle of rum… and especially if the rum was in the freezer.
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No idea who the moron was that decided a navy blue cap went well with the Jays’ royal blue jerseys, but… just… no.
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You’re right. Those blues are going to clash.
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I do like the AZ and FL patches. Those are pretty cool. Not cool enough that I would spend money because of them, but I appreciate the designs.
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And if you kinda blend them together, you get FALZ. Which is sorta cute.
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Be honest. Have you bought a jersey since 1980? Is there a way to incite you to get one?
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Nope. Never had a jersey. Doubt it.
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I don’t know.. they are all right I guess…it just SCREAMS accessories, like a nice Prada bag…maybe some Donna Karen shades ..how about some nice Ferragamo high tops in salmon and ochre…perhaps a nice a nice Valentino scarf? I mean..are we friggan savages people?
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Some of us are, definitely.
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I’m a classic sort of person, Slappy. I need a nice Kate Spade clutch and a pair of Ray Bans. Out on the road today, I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac. You know, that sort of thing.
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