Once again, MLB will attempt to cash in with special uniforms for special days. But one change this week is turning some heads… temporarily.
We were kinda hoping there might be a real uniform change to talk about along with the opening of SunTrust Park this weekend. Unless the Atlanta Braves hold secrets better than the government (though Wikileaks may have made that analogy irrelevant), then it seems we will be looking forward to the usual home white unis on Friday.
There are some exceptions, though, and lets run through them:
Atlanta @Braves 2017 Special Event uniform collection #Braves #MLB
— Chris Creamer (@sportslogosnet) April 11, 2017
Rest of league + details here: https://t.co/FIxKFRzMsR pic.twitter.com/y8Ri5HPabt
In case you forgot, the Marlins are the All-Star game hosts this year, which explains the National League jersey.
As for the rest… are we really going to have to go through this every single year now?
All 30 teams will have similar versions of all of these through Independence Day. Again.
I personally don’t mind the Father’s Day togs, for the color is still in the neighborhood of a Braves’ uniform color… at least a 1970’s-era color.
But for some combinations… I do think MLB and their partners are getting a little carried away. Here’s one example:
Under visor of Home Run Derby cap is this colourful Miami Marlins inspired design, also appears on the socks
— Chris Creamer (@sportslogosnet) April 11, 2017
More: https://t.co/FIxKFRzMsR pic.twitter.com/XUdlNCdSH9
Pretty strange… though I have a hunch that the players will actually like them. But then I’m an old codger who prefers traditional garb while bandying the orbs about the ballyard.
Here’s another…
Memorial Day uniforms feature less camouflage but in a new pattern, stars on the side represent branches of militaryhttps://t.co/FIxKFRzMsR pic.twitter.com/rhGTpQO79s
— Chris Creamer (@sportslogosnet) April 11, 2017
It’s not that I don’t like these, but it is curious that the Blue Jays hat was used as an example.
Canada does not recognize Memorial Day – at least not at the end of May. Newfoundland and Labrador do so separately on July 1st (while the rest of the country celebrates Canada Day). But Toronto isn’t located there anyway.
November 11th is Canada’s Remembrance Day (our Veteran’s Day) and is their version of Memorial Day in most provinces, though it’s more-or-less optional in Ontario.
Nonetheless, the Blue Jays will be hosting the Reds on the date of our observance of Memorial Day… and that will be their hat for the occasion.
Back to Those Cool Batting Helmets
John Le gave y’all the run-down of these yesterday. Now these are truly cool. But there’s a catch.
After this weekend, they’re gone.
"A team spokesperson said the Braves plan to wear the new helmets for their home opener on Friday and again on Sunday (but not on Saturday, out of respect for MLB’s annual Jackie Robinson Day festivities). After that, the helmets will be auctioned off, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Acree and Coppolella both said the team has some additional helmet concepts in the works, but the carbon fiber design, at least in this iteration, will not be used again after this weekend."
Horrors! They finally do an update that really looks cool, they go to a lot of time and expense to make it reality, and then… it’s over after just two games!!
We’ve seen teams using these new matte-finish helmets – some with raised/3D logos – this season. But that’s just it: they are being used for the season.
The Braves finally get something nice and they have to give it back after one weekend! Harrumph.
There is the promise (above) of something better/something more in the months and years to come. But while the Braves are breaking ground here… it really seems like they’re barely scratching the surface.