Between the collapse and subsequent drama associated with my beloved Red Sox and the now pending move of the Astros to the American League, baseball has been doing less than pleasing me this offseason. It seems that the media always has something to report about the sport that I do not want to hear. At least baseball is pleasing me with improvements to what I see, not what I hear. I am, of course, talking about logos, uniforms, and caps.
It was a stretch to pick a baseball topic to write a rave about, but the changing appearances of the apparel and symbols during this offseason has been positive for the most part. Many clubs are turning back the clock a bit, reverting to the designs of old with subtle differences that make it fit with modern design. In my opinion, most teams got it right.
Here are brief analyses for each team that made an image change in some form this offseason:
BALTIMORE ORIOLES: One of quite a few teams to take an old uniform and reintroduce it in a modern style. They added their orange alternate home jersey with the current script in black, similar to the version of the late 1970s-early 1980s. Their boldest change is the caps, which is represented by the cartoon Oriole for the first time since 1988. The gray road jersey has a black cap with an orange brim, while both home jerseys have the same cap except for a white front panel, the first cap in the majors with this feature since 1993. The home cap is a bit aggressive, but I like it.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: You did not notice these changes? Well, you are not alone. The biggest change of the Dodgers logo since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1958 are extremely subtle. Dodger Blue became a little bolder, as did the red in the shooting baseball. The 'D' and 'o' in the script changed slightly as well. And that is it. This was a hardly noticeable update (if at all), but I am glad the Dodgers are sticking to tradition.
MIAMI MARLINS: By far the biggest change, the former Florida Marlins completely ditched everything of their previous identity except for the nickname. The primary color went from teal to orange. The home uniforms went from pinstripes with a Marlins script to white with a Miami script. Also, none of these logos give any indication that it represents a baseball team. The changes are... different. I cannot say anymore because this is a rave, not a rant.
NEW YORK METS: The Mets are another team going with a look of old. Gone are the black caps that have completed the road jersey for over a decade, and returning are the signature blue caps with the orange interlocking 'NY'. The black shadow underneath the New York script on the jersey has also been removed, bringing the road uniform back to what it looked liked in the mid-1990s. This makes the road uniform both cleaner and sharper.
SAN DIEGO PADRES: Good news for San Diego fans is that logo with the waves that did not represent a Padre in any way, shape, or form is a thing of the past. The new primary is cleaner and simpler, which is all I will say about it because, again, this is supposed to be a rave. I do like the reintroduction of the team's logo from 1969 on the sleeve of the jersey, even though it is navy blue. I can at least say the Padres visual changes are an overall improvement from years past.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS: After eight seasons of not looking like the Toronto Blue Jays, the club once again looks like the Toronto Blue Jays. I cannot even describe the pale blue and gray 'Toronto Jays' deal they had going on, but I will not miss it. The team has decided to go with a look based on what it had for its first twenty seasons. The cap is a bold blue with a modernized version of the Blue Jay head with the red maple leaf to the left. The home jerseys (white and blue) once again read 'Blue Jays' in split-lettering, which include serifs to keep up with the times, with the bird head on the lower left side. The road jersey is similar, only gray with a Toronto script. The logo was also change to something similar to the original, with the new split-font and a double circle being added. This is definitely the biggest improvement this offseason. The Blue Jays once again have perhaps the most unique look in baseball.