Actual New Threads: Players not a Fanatic

[batmagadanleadoff]

I think if I was a player who was with a new team in 2024, I'd buy some custom authentic 2023 uniforms from a sporting goods retailer.

If I was a Met, I'd wear an old Mets '65 jersey with the World's Fair patch. Or a Mercury Mets shirt, depending on how rebellious I was feeling.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Harper is an Under Armor guy so no worries f'ing with Nike. Most of the league is a different story.

[Edgy MD]

Then there's the Bud Harrelson memorial patch, which is crammed in with the skyline logo patch so that the two patches are practically touching each other, they're so close to each other, because the best sleeve real estate is now reserved for .... wait for it ... Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

If the memorial patch is supposed to be a successor to memorial black armbands — and I think it's pretty clear that it is — those have been traditionally worn on the left sleeve, so yeah, it's extra crass to have the memorial patch displaced by the sponsor patch.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Then there's the Bud Harrelson memorial patch, which is crammed in with the skyline logo patch so that the two patches are practically touching each other, they're so close to each other, because the best sleeve real estate is now reserved for .... wait for it ... Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

If the memorial patch is supposed to be a successor to memorial black armbands — and I think it's pretty clear that it is — those have been traditionally worn on the left sleeve, so yeah, it's extra crass to have the memorial patch displaced by the sponsor patch.

Prior to the sponsor patch, Mets memorial patches were always worn on the right sleeve. Since 1966, the left sleeve was always reserved for the Mets Skyline logo patch, with the exception of the 1969 regular season and playoffs - when the Mets wore the MLB centennial patch on the left sleeve, but no Skyline patch. The skyline patch was returned to the left sleeve for the '69 WS, with the centennial patch moved to the right sleeve. Also, the Mets wore a stylized skyline patch in 1986 to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

The current Mets uniform is not so uniform. The NY Presbyterian sponsor patch is worn on both the left and right sleeves, depending on whether the pitcher throws lefty or righty or whether the position player bats righty or lefty. This is to maximize the visibility of the sponsor patch on TV broadcasts. And if the Mets now wear their sponsor patch on either sleeve, then the same goes for their Skyline logo patch.


sponsor patch on left sleeve


sponsor patch on right sleeve

[metirish]

[Edgy MD]

Gosh, Nike is under the bus, as if dozens of parties didn't have to sign off.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

About time. The MLBPA deserves our gratitude for this, they were the only entity capable of affecting things. MLB belongs to Nike, fans like us are powerless.

[Centerfield]

That’s great news.

I realize this ship has sailed but I still hate the advertising on the uniform.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I predict that this will be the New Coke of sports uniforms.

[Edgy MD]

I would gather that the main thing that's going to change is the main players' concern, and that is blend of the base fabric.

The secondary concern that is mostly an issue for fans — the small and universally styled lettering of the names on back — will probably be addressed as a gratuitous bone to chew on and for MLB and Nike to claim that they care about fans.

But I fear that the more drastic sea-change — that MLB has moved from raised, sewn-on uniform elements to flat decals — will not be reversed at all. That's a wheel that needs to squeak a lot louder.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

MLB makes it official. Bigger letter, better color coordination, better fitting pants coming.

The lack of the word "fan" in here is telling, though.

“Player and Club feedback is extremely important to us,” said Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “Together with Nike, we listened to our players and as a result, we are addressing their concerns.”

[Benjamin Grimm]

The lack of the word "fan" in here is telling, though.

Good point.

Is this going to happen this year, or will it wait until 2025?

[metirish]

I believe it was mentioned during a game the other night , "no later than 2025" was the terminology I remember

[batmagadanleadoff]

Wondering where they're gonna put the Jerry Grote memorial patch? There's some space on the players' butts, last I looked.

I guess it's not happening. I figured that a Mets Hall of Fame player automatically gets a death patch. Wrong.

Grote is the first Mets Hall of Fame player not to get a memorial death patch. Every other Mets HOF player got a patch for at least the rest of the season. But not Tommie Agee. He got a patch, but only for one game. And it wasn't even his own patch. He shared it with Brian Coles.

Given his towering stature as a Met and that he passed away late in the season, Tom Seaver's patch was worn for the entire next season as well.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Wondering where they're gonna put the Jerry Grote memorial patch? There's some space on the players' butts, last I looked.

I guess it's not happening. I figured that a Mets Hall of Fame player automatically gets a death patch. Wrong.

Grote is the first Mets Hall of Fame player not to get a memorial death patch. Every other Mets HOF player got a patch for at least the rest of the season. But not Tommie Agee. He got a patch, but only for one game. And it wasn't even his own patch. He shared it with Brian Coles.

Given his towering stature as a Met and that he passed away late in the season, Tom Seaver's patch was worn for the entire next season as well.

I don't get how Grote doesn't get a patch but Gary Carter did. Makes no sense to me. I wonder if Carter had to fake cry to Terry Collins or Jay Horwitz to get his memorial patch?

Or maybe Grote was on bad terms with the Mets. Maybe he was an ornery cocksucker till the day he died.

[Edgy MD]

Call your Congressman.

Better yet, call your former New Jersey governor.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Call your Congressman.

Better yet, call your former New Jersey governor.

If Gary Carter never had his initial Expos stint, if his 1985 Mets season was his rookie year and the rest of Carter's career proceeded as it actually did, there would never, ever, ever have been any of this crazy talk about retiring his number, it would've never been mothballed in the first place and right now, Luis Torrens would probably be wearing #8.

And no death patch, either.

But Carter was a superstar, a HOF bound superstar when the Mets got him, and so Mets nation made Carter out to be some kind of God before he even took a swing in an actual game. Last piece to the puzzle. Holy fucking moley!