MLB changes 2018?

[BBTV]

2 hours ago, DeFrank said:

The Nationals navy alternates - and the "Nationals" script itself - are growing on me mostly because of MLB The Show. In the game, I think they're a bit lighter than they actually are in real life (akin to the pre-2011 blue "DC" alternate) which makes the red numbers look better with the white outline. Also the angle of the script isn't so dramatic. It also, unsurprisingly, looks good with grey pants. 

 

 

In the years leading up to the 2011 uniform changes, the team added/tweaked its alternates and even road uniform. I wouldn't be shocked if these changes are in the same mold. They're trying new things out, with the understanding that they might overhaul the whole package in a year or two.

 

Understanding we're going full-curly with no chance of bringing back the far-superior bevelled identity (primary logo, scripts, interlocking DC, prototype W cap, all of it was better), I'd like to see the following... let's say synthesis:

 

Home uniform: All-red cap, "Nationals" in red curly script.

Road uniform: Blue with red bill cap, "Washington" in red curly script.

Home alternate: Red top. All-red cap, curly "W" in white. (unchanged)

Road alternate: Blue top. Blue with red bill cap, "Washington" and numbers/nameplate in white (or grey?) curly script. 

 

Basically, cut out the stars/stripes nonsense (not to mention offensive), have two caps, and fix your nickname/city name to best fit each uniform.

 

What are people's thoughts on using grey in the top to match the pants like the Mets do with their blue/grey New York alternates? 

 

Nationals are one of those teams that has had so many looks that they don't have a look.  They'd be wise to streamline and build an identity before branching off into all kinds of different directions with their caps and alts.  

 

IMO, home and road should both have scripts (Nats at home, Wash on road) and be worn with red cap, maybe navy bill.  I do think the navy cap looks better, but it's just not the look they should be known for IMO.

 

Red nats (or DC) alt for home (same red cap), navy Wash (or DC - no flag nonsense) for road, with an alt navy/red cap.

[AstroCree]

13 hours ago, Ray Lankford said:

Is he trying to force choke someone?

[DeFrank]

2 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

 

Nationals are one of those teams that has had so many looks that they don't have a look.  They'd be wise to streamline and build an identity before branching off into all kinds of different directions with their caps and alts.  

 

IMO, home and road should both have scripts (Nats at home, Wash on road) and be worn with red cap, maybe navy bill.  I do think the navy cap looks better, but it's just not the look they should be known for IMO.

 

Red nats (or DC) alt for home (same red cap), navy Wash (or DC - no flag nonsense) for road, with an alt navy/red cap.

 

See this is the thing. The "DC" interlock is a fantastic logo. But they've cut it out completely, it's literally not part of the identity anymore. They've already fully phased out the beveled identity in all aspects (except the shape of the now bevel-less numbers). So I agree, I want the DC interlock back, but if they're going to finally have a "look" they've got to go full curly or full bevel. And obviously it'll be full curly.

 

That's why I'd agree with basically everything you said except red alt with the curly W. Exactly what they have now.

 

As for hats, i think all red at home, blue with red bill on road. They've always had a mostly blue cap on the road and I think it works well.

[DeFrank]

Yeah ok not like I have finals to study for.

 

Here is what I would do in a vacuum:

 

 

 

And here is what I would do in a realistic world where the curly W has to stay:

 

[msu]

I like the Nationals current look besides the number font. The number font is a bit bulky and was more suited for their original look. I think that the curly W and cursive scripts fit them much better than the dated looking wordmarks they had originally.

[Andrew_Gamer_NZP]

Colin McHugh of the Astros was the first pitcher to use the Diamondbacks new bullpen cart.

 

 

[Bmac]

9 hours ago, NicDB said:

Odd, I remember these being powder blue.  Not gray.  Unless it's just the lighting on the photo.

Either way, this was my basis for saying the Royals could pull it off.  Think the George Brett-era powder blue roads.  But with the white scripts outlined in royal blue.

The powder blue uniforms were worn 1967-1968. The gray uniforms pictured here were worn 1969-1970.

[SilverBullet1929]

On 5/4/2018 at 6:15 PM, NicDB said:

 

 

 

The problem with the Marlins is their uniforms look incredibly amateurish. Like they were designed by someine who vaguely knew what a baseball uniform is supposed to look like, but not much else. The white script on the road grays is particularly jarring.

 

Granted, a lot of that is rooted in how they tried to do way too much with their rebrand.

Interesting take. And on the white wordmark on the road grays that may be one of the most polarizing details of their uniforms as I've basically heard both extremes of loving it or hating it. I myself love it because I see it as "popping" more with the white jumping off the gray background, which I didn't think I'd like when they first revealed it but it's now my favorite of their jerseys. 

 

Edit: Apologies, I responded to this post before reading the rest of the thread and noticing there was already plenty of back and forth on the exact same subject. 

[SilverBullet1929]

I've only seen it in highlight clips so I'm not 100% positive on this but the Nats have used the new alts with both the red and navy helmets right? Both at home if I'm not mistaken. Any rhyme or reason to why they haven't stuck with one helmet? Or maybe they're literally trying both helmets out to see which one they like best to eventually stick with one? 

[WavePunter]

I love the Nationals' curly-W identity.. Their all-navy cap is the best one they've ever worn.. And the numbers are too bulky..

With that said, I've come to see them similar to the Cardinals.. Mostly a red team at home, mostly navy on the road.. The light/dark thing..

However, I think they could begin to carve out an identity with the all navy cap at home, while keeping the red-heavy uniforms (essentially darkening up the "lighter" uniform slightly), and go red cap with the still red-heavy road uniforms (essentially lightening up the "darker" uniform).. It would give them two distinct looks, which I think could work more harmoniously with one another, with the occasional mix-and-match.. Keep the interlocked "DC" as a sleeve patch, and call it a day..

[FinsUp1214]

I’ll be totally honest, I think the Nats got it absolutely right the first time. I LOVED their inaugural road set especially. I think they’ve just slowly whittled a great identity into a “just okay” one ever since.

[DeFrank]

41 minutes ago, WavePunter said:

I love the Nationals' curly-W identity.. Their all-navy cap is the best one they've ever worn.. And the numbers are too bulky..

With that said, I've come to see them similar to the Cardinals.. Mostly a red team at home, mostly navy on the road.. The light/dark thing..

However, I think they could begin to carve out an identity with the all navy cap at home, while keeping the red-heavy uniforms (essentially darkening up the "lighter" uniform slightly), and go red cap with the still red-heavy road uniforms (essentially lightening up the "darker" uniform).. It would give them two distinct looks, which I think could work more harmoniously with one another, with the occasional mix-and-match.. Keep the interlocked "DC" as a sleeve patch, and call it a day..

 

I disagree with you about the all-navy cap. I say this literally wearing a 47-Brand all-navy cap as we speak. For the on-field, I think the all-red cap has become the single most important aspect of their identity to keep no matter what. No matter if it's a curly W or a beveled W or a beveled DC or (my favorite) simple DC.

 

27 minutes ago, FinsUp1214 said:

I’ll be totally honest, I think the Nats got it absolutely right the first time. I LOVED their inaugural road set especially. I think they’ve just slowly whittled a great identity into a “just okay” one ever since.

 

I completely agree. They were slowly whittled down even before they took the field, when Bud Selig insisted they wear the curly W cap even though Todd Radom had designed a fantastic beveled W for the cap. 

 

I'd love to hear what people think about the use of "DC" or the "W" on the cap irrespective of the design (curly, bevel, neither, etc.) of that element.

 

To me, a team called the "Washington Nationals" could exclusively wear a cap with an interlocking "DC." So at home it reads "DC Nationals" and on the road it reads "DC Washington." The Nats have never worn a uniform with "Washington" on the jersey and "DC" on the cap, even though that would be a great little thing. It's like the Twins, who have a cap with "TC" on it, even though "C" isn't in the name Minnesota Twins. 

[SFGiants58]

On 5/5/2018 at 12:29 PM, FinsUp1214 said:

The White Sox actually did wear white scripts and numbers on their roads in 1969:

 

 

 

 

That had the potential to be a fantastic look for them. A slightly cleaner script (with a better “C” and no “White Sox” lettering) and black replacing royal would make push it over the top. It also helped that this specific uniform had WHITE SOCKS.

 

 

The powder blue base is Chris probably misinterpreting the Cooperstown Collection graphic.

[OaklandIsBack]

I really don't get the love for the "beveled W." It fit the original look better than the curly W, but it's not a good logo

 

What the Nats have now is a few tweaks away from very good/best they have looked

[joey joe joe jr. shabadoo]

1 hour ago, FinsUp1214 said:

I’ll be totally honest, I think the Nats got it absolutely right the first time. I LOVED their inaugural road set especially. I think they’ve just slowly whittled a great identity into a “just okay” one ever since.

 

I always felt the original Nationals script across the chest was just too heavy, too big and blocky.

[HuntTheJones]

The Braves are wearing their Cream alternates today against San Francisco.  This is the first time this year, and I believe the first time in a while.  I can't recall seeing them at all last season.  Hopefully they are back more often.

[WavePunter]

1 hour ago, DeFrank said:

 

I disagree with you about the all-navy cap. I say this literally wearing a 47-Brand all-navy cap as we speak. For the on-field, I think the all-red cap has become the single most important aspect of their identity to keep no matter what. No matter if it's a curly W or a beveled W or a beveled DC or (my favorite) simple DC.

 

 

I completely agree. They were slowly whittled down even before they took the field, when Bud Selig insisted they wear the curly W cap even though Todd Radom had designed a fantastic beveled W for the cap.

I agree that it has become the single most important aspect of their identity, but I still think they missed the mark by not giving the superior all-navy cap its due from the start.. Also, in my suggestion, they wouldn't be losing the all-red cap from their on-field identity.. I would just suggest designating it for the road to brighten up that look.. The current Braves knockoff is blasphemous, especially considering they're divisional rivals.. 

Also, I never cared for the beveled W.. Sure, it meshes well with the beveled DC identity, but I prefer the Curly-W/Script identity anyway, and the beveled W looked so generic and sterile..

[FightingGoldenDevil]

The 3D SOX on the whitesox retro uniforms look really cool

[seasaltvanilla]

The DC mark is superior to the curly W, especially rendered flat. It's a shame they've all but abandoned it.

[DeFrank]

22 minutes ago, WavePunter said:

Also, I never cared for the beveled W.. Sure, it meshes well with the beveled DC identity, but I prefer the Curly-W/Script identity anyway, and the beveled W looked so generic and sterile..

 

I get that. I think ideally, rather than the beveled W or curly W, the 2005 sets would have been best suited by being paired with the all-red DC cap. I found a photo of a guy in the 2005 road uniform and the appropriate blue DC cap. This would have also been the best possible 2005-era road look. Never put together.

 

10 minutes ago, seasaltvanilla said:

The DC mark is superior to the curly W, especially rendered flat. It's a shame they've all but abandoned it.

 

Agreed. Overall, I think DC > curly W > bevel W.