MLB changes for 2007?

[redlegs420]

Just some old uniforms pictures of what the Reds are basing next years uniforms off of.

[BBM]

How about changing their playoff format so more than half the markets can maybe have a genuine interest in the months of August and September.

8 team playoff worked fine before there were 30 teams. They should atleast take the NFL playoff model (best of 7 ofcourse).

You want 16 out of 30 teams to make it? That renders the regular season as useless as the ones in the NBA and NHL (and this is twice as long). Just be glad 4 teams from each league make it, and not 2 like they did before the re-alignment (or just one from each back when there were no divisions).

As it is, MOST of the teams in the MLB still have an outside shot to make (or will make) the playoffs:

AL:

Yankees

Boston

Detroit

Chicago

Minnesota

Oakland

Texas

Angels

Seattle

NL:

Mets

Philadelphia

St. Louis

Cincinnati

Houston

San Diego

Los Angeles

Arizona

Colorado

San Francisco

That's 19 out of 30 teams still with a shot to get into the postseason. The wild card is doing it's job. Leave it alone.

[Gothamite]

I agree. I was opposed to the Wild Card when it was first introduced, but it's done very well.

It has made more teams competitive without watering down the regular season. Games are still meaningful.

[marlinfan]

The current MLB playoff structure is perfect.

Most of the good teams get in and we don't have to watch teams in 10th, 9th and 8th place battle it our for a play off spot like in the NBA and NHL.

8 teams per league in the playoffs would diminish the product.

I don't know about you guys but I'm enjoying watching the Yankees, Twins, Red Sox and White Sox battling for two playoff spots.

[oldschoolvikings]

How did we get from brick-red teams to playoff structures?

[Telemundo219]

How bout instead of 4 teams or 8 teams.....6 TEAMS! Now we would have an Wild-Card round and the go to the current structure only this in round 2.

[ZoDogg34]

More playoffs?

Hell no.

We don't need more garbage non division winners winning championships.

Anyway, Dodgers are definately bringing names back.

[BBM]

How bout instead of 4 teams or 8 teams.....6 TEAMS! Now we would have an Wild-Card round and the go to the current structure only this in round 2.

Please. There aren't 4 teams in the NL worthy of the playoffs this year... and you want 6??

[CubsFanBudMan]

In an effort to get back on track...

As far as brick, if it isn't a wholesale change like the Devil Rays, who said they weren't changing in 2007, how about the:

Nationals, new ownership that supposedly wants to emphasize the red. Seems unlikely that they's switch from bright red

Phillies, already mentioned, but a return to a darker shade might not be bad.

Reds, can't see them changing from bright red, but what about a double red? didn't someone do a concept like that once?

Braves, (also new ownership?) for whatever reason, that tomahawk seems dark to me and the red jersey is tough to swallow in an otherwise traditional look. Would a shift to brick look better? Probably not, but who knows.

Twins or Indians. Again, like the Braves, a shift from red, but two dark tones probably just wouldn't work.

Don't know what other candidates are out there.

[bucskick20]

Braves, (also new ownership?) for whatever reason, that tomahawk seems dark to me and the red jersey is tough to swallow in an otherwise traditional look. Would a shift to brick look better? Probably not, but who knows.

I don't see the Braze changing uniforms anytime soon, but it could be a possibility if the new owners are crazy.

[RamblinGamblinTiger]

Braves, (also new ownership?) for whatever reason, that tomahawk seems dark to me and the red jersey is tough to swallow in an otherwise traditional look. Would a shift to brick look better? Probably not, but who knows.

I would be shocked and deeply saddened if the braves switched to brick red.....

Why change what isn't broken??

[jonkj]

This is a problem with the salary structure in baseball, not the playoff format.

The salary-structure excuse is overblown.

The 21st century A's and Twins have proven that smaller markets CAN field competitive teams. How? With intelligent, forward-thinking front offices. Perhaps Dayton Moore can do the same in Kansas City.

But much of the problem in places like Pittsburgh and Kansas City has been due to executive ineptitude. Giving multi-year, multi-million contracts to washed up veterans instead of investing funds in player development, etc.

[CubsFanBudMan]

OK, trying to think outside the box again --

Cubs -- Ditching the "Cardinals" red might allow the Cubs to add a red uniform without backlash. (Fans threw a fit about red usher shirts, so....) The only pluses would be that brick might pair with royal blue better than navy and the Cubs might ditch their navy tendencies. Doubt it, but wouldn't put it past them in their continuing pursuit of revenue streams.

Cardinals -- Again, highly doubtful, but if they switch to a rumored cream home, it might work. Brick-white could look nice, as shown by the Astros, but probably not for the Cardinals.

Rangers -- Again, red is there with a blue that might work, but doubt they'd join Houston as the only teams with brick.

Again, these aren't recommendations, just thinking out loud. Looking at the teams, there just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of candidates for a change. Ruling out other teams with tradition (Yankees, Dodgers, Tigers), teams who have won recently (Red Sox, White Sox, Marlins, Angels, Diamondbacks), teams that have changed recently (Blue Jays, Royals, Padres) and the highly unlikely (A's, Orioles, Pirates, Brewers, Giants, Mariners, Mets) rules out a lot for a brick option.

So that leaves... Reds, Nationals, Phillies, Braves, Cubs, Twins, Cardinals, Rangers, Indians, Rockies and Devil Rays?

The Rockies would seem like candidates, but they've been shot down by some of their fans here. The Rays apparently have been ruled out by ownership, although they still seem like the best bet. A brick and orange or brick and yellow scheme could work well with the Rays.

So who could it be? I'm running out of ideas, but I prefer to keep this thread on topic.

EDIT: Weren't the Mariners TATC jerseys brick? Hmmm....

[SabreGuy]

Wasn't there some scuttlebutt a few weeks back about the Nationals possibly making some kind of change? Someone mentioned maybe they were getting rid of the W logo, but then management came out and said they weren't, if I recall correctly. Maybe it's something subtle like a change in the shade of red to brick. Just throwing it out there.

However I still think the Rays are the most likely choice, since we already know they're making at least a name tweak over the off season. Maybe they're going to go for a whole rebranding strategy. (Though that would be a shame, because that green is the ONLY thing good about the Rays)

[CubsFanBudMan]

I agree that it would be a shame to sacrifice one unique scheme (albeit one that needs work) for another. I'd like to see the Rays stick with green and blue and keep tweaking it (maybe even just green and white?)... their look has been steadily improving. That seems unlikely, though. Maybe if they ditch green-blue, someone else will pick it up.

Yeah, I mentioned the Nationals earlier. I just figured after the new ownership's big red push coming back from the all-star break, they'd stick with that color. But you never know... maybe brick paired with their existing gold with the idea that it would create a look that lines up more with the Redskins. I guess that technically would be downplaying blue... but I think it'd be awfully frustrating for fans with any of their current gear.

[jerkstore]

Comparison of Brick to current red for Phils:

phils brick

they could probably pull this off with hardly anyone noticing.

[Bouj]

Wasn't there some scuttlebutt a few weeks back about the Nationals possibly making some kind of change? Someone mentioned maybe they were getting rid of the W logo, but then management came out and said they weren't, if I recall correctly. Maybe it's something subtle like a change in the shade of red to brick. Just throwing it out there.

I think the move was to use the "DC" logo more, but not enough to undermine the Curly W. But that was before new management came in, so who know. I do remember there being rumblings that the new Nats ownership was going to try to use the red, white, and blue colors equally. You know, sort of branding them as "America's Team", since they play in DC.

[TBGKon]

However I still think the Rays are the most likely choice, since we already know they're making at least a name tweak over the off season. Maybe they're going to go for a whole rebranding strategy. (Though that would be a shame, because that green is the ONLY thing good about the Rays)

For the umteenth time, the Rays are not changing for the 2007 season, they did not file any changes by the deadline in May.

[SabreGuy]

However I still think the Rays are the most likely choice, since we already know they're making at least a name tweak over the off season.  Maybe they're going to go for a whole rebranding strategy.  (Though that would be a shame, because that green is the ONLY thing good about the Rays)

For the umteenth time, the Rays are not changing for the 2007 season, they did not file any changes by the deadline in May.

Well... sorry, I must have missed the memo.

But, way to screw another thing up for them.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Comparison of Brick to current red for Phils:

phils brick

they could probably pull this off with hardly anyone noticing.

Good point. The Phillies could do it easily and add a brick alt to their existing jersey set. Thought someone shot this down earlier -- it got lost among the chatter.