San Diego Padres Sand Jersey

[Sodboy13]

Granted, I'm not an avid follower of the Padres, but I have yet to see a road game with them wearing their sand-colored road jersey. So far, I've seen them don the navy alternate every time. I wouldn't have given it much thought were it not for an eBay listing I saw last week stating that the road jersey was becoming "rare" because it was getting replaced by the navy. I normally wouldn't put any credence into something like that, but the sand jersey had been conspicuous in its absence ever since. Anyone know what the deal is?

[oddball]

I happened to turn on the San Diego - Chicago game and noticed the navys again. I watched (briefly) all three games against the Dodgers and they wore the Navys, and I had thoughts about posting on this issue also.

[HatManTC]

they wore them last night. they should ditch them though. man are they ugly. i like being different but man its just an ugly color. why not bust out the brown and orange and use them as an alt or something.

[Gothamite]

I remember an interview on ESPN Radio last year where a Padres pitcher said that the team thought the sand uniforms were really ugly. Whenever they had the choice, they wore the blue alt jerseys to minimize the sand....

[averyj]

Do the Padres also do the thing where the starting pitcher chooses what uniform they wear that game?

[BallWonk]

I've never understood the hostility to San Diego's tan road uniforms. Granted, not everyone agrees with my objectively, unarguably correct (kidding!) opinion that tan is a great color for road uniforms. I was on the record being pro-tan for baseball away uniforms well before tan was a glimmer in San Diego's eyes.

But what I don't get is that calling the tan ugly implicitly expresses a preference for gray as a prettier color. I know teams have been wearing gray on the road for nigh on a century now, so we're all used to it, but does everyone who hates the tan really think gray is a pretty color to look at? Are there masses of people who've painted their houses gray, or put up gray wallpaper in their favorite rooms? If gray, as a color, is so beloved, then how come I've never noticed anyone saying of the Mets or the Blue Jays, "The problem with their black caps is that the black is too dark"? And I don't recall a huge groundswell of support for Toronto back when they adopted gray caps, but if gray is such a fantastic color, then it would be a positive step for at least one MLB team to adopt it, right?

Not to say anyone is wrong for hating on the tans, opinions will vary and whatnot. But no judgment exists in a vacuum; the choice isn't between tan and the most ultimately perfect uniform color you can imagine, the choice is between tan and pale gray. Yet in no other setting do I hear anyone ever expressing strong pro-gray opinions.

I will say that I'm 100 percent opposed to San Diego wearing tan when they also wear the navy blue alt. Makes them look like office workers on casual friday: Khaki pants, short sleeved navy shirt. Seeing them thusly clad at RFK last year, I kept expecting the Padres batters to step away from the plate and sell me some insurance or something. Or start golfing; khaki pants, short-sleeve navy shirt, and ballcap being pretty much the course uniform at the resorts where I sometimes attend conferences. It's just disconcerting to see baseball uniforms that look so much like "civilian" clothing. Which is ironic, since the tan and navy are inspired by military dress!

[OMMF]

The only problem I have with the sand jersey is the terrible way San Diego is printed on there. It's the reason that's kept me from buying one. It doesn't fit the rest of the look at all.

[illwauk]

I've never understood the hostility to San Diego's tan road uniforms.

Neither do I. I never understood why EVERY team had to wear grey on the road. Especially when it doesn't even go with the color schemes that a lot of the teams have (Oakland, Houston and Tampa Bay come to mind first).

I'm not advocating a return to the 70's, but a little diversity would be nice.

[HatManTC]

I've never understood the hostility to San Diego's tan road uniforms.

Neither do I. I never understood why EVERY team had to wear grey on the road. Especially when it doesn't even go with the color schemes that a lot of the teams have (Oakland, Houston and Tampa Bay come to mind first).

I'm not advocating a return to the 70's, but a little diversity would be nice.

i agree diversity would be nice, but an entire tan uni is pretty awfull

[BigShoop]

i like them.

[jojotarantino]

They look better in person. For some reason they look awful on TV.

[larrypep]

Do the Padres also do the thing where the starting pitcher chooses what uniform they wear that game?

My understanding is that as late as last year, when Bochy was the manager he would allow the starting pitcher to pick the jersey. This goes way back to 1997 when they first created an alternate navy jersey. In 1998, the navy jersey was the popular choice and was worn most of the season. Except for when Kevin Brown pitched, he hated the navy unis and always chose either the pinstripe white or the road greys.

I don't know if new manager Bud Black has the same policy.

I like the road sand uniforms. But as a whole, I think the Padres unis are bland. I would like to see a variation of their 1948 unis from last year.

[Silver Shamrock]

About the only thing I like about the blue jerseys, is that they're the only ones featuring the Swinging Friar. I also would not want to see them in gray roads again. What would the other color be? Would they just be navy, white and gray with little bits of tan trim? I think that would look awful.

This could all be solved with a switch to a very dark brown, white, and a New Orleans Saints-like gold trim. Keep the tans for the road. About the only thing standing in the way would be the shoe color, and I think white or white/brown shoes would look fine with that combo. Hey, the National League needs a counterpart to the A's, don't they?

Oh, and while I liked the design of the Padres' 1948 throwbacks, I would not be on board unless they were redone in Brown and White. Please, no more navy blue and red.......

[M59]

Rather like the Blue Jays, with the Padres I find myself saying "their last set was better"...perhaps because it was!

[hormone]

As Fugly as that set is, it's tolerable with the alt and I think it's (the alt) just going the way of the Cubs blue (used to) and Marlins black. You see it 9/10 times. I think that it's rather symbolic that a team is "pi$$ing" on traditional grays uses a urine colored alternative.

[hjwii]

.......besides, the blue jerseys have the Swinging Friar... For that reason alone they should wear them all the time...

I'm in the minority here, arent I? Too many people think the ol' Padre is too cartoony, huh?

[Sodboy13]

.......besides, the blue jerseys have the Swinging Friar... For that reason alone they should wear them all the time...

I'm in the minority here, arent I? Too many people think the ol' Padre is too cartoony, huh?

Hell no. The Friar is awesome. He should be the sleeve patch on all three jerseys.

[hecticbro]

they wore them last night. they should ditch them though. man are they ugly. i like being different but man its just an ugly color. why not bust out the brown and orange and use them as an alt or something.

Brown and orange? And you're complaining about ugliness?

[Gothamite]

I'm in the minority here, arent I? Too many people think the ol' Padre is too cartoony, huh?

Hell no. The Friar is awesome. He should be the sleeve patch on all three jerseys.

Agreed - he's much better than the regular logo.

[IceCap]

While it's true the Padres uniforms could use a tweak or two (the after-mentioned Friar on all three jerseys would be a nice start) the sand uniforms rule. They're unique without being to "out there." I realize that traditionally road baseball uniforms are grey, but I don't see a problem if one or two teams want to mix it up (the Royals in powder blue would be great).