Blue Mets Uni?

[gmat]

The Mets identity pays homage to the Brooklyn Dodgers (blue) and the New York Giants (black).

It's actually the Dodger Blue, Giants Orange, and Yankee Pinstripes that made up the uniform. There was no black until 1998...and then they re-colored their logo as an alternate for 1999-Present...

I don't think the pinstripes were to represent the Yanks, I think they were just there. Why would an NL expansion team take colors from the city's 2 former NL teams and use the pinstripes from their counterparts, the AL club?

That story has been around for a long time - I have been searching for actual confirmation.

Just to put this story to rest, the pinstripes are not an homage to the yankees.

This is from the Mets offical website located at http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/history/timeline1.jsp

Notice there is no mention of the pinstripes.

"The Mets' colors are Dodger blue and Giant orange, symbolic of the return of National League baseball to New York after the Dodgers and Giants moved to California. Blue and Orange are also the official colors of New York State."

Getting back to their uniforms, you people are debating over their uniforms like they had nice uniforms at one time, they never did, and in fact their black version is their best uniform.

[Trademarked15]

Aren't blue and orange the official colors of New York City?

blue, white, and orange are the three colors represented on the New York City flag

so not only are they paying homage to the departed franchises of the Dodgers and Giants, but also observing the colors of the city.

[meetthemets]

The time has come for the black to go. The Mets should go back to the pinstripe uni for home, grey with the New York in block or script for the road and a blue alt. I have noticed this year the Mets wearing the blue more and more. Maybe the players and ownership have finally heard that the majority of Met fans hate the black.

While I don't have the stats in front if me I will bet you the Mets have worn black just as much this year as they have in past years. I think all the claims that they are "phasing out the black" are inaccurate, at least from what I've observed in the 100+ games I've watched so far this year.

[cmm]

The history of the Mets' uniform elements seems to be muddled, but maybe we can come to consensus on this: Which look is better? Home Mets with pinstripes and blue caps? Or home Mets without pinstripes and blue caps? I tend to prefer the latter, but I recognize the history of the former. Thoughts?

I'm a fan of the pinstripes partly because of their history, mostly because I think it's a great look, and partly because the "snow whites" just look too plain to me. I saw a concept on here awhile ago that replaced the blue piping with orange, and it looked much better than with the blue to me, though I'd still want the pinstripes.

As for them getting rid of the black from their color scheme, I doubt it will happen next year--Shea Stadium has a lot of black in its color scheme now, like on the back walls behind the outfield fence, the dugouts, the souvenir stands, etc. I'm hopeful they will go back to just blue and orange when they move into the new place in 2009. I have no idea if they're even considering phasing out the black, mind you, I just want them to, and the opening of a new, retro ballpark seems like the perfect time.

[McCall]

While I hate the Mets as a team, I think they could have one of the best uniform sets if the ditched the black. Either home uniform (pinstripe or snow white with blue piping) would look great. The current roads are fine. Add the blue jersey, even a road version with New York like they do with the black jerseys right now, would be fine. If they took out all the black EXCEPT for the drop shadows on the lettering and numerals, that wouldn't be to bad. While unnecessary, it's not completely horrible if left in. It's a moderate compromise and slight accentuation (is that the correct word?).

Although if there is a change, I would not expect it for a couple more years. Until 2009 when they open Citi Field. I think it would be smarter to open a new stadium with a new, er, "properly returned to" look than to close out one. New stadium, (somewhat) new look. Makes a little more sense.

[Gothamite]

If they took out all the black EXCEPT for the drop shadows on the lettering and numerals, that wouldn't be to bad. While unnecessary, it's not completely horrible if left in.

I disagree - the black muddies the wordmark and ought be the first thing dropped. Compare:

The black drop-shadow covers the negative space, making the wordmark harder to read. It's just a mess.

[powersurge]

As a one-time Mets fan, I'm in the same boat as most here: Sentimentally, I'm for the pinstripes. With the racing stripes down the sleeve. But I have to admit that the plain-white is the superior uniform design in this case.

What did you in?

Their total inenptitude in big games throughout the 90's? or the fact that their cross town rivals were sucking in Mets fans like a vacuum after each WS victory in the late 90's?

My first little league team, in beautiful Wayne, Pennsylvania, half a decade before the Mets won their second World Series, was the Mets. I loved a lot of individual Phillies players -- Schmidt is still my favorite player of all time -- and I loved the Phillies uniforms. But I never really got full-throttle behind the Phillies as a team, and within two years my family had moved to Minnesota. But the Mets stuck with me; I think I must be one of about three non-New Yorkers who will admit to having rooted for the Mets over the Sox in '86.

What changed? Well, the Brewers moved to the NL, so I had an upper-Midwest team to root for in the Senior Circuit. Then the Mets started vomiting black all over their uniforms. Then the Nationals came to town, and suddenly I had a hometown team in the NL East. Blue and orange is probably my favorite uniform color combination, and there is no doubt that if I lived in NYC, I would be a Mets fan, no matter how well the Yankees are doing in any given year.

I nearly spit out my coffee onto my monitor thanks to this comment.

I can understand the change in team loyalty. I grew up a Mets fan because thats all I knew, but then switched to the Athletics due in part to a certain record breaking rookie homerun performance by a now sadly infamous individual who I still admire deeply.

But now when people ask me what team I cheer for I simply respond "What team is playing AGAINST the Yankees? I like them"

...but thats a whole other story

[powersurge]

d/p

[M59]

Pinstripes: I hate

Drop shadows: I hate

Black: I like

If the Mets would convert the drop shadows into a straight 3rd color outline, and dump the pinstriped uniforms, everything would be fine in their world. Dumping the pinstripes would also open up the option of a blue alternate. I also wouldn't mind seeing a return of the 1994-era road jersey script.

[Gothamite]

What do pinstripes (or the lack thereof) have to do with a blue alt?

[Jamikel]

What do pinstripes (or the lack thereof) have to do with a blue alt?

Well, alt jerseys paired with pinstripes look like crap, but that doesn't really stop lots of other teams from doing it.

[powersurge]

What do pinstripes (or the lack thereof) have to do with a blue alt?

Well, alt jerseys paired with pinstripes look like crap, but that doesn't really stop lots of other teams from doing it.

I'm having a brainfart here....which teams have pin stripes in their alt jerseys?

[Jamikel]

What do pinstripes (or the lack thereof) have to do with a blue alt?

Well, alt jerseys paired with pinstripes look like crap, but that doesn't really stop lots of other teams from doing it.

I'm having a brainfart here....which teams have pin stripes in their alt jerseys?

Not pinstriped alt jerseys, alt jerseys paired with pinstriped pants. The Twins, Marlins, and White Sox are all known offenders.

[powersurge]

What do pinstripes (or the lack thereof) have to do with a blue alt?

Well, alt jerseys paired with pinstripes look like crap, but that doesn't really stop lots of other teams from doing it.

I'm having a brainfart here....which teams have pin stripes in their alt jerseys?

Not pinstriped alt jerseys, alt jerseys paired with pinstriped pants. The Twins, Marlins, and White Sox are all known offenders.

My take on pinstripes is this: If you are a team that is going to do the pinstripe look then you shouldn't have an alt jersey period.

[BallWonk]

My take on pinstripes is this: If you are a team that is going to do the pinstripe look then you shouldn't have an alt jersey period.

My rule would be, "If the best you can come up with is changing the fabric color of a normal jersey, then you shouldn't have an alt jersey period." But I agree that teams with pinstripes should not wear solid-color tops with pinstripe pants. If the Twins want to have a blue shirt with white or gray pinstripes to go with their pinstriped pants, fine. Solid top on pinstripe pants? No.

Also, I would add the rule that a team can wear pinstriped home uniforms, or non-pinstriped home uniforms, but not both. Both the Mets and the Astros need to choose one or the other (and as much as I like the old Mets pinstripe look, both teams should choose their non-pinstriped uniforms). Pinstripes are a team-defining characteristic. You either wear pinstripes or you don't.

[Gothamite]

My rule would be, "If the best you can come up with is changing the fabric color of a normal jersey, then you shouldn't have an alt jersey period."

I would tend to agree, but I'd be willing to overlook it if the Mets went in this direction:

[powersurge]

My rule would be, "If the best you can come up with is changing the fabric color of a normal jersey, then you shouldn't have an alt jersey period."

I would tend to agree, but I'd be willing to overlook it if the Mets went in this direction:

Make the shade of blue lighter and I'd buy that in an instant.

EDIT: Maybe its my monitor then, but the blue looks dark.

[dahatman]

The time has come for the black to go. The Mets should go back to the pinstripe uni for home, grey with the New York in block or script for the road and a blue alt. I have noticed this year the Mets wearing the blue more and more. Maybe the players and ownership have finally heard that the majority of Met fans hate the black.

While I don't have the stats in front if me I will bet you the Mets have worn black just as much this year as they have in past years. I think all the claims that they are "phasing out the black" are inaccurate, at least from what I've observed in the 100+ games I've watched so far this year.

Okay, let me clarify. I think that the Mets are wearing blue at Home more often this year than year's past. They never wear the blue hat on the road. It's either the solid black with black jersey or black/blue hat with the road greys. Unfortunately, I have to agree the Mets will not be phasing it out anytime soon. I think it would be appropriate to have the Blue designated as the "HOME" uni when they move into Citi Field with the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and Robinson being a Dodger (ie Dodger Blue).

[Gothamite]

Make the shade of blue lighter and I'd buy that in an instant.

EDIT: Maybe its my monitor then, but the blue looks dark.

I think it might be - looks royal to me....

[BallWonk]

My rule would be, "If the best you can come up with is changing the fabric color of a normal jersey, then you shouldn't have an alt jersey period."

I would tend to agree, but I'd be willing to overlook it if the Mets went in this direction

Agreed, that is a beautiful jersey. Were I emperor, though, that would be a fashion jersey sold to fans, not an actual game jersey worn by players. Or it would be the basis of a quality BP jersey, or even a non-playing alt to be worn by players in off-the-field appearances.

Just my biases, though -- and I can't disagree with that being one heck of an attractive solid-color jersey.