"Change Strip" for Baseball -- Contrast Color Caps?

[BallWonk]

At a recent Phillies-Nats game, I overheard some nearby fans saying they didn't think both teams ought to be allowed to wear the same color hats.

I silently disagreed, though noting to myself that I did wish the Phillies would try wearing gray on the road instead of off-white.

But the more I thought about it, the more I think the apparent baseball newbies I overheard might have a point. From the Phillies-Nats series:

That's just not a lot of visual contrast between two teams.

Why not have baseball follow international soccer and require each team to have a "change cap"? Identify a few color categories -- such as red, blue, green, black, yellow, orange, gray, white -- and the visiting team may not wear caps from the same category as the home team. Or even more broadly, if the home team is wearing a dark (black, blue, green, purple) cap, the visiting team must wear a light (red, orange, yellow, teal, gray, white) cap, and vice versa. Many teams already have contrasting road or alt caps, so relatively little new gear would be needed, and it would be a great merchandising opportunity for other teams to add a rarely used on-field alt. If a team like the Giants didn't want to add an orange cap for contrast when playing in Miami, it could just use gray.

(Might have to allow a shade of light blue -- powder, if you will -- onto the light side of the ledger, for the sake of the Royals.)

Also, batting helmets that match the team's fielding caps would be mandatory, but that's a whole other problem.

[maz]

Im not completely opposed to the idea.

I dont think it needs to be done, but if it was, I wouldnt hate it.

[Cianfrocco]

I don't completely disagree, but I think the need for contrast isn't there for baseball as much as other sports. Batters and runners know where they are going, and they don't really need to be aware of where the opponent is like a quarterback needs to distinguish his receivers from opponents down field. Fielders also know (generally) where to throw the ball, and each player usually stays around a small area of the field. This is why you even see some spring traning games where both teams have the same colored jerseys and hats. I am all for seeing a bit more color (though maybe not as much as the 70's), but only for aesthetic reasons, not for functional reasons.

[gosioux76]

I'm surprised MLB hasn't considered this, for merchandising reasons alone. Think of all the alternate caps that teams could sell -- above and beyond what they already have out there.

The Pirates could break out the yellow caps, the O's could wear Orange, the Mariners green, etc., the Blue Jays ... blue (ha!) ?

Personally, I can see the practical benefits, but I liked it better when teams just had one cap.

[BadSeed84]

I wouldn't mind seeint the Phillies wear their blue hats on the road when they face another red hat team.

[BBTV]

I silently disagreed, though noting to myself that I did wish the Phillies would try wearing gray on the road instead of off-white.

The Phillies have never worn off-white on the road, at least not in the modern-era. That's gray as gray can be.

[jtthasportfreak]

At one point when the Dodgers road jersey had blue over white name and numbers, the Rangers and Royals had very similar jersey combinations and name and number fonts using the same color royal blue, especially if the Rangers ever faced dodgers before 1994. Long live the run-on sentence, Dick Stockton

[BrySmalls]

BallWonk, there was simply too much of the color Red on display during the past 2 series (vs. Phillies and vs. Reds) that it was redundant. I wish the Nats held another retro day or night game to differentiate between the two teams. The Nats should've asked the Caps permission for their "Rock The Red" playoff campaign.

[BBM]

BallWonk, there was simply too much of the color Red on display during the past 2 series (vs. Phillies and vs. Reds) that it was redundant. I wish the Nats held another retro day or night game to differentiate between the two teams. The Nats should've asked the Caps permission for their "Rock The Red" playoff campaign.

Hmmm the Devils had the same campaign. NHL laziness or CONSPIRACY?

[BroadwayBlueshirt]

God no, then we'll never get rid of the Mets black caps.

[Jigga]

BallWonk, there was simply too much of the color Red on display during the past 2 series (vs. Phillies and vs. Reds) that it was redundant. I wish the Nats held another retro day or night game to differentiate between the two teams. The Nats should've asked the Caps permission for their "Rock The Red" playoff campaign.

Hmmm the Devils had the same campaign. NHL laziness or CONSPIRACY?

How dare you make such comments regarding hockey! You must atone for your transgression! 40 lashes with a wet hockey stick for you!

I don't think the change caps are needed to differentiate the teams. The different color jerseys and pants should be enough. Nevertheless, it's a cool idea...and more alternate caps can only be a good thing.

[lahaye7]

how about a three colored cap for the Nats, ah la Les Expos?

[Lee.]

I'm in favor of, "the team wearing those big leather gloves is on defense." Simple, done.

[BrySmalls]

BallWonk, there was simply too much of the color Red on display during the past 2 series (vs. Phillies and vs. Reds) that it was redundant. I wish the Nats held another retro day or night game to differentiate between the two teams. The Nats should've asked the Caps permission for their "Rock The Red" playoff campaign.

Hmmm the Devils had the same campaign. NHL laziness or CONSPIRACY?

How dare you make such comments regarding hockey! You must atone for your transgression! 40 lashes with a wet hockey stick for you!

I don't think the change caps are needed to differentiate the teams. The different color jerseys and pants should be enough. Nevertheless, it's a cool idea...and more alternate caps can only be a good thing.

I prefer English; Not gibberish.

[The_Admiral]

The ideal solution to this Nats/Phils blur would be to have the Nats make navy their primary color at home, and for the Phillies to go back to dark red/burgundy. In the meantime, it's a lot of red, but I can tell who's who.

[BBTV]

Maybe the folks at FOX who brought us the "glow puck" or "comet puck" can bring us the "glow runner" and "glow batter." That would make it really easy to tell who's who.

[cappital92]

This reminds me of my idea on how the Nationals should balance their colors.

Democratic President= Primarily blue

Republican President= Primarily red

You'd have to make the change in November, but all they'd have to do is just recolor the home and road scripts, the alt, and switch the caps.

[The_Admiral]

I'd rather just have them use navy full-time, because the navy contrasts with the gold beveling better than the red does. The red and gold blend together too much.

It's just much better to me.

[ohryan]

BallWonk, there was simply too much of the color Red on display during the past 2 series (vs. Phillies and vs. Reds) that it was redundant. I wish the Nats held another retro day or night game to differentiate between the two teams. The Nats should've asked the Caps permission for their "Rock The Red" playoff campaign.

Hmmm the Devils had the same campaign. NHL laziness or CONSPIRACY?

How dare you make such comments regarding hockey! You must atone for your transgression! 40 lashes with a wet hockey stick for you!

I don't think the change caps are needed to differentiate the teams. The different color jerseys and pants should be enough. Nevertheless, it's a cool idea...and more alternate caps can only be a good thing.

Yeah, plus all the members of the batting team are wearing helmets (including the base coaches). It doesn't seem that confusing. I do kind of like the idea though, although for some teams it would probably require white hats at home. That probably wouldn't go over well with teams like the Yankees

[ColeJ]

This reminds me of my idea on how the Nationals should balance their colors.

Democratic President= Primarily blue

Republican President= Primarily red

You'd have to make the change in November, but all they'd have to do is just recolor the home and road scripts, the alt, and switch the caps.

i also had that same idea...

but it would be awkward. i know i was a fan of the team, i'd only want to wear the blue jerseys and caps regardless of the president... i think they'd be best served refraining from political color-coding, to keep from alienating some of their fans from wanting to support certain peices of merchandise.