Lee's Uniform Anamoly

[Bouj]

I first noticed this in Game 5 of the ALDS, but Cliff Lee has a different road jersey than his teammates. He's wearing a doubleknit jersey. The Rangers are an exclusively COOLBASE team (and have been since the new uniforms were introduced in 2009). And it isn't a 2001-2008 jersey with the current number font: those jerseys had royal trim, while the current set have royal/red trim. He has a royal/red-trimmed jersey.

There are several instances of teams having a mix of doubleknit and COOLBASE (like SF), but this is the first time I've seen a COOLBASE-only team have a lone doubleknit jersey. I can't think of any other instances with the 15 or so COOLBASE-only teams having one player in a doubleknit jersey.

[smcmac32]

Can players request to stay with a particular jersey the way NFLers can choose their helmet type??

[patsox]

I thought this was about ManLam.

That's interesting though Bouj. Someone with more knowledge of MLB uniforms could probably provide better insight, but all I can think of is that he requested it because it's warmer maybe?

[OMMF]

I thought this was about ManLam.

I was expecting much better. Although, he has more anomalous things than jerseys.

Edited to add: #ronwashingtonsmustache

[Bouj]

I thought this was about ManLam.

That's interesting though Bouj. Someone with more knowledge of MLB uniforms could probably provide better insight, but all I can think of is that he requested it because it's warmer maybe?

I would imagine it's either for comfort in the cold or superstition. Regardless, it's the first time I've seen a lone player on a COOLBASE-only team going out in doubleknit. It's not odd to see mix-and-match on other teams (Example #1 - Pujols is always in doubleknit, Wainwright is now almost always in COOLBASE), but it's odd here because the Rangers made a big deal about them going exclusively to COOLBASE with their new set in 2009. A doubleknit Rangers jersey in the current set shouldn't exist. It had to be specially made at Cliff Lee's specific request.

[Bouj]

I just went through the games that Lee pitched for Texas in 2010. He's worn a doubleknit version of one of the Rangers' 4 jerseys in every game since his debut (no clear pics from that one to confirm). So Lee got specially-made one-of-a-kind jerseys made in each of the Rangers' 4 sets while his teammates all wear COOLBASE. Very unique.

[guest23]

I just went through the games that Lee pitched for Texas in 2010. He's worn a doubleknit version of one of the Rangers' 4 jerseys in every game since his debut (no clear pics from that one to confirm). So Lee got specially-made one-of-a-kind jerseys made in each of the Rangers' 4 sets while his teammates all wear COOLBASE. Very unique.

how can one tell?..just curious.

[BBTV]

I just went through the games that Lee pitched for Texas in 2010. He's worn a doubleknit version of one of the Rangers' 4 jerseys in every game since his debut (no clear pics from that one to confirm). So Lee got specially-made one-of-a-kind jerseys made in each of the Rangers' 4 sets while his teammates all wear COOLBASE. Very unique.

how can one tell?..just curious.

Look at the pits.

[Shmee]

Could this be a result of his being traded midseason and not having had COOLBASE before that? It's definitely interesting.

[Bouj]

I just went through the games that Lee pitched for Texas in 2010. He's worn a doubleknit version of one of the Rangers' 4 jerseys in every game since his debut (no clear pics from that one to confirm). So Lee got specially-made one-of-a-kind jerseys made in each of the Rangers' 4 sets while his teammates all wear COOLBASE. Very unique.

how can one tell?..just curious.

Look at the pits.

The COOLBASE has the underarm gussets. Doubleknits don't.

Could this be a result of his being traded midseason and not having had COOLBASE before that? It's definitely interesting.

I'm going to try to go back and look at the pics from Seattle later. Seattle has a mix of COOLBASE and doubleknit in each jersey, so it wouldn't have been a big deal for him to be in doubleknit then. Another interesting thing would be to see if he pulled off last year in Philly. Philly is exclusively COOLBASE too (for several years now), so he was in the same situation before. Maybe Lee doesn't like the feel of COOLBASE and asked for the regular material.

[Audiodrama]

Here's a pic of him in his Philly alternate. Looks like COOLBASE to me.

...and again, this time in the traditional homes. Also COOLBASE.

[Bouj]

Here's a pic of him in his Philly alternate. Looks like COOLBASE to me.

...and again, this time in the traditional homes. Also COOLBASE.

He's worn COOLBASE in the past, but requested the doubleknits now. It's probably not superstition (he was great in Philly), so it's probably comfort.

[Bouj]

Following up on this: I saw MLB Auctions offering some Rangers 2010 game-worn playoff jerseys (since closed). They had a Vlad Guerrero Rangers and a Cliff Lee Rangers. The Guerrero jersey was COOLBASE. The Lee jersey was doubleknit. Lee is back in COOLBASE this year in Philly. I know we'll probably never know why, but Lee did actually wear a jersey style (Rangers doubleknits) that should never have existed, since Texas went 100% COOLBASE in the redesign.

[BBTV]

Following up on this: I saw MLB Auctions offering some Rangers 2010 game-worn playoff jerseys (since closed). They had a Vlad Guerrero Rangers and a Cliff Lee Rangers. The Guerrero jersey was COOLBASE. The Lee jersey was doubleknit. Lee is back in COOLBASE this year in Philly. I know we'll probably never know why, but Lee did actually wear a jersey style (Rangers doubleknits) that should never have existed, since Texas went 100% COOLBASE in the redesign.

I can ask my friend who covers the team if he'll ask Lee about this. He's asked guys about uniforms before so it's not out of line with anything he'd normally do, except for the fact that we're talking about what he did with Texas and not Philadelphia.