2012 MLB & Logo Changes

[BigBubba]

I'm a fan of Atlanta's throwback alt, but not their coloured ones. I think that old-school teams can get away with throwback alts (I'd actually like to see the Yankees and Cardinals have one), but in most cases, having a coloured alt is unnecessary (as it muddles down their set) and often looks bad (case in point: Boston's "BP" alts).

[Fox]

I'm a fan of Atlanta's throwback alt, but not their coloured ones. I think that old-school teams can get away with throwback alts (I'd actually like to see the Yankees and Cardinals have one), but in most cases, having a coloured alt is unnecessary (as it muddles down their set) and often looks bad (case in point: Boston's "BP" alts).

The Braves would look great if they dropped their colored alternates and brought back the classic cap on the road. If they ever wanted a colored alt though, all they would need to do is invert navy and white. While they don't need a red or a blue alt, they could have done both much much better.

[TBGKon]

Speaking of Rays, I read Chris' article about teams wearing throwbacks this season. What's this about the Rays wearing a fauxback?

First I've heard of this, but I would eye up the Detroit series the end of June since I heard Turn Back the Clock thrown around for sometime around that weekend.

[DarthBrett]

The Rays have never worn the powder blue ALT on the road since it was first introduced in '10.

[ZapRowsdower8]

I am really excited about this throwback to 1979 the Rays are doing. This could be a lot of fun if they go for a believable level of absurdity.

[loogodude90]

Chris mentioned in his article how this might give other teams ideas to do the same type of thing.

The only complaint I have about this is that it might distort history. Kids who are just growing up now might see that jersey a few years from now and be thoroughly confused. And if more teams start doing this with various eras, we'll have to be careful to remember what's fake and what is not, especially if the jerseys are believable (which they probably will be). Which might end up being annoying.

[CC97]

Speaking of Rays, I read Chris' article about teams wearing throwbacks this season. What's this about the Rays wearing a fauxback?

First I've heard of this, but I would eye up the Detroit series the end of June since I heard Turn Back the Clock thrown around for sometime around that weekend.

The game will be played on June 30th, indeed vs. Detroit... I covered it today on SportsLogos.Net News: http://news.sportslogos.net/2012/06/11/tampa-bay-rays-1979-faux-backs-on-the-way/

I've seen the uniforms, so if you have any questions about what they look like, please ask

[CanesCop86]

Speaking of Rays, I read Chris' article about teams wearing throwbacks this season. What's this about the Rays wearing a fauxback?

First I've heard of this, but I would eye up the Detroit series the end of June since I heard Turn Back the Clock thrown around for sometime around that weekend.

The game will be played on June 30th, indeed vs. Detroit... I covered it today on SportsLogos.Net News: http://news.sportslogos.net/2012/06/11/tampa-bay-rays-1979-faux-backs-on-the-way/

I've seen the uniforms, so if you have any questions about what they look like, please ask

What do they look like?

[BigBubba]

I know I'm probably in the vast minority here, but I think this idea is just flat out dumb.

[Magnum]

Nah, it sounds dumb in my opinion too. Might as well thrown in back to 1998.

Tigers' uniforms haven't significantly changed whether its 1979, 1998 or 2012.

[Sodboy13]

Chris, does the lower case "tb" on the powder blue front panel resemble, say, the Portland Trail Blazers' old font, or something along the lines of the Padres' lowercase look? That's the first thing that popped into my mind.

[Old School Fool]

From Chris' description, it looks like this in my head...

Yes, I'm awful in MS Paint. Don't hurt me.

I also thought of something like this for some reason...

[TBGKon]

Speaking of Rays, I read Chris' article about teams wearing throwbacks this season. What's this about the Rays wearing a fauxback?

First I've heard of this, but I would eye up the Detroit series the end of June since I heard Turn Back the Clock thrown around for sometime around that weekend.

The game will be played on June 30th, indeed vs. Detroit... I covered it today on SportsLogos.Net News: http://news.sportslogos.net/2012/06/11/tampa-bay-rays-1979-faux-backs-on-the-way/

I've seen the uniforms, so if you have any questions about what they look like, please ask

If you could compare what youve seen to any jersey from the era, which one resembles it the best?

[BigEd76]

1. Are the sleeves navy?

2. Are the names missing from the back?

[CC97]

Answering the questions...

The 'tb' on the cap is blue, lowercase (not overlapped, but still diagonal) with a yellow sun in the 'b' hole (heh), Sodboy - I'm not really sure which one it looks like more to be honest but I didn't think of either team when seeing it.

The cap is all blue, looks like a lighter shade than the current Rays blue. The front panel of the cap is powder blue, similar to the Rays current powder blue.

The jersey is a pullover with a blue chest and back, light blue arm sleeves. There is a patch on the left sleeve which I could not make out in the photos I've seen.

The sleeve trim is blue/powder blue/blue

The script across the front of the jersey is similar in execution as the 1978 San Diego Padres uniforms, in powder blue, "rays" in lowercase with the yellow sun in the "a" hole (heh heh)

A yellow number is below the script on the front.

Pants have a belt (why??), they are powder blue with blue/light blue/blue stripes down the side.

Socks are solid blue.

I have not seen the helmets or the back of the jersey.

No word on when this jersey will be unveiled, but it's gotta be soon as the game is less than 3 weeks away.

[Sport]

So the timeline in this alternate universe the Rays are throwing back goes like this:

- In 1979 they were a blue, light blue, and yellow team that wore uniforms that went along with the fashion of the day. Picture a template similar to the braves or Padres in that era.

- In the 80's they toned down the obnoxiousness of their uniforms, but continued to wear pullovers with heavy, thick striping. Up until 87 their road uniforms were powder blue.

- In 1989 they switched to buttons on their jerseys and dropped the powder blue road uniforms in favor of gray. Actually, they dropped powder blue altogether as the color had gone out of style. Typical of their copy cat ways they rode with a blue and yellow color scheme very similar to their AL brothers in Milwaukee and Seattle, though their blue remained slightly darker.

- In 1998, after years in the basement, new ownership wanted to make the team more "edgy" and "sleek" to get with the "advanced technological times of the late 1990's" (They had a press conference, it was a whole thing). New ownership planted its mark on the historically terrible franchise by adding "Devil" to the front of their nickname to appeal to a new demographic. They were no longer a wimpy ray of sunshine, but a deadly Devil Ray of the sea. For the first time the franchise underwent a complete logo overhaul, and changed their colors to black and rainbow.

- After a few years it became evident that the Devil Rays was not a look befitting a major league baseball team and the Rays' continued home at the bottom of the standings was even more evidence that the organizational overhaul was not successful. After only 3 years the Rays abandoned their ambitious uniform undertaking and changed to a more understated green-black-blue look. While still officially being named after a sea animal, they removed "Devil" from their uniforms and for the first time in team history wore vested tops.

- In 2008 it had become apparent that the sports world was infected with double-blue fever. The Rays' original color scheme was back in style and they pounced on it as fast as they could. The product was a simple uniform with their trademark burst of sunshine and a new understated cap logo. However, the team didn't want to completely ignore the previous ten years of their history so they left the sting ray logo on the sleeves as a reminder of where they'd been.

[CC97]

So the timeline in this alternate universe the Rays are throwing back goes like this:

- In 1979 they were a blue, light blue, and yellow team that wore uniforms that went along with the fashion of the day. Picture a template similar to the braves or Padres in that era.

- In the 80's they toned down the obnoxiousness of their uniforms, but continued to wear pullovers with heavy, thick striping. Up until 87 their road uniforms were powder blue.

- In 1989 they switched to buttons on their jerseys and dropped the powder blue road uniforms in favor of gray. Actually, they dropped powder blue altogether as the color had gone out of style. Typical of their copy cat ways they rode with a blue and yellow color scheme very similar to their AL brothers in Milwaukee and Seattle, though their blue remained slightly darker.

- In 1998, after years in the basement, new ownership wanted to make the team more "edgy" and "sleek" to get with the "advanced technological times of the late 1990's" (They had a press conference, it was a whole thing). New ownership planted its mark on the historically terrible franchise by adding "Devil" to the front of their nickname to appeal to a new demographic. They were no longer a wimpy ray of sunshine, but a deadly Devil Ray of the sea. For the first time the franchise underwent a complete logo overhaul, and changed their colors to black and rainbow.

- After a few years it became evident that the Devil Rays was not a look befitting a major league baseball team and the Rays' continued home at the bottom of the standings was even more evidence that the organizational overhaul was not successful. After only 3 years the Rays abandoned their ambitious uniform undertaking and changed to a more understated green-black-blue look. While still officially being named after a sea animal, they removed "Devil" from their uniforms and for the first time in team history wore vested tops.

- In 2008 it had become apparent that the sports world was infected with double-blue fever. The Rays' original color scheme was back in style and they pounced on it as fast as they could. The product was a simple uniform with their trademark burst of sunshine and a new understated cap logo. However, the team didn't want to completely ignore the previous ten years of their history so they left the sting ray logo on the sleeves as a reminder of where they'd been.

Pretty much, yeah... kinda like the Syracuse SkyChiefs of the Majors

[illwauk]

I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and say the script and cap logo are based on the bauhaus bold. You really can't get more 70s than that font.

[The_Admiral]

I was hoping they would throw back to like Ye Olde Deviled Rays or something.

[TheFloridianLogoMan]

This is my educated guess as to what the Rays will wear come June 30.........it took me 30 minutes to complete..

This is only a guess, I have not even seen the actual uniforms (I don't even have a sleeve on the sketch) but if it too close to the actual, I'll be happy to take it down.