And, I am talking about The Tampa Bay (Now) Rays--no longer Devil Rays. For 10 Years, not only has this franchise languished in last place, playing in a terrible indoor facility--but their three different uniforms during that era have been just horrible. Purple, Teal, Green, Yellow--all the DISCO Colors. Terrible Stuff.
The just revealed Navy Blue and "Carolina" Blue with that Yellow Sunburst on "Rays" is quite sharp. Maybe now--The Tampa Bay Rays can Officially become a Major League Baseball Team. As, since 1997, they have been nothing short of Minor League.
As many baseball fans can attest--sometimes its all about the uniform. They should have added that Sunburst to their "TB" Cap, too!! Now--that would look SHARP!!
Good for them--nonetheless. Nice effort. Professional looking. Now, I guess MLB will strap Tampa-St.Pete for a new stadium--as a consolation prize.
13 comments:
I'm with you, SBF. I really like this new uniform. I had read some criticism of it on another board, but I think it's a huge improvement over what they'd been wearing.
I'm on the fence about the new name, "Rays", but it is certainly better than having "DBacks" on the front of your jersey.
I always get a little sad when talking about uniforms, as I think about what could have been, if the Expos had become the Washington Grays... mind you, I love the Nats uniforms, but I sometimes imagine how cool some throwback-looking gray and black uniforms would have been....
Eric: Those Dark Navy and Cream Grays uniforms The Nats wore earlier in the year were absolutely outstanding. I have no doubt--they will wear them again. The Positive Response was too good to pass up.
Actually, if you refer to the team picture of the 1933 AL pennant winning Washington Senators, p. 56 of Frederic Frommer's book The Washington Nationals - 1859 to Today, the uniform is really cool: all black with script gothic W over the heart, white belt, black caps with white piping. They should wear that one once in awhile. Problem with the Grays is they are more Pittsburgh than Washington. I just visited the Heinz museum in Pittsburgh with lots of memorabilia and info on them and the Crawfords...
Tampa Bay suffers from two problems: playing in Florida, which turns out not to be a good place for MLB; and a very depressing in-door stadium, to go with chronic losing teams. The uniforms and the connection to the sun, rather than some flat eel, is a step up, but the diamond is rinky-dink - looks like an American Legion league motiff...
Trust in the Monumental Nationals uniforms. All Good.
http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/index.htm
This "Dressed to the Nines" exhibit at the HOF is cool stuff. I agree with Senatornat that the Grays were a fleeting item in Washington. We as Washingtonians have a long history of baseball and we need to weave the history of Nats1/Senators1-Senators2/Nats2 into one history EXTRACTING all Montreal references. Our "Turn Back the Clock" games should be in the pennant winners of '24,'25, and '33. We have a long, rich baseball history here and we need to embrace it.
Just one comment about the Rays. I think it is ridiculous that they feel they have to change their name to avoid offending people who seem to think naming a baseball team after a fish equals satanic worship. Are these the same people who burn Harry Potter books?
That being said, the Rays' uniform looks splendid. They should expand Legends' Field to the size of a major league stadium. The Yankees can still use it during spring training and then again during the World Series. (It's getting to the point where baseball is going to have to move the Winter Classic to a warm weather site.) The Rays can use the stadium during the summer and in October in the unlikely scenario they make the playoffs.
Wouldn't it look better if it said 'Snakes' instead of Dbacks?
Diamondbacks sounds better than "snakes", but it's a long name, I don't see anything wrong with Arizona using that abbreviation on their uniforms. I do notice that their uniforms look very similar to the Nats' though...
Its have been mentioned to me on a few occassions that The Nationals will commorate ALL previous incarnations of Washington Baseball. Not only with the wearing of retro uniforms from time to time, but also with displays throughout New Nationals Park. A Hall of Fame of sorts to be built over time.
'Snakes'--Now that would be a TERRIFIC alternate jersey!! Very Hot!! Very Hot!!
You may have something there, SBF. Although there IS a negative connation to Snakes, I think Arizona fans might LIKE an alternate uniform which used that nickname.
If teams were allowed to go that route, I wouldn't mind seeing the Nats occasionally wear a jersey that said "Senators" or plain "Nats". I have a feeling that we will only see "Senators" or "Grays" uniforms on "throwback days."
The was Nationals is written on the jersey doesn't match the curly W... This should be changed. It was designed in one night by MLB. I was a little surprised that they had no plans to change it this year. I think it would be great if they had "Nats" written in script across the front of the jersey.
Who ever said that the name across the jersey had to "match" the font on the cap? Is the "Detroit" on the Tigers' road written in old English? Is the "New York" on the Yankees' road jersey's the same lettering as their (in)famous "NY" logo?
The "curly W" harkens back to the 60's Senators teams with Frank Howard, but I'm glad that the font for "Nationals" is different. Have you noticed that there is ANOTHER team near here that is famous for using cursive lettering? Let the Orioles spell their name that way, I prefer "Nationals" in block letters. Only our "W" is curly!
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