Having to be near Nationals Park yesterday for some unrelated to baseball business, I stopped by The Nationals Team Store next to The Centerfield Gate before heading home. It was interesting looking over the New Uniforms and Tee-Shirts now available for sale.
Jesus Flores is being pushed by Our Washington Nationals as a Major Core Player, not just Ryan Zimmerman or Lastings Milledge. Every New Uniform & Tee available included personalized ones of Our Number 3. No New Nick Johnson Jerseys, but plenty of Our Number 24 in last year's models--Now Currently On Sale. 
Interestingly, the "DC" Wavy Flag Logo on the front of the Home Variant Authentic Jersey is slightly smaller than the "DC" logo on the replica uniforms. Even the Team Store Employee on site agreed with me on this fact. By my estimate, about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in difference.
The New Road Jersey is really appealing, although it's sort of odd to see Gold Trim on the back number, but not on the front number. And I am not sure about wearing that jersey with the Navy Blue Cap. I am going to have to get use to it.
The Red Curly "W" alternate still hasn't stood out for me. The White Piping running down either side of the front button holes doesn't set well with me for some reason. I am not really sure--Why? Maybe, because I actually liked those Red "DC" Alternates worn from 2006 through 2008.
And finally, those Blue Patriotic Uniforms are still OK with me. I know that many of you commented that you simply don't like it. But, this jersey is only going to be worn for very special occasions with White Pants.
By the way, all the new authentic unis are Cool Base Jerseys. They are very soft and light weight. In fact, they have to be described as featherweight. A very nice feel.
While looking over the new jerseys, I couldn't help but think how Our Washington Nationals have promoted certain players each year for authentic uniform sales since The Inaugural Season of 2005.
How times have changed.
2005: Brad Wilkerson, Zach Day, Terrmel Sledge, Jose Guillen, Vinny Castilla, Cristian Guzman and Livan Hernandez
2006: Hernandez, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, Chad Cordero, Nick Johnson and Alfonso Soriano--eventually Ryan Zimmerman
2007: Church, Cordero, Schneider, Zimmerman, Johnson, Austin Kearns & Felipe Lopez--eventually Dmitri Young
2008: Cordero, Zimmerman, Kearns, Johnson, Lastings Milledge, John Lannan & Dmitri Young
2009: Zimmerman, Milledge & Jesus Flores (so far).
Really digging the Gray Washington Script Tee Shirt. It really stands out.
If you are still interested, there was still some decent stuff On Sale at The Team Store for Inaugural Season Nationals Park Merchandise. Saturday, I picked up the red version of the Nationals Park Cabana Shirt. Also available were some of those long sleeve Navy Blue Nationals Park Tees and a few Polo Shirts by Antigua--everything still 50% off.
PS--When I was at Nationals Park Saturday Afternoon, Ballpark Tours were taking place. 10:30AM and 1:30PM, usually four days a week. Check the schedule to be sure.
PSS--Also noticed was the Monument Realty Building being constructed above the Navy Yard Metro East Entrance/Exit is nearing completion. But, virtually no new retail/bar & restaurant construction progress in site. None. The currently economy is certainly not helping the revitalization of the ballpark district.
SBF,
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced the issue with the red alternate jerseys is that they look like jammies! Thank heavens the team won't be wearing red pants and shoes.
Also, after stopping by the Team Store on Saturday, I will confess publicly that the alternate blue jersey is growing on me.
Now, if only the Team store would order some jerseys for their lady fans.
I heard somewhere that Monument Realty's financier is Leman Brothers who is one of the many lenders having problems. The famous Watergate Hotel is in the same boat.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fun insights. Glad to see Flores getting the franchise player treatment. I am really looking forward to seeing what he will do entering a full season as the undisputed #1 catcher.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the taking the photos...I like the away jersey..but I am with you...why gold on the back and not on the front? I will have to get use to the new jerseys. I did not see anything wrong with the old ones though.
ReplyDeleteIt is really, really depressing to see absolutely no progress made on the Half Street project. Everytime I stepped off Metro this summer on the way to pay way too much for a beer at the Red Loft, I'd say to my ballgame companion, "look at all of this construction. By this time next year, it's going to be swimming with bars, restaurants, and really make an evening out of the ballgame." Not so much anymore, it seems. I really dread the long-term impact that this could have on the franchise. For if the produce on the field doesn't rapidly improve, they're going to require something else to draw people to games.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the Grey shirt with Washington scrip. This should be a real winner - hopefully caring over to our team!
ReplyDeleteI haven't really expected a lot out of the Half Street projects. I've had a mental deadline of 2012 for it to really start coming together. I mean, all that construction all over the DC area, and they're all going to have tenants?
ReplyDeleteMonument is actually beginning to fill in the hole on Half St. too. http://oxblue.com/pro/open/?webPath=clarkconstruction/55mst (Remember those days of daily stadium webcam updates?)
For if the produce on the field doesn't rapidly improve, they're going to require something else to draw people to games.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the crack Nationals Park ushering staff will keep fans from throwing produce on the field during games. The team has enough trouble on the basepaths already without having to worry about runners slipping on banana peels. And I'd hate to see outfielders grabbing a flying potato when they should be catching a fly ball for the third out in a close game.
And what would constitute an improvement in the produce on the field anyway? Heirloom tomatoes from Whole Foods instead of hothouse tomatoes from Safeway?
Wow... what an unfortunate typo. good thing I abandoned those undergrad journalism aspirations.
ReplyDeleteWhat bothers me about the new grays is the color. Let me get this straight---the Nats are still going to wear their blue road caps, but the letters and numbers on the jerseys are going to be red? They should be blue to match the caps!
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I like the blue alternate jerseys...much better than the red "curly W" logo. I also like the new blue "star-spangled" caps, but they would look better if the white piping was red or gold.
I think what Jeremy was trying to say was that if the product on the field doesn't improve soon, we will soon see produce on the field too!
ReplyDeleteReally though, they could go out there in pink polka dots if they win. Texeira anyone?
ReplyDeleteTrue. Look at the uniforms they wore in 1924, which are probably one of the plainest baseball uniforms ever worn. No letters...no numbers...no anything. The only thing which identifies the Nats is the letter "W" which was worn on the sleeve...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the photos, looks like the Nats store is pretty much unchanged from when I went over to get the new jerseys right after the unveiling. I was struck that they had Milledge and Flores jerseys along with Zim ones.
ReplyDeleteBut there's no guarantee that Flores will be a National on opening day. According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, a slew of catchers are being shopped to the Red Sox. Among the catchers named in that article was Jesus Flores.