Side piping and new stripe patterns on ML uniforms
 

Head over to http://uniwatchblog.com -- here's a summary:

Yesterday afternoon I was kinda half-working, half-watching the Mets/Cards spring training game on my computer. At one point a Mets hitter checked his swing and the catcher asked the plate ump to get help from the third base ump regarding the swing. The third base ump gave the safe sign to indicate no swing, and that’s when I saw it.
Ugh. Had they really added white side piping to the umps’ polo shirts? I checked some recent spring training photos and quickly learned that this has been going on for a few weeks but I hadn’t noticed until now. Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed that they’ve also made some adjustments to the trim on the sleeve cuffs and collars.
But it’s the side piping that really rankles. Seriously, what is this obsession with adding side panels to officials? It always looks like ****e. And in this case, the combination of the side stripes and the oddly incomplete sleeve cuff stripes makes it look like the ump is covered in loose white threads (or maybe wearing tzitzis). I mean really, who thought those incomplete cuff stripes were a good idea? What a joke.
This same template also appears to have been applied to the umps’ blue shirt. I haven’t had time to check all the other umpiring gear, but I know lots of people at Majestic are reading this, so maybe one of them will be kind enough to fill us in, hmmm?

Majestic, even with all their supply problems, is not stupid. They know if they change the styles on their MLB stuff, there are lots of umpire groupies out there that just HAVE to wear what they do. Witness the dopey half sleeved smocks.

Black and polo (baby) blue have been around a while, and we all have several of those. So what's our incentive to buy more shirts? OC proved that we won't go for just any color, so Majestic changed the detailing instead.

Like I said, they're not stupid 'cause they know half you guys are frothing at the mouth to get at these new dudes right now.

p.s. Yeah, they're really ugly.

But is it Majestic? It has long been Honig's who every year got the MLB guys to change their uniform just so Honig's could then claim some sort of exclusivity and sell tons of the stuff to the non-professionals who just have to have it.

One picture shows the Majestic logo on the left sleeve.

The blue shirts now look like powder blue softball shirts. Not a fan of getting rid of the polo shirts with the black collar.

I'm for pitching all the baby blue shirts (powder, softball, polo, or whatever name you wish to call baby blue) 'cause they're fruity lookin'.

There, I said it.

And there is no way on God's green Earth that any of you manly men would be wear this color if your heroes on TV didn't.

Me, I'd like a Kelly green jersey. Something that would match the grass. Or a brick red. Not the vivid Dalco red, but more like the wall in Wrigley.

As we know, MLB have been wearing Majestic shirts for quite a while now. Before that, they were Honig's shirts.

Can somebody say for certain on this - do MLB guys still get the shirts through Honig's (just with the Majestic logos)? Somebody posted something to this extent before, but I cant remember specifically what/where it was. And doesnt the World Umpires Association have a uniform committee of MLB umpires?

There is no doubt in my mind that this new style will trickle down in the coming years. Probably not in a material like the Majestic "cool base" material, but the style will trickle down.

Now there, is a fruity suggestion, or two.

The black is barely passable; the polo is awful.

The broken trim stripe on the sleeve is stupid looking, and the trim stripe on the side is needless and also stupid looking.

At what point do these guys begin to look like they're in their pajamas?

At this point:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/...80b178b0_o.png

Leyland doesn't look that hot either in his maternity jacket.

They're like Elbecos with less buttons and better fabric.

Let me guess -- YOU'RE the one who bought the OfficialsChoice shirts in weird colors -- how many chocolate and maroon shirts do you have? :D:p

Personally, I don't think the stripe on the side looks bad. I don't understand at all the half stripe on the sleeve.

Personally, I'll stick with my old MiLB blues, though I am kinda bummed I'm missing out on the new black unis for this year with the MiLB patch on the pocket. I'll just have to have someone send me one.

No chocolate, as brown and gray just don't go. I do have two of the early maroon shirts, with the white stripe on the color. They look really good with charcoal pants.

I'm sure none of you wear baby blue golf shirts with gray slacks, unless you're golfing. It's just not a good look. For you "husky" guys, it's less than flattering. You need to think what looks good with the charcoal slacks. The maroon actually looks pretty good.

Think outside the MLB box, and don't worry about what your heros are wearing. They wore maroon coats with white turtlenecks not that long ago. These guys are not fashion leaders.

These new shirts are ugly. Don't buy them.

The maroon coats were gorgeous, IMO. It's the one thing I would love to own, although I'd probably never wear it on a field.

Most of us wear what's allowed. For HS here, it's navy or light blue. Better the polo blue with dark grey pants than navy. I think the navy looks ghastly with dark grey pants.

Let me see if I can short-circuit some of this:

:opposing view point presented:

:flame wars begin:

:flying off the handle:

:acting like two-year olds: (with apologies to two-year olds everywhere)

:thread closed:

Regardless of your political viewpoint (and the above does not reflect mine), can't we just agree that it is humorous, or at least not a "political statement."

Edit: Sigh. I guess not.

Bob
 

Bad humor should still be okay, shouldn't it????

Why don't we just joke about the Holocaust? You'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?

My personal view is that it should be a capital offense (along with humorlessness), but I can see how some might think that harsh.

Kevin, ?????
 

Did you even read my post that isn't currently up in this thread?

If you wouldn't wear it on the field, just where would you wear a maroon plate coat? Just around the house? The mall?

I'd hang it in my office, next to an old balloon protector.

Guys I've seen these shirts up close and personal at camp.

I liked them and thought they looked sharp. I liked the collar not being a knit collar (not a fan of knit collars on any shirt.)

Majestic will not be making these public according to Jim Kirk of Ump-Attire. But some other manufacturer will have something similar before too long I'm sure.

They look fine to me. They look better than the other shirts if you ask me. Oh well, I have bigger fish to fry than worry about what shirt guys at a level I will never get to are wearing. ;)

Peace

My father's side of the family was in the camps. Several lost their lives. You will not find anyone who jokes more about the Holocaust than we do. You have to find humor where and when you can.

Dude,

Genocide is still going on today. Maybe you should check your local newspaper.

What happens if you wear what's not "allowed"? Fewer or no assignments? School won't pay? Here, state tournament assignments are withheld. If you're on the recommended list, a rep comes out to evaluate you. Prohibited colors automatically disqualify you from further consideration. By the time districts are over, summer ball (with better pay and better players) has started, so missing the state tourney isn't much of a "penalty".

I have some Cliff Keene whites with red and blue trim that I think look sensational with the charcoal slacks. At the HS level, I wear whatever color I effin' well please. Sometimes it's whatever happens to be clean after working eight days in a row.

The assignments keep coming and the checks all clear, though, and that's what's important.

Randy: are you sure that's Leyland? It sure looks like him, but there isn't a Marlboro anywhere in sight.

Good point. :D

The official threat is withholding postseason, but they could strip a license for repeated non-compliance and it's just not worth it to me.

Yes, of course. You think what's happening is a joke? Try looking around you occasionally. It's no joke. Not even in a one-sided environment like this.

Geez, Kevin
 

How many congress people have you called, e-mailed, etc?
How many rallys have you been to?
How many times have you stood up in front of groups and talked about what is happening in the Sudan, Myrammar, and most recently in Nigeria, and in other places?

I'll be very happy to talk about these issues in any forum, anytime, no matter how heated the kitchen gets. But humor in an umpiring thread about uniforms is not the place to get all wound up about it IMO.

Bob, I am sorry my attempt at humor has gotten us to this place.

You shouldn't need to apologize, because you shouldn't be making jokes about what's going on to try to fix the mess we're in. If you think what's going on to try to clean up this epic mess is a joke, then you need to see more of what this mess has created.

Respective to your questions: I'm very involved in a good many ways. Due to that, I'm also very aware. Borne of that awareness and devotion to making things better, I spend more hours and more money and more belongings each week helping homeless veterans than you and most people spend in a year---maybe ten years. They are possibly the most vivid illustration of how far we have sunk as a nation and a society.

I put up and I care, and when people carry on with this weak crap about the efforts being made to make this country responsible again, it's especially grating. It's that simple. I love this country, but I love the people in it far more. I want to see it be the kind of nation that actually appears to care about those in need, of which there are a greater number than at any time in history.

Matthew 6:2-4

Nice Statement
 

Kevin,

Good thoughts, but you are not the only guy who puts his money, time, and effort where his mouth is. I wrote a piece that was a joke, you didn't like it, let's just leave it at that w/o any more hard feelings. It's a baseball board, let's get back to baseball.

I'm not sure anyone here is frothing at the mouth to get at these dudes. What dudes?:p

My three man crew on the night game on Saint Patrick's Day all wore green umpire shirts. Even the PU was named Patrick. Everyone thought it was pretty cool.

Keep your baby blue shirts, and your MLB smocks. If a T-Ball Mom says I look good, I'm taking her word over any of you guys here. (No, I wasn't umpiring a T-Ball game. But I might think about it now).

Appropriate, yet surely wasted.

Sorry, I was listening to one of my favorite albums whilst typing.

http://rgcred.files.wordpress.com/20...ople-dudes.jpg

He had the bat boy hold it for him while he went out for the explanation...
JJ