As all of baseball eagerly awaits next weekend’s start of the Winter Meetings, and KC Royals fans wonder what, if any, meaningful deals general manager J.J. Picollo might pull off while he’s there, Kansas City Royals free agents continue to draw scant attention.
That’s not surprising. He had his moments in 2023, especially late in the campaign, but after losing 15 games with a 5.06 ERA, even sure Hall of Famer like Zack Greinke isn’t going to attract tremendous interest. He’s also 40 and hasn’t said whether he’ll return for a 21st big league season.
Brad Keller’s future is also cloudy, but for different reasons. A two-time KC Pitcher of the Year but first-time tester of free agency, Keller hasn’t had a winning season since 2020 and spent much of 2023 on the Injured List with a bad shoulder and signs of thoracic outlet syndrome. Also facing uncertainty is reliever Josh Staumont, who wasn’t a free agent until the club non-tendered him earlier this month.
There’s also Matt Duffy, a serviceable utility type who in 2023 played every infield position for the Royals but doesn’t fit their long-range plans. He’ll find work somewhere, but not on a headline-catching deal.
But those four aren’t Kansas City’s only free agents. Lost in most Hot Stove discussions are five others who put in their latest big league service time with KC but didn’t finish the season with the organization, and who FanGraphs lists as Royal free agents.
Who are they, and should the club explore reunions with any of them?
Relief pitcher Amir Garrett
After joining Kansas City via the March 2022 trade that sent Mike Minor to Cincinnati, Garrett became one of the most interesting members of the KC bullpen. No Royals reliever matched his fire and exuberance on the mound.
But while he wasn’t short on style, Garett lacked control. Never a master of the strike zone, his war with it continued in Kansas City — his 6.35 BB/9 two seasons ago was bad enough, but the 20 walks he issued in 24.1 innings this season (7.40 BB/9) were, despite a tolerable 3.33 ERA, too much for the Royals, and they released him in mid-July. He spent almost three weeks with Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate in August but didn’t stick.
The Royals shouldn’t have any interest in Garrett and his 5.20 career big league BB/9.
A disappointing former Royal and another reliever are next…
Most of us who have been Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys for years have loved the classic look of the Dodger uniform. Next to the Yankee pinstripes, it is probably one of the more iconic uniforms in sports. Football uniforms and basketball uniforms have morphed a lot over the years, but baseball jerseys usually keep their team’s traditions. Even the Rams horns have changed drastically on the Rams helmets.
1890’s Brooklyn Bridegrooms.
The 1890’s version of the Dodgers. The Brooklyn Bridegrooms, so named because so many of the players had recently married. Notice that they have collars on them, and they are laced up the front ending in what looks like a string tie. High knee stockings. Too bad they did not have color photography back then. Have no idea what color the lettering was. The guy in the suit is manager, Bill McGunnigle.
1910 Dodger Jersey
By 1910 the look had changed quite a bit. No lacing up the front. Buttons were concealed by the flap reading Brooklyn horizontally. They were no longer the Bridegrooms, but rather the Superbas, coined by sports writer after a popular Vaudville troupe of the day. In 1911, they became known as the Trolley Dodgers, due to the preponderance of trolley cars in Brooklyn one had to dodge on a daily basis. That was shortened to simply Dodgers in 1912. When Wilbert Robinson took over in 1914, they were called the Robins. But they were also called the Dodgers. This was the case until Robbie left in 1931. You might notice that the belt buckle is off to the side. Players of this era wore it like that to prevent injury. Also, despite having buttons, this is a pullover-type jersey. They were around until 1939 and then returned in the ’70s.
1916
In 1916 the team adopted this plaid version. The plaid was blue in color and had the large classic Brooklyn B on the left side of the chest. The jersey was used both at home and on the road in 1916, but then simply on the road in 1917. This patriotic jersey with the American flag and pinstripes was used at home in 1917.
1917
1916 Plaid Uniform
1916 Team. Robinson in 2nd row, 5th from the left
This road uniform using red piping was used for only one season. I think the red is pretty cool. You have double piping up the front and around the neckline and also on the belt loops and the trouser leg. Babe Herman was the highlight reel guy in 29 batting .381.
1929
For the first time, Dodgers is across the chest. Classic Brooklyn B on the sleeve and there are pinstripes. Blue piping on the front and around the neckline. This was not the first time they had used pinstripes. They had worn them first in 1911 and would be on and off for the next 25 years. Also interesting is the fact that Dodgers was on both home and road, and then the next year disappeared until 1938.
1933
This uniform lasted a year or so. Red piping on the front and around the block lettered Brooklyn.
1935 road
Drastic change as Dodger blue became Dodger green. The grey of the road uniform was replaced with a tan color. Glad this one only lasted one year.
1937
Babe Ruth joined the Dodgers as a coach in 1938. He was under the impression he would be given a chance to manage down the road, but it was not to be. The classic Dodger look was just starting. This color combination would be the norm from 38 on with some tweaks. This uni sold for $310,000 at auction in the 2000s. The cap at the time was white with stripes and a blue visor. Soon it would be its basic blue with the white B.
Babe Ruth’s 1938 coaches uniform
When they began playing night games in 1938, execs were convinced that a reflective material like this satin uniform, used only in night games, would allow fans to better see the players at night. This uniform made of satin was only used in 1944. Notice the swoosh underlining Brooklyn. The Dodgers began doing that with their home uniforms in 1938 and it has been there ever since. By far the longest of any team doing that. The Dodgers wore a throwback version of this uniform at home in 2011.
1944
Wartime jerseys had very few changes. The 45 road jersey was grey and read Brooklyn on the chest. Most uniforms during the war had some sort of patch on them. Although you cannot see it, a stars and stripes patch is on the left sleeve. It would be 2 years before Jackie broke the color barrier.
1945
The Dodgers started wearing red numerals on the front of the jersey in early 1952. That same look is with us today. This is the beginning of the classic Dodger uniform. This is the version they wore winning their first World Series in 1955. The Dodgers were the first team to wear numbers on the front of their uniforms.
1955
The team moved to Los Angeles in 1958. But the uniform stayed true to its roots. The road uniforms now read Los Angeles instead of Brooklyn. In 1959 they won their first Championship in LA in their second year. It took them 65 years to do it in Brooklyn.
1959
Sandy in LA road uniform
For a short time in the early ’60s, the Dodger minor league players wore letters instead of numbers. I would think this would get pretty confusing.
1960’s minor league uni’s with letters
The Dodgers went to a more simplified design in 1965 removing the piping in the front and around the collar. Must have been the right move since they beat the Twins in the World Series for their 3rd LA title.
1965 road
Little change since they first added numbers in the front in 1952. What is noticeable about the uniform is what it is not. It is not the double knit pullover-style jersey that most teams adopted in the ’70s. The elastic waist is not there. That eliminated the need for a belt. It should be known that only the Yankees and Dodgers did not adopt those uniforms. LA it seems began wearing the players’ names on the backs of the uniforms in 1972.
1977
A very subtle change in the 88 road uniform. Striping on the sleeve and also around the Dodgers script. Another uniform was worn by a World Series winner. It would be the last one for a long while.
1988
Patch on the left shoulder signifies the 50th anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier. They still had the player’s names on the back, but that would change for a few years under McCourt when he had the names removed. It was also the last season of the O’Malley family’s ownership. In March of 1998, O’Malley sold the team to Fox ending 50 years with the team.
1997
Alternate or 3rd jersey. Many teams started doing this and would use them on special occasions. Dodgers would wear this at home or on the road. It did not last long, they went back to traditional uniforms and only use blue jersey’s now during spring training. Patch commemorates the 40th season in LA.
1998
Notice the addition of LA to the right sleeve of the road jersey. On the 99 jerseys, the patch on the left sleeve was to honor some Dodger legends who were recognized during the season. There were 18 different heroes patches honoring Campy, Cey, Drysdale, Garvey, Gibson, Hodges, Koufax, Lasorda, Mota, Newcombe, Reese, Robinson, Russell, Scioscia, Snider, Sutton, and Wills.
1999
2004 Eric Gagne uniform. Worn during the playoffs in 2004. Notice the interlocking LA has moved to the left sleeve. The team lost to the Cardinals in the NLDS. The uniform since then has remained pretty much the same except for patches worn when a former star passed away, or major league milestones.
2004
Players’ uniforms today are very collectible. I myself have several different jerseys. I have a 63 Koufax uniform. no name on the back as it should be, 55 Robinson, 88 Gibson World Series jersey, a camo Seager, Bellinger and Kershaw road jerseys, and an Adrian Gonzalez home jersey. I also have an old woolen Brooklyn jersey from 1935. Not real of course, that would be really expensive.
Retiring jerseys for Hall of Fame players is very in vogue. The Dodgers have retired numbers, 1, Reese, 2, Lasorda, 4, Snider, 19, Gilliam, 20, Sutton, 24, Alston, 32, Koufax, 39 Campanella, 42, Robinson, and 53, Drysdale. Robinson has the added honor of his number being retired across all of baseball. With his election over the weekend to the Hall, I hope the Dodgers afford the same honor to Gil Hodges of retiring #14. No disrespect to Kike, 14 will always be Gil’s number.
Jackie, Campy and Sandy’s retired jerseys ceremony at Dodger Stadium on June 4, 1972.
The San Diego Padres may not be the most well-known or successful franchise in Major League Baseball history, but they have still produced a handful of superstar players. The Friars have compiled an all-time record of 3,952–4,568 as of 2022. They have only had seven postseason appearances since their first season in 1969, though two of those resulted in National League pennants. And while the Padres have finished last in their division 20 times and haven’t had a winning record from 2011 to ’19, they’re still a franchise worth celebrating—and one that has found a resurgence with young talent.
There have been 13 Hall of Famers to play for the Padres—though only Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, and Dave Winfield played predominantly with the franchise—and 17 players have made multiple All-Star mlb jerseys appearances in a San Diego uniform.
Selection Criteria for This List
Narrowing down the top five players in San Diego Padres history got a little tricky after establishing the top three. Many players have the credentials needed to be included on the list, so I added a handful of honorable-mention candidates after the top five. The criteria used to develop this list included:
Legacy Honors (Hall of Fame, retired number, etc.)
Longevity (years with the Padres, percentage of career with the Padres, etc.)
Only games played with the Padres are factored into this list, so while Hall of Famer Greg Maddux would be a great choice on a list about the Atlanta Braves, his two seasons in San Diego won’t make the cut here. Now, without further ado, let’s count down the top five players in San Diego Padres history!
The best starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres in recent years was Jake Peavy, who is most known for unanimously winning the Cy Young Award in 2007 when he earned the pitching Triple Crown. Peavy led the National League with 19 wins, 240 strikeouts, and a 2.54 earned-run average that season to become just the eighth player since 1969 to accomplish the feat. That was far from his only successful season in San Diego, however, as he recorded an ERA under 3.00 in four of his seven and a half years with the Padres. He compiled a 92-68 record on the West Coast and struck out 1,348 batters over 1,342⅔ innings.
In 2006, Peavy was named a captain for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and he pitched the U.S. to a win in the opening game of the event, which was played in San Diego. Peavy was a two-time All-Star (2005 and ’07) and twice led the league in strikeouts and ERA, including a career-low 2.27 mark in 2004. After the 2007 season, Peavy signed a four-year extension worth $52 million, which was the largest contract ever handed out by the Padres. In the middle of the 2009 season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He went on to play for the Boston Red Sox and the San Francisco Giants before retiring in 2016.
Every baseball enthusiast knows that a jersey is more than just a piece of fabric – it represents loyalty, passion, and a connection to the game. And when it comes to the Atlanta Braves, their jersey carries a sense of history and pride like no other. In this blog article, we delve into the timeless appeal of the Atlanta Braves jersey and explore why it continues to capture the hearts of fans decade after decade.
1. A Color Symphony:
The Atlanta Braves cheap mlb jerseys is a beautiful symphony of colors that captivates the eyes of fans. The classic combination of deep navy blue, scarlet red, and white creates an aura of elegance, strength, and tradition. These colors have stood the test of time, making them instantly recognizable on any field.
2. The Rich History:
The Braves franchise boasts a rich history that spans over a century. From dominating the Milwaukee and Boston baseball scenes to becoming an iconic team in Atlanta, the Braves have consistently delivered thrilling moments and star players for fans to cherish. Wearing an Atlanta Braves jersey allows fans to honor legendary players like Hank Aaron, Chipper Jones, and Greg Maddux, who have left an indelible mark on the sport.
3. Iconic Logos:
The Braves logo has transformed over the years, but its essence remains intact. The infamous “screaming Indian” logo, used from 1954 to 1989, is widely recognized by baseball lovers as a symbol of courage and determination. The modernized script “A” and tomahawk logo, introduced in 1989 and still used today, exudes a sleek and fierce design that perfectly represents the team’s relentless spirit.
4. Embracing Tradition:
The Atlanta Braves are known for honoring tradition while also embracing innovation. The tomahawk chop, born in the early 1990s, has become a defining symbol for Braves fans everywhere. The iconic chant, combined with the sight of thousands of fans donning their Braves jerseys and engaging in the chop, creates an electrifying atmosphere at every game.
5. A Connection to Atlanta:
The Atlanta Braves jersey goes beyond representing the team; it also forms a connection to the vibrant city of Atlanta. Wearing the jersey allows fans to proudly show their love for their hometown, forging a bond with fellow Atlantans both at the stadium and throughout the community. It’s a symbol of Atlanta’s resilience, culture, and unwavering support for its beloved Braves.
The Atlanta Braves jersey stands as an enduring symbol of loyalty, history, and identity. Through its colors, historic significance, iconic logos, and connection to Atlanta, it has cemented its place as a staple in baseball fashion. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual observer, wearing an Atlanta Braves jersey is not just about representing a team – it’s about carrying a sense of pride and being a part of a remarkable baseball legacy.
When it comes to baseball, few teams boast the rich history and fervent fanbase of the Los Angeles Dodgers. And while the players’ skills and game strategy are undoubtedly crucial to the team’s success, there’s something undeniably special about the iconic Dodgers jersey that adds an extra layer of magic to their gameplay. In this article, we delve into the history and significance of the Los Angeles Dodgers jersey, exploring the secrets behind its design and why it holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
1. The Journey Begins: From Brooklyn to Los Angeles:
The Dodgers’ journey to becoming an emblematic Californian sports team began in Brooklyn, where the franchise was initially established in 1883. It wasn’t until 1958 that the team moved to Los Angeles, sparking a wave of excitement that continues to this day. The Dodgers’ loyalty to their original colors and tradition became evident in their iconic jersey, which would continue to hold its timeless appeal even after relocating to the West Coast.
2. The Unmistakable Dodger Blue:
Loyal fans of the Dodgers instantly recognize the vivid, dazzling shade of blue that adorns the team’s jersey. Known as Dodger Blue, this color has become synonymous with the team and its glorious history. The precise Pantone shade – PMS 294 C – is instantly recognizable and instills a sense of pride and camaraderie among Dodgers players and fans.
3. The Script Logo: A Flourish of Elegance:
One design element that stands out on the Dodgers jersey is the classic “Dodgers” script logo gracing the front. Consisting of crisp, clean lines, this timeless script brings a touch of elegance to the jersey. While other teams may opt for bold or flashy logos, the Dodgers’ script stands as a testament to their commitment to simplicity and tradition.
4. A Numbered Evolution:
Over the years, the Dodgers jersey has undergone subtle changes, incorporating new elements while preserving its core design. Perhaps the most significant change came in 1952 when the team introduced numbers on the front, revolutionizing baseball uniforms. This innovation sparked a trend that would be followed by teams across the league, solidifying the Dodgers’ legacy as pioneers.
5. Legends in Dodger Blue:
The Dodgers jersey has been donned by some of baseball’s most legendary figures. From Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in 1947, to Sandy Koufax, one of the most dominant pitchers of all time, these players have etched their names into baseball history while proudly sporting the Dodger Blue jersey. Owning a piece of history by wearing an authentic Los Angeles Dodgers jersey connects today’s fans to the glorious past of the franchise.
The Los Angeles Dodgers mlb jerseys represents more than just a baseball uniform. It symbolizes a proud history, unwavering loyalty, and a sense of community. Dodger Blue, the iconic script logo, and the evolving design elements weave a story that resonates with fans young and old. So, the next time you see a Dodger Blue jersey on the field or in the stands, remember the rich heritage it represents, and the unwavering passion it inspires among fans of this historic franchise.
As an avid baseball fan, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to show my support for my favorite team. I love wearing jerseys to the ballpark, but sometimes, especially on hot summer days, the traditional sleeveless jersey can be a bit too warm. That’s why I’m thrilled to see sleeveless MLB jerseys gaining popularity.
Sleeveless jerseys are not a new concept in sports. They have been worn in other sports, such as basketball and football, for years. But recently, MLB teams have started introducing sleeveless jerseys as an alternate option for fans to wear. This is a game-changer for me because it allows me to stay cool and comfortable while still proudly displaying my team’s colors.
One of the reasons why I love sleeveless jerseys is their versatility. They can be easily paired with a variety of outfits. I can wear them with shorts, jeans, or even a skirt, and I still look like a dedicated fan. This opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for game day outfits, allowing me to be both stylish and supportive of my team.
Another aspect of sleeveless jerseys that enhances the fan experience is the ability to personalize them. Most teams offer the option of adding names and numbers to the jerseys, allowing fans to truly feel like part of the team. Whether I choose to have my own name and lucky number on the back, or opt for a beloved player’s name and number, the personalization aspect adds an extra level of excitement to wearing the jersey.
Additionally, sleeveless jerseys offer a sense of nostalgia. They bring back memories of classic baseball uniforms from the past, when players like Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle graced the field in similar attire. Wearing a sleeveless jersey allows me to connect with the history of the game and pay homage to the legends who paved the way for today’s players.
Lastly, sleeveless jerseys provide a unique opportunity for fan creativity. With the absence of sleeves, fans can showcase their team spirit through creative tattoos, arm bands, or even body paint. This allows for a more interactive and visually stimulating fan experience, both in the stadium and on social media platforms.
In conclusion, sleeveless MLB jerseys offer a refreshing and comfortable alternative for fans to show their support for their favorite team. They provide versatility, personalization, nostalgia, and the opportunity for fan creativity. As a fan, I can’t wait to rock my sleeveless jersey and enjoy the ultimate fan experience.
The numbers are out for the best-selling numbers — okay, jerseys — in the MLB during the 2023 season. Big names are all over the list, with a few surprises in the top 5…
