Earlier this week I wrote about how Nike’s new MLB jersey template had forced the Cardinals’ chain-stitched jersey script to be executed on two separate patches this year, instead of being embroidered directly onto the jersey. As I mentioned in that piece, this dual-patch format is the same approach that’s been used for many years by the Phillies (the only other MLB team with a chain-stitched jersey script). I assumed that meant the Phils would be able to keep their chain-stitching.
Turns out I assumed wrong. With spring training starting yesterday, we got our first look at the Phillies’ new gear, and it turns out that the script is no longer embroidered — it’s tackle twill. Here’s a tweet that the Phils posted yesterday:
We love a happy Ranger :) pic.twitter.com/mfl6XBkg5P
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) February 14, 2024
If we zoom in on the chest insignia, we can see that it’s no longer chain-stitched (and can also see, once again, that Nike’s new uni fabric looks like a paper towel):
Is this the end of the world? No. The chain-stitching was rarely visible when watching a game, so its absence won’t matter that much from an aesthetic standpoint. But it felt nice just knowing that it was there, and the loss of that feeling seems like yet another small but meaningful diminishment of MLB’s uniform culture under Nike’s new template.
Meanwhile, here’s a question: If the Cardinals were able to keep their chain-stitching, why couldn’t the Phils keep theirs? Cards prexy Bill DeWitt III told me he “had to fight hard” with Nike in order to keep the embroidery; maybe the Phils didn’t put up the same level of resistance.
If anyone at Nike, MLB, or the Phillies knows more about this, feel free to be in touch. Anonymity assured, of course.
Finally, in case you missed it yesterday: These changes are all due to Nike, not Fanatics.
Will everything be sublimated or silk-screened by 2030? Seems the natural progression.
I’m sure it will. Nike will market it with all their “lighter than air/performance” BS, while increasing their profit margins by normalizing cheaper quality.
Basically, what’s old is new again and the Bulls will wear the silk-screened on logos, numbers and NOB like early in Michael Jordan’s career.
Full body uni-tattoos will be the eventual solution for lightweight design.
it’s interesting because from an atheistic point it looks way better stitched but from a competitive standpoint i don’t understand how sublimated or silk isn’t really the go to for every jersey.
Nike clearly designed these overall uniforms with retail primarily in mind, which is why the “Limited” jerseys look almost exactly the same as the authentics minus the stitching and unaligned headspoons.
DeWitt seems like the type of person who would “fight hard” for the chain stitching, because it means something to him. We readers of this site would appreciate that. For others, apparently like the people in the Phillies’ front office, it’s not as meaningful
Usually Spring Training jerseys tend to be a lighter, less “detailed” version of the regular season jersey no? Maybe we’re jumping to conclusions early? I have no idea and you’d know better than me but just my initial thought hoping Nike wouldn’t be going this cheap on the details. Extremely disheartening if so.
Nope – Same thing as regular season
Unfortunately, I think spring training/batting practice jerseys have gone by the wayside.
Screw the Phillies for not pushing back on this. Even though I don’t love the style they switched to in 2019, it still made them (along with the Cardinals) unique amongst the crowd.
I doubt most fans will even notice, but GD I will. Please Paul, get some answers and let me know where to go with my protest sign. All I need is a good slogan…
“A stitch in time saves nine”?
I’d like to start out by saying that I hate the new uniforms in general, and by that, I mean the headspoons (where used) and shrunken player NOB … well, at least my cheap Chinese knockoffs now look a bit more like “authentic” designs …
With that said, am I alone in thinking the Phillies jerseys look BETTER without the chain stitching? It works better on the Cardinals jersey because it comes at you in smaller spaces. The lettering for the Phillies is so thick, that inconsistent look that we like in chain stitching becomes a sea of inconsistency, which, in a vacuum, is the kind of thing we hate around here.
Actually the Phillies lettering was thicker and chunkier a few years ago – they had attempted to synch the jersey design with the script used in marketing. It looked blurry on TV, it was horrible.
I honestly don’t think it’s going to make a ton of difference from a viewer perspective.
I don’t understand why the Cardinals president would need to ‘fight hard’ for anything. Isn’t Nike the vendor? Isn’t MLB (and their franchises) the client? I know, it’s about money. Nike spending less, MLB making more. The less unique things are, the easier to produce for the masses. And of course it’s better wicking, lighter, whatever. I’m sure the Twins players will appreciate the light fabric playing April night games at Target Field
Regarding the Phillies (my team), it’s disappointing to see the chain stitching go, if only because it was unique. But honestly, outside of us Uni Watchers few will even recognize the change. Which in some ways is sad, because it further encourages the homogenization of uniforms.
Paul, maybe you’re getting out at a good time….
You have got to be fucking kidding me. Every single day this Nike/Uniform fiasco gets worse and worse. I don’t blame Paul for stepping back from this shit show.
Calling b.s. on Nike. All this talk about “lighter” and “more breathable” is just a smokescreen. Nike is going cheap and cutting corners at every opportunity (just like Fanatics). They produce ill-fitting, subpar garbage, then hide behind verbal vomit from their marketing department.
Having to fight Nike is really tail-wagging-the-dog territory. What a mistake it is to allow them to own the entire market and also dictate how the uniforms are constructed.
I’m a Phillies fan and I never loved the chain stitching. However, I think others here are correct – this is just another step towards everything being sublimated.
Let’s call this all what it is: jersey shrinkflation.
Nike Follies Strike the Phillies
When zooming in on the new Phillies jersey, it appears the blue stars are embroidered patches. While not chain-stitched like the old ones, it’s kind of odd they are not in tackle twill like the script.
I spy a piece of Velcro under the script logo on the new jersey. Has that always been there?
It may not quite be the end of the world, but this is still sad to see, because the up-close texturing of the chain-stitched Phillies logo is just so nice to look at…combine that with the removal of the sleeve numbers solely to make room for a fucking ad, and coolness of the Phillies uniforms is being whittled away bit by bit.
And, like someone else has already said, no team president should have to do any amount of fighting for a uniform element to stay in place. If DeWitt says “hey, keep the chain-stitching,” he should only have to say that once, and Nike should say “absolutely” and have that be the end of it. Then again, this is the company that has been consistently getting the Eagles PRIMARY TEAM COLOR wrong for twelve years, so it shouldn’t be surprising…
That’s it. I’m done. I’m out. Finished. Paul, you’re getting out at the right time. Because I’m done with all of this. Later.
I saw some video of Met camp on TV last night. I hate the new front numbers that throw away almost 60 years of using basically the same shape and size numbers. The new ones are thinner and seem taller. So when I see a front 4 now, I am no longer also seeing a link to Tom Seaver or Rusty Staub.
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Hopefully this link works
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This is vandalism.
Interesting to look at the sleeves of the player. They’ve been adjusted from the template and have a more standard but and seam.
That might be another question to get answered as players like having things cut a certain way.
I remember Pedro Martinez would cut the vertical seam of his sleeve and then when he was told to not have them cut and extra piece of fabric was sewn into the space.
Forget about design, why the hell is Nike so bad at the manufacturing uniforms? They’re a huge corporation. It’s infuriating.
The pinstripes look chunkier too, not an improvement. With all these “upgrades”, it really does look like a replica made for a 5 year old. Last year we lose the sleeve numbers, now this. *sigh*
I like my authentic Phillies gamer from 2005 (chain stitching, 3 Ls in the wordmark, hidden Velcro patch, no Cool Base inserts, no kiss-cut numbers) that much more now that Nike has decided that paper towels and tackle twill is the highest standard. My jersey feels like a professional jersey.
The funniest part is Nike/Fanatics/Phillies are charging $429 bucks for this “authentic” jersey… No thanks… Oh and BTW… I haven’t seen the Phillies Gray Jerseys on Fanatics for over a year now…. What the hell is going on over there? LOL