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Tweaking MLB CCs – A Graphic Designer’s View of the City Connect Program: NL East

Good morning Uni Watchers, and welcome to Thursday. I hope everyone had a great Wednesday.

I’m back with UW pal/contributor/graphic designer Chris Diamond, who today brings us Part IV his next project: taking the 28 “City Connect” (CC) uniforms unveiled over the past four seasons and tweaking them. But that’s not all — as a graphic designer, Chris brings his unique perspective to the CC program, and offers his thoughts on each teams’ Aesthetics, Functionality, and “Connection” as well as his prescribed tweaks. For each team listed below, you can click on the uniform graphic for a much higher resolution view of Chris’ tweaked design. I’ve once again used my rudimenatry MS Paint skills, to place Chris’ tweaked design next to the actual CC uniform, so you can see the differences.

As we’ve seen, the MLB CC uniforms are some of the most polarizing uniforms ever introduced; if you asked 10 people to rank them from best to worst, you’d likely get 10 completely different lists. But you know what they say about opinions — everyone has one. So while I may disagree with Chris’ opinions (just as he surely differs on my own rankings), he takes a look at them through the eyes of a graphic designer, and offers his thoughts and opinions from that perspective. So far, Chris has tackled the American League East, American League Central, and the American League West. We’ll start on the National League today, beginning with the NL East.

Here’s Chris. Enjoy!

• • • • •

Tweaking MLB CCs – A Graphic Designer’s View of the City Connect Program: AL West
by Chris Diamond

MLBs City Connect Program is in its fourth year now, and by the All Star break all teams bar the Yankees and Athletics will have one. As Phil’s piece covering the CCs said, I think it’s fair to say that opinion on UW has so far been quite mixed for the program. But are the unis really that bad? In particular, how do they rate from a pure design viewpoint? That is excluding anything that relates to any historical or emotional investment the reviewer might have. Almost impossible to do you say? Well yes, for anyone brought up with baseball it is very hard to be objective. And anyone in North America, even if they don’t follow baseball closely, will have been exposed to it their whole lives. But as some of you may know, I’m a British graphic designer and have lived in the UK my whole life which has almost completely insulated me from it. Unlike Football, there has never really been consistent TV coverage over here and it’s only been in the last 5 years that I’ve been able to watch games on MLBTV. So I while I know quite a lot about baseball unis now, that is all recent knowledge. Also as a Brit I have been exposed to cricket my whole life. This went through its own equivalent of the CC effect way back in the 1990s when coloured clothing was introduced (domestically) for the first time to similar polar reactions. Hopefully all these factors give me a different viewpoint to review the CC unis.

So I’m going to try and take an objective as possible look at the CC unis from these angles. I’ll rate each design (A-E) purely on aesthetic grounds, then look at functional aspects (how well does it work as a uniform?). I’ll also look at how well I think it succeeds at connecting the team and city. Finally I’ll look if there are any tweaks that could improve each design (from any angle). OK ready? Let’s go!

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NL East

Atlanta Braves

Aesthetics A

The Braves CC is based on their famous ‘70s uniform with the feather sleeves. That was a beautiful uniform and the update also looks great, cleverly taking inspiration without the now more controversial elements. The dark sleeves look so good, it makes me wonder why more MLB teams don’t use this design element? As I’ve mentioned before I don’t generally like caps with white front panels, but the ‘70s “swoop” front panel design looks great.

Functionality A

Can’t get any clearer than block font and the numbers mirror the same red and white trimmed blue core as the wordmark which I always like.

Connection C

The uni is pretty much a fauxback to an old Braves design so the connection is strong there. But the only connection to the city of Atlanta is using “The A” as the wordmark which is a bit weak in my view.

Tweaks

Despite the fact that “The A” is the only Atlanta specific element, I think the uni looks a lot better with a full “Atlanta” wordmark.

__________

Miami Marlins

Aesthetics D

This is going to be controversial, but I think the Marlins CCs are an epic fail graphically. The jersey is bright red with blue outlined white elements which just doesn’t work. There are some colours you have to be careful with when you use them together as they can “visually bleed” into each other. Bright red and blue are such colours and the bleeding is fatal for the Marlins CC jersey! If you reversed the colours the bleeding wouldn’t be as bad.

Functionality D

Of course the NOB and number suffer from the same visual bleeding.

Connection C

The uniform concept is based on the Cuba/Havana Sugar Kings, an International League team from the 1950s onward. Now of course Miami has a significant ex-pat Cuban community, but apart from that there is little connection between the team and Miami (the Sugar Kings were a Reds affiliate).

Tweaks

The uniform wordmark font is nice, but that is pretty much the only salvageable element. I’ve ditched the CC colours and used the Marlins blue and Caliente Red team colours. It has a slight Dolphins vibe to it, which I think is a good thing!

__________

New York Mets

Aesthetics B

Even with the storytelling, the Mets CC are actually a beautiful well thought out design. The transport and bridge elements are cleverly used as pinstripe and sleeve stripe elements. The colours are a bit underwhelming for a sports uniform though – they are more appropriate for a black-out (grey-out) fashion jersey version of an existing uniform.

Functionality D

The stealth numbers are great for a black-out fashion jersey but dreadful for a functional uniform.

Connection B+

This is pretty good – the design uses an old NY Giants jersey wordmark and the bridge and transport elements tie in well to the local area.

Tweaks

The only major issue with the design is colourway. “Lazy” is thrown around far too often as a criticism of designs that don’t normally deserve it. But having dark grey jerseys because of the “NY concrete jungle” is THE laziest design idea for a “city” connect. Literally 99% of cities are a concrete jungle. If they had gone with purple as the main colour instead it might have worked, but that might have hospitalised Paul and we don’t want that! So I’ve ditched the grey and purple and brought back Mets colours. Simple!

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Phildelphia Philles

Aesthetics D

Now I like gradients in my sports uniforms, but this is a pretty ugly design. I don’t know if it is the colour choice, but it just doesn’t work for me. And the wordmark is way too big somehow, in a way that the TLA wordmarks (think CLE or PGH or WSH) aren’t. It sort of falls between two stools somehow. The liberty bell logo is quite nicely rendered, but it isn’t suitable for a cap logo. It should be left on the socks.

Functionality D

Using a funky black letter font for a wordmark is OK, but using it for numbers is not.

Connection D

The design takes “inspiration” from the colours of the city flag, but mixes in dark navy. If this were a Phillies team colour it might work, but it isn’t so it doesn’t. “Philly” is a nickname for the city, but it’s so close to Phillie(s) it feels odd to me as a choice. And apart from the secondary bell logo there is nothing at that connects this to the Phillies.

Tweaks

Like the Marlins, there isn’t much to salvage from this one apart from the font. I’ve used it to create a full “Philadelphia” wordmark which looks OK to me as the font is narrow enough to render it. I’ve ditched the blues and brought in both shades of Philly red instead. The pattern inside the lettering is nice so I’ve re-used it for sleeve and pants trim.

__________

Washington Nationals

Aesthetics A-

The whole “cherry blossom” concept for a uniform was quite left-field but the Nats have pulled it off pretty well. The jersey pattern is subtle and the little blossom elements are nicely handled – not too OTT and not too tiddly. TLAs on shirts look a bit tired now, but I think the Nats were the first to do it in MLB so they get a pass.

Functionality A

Grey jerseys and white numbers and pink NOB could have issues, but the contrast is good enough and the font is clear enough.

Connection C

The connection to the city is quite strong, but there is not much of the Nats themselves here apart from a lone sleeve patch.

Tweaks

The choice of dark grey for a “cherry blossom” theme seems quite odd to me. It’s like they were scared to do a pink one but didn’t want to go full BFBS. The solution is obvious – just go for a darker faded pink! That would also lean into the Nats’ primary red much more and get a better link to the team.

• • • • •

Thanks, Chris!

OK readers, time to have your say. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!

 

 
  
 

Guess the Game from the Scoreboard

Guess The Game…

…From The Scoreboard

Today’s scoreboard comes from Gordon Lassiter.

The premise of the game (GTGFTS) is simple: I’ll post a scoreboard and you guys simply identify the game depicted. In the past, I don’t know if I’ve ever completely stumped you (some are easier than others).

Here’s the Scoreboard. In the comments below, try to identify the game (date and location, as well as final score). If anything noteworthy occurred during the game, please add that in (and if you were AT the game, well bonus points for you!):

Please continue sending these in! You’re welcome to send me any scoreboard photos (with answers please), and I’ll keep running them.

 

 

Guess the Game from the Uniform


Based on the suggestion of long-time reader/contributor Jimmy Corcoran, we’ve introduced a new “game” on Uni Watch, which is similar to the popular “Guess the Game from the Scoreboard” (GTGFTS), only this one asked readers to identify the game based on the uniforms worn by teams.

Like GTGFTS, readers will be asked to guess the date, location and final score of the game from the clues provided in the photo. Sometimes the game should be somewhat easy to ascertain, while in other instances, it might be quite difficult. There will usually be a visual clue (something odd or unique to one or both of the uniforms) that will make a positive identification of one and only one game possible. Other times, there may be something significant about the game in question, like the last time a particular uniform was ever worn (one of Jimmy’s original suggestions). It’s up to YOU to figure out the game and date.

Today’s GTGFTU comes from Gordon Blaugh.

Good luck and please post your guess/answer in the comments below.

 

 

Uni Tweet of the Day

Also. A look at the new B1G.

 

And finally...

…that’s all for the early lede. Big (HUGE) thanks, as always, to Chris Diamond for sharing his design prowess and critiques with us.

I should have at least three more posts today, including Part IV of the UW/U. of Hawaii Uniform Design Contest entries. I think you’ll really like today’s batch! I will be on the road for part of the late morning and early afternoon, so if there’s any big uni news, I’ll get to it a bit later today.

Everyone have a good Thursday, and I’ll catch you right back here tomorrow.

Peace,

PH

Comments (36)

    Great work on the City Connects. While I disagree about the Marlins — that’s my favorite CC! — I really like the alternate that Chris came up with. That’s beautiful. Love the cherry blossom-colored Nats jersey, and the Philly update is a major upgrade.

    Thanks Dave! Yes I knew the Marlins one might be controversial!

    While I share none of the objections to the Nats CC uniforms, that cerise recoloring is a work of genius. Huge upgrade for an already beautiful uniform.

    Re: the Uni Tweet of the Day – I wish I could read the replies to the original tweet, but no account means no access. I just hope, though, that he’s getting roasted for complaining about “overcorrecting” by highlighting uniforms from a conference whose schools tend more often to stay with traditional looks, or make tweaks that maintain a continuity of their traditions, than to go with the big flashy new thing (outside of the occasional one-off).

    Nice job on the CCs. Like your take for the Phillies (my team). It got me thinking that they’ve sort of painted themselves in a corner with their alternates–the Philllies seem really reluctant to let go of the cream colored set (the ‘day game’ home uniforms) and are pretty much locked into the powder blues (the Thursday home uniforms) given their immense popularity. Personally I’d like to see them retire the creams and get a new alternative that could be worn both at home and on the road.

    Thanks Mike. Yes I agree the Phils need a proper alternate. They really only have the greys for the road at the moment as everything else is only for home use.

    I wish they would wear the powder blues for some road games, since they were originally road uniforms.
    They could probably get away with wearing the cream set on the road. (Maybe not in San Francisco.) I love the cream alts and would hate to retire them. I love all 4 of the non-CC uniforms and would just keep them and throw the CCs in the Schuylkill.

    Chris – great work as always! A lot of my opinions on it come down to how you as the artist feel about balancing the team and its colors with Nike’s theme of storytelling and incorporating elements from the city/state the team plays in. I like that you skewed toward tying the colors into the team more than the city; Nike might not but this is your show.
    ATL – no objections, I dislike “The A” also
    MIA – I like the actual CC and I like the callback to the Sugar Kings but I could live with this
    NYM – I hate the Mets but I love their royal/orange color scheme. I get the concrete jungle idea and all but it just looks dingy and drab. Gray on grayer with some purple. The purple is actually hidden and the numbers look ghosted. This works.
    PHI – My bias as a Phillies fan will show but I hate their CC set. City flag is the same blue as the Swedish flag, their set is dark navy. The wordmark isn’t really blackletter, it isn’t really Gothic, and it doesn’t “say Philadelphia”. I don’t like “PHILLY” on uniforms and I like that you used the full city name. It’s tough to marry red and maroon to link the two major eras in Phillies history but you did it nicely. And it feels like a callback to the 1979 “Saturday Night Specials”.
    WSH – solid upgrade. The Nats made gray, pale pink and off-white work without looking washed out but this is a bolder take on it.

    Thanks MJ! Yes for the Phillies I really wanted to try and use the reds from both eras somehow.

    I totally agree about the nats and the dark gray, missed opportunity to really go all in on the cherry blossom theme. I like this darker pink a lot.

    I enjoy this series and think most of the alternates have been clear upgrades. That said, hard disagree on Miami. The existing CCs are the most fun in the league. The proposed alternate is fine, but a clear downgrade.

    I like both the Washington and Philadelphia changes, but seen side-by-side they are very similar. Of the two, I think Washington’s is the clear winner, and so I’d try something different with the Phillies. Theirs is better in comparison to the original, but not really a standout in the CC redesign project.

    But, as said above, I like almost everything you’ve done with this exercise, Chris.

    The Nats and Phils look similar side-by-side because both team’s primary colour is red. You could say the same if you put their home unis next to each other. Or if you put the Giants and Orioles black alts next to each other! I knew some people would disagree about the Marlins. It might be fun but visually colour wise it’s still a train-wreck!

    GTGFTS: Boston 4, Detroit 3 in 10 innings, May 20, 1961. Don Mossi pitching to Chuck Schilling. I’m not aware of anything remarkable happening in this game.

    I always thought it was interesting that the Fenway scoreboard showed the uniform number of the AL pitchers, but that they listed the NL pitchers #1-12 (or whatever) in the program, and that was how you identified them.

    I’ll go against the grain with the Nats’ new color pallet. It looks like something that would have come out of the washing machine if I had done that day’s laundry. But I love the Phillies’ reimagined look!

    You could say the same about their actual CC jersey! It just depends if you’re washing your whites with your reds or with your blacks ;-)

    I particularly like the Mets’ stirrups, which, when using the orange and blue color scheme, evoke the corrugated squares that used to decorate the exterior of Shea Stadium.

    That is right from their *actual* CC socks walter. It’s just they are grey on grey so it’s invisible!

    All uniforms you redesigned are a huge upgrade. I am a fan of bright red and sky blue but I prefer it the way you did it for the Marlins. The Argentinian football team Arsenal Sarandi pull it off nicely with a sky blue shirt with a bright red sash.

    Thanks Ingmar! That is a good example of how that colour scheme can work if done the right way around.

    These are all improvements on the originals. I especially like Atlanta with the Atlanta spelled out and the traditional NFL number font worn for so many years by Atlanta. The Miami uni is gorgeous very clean and traditional. I think Miami should use teal more and get away from the black. Nice work.

    Thanks David! Yes I particularly liked the Marline tweak and I agree they need to ditch black entirely.

    GTGFTU

    23 July 2016
    Aledmys Diaz looking dejected after striking out in the bottom of the ninth.
    The game “celebrates” the only year (1956) the Cardinals did not have birds on a bat.
    Dodgers wore Brooklyn caps, but LA helmets and won 7-2 in front of 45,447.

    Love love love the Mets redesigned CC. They need to wear that now instead of the current CC (and the BFBS horror show)

    Thanks J-Dub! Yes they Mets have beautiful colours. And I forgot to say – they are also of course the colours of the city itself so not using them is even more crazy!

    Excellent work as usual. I think you did great on the Mets. And I agree theres a lot of good concepts in there that are just undone by ascinine choice of colors. As a Met I get so frustrated by them as they are so close but the colors are a total turnoff. Its especially anjoying when you consider that Nike in their infinite wisdom decided concrete jungle connects more ot the city than actual city flag colors which the Mets already wear.
    I would personally have used a cream base with Blue letter and add matching pants but i think what you did here works extremely well. Nice job!

    Thanks Patrick! Yes I only just realised I forgot to make the NY flag colours point in the piece. I think a cream base would look good too.

    Serious question: does anyone actually refer to Atlanta as ‘The A’? Just wondering because I have never in my life heard anyone anywhere do so…

    As a Mets fan, I like what you did with the CC jerseys. Definitely an upgrade. But the caps…no, no, no. That smushed wordmark does not work at all. I’d be inclined to use the regular cap logo, or even the round skyline logo, but if you’re going to use the “NYC” mark, spread it out.

    You’re the only one to notice that Brett! I didn’t want the “NYC” separate as to me that looks too much like a I♥NY tourist hat!

    They are not my rooting interest, though I gotta say that Marlins tweak is just great…makes me almost not miss the born-in teals a bit.
    “Philly red” > “H-Town blue” ; )
    …and what you did to improve the CC’s is just plain awesome.
    Nice work as always, Chris – no (what) ifs, ands, or buts!

Comments are closed.