Ranking MLB's inaugural City Connect uniforms
Major League Baseball ran a soft rollout this season of its City Connect line, issuing new jerseys for seven teams before every club gets its own next year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers became the seventh and final team on Friday to debut, so it's time to rank each uniform:
7. San Francisco Giants
From the foggy "G" on the chest to the Golden Gate Bridge wrapping around the arm, these are terrible. The secondary appearance of the landmark on the hat makes the ensemble look even more amateur. So MLB believes the thing that connects San Francisco as a city is its most recognizable tourist feature? Disappointing.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
Honoring the Hispanic and Latino population in the Los Angeles area makes sense, and the simplicity of the blue jersey works for a historic franchise that's rarely worn alternate colors. But these could have been a lot better. Latino fans refer to the club as Los Doyers, and it would have been easy to tweak the iconic Dodgers script and use the Spanish name. The "Los Dodgers" script on the hat is quite awkward, too. At least the blue pants are fun.
5. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs paid tribute to Wrigleyville, the Chicago neighborhood that's slowly been built up around the iconic ballpark. The two shades of blue work well together, as does the six-pointed red star - an emblem of Chicago prominently displayed on the city flag - inside the logo on the cap. The hat is excellent, but the jersey feels a bit incomplete. Using the light blue for the Wrigleyville font on the front would have added some more zip to the set.
4. Boston Red Sox
Being the first team to launch its City Connect jersey had its drawbacks for the Red Sox, particularly since they went outside the box. However, a lot of effort clearly went into making a jersey fit for the annual Patriots' Day game during the Boston Marathon. An additional touch we would have liked to see is if the jersey numbers looked like a runner's bib.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
Over 30% of Arizona's population is Hispanic, so this was a rather obvious move for the D-Backs, and it was a home run. The "Serpientes" script is unique and iconic, and it goes perfectly with the Sonoran desert sand base. Though it's not the most colorful City Connect uniform, the look is quite fitting for a team that plays in the desert.
2. Miami Marlins
Drawing inspiration from the Havana Sugar Kings (a minor-league affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds that existed from 1946 to 1960), it makes sense the city with Little Havana would pay homage. Perhaps the Marlins could have gone in a more familiar direction, leaning toward teal throwbacks to harken back to their days as the Florida Marlins. But this is more vibrant and original, and so much better.
1. Chicago White Sox
These uniforms perfectly capture the team's connection to Chicago's South Side - its home since 1901 - and the blue-collar neighborhoods it's long represented. Adding to the look is a gray font paying homage to Chicago's iconic greystone architectural style found throughout the city. It's the perfect look for a team that plays baseball with an attitude and swagger, and a fan base that's always valued hard work, toughness, and tenacity on the diamond. Though it's simple, it's far and away the best of the bunch.
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