The mad scientist Rob Manfred — a designer suit in place of his lab coat — has tinkered and meddled with the grand old game, from phantom runners and designated hitters to enlarged bases and pitch clocks.
The commissioner of Major League Baseball, to his credit, has sped up the games. But he’s also mucked with and frayed tradition, which is stitched into baseball like, well, stitches in a baseball.
And while this one is more of a cosmetic complaint, I’m quite passionate about it — and as I’ve seen on social media, so are others.
Rob, please switch it back. Have each MLB All-Star wear his own team’s uniform in the All-Star Game.
Tuesday is the 2024 All-Star Game, and the event that’s supposed to showcase the identities and personalities of baseball’s best will, instead, feature a bunch of identical Stormtroopers. For a few years now, all National League All-Stars have worn the same generic jerseys and uniforms, as have those on the American League squad. It’s a problem for many reasons — a notable one being, while watching the game, you don’t know who the hell anyone is.
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All-Stars have been reduced to Abbott and Costello characters.
“Runner on first, there’s a grounder to, um, I don’t know at third, who throws it to — what’s the guy’s name covering second? — over to who’s on first.â€
For years (generations!), the All-Star Game was this carnival of colors and colorful characters. Some kids loved rainbows; I loved the array of uniform colors during All-Star introductions.
Each summer, there was an anticipation for the sensation. You’d turn on your Sony or Magnavox, and suddenly, you were transported to Jack Murphy Stadium or the Astrodome or, perhaps, Fenway or Wrigley. And the camera would pan across the gods all in one spot, stopping on each reserve All-Star in his own team’s colors and uniform.
One by one, they got their moment. It was intimate. And you weren’t only hoping to see the star’s face — like you still can today, even though they’re draped in these monstrosities — but you were also excited to see their uniforms. That was their superhero outfit.
And then came the announcement of the starting lineup. Each guy would trot out of the dugout and give a handshake to the other starters previously announced (it often set up the awkward exchange between the manager and the leadoff hitter, standing side by side and waiting).
Seeing an All-Star in his own uniform is infinitely cooler than seeing him in the generic jersey, regardless of how many dollars MLB makes from selling them. And in a sport that forever lags in marketing its players, the All-Star Game is a simple way to do so. Instead, as you watch the game, you don’t even know what real team each guy is on — or who each guy even is.
There is a pride for a fan to see their favorite player in their favorite uniform at the All-Star Game. Many ºüÀêÊÓƵans can speak to seeing Ozzie Smith in a starting lineup. Or Albert Pujols. Or Ted Simmons.
And it’s a moment for the fan of each team (every team) to say — “Ah, there’s my guy in our uniform.â€
And it’s moment-making. I’ll never forget 1989. Out trotted Bo Jackson — white jersey, blue Royals lettering and hat — as the American League leadoff hitter. For those who recall, Bo then homered in the first at-bat of the game (followed by a homer from, of all people, Wade Boggs). It was this indelible experience.
So yeah, here’s a chance for Major League Baseball to create organic and free-of-charge moments of fan excitement. Also, every All-Star Game is some fans’ first All-Star Game. Their first chance to see this unique baseball spectacle. Give that fan a colorful, vibrant memory.
Incidentally, I don’t think this is that controversial of a topic. It’s not the designated hitter. I don’t think there is a legion of fans fighting to keep the league-issued uniforms upon the All-Stars (especially after you all see what Nike threw together for Tuesday’s game).
Even some players miss it. On Monday, perennial All-Star Bryce Harper told the Los Angeles Times that he loved watching All-Stars take the field in their own teams’ uniforms.
“If we could change back to that,†Harper told the sportswriter Bill Shaikin, “I think it would be really cool.â€
Alas, one fears that there’s too much money at play here. Big contracts with big corporations. It was almost inevitable that something as carefree as All-Star uniform tradition would give way to money-making.
After all, everything in sports these days is either for sale — or has an advertisement selling something. But Rob, if you’re reading, please consider losing some extra bucks from your pile of billions for the sake of tradition and baseball beauty. And who knows, it might even get you back in the good graces of some fans.