March 11- Toledo Mud Hens

In all the years that I’ve been collecting New Era Caps I’ll never really begin to understand why it took me so long to scoop this cap up. Every time I jumped on the Lids Web site I’d run across it whenever I was in the mood for buying from the Minor Leagues. I think there was a part of me that always assumed that its popularity would always keep it in stock, much like a New York Yankees cap; it was always be there. It wasn’t until the Christmas Day that I finally pulled the trigger and bought this, as well as a few other random caps that caught my eye. Until today I hadn’t removed the tags, nor had I even tried it on. Both of those are very unbecoming of me as trying the hat on is primarily the first thing I do when I get a shipment. I don’t know; something always felt kind of distant whenever I looked at this hat in person, like something subconscious was at play. It took me a while to really put my finger on it, but even now it’s become a bit of struggle to try and put the words together to not screw this up.

This Toledo Mud Hens hat was first used in 1987; however, the current incarnation of the logo was actually created in 1984. From ’84-’86 the Mud Hens wore a similar hat which featured a red bill. In 1987 the all-navy blue hat was introduced. Prior to the “T” logo with the Mud Hen over the top the team just used hats featuring only the “T,” which dates back to the 1950s before the original AAA version of the Mud Hens packed up shop and relocated to Wichita, Kansas at the end of the 1955 season. For those of you who happen to be old enough to really remember the show MASH, the Mud Hens were the favorite team of Corporal Max Klinger played by Jamie Farr, a Toledo native. The most important things to note from this are that…

1. The hat he wore occasional featured the “T” logo.

2. MASH took place during the Korean War, which was fought from 1950-1953.

Upon doing photo-based research I was able to conclude that the cap Farr wore on the show was historically accurate. The current incarnation of the Mud Hens resurfaced in 1965 when the Yankees moved the former Richmond Virginians there prior to that season. From 1966-1987 the Mud Hens changed affiliations three times; going to the Detroit Tigers to the Philadelphia Phillies, to the Cleveland Indians to the Minnesota Twins and then back to the Tigers which still stands today. Another important historical note about the Mud Hens is that in 1884; when the team was know as the Blue Stockings, they were the only team operating at the Major League level with black players on the team. More specific, Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother Welday, the first and last black athletes allowed to play professional baseball until Jackie Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers debut in 1947. But none of these facts listed played a real part in my hesitance.

To really clarify things I have to go back to 1999, the first year I was bat boy for the Bakersfield Blaze. For the first half of the season my primary duties had nothing to do with being a bat boy. I was primarily a ball shagger. By that I mean I had to run around behind the fence to scoop up all the home run balls hit during batting practice so that they could be used again. See, things aren’t like the Major League level. The budgets aren’t as hefty, and when you’re playing Class-A ball expenses are kept at a minimal. About half way into the season the regular bat boy was growing tired of his job, so I was tapped to be his replacement. At first I thought it was going to be awesome, but that was all before I went through the hazing process from the players. I was 16-years-old at the time, and for the most part the average age of the guys on the team hovered around 22-years-old. At the same time I was dealing with professional ball players, a bunch of guys who had larger than life attitudes and weren’t too keen on some new kid coming into the clubhouse to screw everything up. The first few games were Hell. None of the players bothered to talk to me, but I kept my head up and concentrated on not screwing anything up. As the season wore on a few of the players opened up to me to let me know that I was doing a great job. One of those players in particular was a Venezuelan-born kid named Guillermo Rodriguez.

#7- (Of all the photos I could find, of course I find the one where he's getting plunked) Guillermo  was born in 1978, the same year as my older brother Adam, and was signed as an amateur by the San Francisco Giants in 1995. Throughout ’99 he moved up and down between Bakersfield and Salem-Keizer with the Volcanoes, the short season-A club in Oregon. At the tale end of my sophomore year in high school Guillermo gave me a hand with my Spanish homework on occasion, other times he would purposely give me wrong answers to help me learn it on my own. Every time I came into the clubhouse he would greet me with a hug, sometimes without pants on, and then whip me with the towel he had around his waist before he took a pre-practice shower. This sort of tomfoolery continued into the 2000 season as well. Yah, it was pretty weird, but it was all part of being accepted amongst the gang. When I made the decision to move to Vancouver, Washington to live with my mom for my senior year of high school I decided to leave after the California League All-Star break to make it easier on my schedule. I told the team that I was leaving with two home stands to go. All of them were surprisingly saddened by the news, but none as much as Guillermo. We kept in contact through emails every now-and-then, but both of our schedules got way too crazy to keep it going. I was; however, able to see him and a few of the other guys in 2002 and 2003 when they came up to Portland as members of the Fresno Grizzlies, the AAA-affiliate of the Giants. I was still too young to hit the town with them, but we talked smack before and after the games as if things had never changed. Finally, in 2004, Guillermo was dealt to the Tigers as they were in desperate need of a new catcher. Things were looking rather promising that he was going to finally get his break to play in the Show on a daily basis, but… two days after the deal the Tigers picked up Ivan Rodriguez. Guillermo spent the entire season in Toledo and had one of the worst years of his career. Guillermo did play a few games in the Majors: 39 for the Giants in 2007 and 7 for the Baltimore Orioles in 2009, but that was it. He went back down to the Minors by the end of the 2009 and disappeared from the game. Or so I thought. In 2012 he popped back up on the radar down in Mexico, playing for the Pericos de Puebla, a team managed by former Major League journeyman, and old guy Julio Franco. I haven’t talked to Guillermo since the summer of 2003, and to be honest, I kind of miss the guy. I’d take another awkward hug and towel whip from him any day.

#31- Collin Balester and I met in the MLB Fan Cave on April 27 of this last year. The only reason I remember the date is because I had to look it up. The cool thing about Collin is that he had a pretty sweet beard that rivaled mine quite well. One of the first things that I had remarked to him is that he reminded me of Arik Thaughbaer (yes, I had to check spelling) from the movie Willow. This guy to be exact…

In between takes for the Miggy Poco sketch Collin, Gar “Batting Stance Guy” Ryness and I goofed around and chatted while everyone else shot their scenes. At the end of filming he and I gave each other a manly handshake; you know, the only kind that can be brought together by the mightiest of beards. Well, I guess if you don’t have a beard, then you wouldn’t know, but I assure you, the Gods were smiling down that day. (I’ll stop being retarded for the rest of this) Over the next few weeks we continued our Shenanigans over Twitter, with Collin getting the Rambo (First Blood) Award for this gem, poking fun at the massive Samsung Galaxy Note that I had gotten in the Fan Cave…

After that my jokes paled in comparison, but we still tossed a few out when we had free time.

On May 23^rd, everything changed. The Tigers designated Collin for assignment to Toledo almost immediately after the Tigers suffered a 5-3 loss at the hands of the Indians. I was crushed. I had known guys to get moved around the Minors, but I had never really known anyone to be playing in the Show to then get demoted.

If you read my post from February 23, a lot of this will sound familiar. After Collin got the news I stayed silent. I really didn’t know what to say. We didn’t know each other all that well, and I didn’t know if my words would have given any bit of encouragement or made things worse, so I kept quiet. Little did I know, my world was about to take a swift detour as well.

On May 30^th I was given my walking papers from the Fan Cave. Not a demotion, just an all-out “thanks for coming, have a safe flight home.” To make things worse I was promised by two executives (Jacqueline Parkes and Jeff Heckelman) that I would get assistance for a job in the near future, but I had to keep quiet about things until they made a formal announcement on the 31^st. So I did. I was out and about when the news broke and came home to a flurry of tweets and messages asking what happened. I did my best to reply in as politically correct fashion as I could, that is, until I saw Collin’s direct message. I had kept pretty calm up until that moment, but I couldn’t hold it back as I responded to him. I think it was a slight feeling that I hadn’t been there to support him when he may have needed it that brought the emotional wave on, but I think most of it was because a Big League ball player took the time to help me out when I needed it most. My parents and friends couldn’t really say anything to comfort me, but Collin’s words did. In the weeks and months to follow we’d chat through Instagram or Twitter, depending on which one of us has the best joke going.

(Read my post from February 23 to get caught up to this point) On September 18^th Collin, his father-in-law and I met up at Tropicana Field for a Tampa Bay Rays game against the Boston Red Sox. Collin had gotten a hook-up on tickets, so all I had to do was get to the stadium. I rented a 2011 Ford Mustang and hauled ass to the Trop as I was running just a wee bit late. With about 20 minutes before first pitch I got inside and met up with the guys.

For the first time since we had really known each other, it was the first time I didn’t look at him as a ball player. I’ve always done my best to not look at a person based on their job or their status, but in New York, and especially in the Fan Cave, it made things difficult. Now that we were both kind of out of our element we could watch the game as friends. At times, I’ll admit, it felt a little weird, but only because I knew that he should have been in Detroit, gearing up for the playoffs. Even though we were at a game, I managed to not bring that up. Instead, we crushed some beers, popped some sharks

and hung out with sting rays. One of which I accidentally pissed off.

After nearly having my hand bitten off by a sting ray, Collin’s father-in-law convinced the both of us to make a music video for Collin’s daughter, but I made a promise to not ever mention it, so I’ll just leave it at that. We bummed around the stadium, catching the game from every angle we could, and then we parted ways. The next day I met my girlfriend Angie Kinderman; something that would have never happened without Collin inviting me out to the game.

To this day we still chat every now-and-then, but a bit more limited on account of Spring Training. On November 28^th the Texas Rangers signed Collin to a Minor League deal with a spring invite. When I pulled this hat out this morning the first thing I noticed was the “T” logo, which happens to be the same logo the Rangers used from their first year in 1972-1993. The “T” logo is one of the rare cases in which a Major League team borrows from a Minor League for something as iconic as their logo. I take this as a good sign. At 26-years-old I know he has a lot of solid years left in him, especially considering the fact that he’s the last draft pick in the history of the Montreal Expos to have an impact at the Major League level.

I felt compelled to mark my hat up with the two guys who I knew to play for the Mud Hens to have a profound impact on my life. To Collin and Guillermo- I thank both of you, from the bottom of my heart, for everything you have done.

March 10- San Diego Padres

I can honestly say that of all the 260 hats that I own, this is my least favorite. I feel like kind of a scumbag saying that considering the fact that the San Diego Padres have been wearing this hat every Sunday since the 2011 season as part of their “support the military” days. I really have nothing against the military, nor do I have anything against supporting the troops… I just really hate the color of this hat. Which is also why of all the regular game worn on-field caps from 2012, this was the last one I scooped up.

Over the years teams have reconstructed and introduced a variety of caps which have made me question how certain people are able to keep their jobs. While I completely understand the desert sand color on this hat matches with the color combination of the camouflage jerseys the Padres wear, I just feel that there are many ways the Padres could have been supportive of the military presence in San Diego with a bit more flair and style. Because honestly, it looks like somebody spilled a jar of butternut squash baby food all over it and called it a day.

*It’s at this moment I would like to point out that not every one of these blog posts are winners.

**I should also point out that sometimes when one critiques something on a daily basis, whether it be food, films, music, etc. some of the final products aren’t up to snuff.

Anyway, the concept behind why the Padres opted to roll with this is truly noble. San Diego houses a large portion of the United States military, primarily the Navy and Marines on account of the more than perfect weather conditions, but most importantly because of the location it provides for deployment, training and first line of defense for an east to westward attack (Yes, I know a lot more about the world than just baseball). From 2006-2010 the Padres had done a different color variation on this tribute, but I’ll get to that post later this year. The biggest difference between this uniform style, other than color, and the '06-'10 set is the use of the digital camouflage style similar to what was used in the Stars and Stripes hat released by all the teams for Memorial Day. Like this…

Since this hat was introduced in 2011 I figured it would be best to stick with that year when marking up my hat. Keeping with the Sunday theme I decided to roll with only key numbers from those “Military Day” games… and somehow, even as meticulous as I am, I still managed to screw it up. I blame the color of the hat.

#21- This part is accurate. In 2011 Heath Bell was probably the most redeeming quality of the Padres’ 71-91 season. The most home runs any one player had was 11 by Ryan Ludwick who also led the team in RBI with 64. Clearly things were not going well. Bell saved 43 games that season on top of a 3-4 record with a team leading 2.44 ERA for all pitchers who threw 60 or more innings; which means that Bell contributed to 65% of their wins. For his service Bell made his third straight All-Star appearance as the lone member of the Padres. You might remember his sprint out of the bullpen and slide into the pitchers mound. Classic!

16-10(7-5)- I totally blew it on this, but at the same time not really. If you couldn’t tell by the season record I posted above, the Padres had a less than optimal season in 2011. How bad you say? Well, they won the first game of the season on March 31, which meant that March was the only month in which the Padres finished with a win percentage for a month greater than .500. In May the Padres went 14-14 which was the only full month they finished with a .500 or better record; however, based on the season splits, Sunday proved to be a very successful day for them. Now, here is where I screwed up: when breaking down the day-by-day numbers I accounted for ALL of the Sunday matchups, in which they finished with a 16-10 record with a win percentage of .615; pretty good. I thought that was their Home record; you know, the days in which they wore this cap. Without double checking my numbers, which is not something that happens often, I pulled out my black Sharpie and marked it up. After about 25 minutes of shaking the stupid out of my brain, I finally realized my mistake and went back threw the numbers; hence the (7-5), their actual Home Sunday record. A .538 win percentage on that day is still pretty solid; however, Bell only accounted for two saves, one win and one loss in that stretch. What gives bro!?

February 17- Florida Marlins

Believe it or not, I tend to be a smartass from time-to-time. I know, I know, shocker, right!? And to be honest, of all the hats I own, this particular Florida Marlins hat brings out the most sinister of qualities buried deep in the recesses of my soul. Mwahahahahaha!!! Want proof? As you’ll learn from all of these New Era Caps, or even my tattoos, I love talking about the lesser-known, oddball stories that have taken place in baseball. 2012 was definitely a prime year for me, and it all started when we went to the head office of Major League Baseball within the first week of being in New York for the MLB Fan Cave. We were told to wear dress-casual attire; however, since I was about to head into the lion’s den I decided to class it up quite a bit and wore a three-piece suit. In keeping with my daily hat habit I opted to roll with a hat that “matched” my outfit… this one.

Now, most people were under the impression that I had chosen this hat because the colors complimented the suit I was wearing. The real story behind why I wore this hat is because 1. I hated that Jeff Loria changed the Marlins logo/colors. 2. It was a silent protest to MLB to let them know that I will stand by my convictions. Oh, and in case you wondering, the suits of MLB made sure to let me know that I couldn’t wear Florida Marlins gear any day that I was in the Fan Cave in order to keep up appearances with Jeff Loria’s wishes.

I declined to adhere to that rule. Like I said, I stand by my convictions.

This hat lasted the entire run of the Florida Marlins from 1993 through its unfortunate demise at the end of the 2011 season. The team saw 11 managers take the helm while only two of them, Jim Leyland and Jack McKeon, took the team to the Promised Land in 1997 and 2003 respectively. A slew of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers came and went, much like hired guns of the Old West, or… in the case of the results of winning both World Series, the owner’s built up a high caliber team, won a championship and auctioned off their players in an attempt to line their pockets with extra cash. Moneyball at its finest.

I think you’ll all agree on all of my choices for marking this beast up. And just so you know, I threw the numbers down in order of relevancy.

#19- It wouldn’t make a lot of sense if I left Jeff Conine off of this, or any of my Marlins caps. Conine is one of THREE guys to be a member of both World Series teams in ’97 and ’03. In 1997 Conine played in 151 games and was the primary first baseman on into the playoffs. What’s most interesting about Conine is that ’97 was his worst career year offensively for the Marlins as he went .242/17/61; however, then manager Jim Leyland opted to keep him in for every day duties. The three best years of his career came during his first three full years in the league (1993-1995). In ’93 Conine finished in third place for the Rookie of the Year Award; however, his first season in the league was in back in 1990 when he took the field for nine games with the Kansas City Royals. ’91 was spent in AAA and ’92 only saw him coming in for 28 games with the Royals. In 1994 and 1995 Conine cracked the Top 25 in MVP voting after hitting at least .304 with at least 18 home runs and 82 RBI in each of those seasons. Conine found himself back in Kansas City for the 1998 season before moving on to the Baltimore Orioles from 1999 though the All-Star break in 2003 when he was sent back to the Marlins. This time; however, he wore #18 as some up-and-comer named Mike Lowell had taken #19 at the start of the 2000 season.

#1- Luis Castillo is the second member of the All-Florida Marlins squad. Castillo’s first year in baseball was with the Marlins in 1996, but wore the #34 in all 41 games he played in. At the start of the 1997 Castillo opted to change his number, hoping for better fortune and more playing time. Castillo platooned at second base with former Oakland Athletic, and current Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy Kurt Abbott. Castillo didn’t see a single second of action in the postseason that year, but still got a ring for his service throughout the season. In 2003 Castillo’s presence became more well-known as the every day second baseman throughout the regular season and playoffs. Besides the two rings, Castillo won three Gold Gloves (all with the Marlins) from 2003-05, made three All-Star appearances (2002-05 and 2005) and finished his Marlins career with a solid .293 average.

#38- I decided to roll with #38, but could have gone with #33 as well as Rick Helling wore each number throughout his career with the Marlins; however, like Castillo is 1997, Helling didn’t see any action in the playoffs, which had more to do with being traded to the Texas Rangers around the trade deadline. But, he still got a ring. In 2003 he found himself back on the Marlins, once again as a trade deadline addition from the Baltimore Orioles. Helling saw action out of the bullpen during the playoffs, but got shelled during every appearance. Either way, he got two rings out of the deal.

January 28- Salt Lake City Bees

Very few people know this about me, even though I openly talk about it often, but I was born and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m short, I’m Mormon. Let that sink in as you think about the foul language I speak, the tattoos I have and the beer I drink. Yes, it’s a bit hypocritical of me in theory; however, I’ve always done my best to be a good person, love my family, help out anyone who needs it and I still love and respect God. I’m an incredibly open person and hope you are too as I continue as bits and pieces of this blog involves my religion and church.

The current incarnation of the Salt Lake City Bees was founded in 1994 after then owner Joe Buzas moved the Portland Beavers to Utah. For those keeping score at home, this is the second post I’ve written in which the Portland Beavers relocated their team. From ’94-2000 the team was known as the Salt Lake City Buzz, but were sued and forced to change their name by Georgia Tech as their mascot, a giant yellow jacket, has the same name. From 2001-2004 they were known as the Stingers. In 2003 Buzas bought the farm and Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller bought the team. In 2005 the team then changed their name again to the Bees, a throwback to the original baseball team that occupied Salt Lake City from 1915-1926. Now, when it comes to other sports franchises, most tend to not only change their name, but also their mascot. By this I mean, and especially when a law suit is on the table, most teams will distance themselves from any trace of the reason for the law suit. The Bees; however, is one of the most perfect mascots and team name for any fixed location in sports.

Back in 1849, when Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers migrated to what is now Utah, they settled in a vast, agriculturally rich territory which they called the State of Deseret. This provisional state existed for only two years and was never recognized by the United States government. The most important part of this story is the word Deseret, which in the Book of Mormon is the word for honeybee. The state of Utah was founded in 1896 and adopted the beehive as their state logo, which is a fixture of the state flag. The state’s motto; industry, for which bees are known.

Back to the hat. This particular hat has been used since the start of the 2006 season. There’s really not that much to it. It’s black with a little bee dude swinging a bat. The logo isn’t even that big, but for some reason it’s perfect. It catches the eyes immediately and can go with almost any outfit combination. As for the marks…

#12- Howie Kendrick spent a fair amount of time in SLC, and did incredibly well every second he took the field. Specifically, I wanted to note his 2006 season. He only lasted 69 games in SLC, but spent 72 games in the Majors that season. His stats definitely helped push his case for a midseason call-up: .369/13/62 plus 11 stolen bases. Kendrick was easily on the fast track to getting up and staying up with the Angels. Unfortunately, Kendrick played a few more stints in SLC (2007-2009) for a total of 35 more games for rehab purposes. In all cases Kendrick averaged well over .400 combined.

#32- I remember Nick Adenhart’s start against the Oakland Athletics on April 8, 2009 as if it were yesterday. I was actually watching the game during class since it started at 3:13 PM PST. Adenhart was dealing like a veteran. He gave up seven hits and three walks, but struck out five and didn’t allow a single run in six innings. The Angels bullpen gave up six runs over the last two innings and the A‘s won 6-4. In mere hours following the game Adenhart and two of his friends were killed after a drunk driver ran a red light. It was strange. I was still awake when the news was announced and I couldn’t help but feel for his family and teammates.

I had only seen Adenhart pitch one game while he was with the Bees in a game against the Beavers in Portland. I honestly don’t remember how he did, but I certainly remember him taking the mound. Adenhart only played one season with the Bees in 2008, a season in which he also pitched three games for the Angels toward the end of the season. During his time in SLC Adenhart went 9-13 in 145.1 innings and had a 5.76 ERA. Based on the numbers, you’d think he was just a mediocre pitcher; however, if you saw him pitch in 2009, you’d have a different opinion. I couldn’t think of a better person to remember and share on this hat. I truly wish he could have had a long and fulfilling life.

January 27- Oakland Athletics 1989 WS

Today’s hat was truly the perfect choice for the events that took place. The 1989 World Series Oakland Athletics cap was an acquisition I made a little over a week ago for 1. My collection. 2. Just for Fan Fest. Throughout the 2012 season I had been asked several times by fans, media outlets and executives what may favorite moment, let alone favorite season in the team’s history is. Until the start of this last season I was always pretty staunch on the 1989 season being my personal favorite. I was six-years-old and vividly remembered watching all four games of the Series on the TV at my old house in Bakersfield, California. Watching the team celebrate after sweeping the San Francisco Giants never left my memory as the #1 spot… that is, until the 2012 season started.

Within the first few days of being in New York for the MLB Fan Cave we were asked to make our postseason predictions. After crunching the numbers and deeply analyzing what had happened during Spring Training, I picked the A’s to finish in the newly added second Wild Card spot. I felt good about it. If I had put them to win their division I would have gotten a lot more flack than I received for putting them in a Wild Card spot. I was called a “homer”, “idiot”, and a slew of other negative names for my decision, even though no one really took a constructive route of criticism. Even the Fan Cave had lost faith in the team after they were written off by every critic in the business at the end of May, which was “coincidentally” the same time I was asked to pack my bags and hit the bricks. Injuries and close losses had been a contributing factor in the team’s lack of success, but I wasn’t ready to write the team off. There were still plenty of games and opportunity for the A’s to climb back up the ladder. So, with a couple thousand dollars in my pocket, I hit the road and caught the A’s on the road and at home. In fact, the A’s marketing team contacted me to throw out first pitch for them on July 17^th. The team had caught fire before the All-Star break, and didn’t slow the momentum when regular season play was rekindled. When I took the mound and lobbed out my pitch to Josh Reddick, I felt a sense of positivity in the air. Being so close to the team near the dugout, I could sense that they weren’t thinking about their place in the standings too much. They just wanted to get out and play. The A’s dominated everyone in their path, no matter which stadium they played in. And sure enough, they caught back up to the Texas Rangers, tied their record on the second to last day, and over took and won the American League West division on the last day of the season. Looking back on ’89, all I could think about was how I watched all of their games on TV. In 2012 I watched every game, whether on TV or in person. Most importantly, I was present for all of the big games, with all of my friends. The success of the season was amazing on the field, but even more special in the stands doing the Bernie Lean and Balfour Rage in the right field bleachers. Although we won the World Series in ’89, watching a team, counted out so many times throughout the season, dig deep and play to the best of their abilities and be successful was legendary. I would take the 2012 team over any team the A’s ever put on the field.

4-0: I think it’s pretty obvious what these numbers mean. The A’s swept their Bay Area rival in four games and the Giants hardly put up any kind of a fight. Throughout the Series the Giants never had a lead, and were outscored 32-14. There’s not really much else to add to this without coming off as rude, but let’s face it, the Giants really had no business being there.

5:04- I added this number to the opposite site as a reminder of what was most important through the series. On October 17 at 5:04 PM PST a 7.1 magnitude earthquake ripped through the Bay Area prior to the start of Game 3. Everyone inside Candlestick Park knew what had happened, but no one knew what had taken place on the outside. A large piece of the upper portion of the Bay Bridge had collapsed. A massive portion of the I-880 freeway crumbled, killing 42 people. Experts had estimated that hundreds were killed; however, due to the game set to start at 5:35 PM PST, most cars and people were off the road, ready to watch the game. The timing could not have been more perfect.

January 20- Everett AquaSox

Since 1995, the Everett AquaSox have been the short season-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. I bring this up first because I want to point out that it took them 15 years to introduce this ridiculously practical, yet awesome hat. The old-school pitchfork logo is a throwback to the Mariners teams of the 1970s and 80s, as well as homage to the throwback style the team has reintroduced into their hat and jersey combinations. Seriously though!? 15 years?

The hat was brought in as an alternate/road cap, and has proven to be a huge hit with folks in the Pacific Northwest. Hell, I fell to my knees and bought it immediately after the first glance. There’s something incredibly alluring about it, besides the logo. For some reason the combination of navy blue and teal is soothing to look at, but very entrancing at the same time.

Since the hat has only been in use for the last two seasons, I found it a tad difficult to really pick anybody out worthy enough to grace the front-right panel. After a bit of research only two names really popped out...

#27- Tom Wilhelmsen. I admit, I like to pronounce his name in the traditional German dialect (The “W” is a “V” sound), but most important, Wilhelmsen played for the AquaSox for three games during the 2010 season. While there he went 14 2/3 innings, posted one win and an ERA of 3.68 with 14 strikeouts. Needless to say, with the velocity that Wilhelmsen packs, he didn’t hang around very long. He moved on up to the west side and proved to be a reliable closer for the Mariners in 2012 with 29 saves and an ERA of 2.50. Granted, he had a few outings as a late innings guy before taking over his new role.

#1- Luis Rodriguez was a short range journeyman for six seasons in Major League Baseball. And by that, he only played for three teams in that time. In 2011 he got picked up by the Mariners but was sent down to Everett for a rehab stint, as the nearby AAA affiliate Tacoma Rainiers were on the road at the time. While there he played in three games batting .333 with two RBI. Then, he got sent up to Tacoma. That’s about it.

That’s the problem I have with new hats. There isn’t much of a history established other than what we see aesthetically. I’ll have to give it some time and hope an up-and-coming superstar sports it.

January 15- Atlanta Braves

I was a bit surprised that the Atlanta Braves didn’t point this out before the season started, but then again, how often does one celebrate the lifetime of a style of hat. Back in 1987 the Braves made a uniform and color switch; donning the old red and navy which dates back to their earlier days in both Boston and Milwaukee. The hat, on the other hand, hasn’t really gone through much of a change, logo wise, since 1981, but the current game/home style celebrated it’s 25^th birthday this last year and has been a constant best-seller during that stretch.

A few days ago I had posted about the Toronto Blue Jays and how they had altered their uniforms and colors numerous times over a 17-year period and was met with minimal success on the field despite a higher win probability in correlation to a team changing its look. Oddly enough, the Braves fell into a similar hole for the first four years after making the switch. From 1987-1990 the Braves were on of the worst teams in baseball. Seriously! Look it up. The Chuck Tanner/Russ Nixon-managed Braves couldn’t buy a win if they tried, even in spite of Dale Murphy’s dominance at the plate in ’87 when he blasted 44 home runs and batted an impressive .295. However, the “Power Ally” era came to an end after the 1990 season, which coincidentally is the same time the Braves established their dominance in the National League Eastern (then Western) Division. So with that, I had to roll the dice with a few guys that wore this cap and personified the Atlanta Braves over the last quarter century. And who better than Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz?

#31- Greg Maddux: Unless you’re a dedicated Braves fan, or baseball fan, Maddux didn’t start his career with the Braves until the 1993 season. The Braves had all ready flirted with greatness in 1991 when they matched up against the Minnesota Twins in the World Series, but fell to them in a grueling (in a good way) series which lasted all seven games. The Braves, needing another solid starter, picked up a solid started from the Chicago Cubs before the start of the ’93 season. Maddux had flirted with a Cy Young in 1989, but finished third in the voting after going 19-12 with a 2.95 ERA. He lost to San Diego Padres closer Mark Davis and Houston Astros ace Mike Scott in case you were wondering. In 1992 though, he took home the prize after going 20-11 with a 2.18 ERA and 268.0 innings under his belt. Baller!!! So, with a new team and a fresh season in front of him, Maddux took the mound for the Braves and had a pretty decent showing. And by decent I’m totally kidding. Dude pal won three more consecutive Cy Young Awards; winning 55 games and losing 18 in those three years. Glavine also won a ridiculous (in a good way) amount of Gold Glove Awards during his tenure in the South; a record 18 for his career, but an impressive 10 straight for the Braves. He only missed out in one time in his final year as a Brave in 2003. His punk of a teammate, Mike Hampton, robbed him late year. Aaaaaaaaand he also won a World Series ring in 1995, but that’s really not that big of a deal.

#47- To talk about Tommy Glavine, one can’t help but start with the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. That’s right; TG was a solid hockey player in his youth and was selected in the 4^th round, 69^th overall by the Los Angeles Kings. Even more impressive, Glavine was selected two rounds ahead of Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille (both of whom were inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2009). So, needing a real challenge, Glavine opted to play baseball instead, and made his debut during the 1987 season. In 1988 Glavine lost a MLB-high 17 games for the Braves, but quickly turned things around toward the end of the 1990 season when Bobby Cox took over as manager. From 1991-1993 Glavine won at least 20 games and took home his first Cy Young Award for his effort during the ’91 season. Unfortunately, some computer nerd-looking guy (Maddux) kept him from getting his second Cy Young until 1998 where he went 20-6 with a 2.47 ERA. Oh yah! He also won a World Series ring in 1995. No big deal.

#29- The youngest of the three, John Smoltz had the unfortunate luck of playing alongside Maddux and Glavine, therefore didn’t have much of an opportunity to win much hardware. But, he scored big in 1996; going 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA and a League high 276 strikeouts. Smoltz was extremely dominant during his 21-year career, and was the only one of the three who dealt with possible career-ending injuries. After sitting out the 2000 season, Smoltz faced the harsh reality that he may not be able to be used as a starter again. Wanting to play, Smoltz took on the role as closer during the 2001 season and did a fair job. In 2002; however, he played out of his mind. Smoltz saved a MLB season high 55 games. Did I say season high? Sorry, I meant NL single season record. Smoltz defied the odds and continued to play through 2009. He also rotated back to a starting spot in 2006 where he went 16-9 with a 3.49 ERA. I think he also won a World Series ring in ’95 as well, but that’s not important.

As a youngling I only recall seeing the Braves play in this hat with the aid of TBS: The Superstation. So, I had to go with I know. And one thing I know is that Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz truly personified the Atlanta Braves organization for a generation of baseball fans. Well, except for Glavine. He really should have stuck with hockey. Kidding. :D

January 7- New York Mets

Kind of hard to believe that this hat is no longer worn by the New York Mets, and has been that way since the end of the 2011 season. Aside from the classic all-blue style, this hat was really the only Mets hat I really enjoyed.

From 1998-2011 it served as the Mets’ road/alternate hat, replacing the one-and-done all-white hats from the 1997 season under then coach Bobby Valentine. There isn’t a tremendous amount of history behind this hat, other than the Mets’ management’s way of switching things up a bit. The 2000 season was truly the only season of note under this cap, as the Mets faced off against their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees; in the first ever fall classic “Subway Series.” The Mets, in classic Mets fashion, lost the series 4-1. The Mets have only the seen the postseason one other time since 2000 when they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division series, and lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series in 2006. Needless to say, from 1998-2011, the Mets haven’t had much else to celebrate other than a new stadium which opened in 2009. So with that, I decided to get a little more playful with this hat.

Mike Piazza was acquired before the All-Star break after a brief stop in Miami for five games. John Franco, on the other hand, had been tossing for the Mets since he was acquired prior to the 1990 season. Franco had pitched for the Cincinnati Reds since the 1984 season and had been rocking the #31 since midway through his rookie season. Piazza came up with the Dodgers in 1992, but didn’t start using the #31 on his jersey until the 1993 season, the year he won Rookie of the Year. With the exception of his first year, and the one year he spent with the San Diego Padres in 2006, Piazza had always worn #31. (The reason behind 2006 is because the #31 is retired, having been worn by Dave Winfield.) Much like Piazza, Franco has worn the #31 for the vast majority of his career… except for the brief period when he and Piazza played together in New York.

I found it to be a bit strange that Franco, having been in the League and with the Mets longer, gave up the number to Piazza without much issue and changed his number to 45, which he kept for all seven years they played together. So with that, I opted to do the 31 squared to represent the both of them as the jersey number switch took place the same season the hat was introduced. Quite possibly one of the more analytical markings I’ve added to a hat.

January 4- Miami Marlins

I remember when the new Marlins logo and team name was revealed to the public back in November of 2011, I sat and stared at it in the same manner I did when I first gazed upon a Salvador Dali painting. A slight crook of the mouth, and a subtle, “Huh” came out. I was quite perplexed. Even more so when the team changed from Florida to the Miami Marlins. Over the years I had become used to teams changing colors and uniform styles, but with the exception of the Angles, I honestly didn’t think any other team would go so far as changing the location name of their team after they flack that they had, and still receive. With that, there really wasn’t much that I, a fan, could really do about it. After all, how many teams do you know of that truly appreciate and incorporate fan input into their business decisions? Only one really, the Oakland A’s, but that’s beside the point. :)

Having started my mission of obtaining every hat, I knew at some point down the road I would have to acquire the one that is currently affixed to my melon. Much like the Dali reference earlier, over time I grew a keen fascination with the design. It has a futuristic-vintage look to it; by which I mean it looks futuristic as people from the 60s and 70s imagined how things would look 40-50 years from then. The colors work for the area they reside in, but I still think the original colors would have worked wonders for the rest of their existence.

When I picked it up in the middle of December of 2011, the major deals had just begun for the Marlins during the Winter Meetings. Not being one to boast an unproven experiment, I opted to mark my hat with players who were, not only established, but guys who I thought would be faces of the franchise for years to come. It also gave me a chance to pay homage to a favorite expression from high school and the first bar I ever drank at legally when I turned 21: Triple Nickel.

#5- Logan Morrison was interesting dude when I met him this last season in the MLB Fan Cave. The sketch we were working on featured Morrison giving a tour of New York City atop a double-decker bus. If you've had a chance to watch the video, great. If not, I highly recommend it. Not only for the sake of Morrsion's comedy, but it's also one of the few times I'm actually shown on screen.

Morrison was a 22nd round draft pick by the Marlins in the 2005 Amateur draft out of Slidell, Louisiana. He made his debut after the All-Star break in 2010 and was met with modest success. In his first 62 games he went .283/2/18, but also tacked on SEVEN triples. What's amazing about the triples is that Dexter Fowler led the Majors in triples that year with 14. LoMo was able to do half of that in only 1/3 of the time. And one thing that I know is not an easy accomplishment is hitting 20 or more triples in a season. It's only been done five times since 1985.

LoMo was originally #20 for his first two years in the Show, but asked permission to use #5 in honor of his late father whose favorite player was Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett. The #5 had previously been retired by the team in honor of the Marlins' founding president and COO Carl Barger, whose favorite player was Joe DiMaggio.

#55- Josh Johnson was a fourth round pick by the Marlins in the 2002 draft out of Jenks, Oklahoma. He made his debut in 2005 for a few games, but was thrown immediately into the rotation for the 2006 season. Johnson went 12-7 with a 3.30 ERA and 133 strikeouts; which was good enough for a fourth place finish for National League Rookie of the Year. 2007 was halted by injury, but he bounced back in 2008 going 7-1 with a 3.61 ERA in 14 games. 2009 and 2010 have so far proven to be the most notable years of Johnson's career. Despite making his only two All-Star Game appearances those seasons, he combined for a record of 26-11, a combined ERA of 2.80, 377 strikeouts combined and a fifth place finish for the NL Cy Young award.

Despite how new the hat was I still opted to mark it up with the two guys that I thought would be the faces of the franchise for years to come. In the after math of the fire sale it's rather apparent that my original thought will never come to be. Morrison can obviously still turn his fortune around this next season, but I imagine it'll be rather difficult with only Giancarlo Stanton as the other only other offensive threat, or so it seems. Johnson, on the other hand, will do well in Toronto with the Blue Jays. He still has amazing stuff if he stays healthy, and I honestly feel that he will be a deep threat for the 2013 American League Cy Young award and be the Jays' ace. Mark it!