Ranking the 2019 MLB spring training hats
The day after the Super Bowl is seen as the unofficial beginning of baseball season. Major League Baseball capitalized on that by dropping the spring training hats for all 30 teams on Monday. So, let's rank them.
This is a very serious exercise. Almost as serious as spring training itself.
30. San Diego Padres
Thank Zeus 2019 is the last year we have to see this color scheme in San Diego.
29. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners' new blue jerseys are really nice. Why couldn't the hat be the same color?
28. San Francisco Giants
What's going on here, Giants? Grey isn't a team color now just because the Oakland Raiders are probably going to share your stadium next year.
27. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles have one of the most underappreciated logo sets, but does the hat have to be all black? Give me some orange on the bill.
26. Texas Rangers
It's just a Rangers hat with the outline of Texas added. We get it, you're from Texas.
25. Los Angeles Dodgers
Look, I'm not here to be the taste police. If you like the script "D," that's fine. I don't, and the Dodgers never seem to try anything else with their spring training hats. Who buys these?
24. Cincinnati Reds
This might be the best hat the Reds wear in 2019. Yikes.
23. New York Yankees
Want to tell the world you're a Yankees fan? Don't purchase a Yankees hat with a white bill and palm tree on the side.
22. Toronto Blue Jays
It's the same confounding maple leaf as last year. That's not a Blue Jays logo at all.
21. Los Angeles Angels
I don't hate this, and if I were an Angels fan, I might buy it. If I were an Angels fan, I'd also prefer they spice it up with one of their throwback logos. The lowercase 'A' with the little halo? C'mon, try it. Even the italic 'A' with the wing would be nice.
20. Houston Astros
The best part about this Astros logo is that it really looks like a spring training logo, which is also the worst part about this logo.
19. Kansas City Royals
The crown is fun and the font is original. There's something just generally amiss here.
18. Chicago Cubs
Is that cute blue bear grimacing at me?
17. Cleveland Indians
It's a lot like last year's Players Weekend hat, but better. I approve.
16. Boston Red Sox
This is actually kind of a cool hat for a team with a lot of history. It's just that, after winning the World Series, do people really want the spring training version of the Red Sox hat?
15. New York Mets
See, an orange brim is possible and it looks sharp. Take note, Orioles.
14. Pittsburgh Pirates
This hat, like everything the Pirates wear, is great. Can I just quickly see one with the human pirate logo instead?
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
This Diamondbacks logo is underused. As for the other aspects of this hat: It's good at shielding the sun from your eyes.
12. Minnesota Twins
What can I say? I'm a sucker for gold trim. This hat is all black otherwise, but somehow it works.
11. Atlanta Braves
Why is the "A" so huge? It's still fun, but although the logo predates social media, it looks a bit like the "@" symbol.
10. St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals continue their historic streak of never making a bad hat.
9. Tampa Bay Rays
When they dropped "Devil" from their name to simply become the "Rays," I remember wondering what that logo would look like. Well, sign me up. The baby blue is also incredible.
8. Chicago White Sox
You ever inexplicably like something that's actually probably pretty dumb, like Adam Sandler movies? That's this White Sox hat.
7. Colorado Rockies
The Colorado flag is incorporated in here with the mountains and a baseball. Any additional color would take away from the coolness of the logo.
6. Philadelphia Phillies
The burgundy "P" might be better than this. But the bell is a fun, creative logo that's made for meaningless games.
5. Washington Nationals
If a team wants people to actually buy a spring training hat, it should probably try something new and fun, and the Nationals nailed this one.
4. Oakland Athletics
A 100-year-old logo makes a comeback. This thing is incredible.
3. Detroit Tigers
I can't believe the Tigers needed to make four different hats when one of them was this close to perfect.
2. Miami Marlins
Strong debut from the rookie, with the Marlins debuting this logo and color scheme.
1. Milwaukee Brewers
The winner and still undefeated champion of the world.
(Photos courtesy: MLB.com)