Playing Little League in the 1990s was exciting because of the expansion teams. A few lucky lineups would get to wear jerseys, hats and socks (not pants, mind you, because you had to pay for those on your own) based on the colorful new franchises. My dream was to don Marlins teal. It never happened, but at least I was lucky enough to rock Rockies purple.
The devolution of the Miami Marlins uniform over the years is one of baseball’s most disappointing tales. Not simply because of my childhood affinity for the teal and black. The threads of the 2010s as part of the team’s rebrand weren’t as good but still cool in their own way.
And then the Miami Marlins uniform underwent another redesign ahead of the 2019 season. The results were, in a word, yawn. This collection of jerseys, pants, caps and socks is so forgettable. Years later and the logo hasn’t stuck. If we’re being honest, most of you reading are probably thinking about one of their old logos because nobody remembers what they currently use.
That is sad. When the Devil Rays went to the Rays and eventually did away with the rainbows and green, it was kind of disappointing at the time. But after a season, you accepted their new look. It was still memorable enough on its own.
We are four years into the new Miami Marlins uniform set, and they look as bland and soulless today as they did when first unveiled. If you asked a baseball fan on the street to picture the team, the answer would be teal or, perhaps, art déco orange. Even the LA Clippers ridiculously boring branding is better.
While there will always be fans that want the Miami Marlins uniform to be teal, it doesn’t have to be. The Diamondbacks have shown it’s possible to successfully switch colors. Hell, the Houston Astros went through like four sets of color combinations between 1999 and 2013.
What both franchises did have was a strong logo which could be used to create an interesting set of uniforms. Until the Marlins upgrade their identity, what they wear on the field will continue to be painfully boring. And that’s a shame given the rich, visual history of the team.
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