Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball Uniform Standards

Uniforms an issue at MLB GM Meetings

There will be a crackdown next season on baggy pants, stenciled numbers on caps and other uniform "extremes" that can be construed as a competitive edge or potentially dangerous to the players. That and this report from MLB.com's Jim Street "There was a bulletin that went out last year about the uniform and a lot of that bulletin went into the new basic agreement," Bob Watson said Tuesday. "There are some uniforms that are excessively baggy that we are going to be enforcing. And uniform pants that go underneath the shoe, something like the way Barry Bonds wears his, will not be allowed."

Watson, the vice president of on-field operations for Major League Baseball, informed the general managers at their meeting being held at the Westin La Paloma that it is the club's responsibility to enforce the uniform stipulations.

"We will crack down on violators," he said. "Every club knows the rules and we had one (unnamed) club last season that was fined for a uniform rule violation."

On a day the free-agent market opened, the Phillies went on a potential spending spree. General manager Ed Wade said the club made offers to Jim Thome and David Bell on Tuesday morning and planned to make left-handed pitcher Tom Glavine an offer in the afternoon.

Glavine's agent, Gregg Clifton, met for about 2 1/2 hours with Mets officials Tuesday afternoon. Clifton returned to Phoenix without comment, except to say he is coming back to Tucson on Wednesday.

"[The offers were] very sufficient, I hope," Wade said. "I don't want to talk about years or amount. All I am willing to do right now is to say we have made offers."

Mostly, these meetings have been made about enforcing rules already on the books.

On Monday, the hot topic was how many batboys will be allowed in a dugout at one time and how young is too young to be allowed either in the dugout or on the field.

A popular topic on Tuesday was uniforms.

"We are not trying to make all uniforms uniform," said Sandy Alderson, vice president, baseball operations. "What we are looking to do is eliminate extreme cases, not eliminate individual tastes. We're trying to eliminate a competitive edge to anyone."

Asked about the baggy pants Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez wears, Alderson said, "That is something we would look at."

Not that anyone thinks baggy trousers are unattractive, but an inside pitch has a better chance of hitting a baggy uniform, thus creating a competitive edge, than a normally tailored uniform. That and this report from MLB.com's Jim Street

"Cutting off the sleeves will not be allowed," Watson said. "What I mean by 'cutting' is that you see sleeves cut underneath the armpit and they flop in the breeze."

As for pants tucked inside shoes, or elastic running underneath the shoes -- a la Bonds -- that is on the unacceptable list.

"I don't make the rules," Watson said. "Maybe it's a safety issue. When you have pants underneath your shoe, you can hang a cleat and get hurt. You also see pants tied to shoelaces. That won't be allowed."

And the only thing allowed on baseball caps will be the team insignia. Players often times will stencil the uniform number of a player who has been injured, or in St. Louis last season, No. 57 in tribute to the late Darryl Kile.

Alderson said teams can have uniform patches placed on the uniforms, just as the Cardinals did when they wore "57" patches on their sleeves. But it is up to the clubs themselves to determine what is acceptable and most appropriate, be it uniform numbers or initials.

Watson also said GMs were advised that steps will be taken by MLB to reduce the number of bats that are being broken, which become hazardous to fans and players.

"There have been an inordinate amount of bats being broken and flying into the stands or at players on the field," Watson said. "We must address the situation."

Watson said it isn't the quality of wood being used, but the thinness of the bat handles.

"Players want a big barrel and thin handle and to get the thin handle, [the manufacturer] has to suck the moisture out them," he said. "That makes the bats more brittle. The reason they like the thin handle is because they grew up using aluminum bats and they have a big barrel and thin handle.

"What we have to do is educate them and teach them to use thicker-handled bats. When you go through any clubhouse, you see a lot more thin-handled bats than either medium- or thick-handled bats. On top of that, you see players shaving the handles to make them even thinner."

Watson admitted that it is going to take time to prevent shattered bats from becoming an almost daily event.

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