Major League Baseball

New Batting Practice Jerseys Unveiled

Warm-up togs get Major League makeover

By Mark Newman / MLB.com

Batting practice has been around as long as baseball itself, but it has come a long way. Players used to take their hacks before games in regular uniforms, and Shoeless Joe Jackson sometimes took his in a coat and tie. So all you had to do then was dress up to say you wore what Shoeless Joe did in batting practice.

Today, BP is an event before the event. Fans once stood outside locked gates in hopes of catching a ball that they could sell for admission to that afternoon's game; now they fill stands early as sluggers put on pre-game shows. And starting this spring, it will be even more fun to wear what the big leaguers wear in BP.

Major League Baseball Properties, along with official licensees New Era Cap Co. and Majestic Athletic, announced Monday that they have created a new line of batting practice jerseys and caps for each team to wear in 2003 as part of the MLB Authentic Collection. This line debuts at the start of Spring Training, and it will mark the first redesign of the official BP apparel since it was created in 1985.

If you customized a Mike Piazza Replica BP jersey at MLB.com, then it's about time for an upgrade. The Mets' BP attire will be an example of a significant stylistic departure from the club's game uniform. It will be a button-up in bright orange, with a blue script "Mets" across the chest, the blue number under the letter "S" and blue striping above the armpit. It is guaranteed to get your attention, and you are guaranteed to get attention if you buy your own Authentic version.

Many of the new BP caps and jerseys will feature a change in color scheme and/or the use of secondary logos, but this spring's new line is noteworthy for its functional redesign as well. Players will appreciate the changes, and it's going to be much easier to swing in that new black White Sox BP jersey than in street clothes.

The new Majestic batting practice jerseys will be produced with a special material that pulls moisture away from the player's body and dries faster than the jerseys the players have been wearing. Along with the new performance material, the 2003 BP jersey will feature a new silhouette with sleeve gussets under the arms to allow for greater mobility when throwing and swinging.

The batting practice cap produced by New Era is made from the same high-performance fabric as the jersey, but it will feature a lower profile than the traditional MLB Authentic Collection cap. Rather than being fitted, the New Era BP caps will feature a soft elastic sweatband that molds to the head size of the player. So in this case, it's OK if you get a big head while dressing like a Major Leaguer.

"Providing on-field apparel geared toward optimum performance was paramount in the new design of the MLB Authentic Collection batting practice apparel," said Howard Smith, Senior Vice President of Licensing for Major League Baseball Properties. "The new batting practice caps and jerseys also gave us the opportunity to introduce some creative style modifications that will give the apparel an exciting change in look to go along with the new feel."

If you're a Phillies fan ready to start a brand new era with Jim Thome in 2003 and a new ballpark in 2004, then get ready for two noticeably different versions of the new BP jerseys -- one in red and one in blue. If you're a Reds fan who can't wait to watch your first game at the Great American Ball Park this April, you'll be able to wear your choice between a red and a black button-up Authentic.

Starting this spring, you will be able to order and customize the new BP apparel here at MLB.com -- the same official league website that brought you live batting practice video for the first time during the last postseason.

Yes, it's still just batting practice. Still the same basic routine that lets a hitter warm up his swing before the game. But it's not the way Shoeless Joe or his fans would remember it.

Mark Newman is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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