The 50 Worst Fashion Statements in MLB History

Throughout baseball history, there have always been guys who stood out from the crowd because of their appearance, and like today that was not always a good thing.

Be it a poor facial hair decision or an odd accessory to their uniform, players can stand out negatively in a variety of ways.

And then their is the horrible uniform, which leaves even the most fashion wise player looking ridiculous right along with his 24 teammates.

So here are the 50 worst fashion statements in baseball history, including an ode to one of the worst promotional ideas of the past 30 years.

The Baggy Jersey

In recent seasons more and more players have begun to wear their jersey incredibly loose, with Manny Ramirez being the poster boy for this trend.

While it is understandable that some players would find longer pants to be more comfortable, there is such a thing as too much, and some players have reached the point of looking sloppy.

Flat Billed Hat

Much like the baggy jerseys, more and more players have begun to rock the perfectly straight billed hat look, as C.C. Sabathia helped bring that into vogue.

However, for every one C.C. who makes the flat bill look cool, there are ten guys who look ridiculous that way and apparently don't realize it.

The Ski Mask

While I fully understand the functionality aspect of the ski mask, as it can be extremely cold early in the season as well as in the playoffs, I just think it looks ridiculous with a hat on over a ski mask.

My distaste for this look could stem from watching the early 1990s Cubs, as shortstop Jose Hernandez was the first player I recall wearing the ski mask regularly, and I absolutely hated Hernandez.

Nike Pox

The Nike Pox phase was an odd one, and one I am happy to say seems to be over.

For a two or three year span last decade, the popular long sleeved undershirt among the league featured dots of the team's secondary color on the elbows for some reason. Numerous times, pitchers were forced to change or cut their sleeves when it was deemed a distraction, and it just look ridiculous. Luckily, it's now a thing of the past.

Jayson Werth's Caveman Look

Werth does a little bit of everything on the field, hitting for average and power, while stealing a few bags and playing terrific defense. One thing he can't seem to do is find his way a barber or even a razor for that matter.

While his play earned him a massive seven year contract from the Nationals this off season, as they may have over paid for the right fielder's services, they be getting the player with perhaps the top hair to face and head ratio in the big leagues.

Johnny Damon's Caveman Look

If we are going to call Werth out on looking like a caveman, then an inclusion of Damon during his time with the Red Sox is only fair.

A key member of the group of Red Sox players who referred to themselves as "The Idiots" during the team's 2004 World Series run, Damon had to clean himself up when he joined the Yankees further showing the divide between the Yankees and Red Sox.

Scott Spiezio's Red Beard

Spiezio was a vital member of the Angels championship team in 2002, as the team's primary first baseman, and he became a solid utility player late in his career, helping the Cardinals to a World Series title as well.

It takes a special kind of man to turn the soul patch, which is already perhaps the least acceptable form of facial hair, and make it somehow look worse. Spiezio did just that though, growing his long and dying it red.

Bobby Jenks's Pink Beard

While Spiezio looked ridiculous with his red soul patch, it was at least relevant, as he played for the Angels and Cardinals during his career. Jenks on the other hand was all over the place when it came to his beard color.

The husky White Sox closer already has one of the funnier looking beards in the game, as it is not particularly thick and looks like someone just came up and stuck it on his face. However, it has been reddish, blonde, and for a time even pink. The pink takes the cake for sure.

Rollie Fingers' Handle-Bar Moustache

Fingers is a Hall of Fame closer, as he was among the first truly great relief pitchers in baseball history, even winning the Cy Young and MVP Awards in 1981 as a member of the Brewers.

He also sported a full on handle bar mustache, and he did it while playing for the Athletics who also had some of the worst uniforms of all time. While the novelty of a handlebar mustache is fun, it is by no means a good look and earns Rollie a spot here.

Jason Giambi's Fu Man Chu

Giambi, was at the center of the steroid controversy, but unlike many other he owned up to his mistake and bounced back fairly well from what many players could not, as he managed to produce solid numbers after getting off the juice.

Perhaps his strength came from his impressive facial hair, as he has always sported one of the best pornstar mustaches in all of baseball. His recent move to the fu manchu takes it to another level though.

Randy Johnson's Mullett

Johnson is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history, and his five career Cy Young Awards, including four straight from 1999-2002 show just what a force he was one the mound.

He also had one of the most disgusting heads of hair the game has ever seen, and whether it was part of his whole intimidation act or he genuinely thought he looked good like that, it is certainly in the running for worst hair in baseball history.

Sal Fasano's Mullet/Facial Hair Combo

What do you get when you take Giambi's fu manchu and Johnson's god awful wavy mullet. You get a backup catcher named Sal Fasano.

Fasano played 11 seasons for nine different teams, and one has to wonder if the novelty of his look was part of the reason he kept finding work, as he was a .221 career hitter and below average defensively.

Jeff Bagwell's Beard

Bagwell was amongst the top run producers of his era, or any era for that matter. With his extreme crouch and unorthodox step back as the pitch came, he drove in over 1,500 runs and won and MVP and Rookie of the Year.

He was also consistently in the argument for league's best, or worst, beard depending on how you looked at it. Towards the end of his career, it escalated from a goatee to legitimate goat's beard, earning him a spot on this list.

David Ortiz "Chin" Strap Beard

Ortiz is as clutch as they come, and he was instrumental in the Red Sox pair of World Series titles in the past decade. He is also on the large side, listed at a generous 240 pounds, as he has earned the moniker "Big Papi".

Because of that, he really has no discernible jaw line, yet he chose a facial hair that highlights that fact. Not only that but it is an odd combination between beard and goatee, without really being either one.

Pete Rose's Bowl Cut

Rose is the game's all-time leader in hits, and his ban from baseball is among the more controversial decisions in baseball history. He was one of the superstars of the 1970s, and a catalyst for the Big Red Machine.

He also had terrible hair, however, as it was the true definition of a bowl cut--a haircut generally reserved for children under the age of ten. Still, it didn't seem to make a difference to "Charlie Hustle' what he looked like as long as he was hitting.

Oscar Gamble's Afro

Sticking with the 1970s, Gamble was a terrific outfielder who played 17 seasons but never seemed to stay in one place very long, suiting up for seven different teams throughout his career.

That meant that seven teams had to go out of their way to find a hat big enough for Gamble to wear over his tremendous afro, and how his hat ever managed to say on is baffling.

John Wetteland's Sweat Stained Hat

Wetteland is one of the best closers in baseball history, as he recorded 330 saves during his 12-year career--only nine of which he spent as a closer. He currently sits at 11th on MLB's career saves list.

He was known for his refusal to get a new hat during the course of the season, and by season's end it was so dirty and sweat stained that it stood out in the worst possible way. This only worsened later in his career when he was pitching in the Texas heat.

Ted Kluszewski's Sleeveless Jerseys

One of the most feared sluggers of the 1950s, Klu had three straight 40+ home run seasons from 1953-1955 He also hit for a respectable average as a career .298 hitter.

He is perhaps best remembered for cutting the sleeves off of his jerseys, as he claimed that the standard fit jerseys were too tight on his massive arms and hampered his swing.

Brian Wilson: Orange Shoes

Wilson is about as eccentric as you can get, but most of his shenanigans don't cost him money. The orange shoes on the other hand landed him a fine.

When an opposing manager complained about the shoes, Wilson netted a $1,000 fine for his shoes, as they were not at least fifty percent black. A little black sharpie later, and he had a pair of less flashy, but now league-approved shoes.

Craig Biggio's Pine Tar Stained Helmet

Biggio was the last person to join the 3,000 Hit Club, and he should be a sure fire Hall of Famer as one of the premier lead-off hitters and second baseman of his era. His versatility may have been his most impressive attribute, however, as he played catcher, second base, and center field during his career.

He also had the habit of never washing his batting helmet, and he would adjust it between each pitch. This very quickly led to an impressive accumulation of pine tar, and through the course of the season the helmet would reach the point that the Astros logo was virtually unrecognizable.

Turk Wendell's Bone Necklace

Wendell was a character, with his on the field antics well documented, including his exaggerated hops over the foul line, and his between innings tooth brushing.

Lost in that shuffle sometimes is one of the weirdest accessories ever, as Wendell wore a necklace made up of the teeth of various animals he had killed. Some people stuff or mount their trophy kills, Wendell wore their teeth around his neck.

Tucson Toros: ???

While they are not a major league club, they certainly deserve a spot on this list--and any other list running down the worst of the worst.

Not surprisingly, the Toros were an affiliate of the Houston Astros right around the same time they had their own horribly bad jerseys which we will get to shortly.

Missing from the above picture is also a blue stripe under the players left arm, as the designer managed to fit six different (and seemingly random) colors onto the jersey.

Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs

Sticking in the minor leagues for just a short time longer, the Iron Pigs deserve some credit for bringing some class to the baseball field when they sported tuxedo themed uniforms for the team's Wedding Night.

With their second annual Wedding Night last season, they once again dusted off the tux uniforms in what is quickly becoming the best or worst tradition in minor league baseball--depending on whether or not you're a member of the Iron Pigs.

Colorado Rockies: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jerseys

"Turn Ahead the Clock" Night was one of the most ridiculous idea in recent baseball memory, and produced a good number of ammunition for this list.

Throughout the 1999 season, 15 games were scheduled as promotional "Turn Ahead The Clock" games in what was supposed to be a glimpse into the future of baseball, but was huge failure thanks in large part to just how awful the jerseys were. So sit back and enjoy a look into the haunting future that is baseball--at least according to this promotion.

The Rockies jersey took the mountain logo to the next level as they cut out more or less any other design feature and just slapped a giant mountain range and a baseball on there. This was among the best designs of the promotion, if that gives you any idea the direction we're heading.

Seattle Mariners: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jersey

While ridiculous like all the rest, the Mariners version of the "Turn Ahead the Clock" jersey is actually pretty cool looking.

The fact that it is Ken Griffey Jr. in the picture helps things, but everything from the black and red jersey to the sweet silver helmet makes the Mariners the winners of a promotion that no one won.

Arizona Diamondbacks: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jersey

This picture does not quite do the jersey justice, as the entire concept was just a wrap around snake. That coupled with the gold lettering on the back that is more or less just slapped on over the snake makes this one truly special.

Milwaukee Brewers:: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jersey

Sticking with their same color scheme, unlike many of the teams, the Brewers instead focused on their mascot.

The team's mascot dating back to as early as the 1940s, the Beer Barrel Man, was featured prominently on these jerseys. A look to the future by borrowing from the past...interesting idea.

Minnesota Twins: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jerseys

Much like the Brewers, the Twins used an old logo to highlight their jersey--depicting the "twin cities" shaking hands. Unlike the Brewers, however, this logo is not nearly as cool makes for a boring attempt at a futuristic look.

Pittsburgh Pirates: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jersey

Throughout the years, the Pirates have had some awful jerseys. As you will see in the upcoming slides, they were in top form when it came to designing their futuristic uniforms.

They opted to add the color red very prominently to their jerseys, which you can clearly see was a huge mistake.

Kansas City Royals: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jersey

Looking ahead to the future, the Royals apparently see a bright yellow shirt with a powder blue under shirt pairing well with a gold helmet and white pants. The future looks bleak in Kansas City if that is the case.

San Francisco Giants: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jerseys

So this is the future of Giants baseball, huh? A white vest with a poorly centered logo and sweet black stripes on the shoulders. Way to think outside the box for this promotion, San Francisco.

Mercury Mets: "Turn Ahead the Clock" Jersey

The Mets went the opposite direction that the Giants did, as they completely committed to the idea--even changing the team's name for a game and designing an entirely different logo.

Unfortunately, that logo was more or less the female gender symbol with ears, and looked absolutely ridiculous. Props to the black and silver color scheme though.

San Diego Padres: Camouflage

The Padres have had some of the ugliest uniforms in history over the years, but none may be as ridiculous as the camouflage ones that they began wearing regularly in 2008.

The uniforms are worn during every Sunday home game, as well as during games that take place on militarily relevant days such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day. While the sentiment is nice, the uniforms themselves are terrible.

Boston Red Sox: St. Patrick's Day Green Jerseys

The Red Sox have a strong Irish presence in their hometown of Boston, so it is understandable that they would be more concerned with St. Patrick's Day than other team's may be.

The green jerseys are just weird, however, and even though the Athletics make it work for them, there is just something off about green jerseys on the Red Sox players.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Original Home Jerseys

The first true milestone in Rays history came when an aging Wade Boggs picked up his 3,000th hit during the 1999 season. Sadly, whenever that clip is replayed the baseball world will once again have to relieve the Rays' terrible old jerseys.

The design was simple enough, but the tri-color writing and the less than intimidating Ray swimming below it just don't do it for me. Congratulations Wade, you have given us a reason to forever remember a darker time in Tampa Bay baseball.

Arizona Diamondbacks: 1990s Purple Alternate Jersey

The Diamondbacks were a fledgling team when they decided to adopt the purple look as their alternate jersey. Needless to say, the jersey has since been scrapped, as the teal and purple combination was too much.

It's hard to look like a tough guy when you're wearing purple, isn't it Matt Williams? Fear not, your career will be over soon enough.

Chicago White Sox: Mid-1980s T-Shirt Look

The first of what is a number of White Sox appearances on this list, the mid-1980s jerseys have a simplicity that makes them look more like a shirt you could buy in the ballpark gift shop than a big league baseball jersey.

That matched with what may be one of if not the single most boring hat in baseball history makes this uniform deserving of recognition on this list.

Philadelphia Phillies: 1979 All Red Jerseys

If only they would have let a bull loose on the 1979 Phillies, it would have had a field day. The jerseys alone were god-awful, but to couple them with matching red pants took this disaster to another level.

The team managed a 84-78 record that season, with Steve Carlton winning 18 games and Mike Schmidt launching 45 home runs.

The Phillies had an all-around successful campaign in 1979, save for the fact that they looked ridiculous.

Cleveland Indians: 1970s All Magenta Jerseys

The Phillies all red jerseys were bad, no question, but the Indians managed to take that idea and make it even worse when they chose perhaps the worst shade of red in the history of clothing.

We'll officially call it magenta, but whatever it was it did not belong on a baseball uniform, and was at least as close to pink as it was to red. Making matters worse, the Indians were among the worst teams in the league, and they gave new meaning to the term laughing stock with their poor play and awful jerseys.

Pittsurgh Pirates: 1977 Mustard Yellow Disaster

The striped hats were epic. The team wore them throughout the 1970s, running through a number of different uniforms to go along with them, and the 1977 version takes the cake.

Yellow is one thing, but mustard yellow is another thing all together. To not only slap that unfortunate color on your hat and jersey, but to top it off with all mustard yellow pants, makes this a legendarily awful uniform.

Houston Astros: 1975 Orange, Yellow, Navy Jerseys

Really Astros...really? They threw this design together and said to themselves, "hey that looks great".

This almost seems practical joke kind of bad, like when the veterans steal the rookies clothes and make them wear something ridiculous out of the stadium.

You are looking at two of the better pitchers to ever toe the rubber in Houston and you can't help but feel sorry for them. The number on the pants is an odd addition too, but I'd be surprised if anyone even noticed it with those jerseys. Yikes, just yikes.

San Diego Padres: 1972 All Yellow Jerseys

For some reason, all one-color uniforms were a trend during the 1970s. It was no longer enough to have an obnoxiously bright colored jersey, but matching pants as well. The Padres, like many teams, fell into this trap of poor decision making.

The jerseys themselves aren't all that bad, as they are not an overly bright yellow and they go well with the brown lettering and stripes. The matching pants are just too much though, and the hilarity of this look has made this uniform a staple in the Padres throwback rotation.

Baltimore Orioles: 1971 All Orange Jerseys

Not to be outdone, the Orioles have had an all-one-color nightmare of their own when they rocked the all orange look back in 1971--a jersey that has been worn as a throwback by the current Orioles recently.

Perhaps it was an ode to Halloween and October, as the Orioles were among the best teams in all of baseball at the time and spent a good deal of time playing October baseball. In '71, the team won 101 games and made it to the World Series where they fell to the Pirates in seven games.

Seattle Pilots: 1969 Their Only Season of Existence

The Seattle Pilots were only in existence for one season before the team was moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers.

While it was financial issues that led to the team moving, it was also a great excuse for the team to give designing a jersey a second try. The Pilots jerseys were pretty terrible, especially the weird yellow stripe on their hats.

Kansas City Athletics: 1960s

The Athletics have long been advocates of the vest look, which in my opinion is among the worst jersey styles in sports history. However, when you thrown in the fact that it is yellow and has matching pants you have yourself a disaster of a uniform.

The numbers on the sleeves, much like the ones on the pant legs of the old Astros jerseys, are strange looking--but pale in comparison to the awfulness of the jersey itself.

Chicago White Sox: 1925 Full Body Navy and White Stripes

The White Sox have made some questionable wardrobe decisions over the years. They memorably wore shorts for the first game of a double header in 1976, but as far as a full-season uniform, their road jerseys from the 1925 season were legendary.

With a very pajama-like feel to them, the White Sox take time each season to recognize just how awful these jerseys were as they wear them once a year for "Turn Back The Clock" night.

New York Giants: 1916 Pink and Plaid

There is a time and a place for plaid, and I think it is safe to say that place is on a jersey at a baseball game. The addition of pink to the whole equation may actually help, as it takes some of the attention away from the plaid, but then you're still left with pink socks.

The team, managed by the legendary John McGraw, finished a subpar 86-66 and scrapped their ridiculous look the following season It seems like no coincidence that they won 98 games and the NL Pennant in the process.

Boston Red Sox: 1908 Throwback Jerseys

These jerseys were more or less standard issue at the turn of the century, and are probably among the least ridiculous looking of their time period--although they do feature a gigantic red sock on the front.

What earns them a spot on the list is the fact that the team actually thought it would be a good idea to wear them again back in 1997, when they included them in a throwback night. I mean, the jersey laces up the front for God's sake. Leave these jerseys where they belong, which is in 1908.

Pittsburgh Pirates: 1902 Striped Sleeves

Who would have thought that a shirt pocket, three quarter buttoned front and a blue collar would be the last things you would notice about this jersey?

Truth be told, this jersey is fairly standard for the turn of the century, but those sleeves are terrible.

Why in the world would you want stripped sleeves? If you insist upon them, why would you go with blue and pink? So many questions, yet so few answers.

It is sad to think that one of the greatest players to ever step on the field, Honus Wagner, had to rock this look for a season.

Chicago White Sox: 1976 Shorts...No Really They Wore Shorts

Bill Veeck was a legend for his "innovative" approach to running a baseball team, as he was constantly coming up with out there idea on how to boost attendance. While some were a hit, and some were a failure, none was as embarrassing as the now legendary game when the White Sox wore shorts.

In the first game of a double-header in 1976, the White Sox took the field in shorts in what was almost certainly a baseball first.

The team gave off the vibe of a beer league softball team, and by game two they made the move back to pants. The damage was done, however, in what is easily the worst uniform in baseball history.