One Fresh Idea to Tweak All 30 MLB Teams' Uniforms

A Major League Baseball franchise needs to be a representative of the city that it is located in. There are certain things about each franchise and each situation that make it unique.

Their uniform should reflect that.

However, not every team makes the most out of this relationship. Therefore, I am going to make one suggestion of a change that every team could make to their uniforms that would make it a better fit for their franchise and the city they play in.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Make It Tan

The Arizona Diamondbacks play in the middle of the desert. Wouldn't tan be a natural fit?

They have already made some alterations to their color palette since their inception, and the maroon that they already have on their uniforms would blend very well with a new tan uniform.

Atlanta Braves: Use Red Instead of Navy

The Atlanta Braves have used red uniforms before as alternates. However, they seem to favor using these navy uniforms so far this year.

Red and white are synonymous with the Atlanta Braves. I'm not necessarily sure how blue fits in, but they should definitely stick with the same color palette they are known for.

Baltimore Orioles: Lose the New Cartoon Bird

Normally, I am a fan of retro. I appreciate that the Baltimore Orioles are trying to reach back to grab back the image that represented some of their best teams.

However, I am not necessarily a fan of modifying an image that is so ingrained in a franchise. If they want this to reach back and try to rekindle his strength, they should reach back to the exact image. You don't change such a symbolic part of the franchise.

Boston Red Sox: Show the Red Socks

The Boston Red Sox should mandate that all of their players wear their namesake red socks up to their knees.

Honestly, if you look at the image on the left, the name Red Sox doesn't really make sense. We might as well call them Gray Pants or something like that.

Chicago Cubs: Change the Brims

This change only applies to when they wear these blue uniforms. The other uniforms that the Chicago Cubs are relatively classic. White uniforms with blue pinstripes are perfectly representative of the Chicago Cubs.

Adding a white brim to the blue hats and helmets when they wear the blue uniforms would add a similar classic appearance to this set of uniforms as well.

Chicago White Sox: Commemorate the 111th Year Anniversary

The Chicago White Sox were founded in 1901. That was 111 years ago. Many people celebrate hundredth anniversaries, but it would be a fun twist to celebrate this very repetitive number. (For the record, I realize that they will be playing their 112th season, but it was 111 years ago.)

They should definitely add a patch to their jerseys commemorating this milestone. How many businesses survive 111 years? It is a cool number to go along with an impressive accomplishment.

Cincinnati Reds: Wear More Red

The team is called the Cincinnati Reds for a reason. When they're on the road, their jerseys should definitely be red and not gray.

Cincinnati does this type of thing during spring training, and they definitely should try to focus more on their namesake color.

Cleveland Indians: Change the Font on the Home Uniforms

The Cleveland Indians tried to hearken back to a previous era with the font on the away uniforms pictured here. It is rather blocky and basic.

If they are going to go with that font for one uniform, they should embrace that image of simple uniforms and use the same typeset on their home uniforms.

In order to create a strong brand image, they should be consistent across the board.

Colorado Rockies: Add a Mountain

Given that the Colorado Rockies are actually named after a mountain range, they should add a mountain behind the emblem already present on their hat.

The logo should reflect something about the team, and if the C and the R were superimposed on top of an image of a mountain, they would be embracing that part of their identity.

Detroit Tigers: Add Some Orange and Black

Tigers do not tend to be white and navy. Therefore, the Detroit Tigers should at least have some semblance of either orange or black on their home uniforms. I realize that they do have some orange when they play on the road.

Because of this, they should really alter their logo. They are known for that embellished D, and they wouldn't need to change that shape.

Instead, they could actually make it orange rather than navy or white. Wouldn't that make more sense anyway?

Houston Astros: Embrace the Cosmos and Reinvent Themselves

When I think about Astros, I think about astronomy. When I think about astronomy, I think about stars, planets and the night sky.

Because of this connection to the universe, the dark red that the Astros are using doesn't make a lot of sense. If they change their color palette and used navy as the primary color with perhaps white as a compliment, they would seem more like the universe.

The Astros need to rebrand themselves anyway, and new colors can change the entire image a team projects, kind of like the Miami Marlins did last winter.

Kansas City Royals: Change the Logo

The Kansas City Royals might need to reinvent their image. They have a young core of players who are all maturing at the same time.

They could use the crown that they currently have on their logo and redesign it a little bit to keep the royal image but also emphasize that they are a new team that will escape the mediocrity they've been trapped in.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: 10-Year Anniversary of Their World Championship

Ten years ago, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were still the Anaheim Angels. They were also World Series champions behind the unforgettable Rally Monkey.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim made some major moves this winter in hopes to compete for another title. Adding a patch to their jerseys commemorating this anniversary will help them keep their eyes on the prize once again this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 65th Anniversary of the Integration of Baseball

Sixty-five years ago, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player to play in a Major League Baseball game. The integration of baseball is a huge deal and deserves the best treatment possible.

The Dodgers are the only team that can claim this piece of history, so it would be appropriate to wear a patch commemorating this milestone.

Miami Marlins: Use Their World Series Success

Fifteen years ago, the then Florida Marlins won their first World Series only five years after they joined Major League Baseball.

With the brand-new image that the Miami Marlins have tried to create, they should hold on to and celebrate this highly successful part of their past.

A patch on their jerseys would help the players and the fans remember that this franchise has had some great successes in the past.

Milwaukee Brewers: Stay with the Pinstripes

The Milwaukee Brewers have only been to the World Series one time in franchise history. That was exactly 30 years ago.

Since then, they have had some success but never actually been able to make it back to the championship.

Why not reach back to 30 years ago to demonstrate that they are trying to replicate that journey again this year?

Minnesota Twins: Change the Hat

There could be something more representative of the Twin Cities than simply T and C. Perhaps it could be something more along the lines of two stars right next to each other with a T superimposed over them.

It wouldn't be a major change, but on some maps, stars can designate cities. This design makes sense and is slightly more creative than what they have right now.

New York Mets: Incorporate the Skyline

New York City has the most recognizable skyline in the world. Perhaps they could superimpose that image within the type of the Mets logo in a somewhat fainter orange.

That way, it wouldn't necessarily stand out too much, but it would also be noticeable.

"Metropolitan" refers to cities, so shouldn't a team called the Mets incorporate the dominant feature of this city they play in?

New York Yankees: Mandate High Socks

The New York Yankees are about tradition. The pinstripes are classic and there is no way that anyone should ever change them.

However, very few players still rock the high socks. In the past, everyone was into that.

Therefore, the Yankees should continue with this tradition and mandate the high socks. They mandate other things such as facial hair, so why not mandate socks?

Oakland Athletics: Bring Back the Yellow

When I think of the Oakland Athletics, I think of those classic yellow uniforms. Why did they ever get rid of those?

They should at least bring those back as alternates. The Oakland Athletics need something to set them apart but not entirely change the identity they have built in the past.

Philadelphia Phillies: Add Some Blue

The Philadelphia Phillies had used different hats for interleague play. Essentially, the hats still featured the classic P that the Phillies are known for, but the hole in the middle was a blue star.

They should make this change on their hats and jerseys all the time. Blue is an important part of their logo on paper, so it should somehow be incorporated more prominently on their jerseys than just the little bit that is there right now.

Pittsburgh Pirates: 130 Years of Baseball

There has been professional baseball in Pittsburgh since 1882. 130 years.

Granted, the Pittsburgh Alleghenys played some of those seasons at the beginning, but the point is at any rate that there is a rich baseball history in the Steel City.

They really should commemorate this achievement on their jerseys through some type of patch. Pittsburgh should be proud of all of the time that the city has enjoyed this game.

San Diego Padres: Remember Tony Gwynn

Tony Gwynn is the most famous player in San Diego Padres history. One of the best hitters of the 1990s, he was almost a member of the .400 Club when he hit .394 in 1994.

He made his major-league debut on July 19, 1982, or 30 years ago. On that date, it would be very cool to have a throwback night and celebrate the influence that he had on this team.

San Francisco Giants: Honor the Memory of Alexis Bush

Alexis Bush was a San Francisco Giants bat girl approximately 10 years ago, but she tragically died on April 16.

The San Francisco Giants were such a big part of her life and, as a member of the organization, it would be very touching for the team to wear her initials this season.

Seattle Mariners: Celebrate 35 Seasons in the City

The Seattle Mariners have been in the Emerald City for 35 years. They have never made it to the World Series, but there have been some memorable seasons (116 wins in 2001) and players (Ken Griffey Jr. etc.).

The Mariners do have a history to be proud of, even though the ultimate prize has never come their way. They could use this season to commemorate that past with a patch on their uniforms.

St. Louis Cardinals: Redesign the Cardinals Themselves

The St. Louis Cardinals are entering a new era in their franchise history after Albert Pujols, the best player of this generation, departed for California.

Therefore, in honor of this new era, the Cardinals should also change this logo design pictured on the left. This design is asymmetric anyway, so they could make their jerseys simpler yet more appealing by removing the Cardinals on the left. Less is more, quite often.

Tampa Bay Rays: Where’s the Ray?

I know that the Tampa Bay Rays just developed this brand-new image a few years ago, so I am hesitant to propose a change to something so new. A brand shouldn't be changing its appearance all the time.

However, it does seem kind of odd to have an animal mascot with virtually no image of the animal anywhere.

I'm not proposing that they return to the uniforms they started playing in, but it would be rather easy to add one to their hats swimming through the T and the B.

Texas Rangers: Honor One of the Best Catchers in Baseball History

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez is reportedly going to retire today.

After playing a significant portion of his career with the Texas Rangers, he will no doubt be in the Hall of Fame and go down as one of the best catchers of all time.

In honor of his career, his classic No. 7 should appear on the Texas Rangers jerseys for the remainder of this season.

Toronto Blue Jays: Go Retro

Full disclosure time. I am a Philadelphia Phillies fan, so these retro Toronto Blue Jays uniforms bring back some painful memories for me.

However, if you are a Toronto Blue Jays fan, you know that the Toronto Blue Jays were on top of the baseball world 20 years ago.

The team could be in a great position to do very well this year as well, and connecting with that past regularly through wearing these uniforms might help create that excitement and success again.

Washington Nationals: Go (More) Patriotic

The Washington Nationals play in the nation's capital. They don't necessarily need to wear the stars and stripes, but there should always be red, white and blue somewhere on their uniforms.

They balance these colors most of the time, but when they play at home or wear the alternate uniforms on the left, there is no blue.

Therefore, they should definitely wear blue hats while they're home with a white insignia on it since they do represent a city that is obviously very American.

Whether you think I know everything or nothing about Major League Baseball, you should follow me on Twitter and keep in touch. I love hearing what you all have to say!

Follow @spinkickers