Quick Thoughts On Rockies' New City Connects, Fan Stupidity, & Site Changes!
Rapid-fire takes on some incredible new uniforms, fans acting like morons in the stands, and an update on an exciting new addition coming to the website...
Let’s dive into some quick hits on what caught my attention across Major League Baseball this weekend, in addition to giving further details on an exciting new addition coming to the website and newsletter this week…
Rockies Hit It Out Of The Park
The City Connect uniforms in Major League Baseball are normally a swing-or-a-miss. There is never usually any middle ground.
Well, I’m confident in saying that the Colorado Rockies hit it out of the park with their new and improved City Connect 2.0 uniforms.
As you can see from the image above, the eye-catching new uniforms are a vibrant explosion of color, personality and just all-round cool vibes.
These uniforms are instantly pleasing on the eye, and I’m sure they will look even better on the field.
I love the fact that the perfect mix of purple and light-blue, infused with subtle hints of razor pink and laser orange, combine to act as a glowing tribute to the breathtaking Denver skyline and Colorado’s stunning summer skylines.
It is on my bucket list to go to a game at Coors Field as a fan and indulge in a stunning Denver sunset while taking in a Rockies game.
The uniforms are loud, but in the best way possible. The combination of the vibrant colors stand out, but they aren’t too in your face. I also really like the addition of the cool sleeve patch. Furthermore, I absolutely love the coloring and font of the uni number and name on the back of the jersey - it fits the overall vibe of Rockies baseball.
My only complaint is the fact that the jerseys are a pullover, rather than the more traditional button design you normally see on a baseball jersey. Although that is small bananas, I grant you. I do, however, love the pullover collar design with the purple, pink and orange making for a really nice combination.
Now, I absolutely fell in love with the Rockies’ first City Connect uniforms, and I strongly believed at the time that they were the gold standard and best of the bunch when it came to all the different City Connect releases. I loved the dark green license plate-based design, so much so that I treated myself to a jersey and a cap when they were first released.
However, with all that said, I think I love the Rockies’ City Connect 2.0 uniforms more. They are visually stunning, and I can’t wait to see them in action for the first time on Friday, April 18.
And, yes, I will be buying one of those jerseys very soon.
Fans Need To Stop Interfering With Play At MLB Games
Rewind back to the World Series last October between the Dodgers and the Yankees. Remember when an idiot fan tried to rip a ball out of the glove of Mookie Betts? I am still shocked to this day that Betts didn’t have his hand broken or ripped off. That was how bad it was.
That same idiot fan then tried to claim his innocence, before bemoaning all the negative attention he was receiving. Maybe don’t act like a clown in the first place, then.
Anyway. Fast forward to the present day and we witnessed more clownish and potentially dangerous behavior in the stands. On Friday, during a game between the Angels and the Astros at Daikin Park, Angels outfielder Mike Trout tracked a foul popup down the right-field line. However, an Astros fan, Jared Whalen, reached out and proceeded to snatch the ball from Trout’s glove.
The play wasn’t ruled an interference by umpires, despite Trout’s best protests, because the contact had been initiated out of play. But that isn’t the point here. The issue at play here is the fact that Trout, like Betts, could have got seriously hurt.
Now, Whalen, who was escorted from his seat almost immediately, claimed after that he didn’t know what was going on, and that he just reached out to save the ball from hitting his son in the face. Now, if you watch the slowed-down replay, I don’t believe that ball was going to hit his son. I am of the opinion that Whalen reached out for a souvenir and didn’t realize he was grabbing the glove of Mike Trout.
Whatever Whalen’s motivations, though, it was still a stupid thing to do. Again, watch the replay and you will understand that Trout could have come out of that interaction with a broken hand or wrist. Now, I give Trout all the credit in the world because he heard Whalen’s apology and met with both father and son after the game and signed the now infamous ball. That is the very definition of keeping it classy. Trout had every reason to be pissed but, instead, he took the high road and gave Whalen and his son a moment they will never, ever forget.
Now, again, the incident in Houston on Friday is very different to the one that occurred in the World Series. The idiot fan who literally tried to rip Betts’ hand off was clearly trying to have himself a moment, and he succeeded. Plus, the ball was still in play. What happened in Houston was I believe, accidental, and it was a foul ball. However, fans who sit that close to the action still have to be aware of what is going on around them, and I don’t think you can just put your hand out and grab in that situation. I stress that I don’t think Whalen went out intentionally to grab Trout’s hand - unlike the fan in the World Series - but I do think the onus is on the fan to be more aware and more careful in that situation.
That’s just my opinion. But it is based on the fact that the more this keeps happening, the more chance there is of a player getting seriously hurt. And nobody wants that.
Website Changes
I mentioned in a previous post that I am introducing an exciting change to the website and newsletter here at The Steele Sports Bar.
Now, I wanted to get this launched on Monday, but I think we’re probably looking at Tuesday now. I’m in the process of just making final checks to insure everything is good to go, and you can’t really rush these things. Else it will come back and bite you on the butt at a later date.
I will go into all the details when I launch, obviously, but, for now, I will say that I think the new addition will be a huge plus and an even bigger improvement.
It will exponentially elevate the overall reading / viewing experience, and it should also ensure that everybody is catered for.
The new addition will give my baseball coverage the unique space it deserves, while also not taking anything away from the main brand that is The Steele Sports Bar.
If all that sounds rather cryptic, I apologize. That certainly isn’t the intention. And everything will become a lot clearer on Tuesday, hopefully. But I’m really excited about this new change. It is something I’ve been considering for a long time, and I really do believe that it has the potential to be an absolute game-changer for both the site and the newsletter.
Stay tuned for more on Tuesday.