Missives of a Baseball Milquetoast

I didn’t end up going to a game during the Orioles-Mets series earlier this week but regardless of that, the hat that I would have worn to the ballpark is one that pays tribute to both teams. The road cap that the Norfolk Tides have been wearing since 2016 is another gem designed by Brandiose. When I wrote about the current Tides home cap previously, I brought up how the locals were not impressed when the main logo was revealed. Now that I have the road version, I think this one should have been introduced as the home cap as its nautical design is better suited to the conservative population of Norfolk, VA. Having grown up in Norfolk, I can tell you that history plays a huge role in the city’s identity. In fact, I still hear folks griping about missing the Mets, who were the Tides’ parent team from 1969 until they became affiliated with the O’s in 2007. Even though Norfolk isn’t yet on board with the cartoonish logos that are de rigueur, their commitment to the

During the December 4, 2015 write-up of my Vermont Lake Monsters vintage cap, I discussed the wide-range of fan reactions regarding the newly redesigned Norfolk Tides cap logo. Naturally, the old guard was hesitant to swap out the beloved wave-topped T logo that the Tides have employed since 1993 in favor of the trident-wielding seahorse created by Brandiose which for the unfamiliar is a design firm based in San Diego. It turns out that the fans ended up appreciating Brandiose's efforts to the point that the Tides cannot keep the caps in supply enough to match the demand. I've followed Brandiose's output over the past few years and I'm thrilled with this collaboration with the Tides and that my hometown team now has a much-needed fresh new look. If you are browsing this page on a desktop machine, check out the social links on the right and if you are on a mobile device, click these links below: Instagram:  @baseballmilquetoast Twitter:  @FittedFriday F

When I wrote about my F t. Myers Miracle cap   a few months ago, I briefly mentioned  Jeffrey Loria ’s  role in moving the Montreal Expos to Washington , D.C. Well, this week's Fresh Fitted is a  Vermont Lake Monsters cap from  2009-2013 that I picked up  a little while back and it ties back to that story...at least partially, but we ’ ll get to that later.  This is a very unique cap design and I appreciate the white front panel here. This close-up shot kind of brings attention to the poor detail in the artwork. Does that even look like a baseball bat? Some standard inside sweatband tags...no big whoop. I definitely dig the green on the batterman patch. This is a nice touch. The reason I chose to bust this  hat out now is because the cap logo reminds me of the newly rebranded logo for the Norfolk Tides, which is my childhood hometown team.  I don’t wish to take the focus too far off the Lake Monsters but I should note that i mmediately after the up

If you are reading this post then you are probably some sort of a baseball nerd which means you know that the last time the New York Mets won the World Series was in 1986. If so, then it's also likely that you recognize this week's featured cap as one the Tidewater Tides wore in the early 1980's when they were the Mets' AAA affiliate.   This is the most iconic Tidewater Tides cap of all time. Clearly the "T" here is more stout than every other Tides cap you will see from this period. Holy Orange! It's held up great after 30 years in storage. Thank you Polyester! Negative points for the flimsy foam construction on this snapback but it captures the spirit of the era perfectly! I'm going to try to keep this gem as crisp as possible so for everyday wear, so I'm thankful that Ebbets Field Flannels has just released this reproduction of the 1983 version of the cap: This is what the "T" should look like on the pi

I spent this past Memorial Day weekend relaxing in my childhood hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. The holiday always symbolized the beginning of summer to me and because I can only associate this impending season with baseball, I feel compelled to showcase a hat from the team that entertained me for so many summers: the Norfolk Tides. ....and now for some sad news: This style is one that the Tides only wear on the road and sadly I've never actually seen them wearing this cap as I haven't yet had a chance to see them play anywhere other than Harbor Park in Norfolk. This particular cap is from 2011, but I've been unable to find any photos of Tides wearing the cap in any cards before 2009 and there doesn't seem to be too many recent cards out there where they are wearing it either. On a more positive note, I personally like this logo more than any of the other versions from recent years, though I'm not sure if I could really describe what action is happening

I don't go to many Mets games and that is mostly because they've been a disappointing franchise to follow, but I'm also not a fan of the old Ebbets Field influence in the park's design. Despite all of the club's poor business decisions and overt tributes to the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy, going to a Mets game is a big part of getting my "Flushing-on" in Queens. For me that means relaxing at a ballgame while drinking some craft beers and putting down a few shake shack burgers. It also means heading down to the Chinatown on Main Street in Flushing after the game to enjoy some duck buns, soup dumplings, bubble tea and other tasty edible Asian treats! I love Flushing for many food-related reasons but it doesn't do much to step up my fitted hat game like Brooklyn and the Bronx can. The fact that I don't want any Mets hats in my cap rotation probably has something to do with the fact that the cap I feel most comfortable wearing to CitiField is a