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  • Report: All of MLB to wear camouflage-themed uniforms Memorial Day

    While it hasn't been confirmed yet by Major League Baseball, Paul Lukas of Uni-watch reports that every team will wear camouflage jerseys and caps come Memorial Day on Monday. Lukas notes that replicas of the uniforms, which are on sale at MLB.com, appear to be similar to the camo colors the White Sox and Angels recently wore on Armed Forces Day.

    How does Lukas know MLB's plans for May 27? The league gave them away on its website:

    In each case, the team’s online shop only shows a home camo jersey or a road camo jersey — not both — depending on whether the team is playing at home or on the road next Monday. Tucked away in the fine print is the following line: “As worn on-field Memorial Day May 27th, 2013.”

    Yes, they did:

    (So, the Marines trademarked the digital camo pattern, eh? Interesting.)

    Lukas was hardly patting himself on the back. He has a problem with MLB's plans, and he makes at least one great (and angry) point:

    Memorial Day is not a day for celebrating the military. It’s a day for honoring the military dead. A more appropriate gesture would be an MLB-wide black armband. An even better gesture would be a pregame moment of silence, without anything on the uniform. But as is so often the case nowadays, merchandising and pandering trump common sense.

    I'm only guessing, but my grandfather probably would agree. He was among the Allied troops to risk life and limb on D-Day. He also knew the difference between Memorial Day and, say, Veterans Day. Grampa was funny; he didn't even like people to applaud the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner" because it was not to be viewed as a performance, like some kind of top 40 hit. So he was principled in his patriotism. Regardless that you might clap after the national anthem, it was something he put some thought into.

    As Lukas said, Memorial Day originated to honor men and women who died while fighting. I can't imagine Grampa would find it appropriate to be honored on Memorial Day because he didn't die until World War II had been over for 50 years. Now, there's nothing wrong with honoring the dead, and there's nothing wrong with honoring veterans. And there's nothing wrong with honoring the military. The San Diego Padres manage to be tasteful in doing so at Petco Park on a frequent basis. It's just disturbing how many people don't know what Memorial Day is for, and that they'll just mindlessly go along with anything that sounds remotely patriotic. Memorial Day has become a synonym for anything at all to do with " 'Merica," and it's a disgrace.

    MLB contributes to this cognitive dissonance by having the players wear these inappropriate jerseys. It makes it look like all they want to do is sell more merchandise. That's not the kind of message they want to project, I would imagine, even as they prepare to sell "stars and stripes" caps come July 4 and Sept. 11.

    UPDATE: MLB spokesperson Jeff Heckelman would like to note:

    Major League Baseball has long been a supporter of the military including active military, military families and veterans. The camouflage caps and jerseys are being sold with 100% of MLB’s proceeds going to Welcome Back Veterans, a program which raises money to provide grants to hospitals and clinics that provide post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatment to veterans at university hospitals throughout the country. Welcome Back Veterans is funding programs at Weill Cornell in New York City, The University of Michigan, Rush University Medical Center, Duke university, Emory University, UCLA and the Boston Red Sox’ Home Base Program at Mass General Hospital in Boston.

    This program is part of $23 million commitment from MLB to Welcome Back Veterans since 2008.

    He also notes that a moment of silence is observed at each game played on Memorial Day, even if it comes in the middle of an inning. All good deeds, and all show that MLB has its heart in the right place when it comes to helping those who have served. Another step it could take that would help. Use the camo uniforms in another way. They shouldn't be worn Memorial Day.

    And finally, just imagine: What are the New York Yankees uniforms going to look like in a camo theme? Hey, you don't have to imagine:

    And for what? Not for what MLB would like us to think.

    Baseball is in full swing! Interact with@AnswerDave, @MikeOz, @Townie813 and @bigleaguestew on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page!

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  • The Juice: Ryan Vogelsong breaks pitching hand, Ryan Mattheus does same

    The Juice returns for season No. 6! It's almost eligible for free-agency! Stop by daily for news from the action, along with great photos, stats, video highlights and more.

    Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was having perhaps his best start of the season for the San Francisco Giants on Monday. But this is the National League, where pitchers bat and accidents happen, and now Vogelsong is slated to have surgery Tuesday to fix a broken pitching hand. He had pitched five innings of three-hit ball against the Washington Nationals in an 8-0 victory at AT&T Park, but that's the extent of the good news. (And Brandon Belt had four hits and scored four runs — that's also good.)

    Swinging in self-defense during his at-bat against Craig Stammen in the fifth inning, Vogelsong didn't get enough wood on the ball. The Associated Press reports:

    Vogelsong broke two bones along the right pinkie and dislocated a knuckle the area that the medical staff couldn't get popped back into place. He was scheduled for surgery Tuesday morning at Stanford and said he likely would have pins inserted to stabilize the hand and help speed the healing process.

    ''We're not talking about Tommy John or anything here,'' Vogelsong said, his eyes misty. ''Basically as fast as we can get it to heal so I can start throwing again.''

    Someone lend a hand: Remarkably, we have another broken hand to announce regarding a pitcher named Ryan on one of these teams.

    Washington manager Davey Johnson said that right-hander Ryan Mattheus broke his pitching hand punching a locker in frustration Sunday. Mattheus had been pitching well, but allowed five runs in a blowout loss at San Diego and took out his frustration on himself. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post described the Nats pitching staff as already being in disarray before Mattheus lost his cool.

    “It’s pretty embarrassing,” Mattheus said. “I let the whole Washington Nationals organization down by doing something stupid.”

    Ain't broke, so don't fix it: Rookie left-hander Patrick Corbin of the Arizona Diamondbacks tossed a three-hitter at the Colorado Rockies in what was described as a "virtuoso performance." He lowered his ERA to 1.44 in joining Randy Johnson as the only lefty in team history (brief as it is) to start a season 7-0. If there was such a thing as a Cy Young Watch List in May, he'd be on it.

    MORE SCORES

    Indians 10, Mariners 8 (10 inn.) : Close your glove, Wilhelmsen!

    Blue Jays 7, Rays 5: Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey might be coming around.

    Yankees 6, Orioles 4 (10 inn.): Yikes! Orioles closer Jim Johnson has blown three straight save opportunities after nailing down 35 in a row. It all started with a tying home run by Travis Hafner. The O's have lost six in a row.

    Padres 4, Cardinals 2: Jason Marquis has won five straight starts. He does this sometimes, though not since 2007 with the Cubs.

    Braves 5, Twins 1: They should have had Kent Hrbek ceremonially lift Ron Gant off first base to celebrate the '91 Series. Instead, they just had Julio Teheran and Dan Uggla go to work.

    Dodgers 3, Brewers 1: Manager Don Mattingly is done a solid by ace Clayton Kershaw.

    Astros 6, Royals 5: Young third baseman Matt Dominguez had a big night: A homer and three RBIs, all on one swing. K.C. drops to 20-21.

    Is it time to start the Ned Yost watch?

    White Sox 6, Red Sox 4: Boston ace Jon Lester has a 5.43 ERA in 10 career games against the White Sox for some reason.

    Reds 4, Mets 3: Aside from a rough third inning, Johnny Cueto pitched like himself in a return from the DL.

    Athletics 9, Rangers 2: Happy 40th birthday, Bartolo Colon (on Friday, but let's celebrate now)!

    ''I asked myself, 'What was going on, what happened?' I told myself I have to start pitching the way I am. Then after that, I said, 'That is me.' "

    — Johnny Cueto of the Reds, using a translator. Perhaps he should have used two of them.

    Now watch Carlos Gonzalez catch it on video.

    • The Miami Marlins scored at least three runs for the second time in 13 games.

    • With Ian Kinsler injured and on the disabled list, Jurickson Profar made his 2013 debut for the Texas Rangers. He went 0 for 2 with two RBIs, which is unusual.

    • Shelby Miller of the St. Louis Cardinals allowed three runs, just the second time this season he's permitted that many in nine starts.

    Baseball is in full swing! Interact with @AnswerDave, @MikeOz, @Townie813 and @bigleaguestew on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page!

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