The major problem with this year's All Star Game uniforms

Major League Baseball went with a very unique look for the All Star Game this year. Focusing on the Padres history with the colors yellow and brown, the league went all in on the concept.

The jerseys and hats were not great. At times, it just seemed to be too much going on at one time. However, they were interesting and brought a distinct look to the festivities. The real problem with the uniforms was the socks.

Now, as a disclaimer, I am not a uniform hater. Many of the designs that are hated on online and in the media I find really cool. One of my favorite uniforms of all-time is the old New Jersey Nets matte uniform that is hated by many.

Jose Altuve
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There are few things as aesthetically pleasing than a baseball player in high socks. Whether they are stirrups or just regular socks, the look is timeless and makes the baseball uniform distinct from other sports.

Some All Stars last night, including Jose Altuve and Manny Machado, wore All Star Game specific socks from Stance. Stance makes great socks, but these were the ugliest baseball socks I have ever seen: Navy blue with yellow stripes with the All Star Game logo on the side and the team, National or American, below the logo.

There are many bones to pick with this sock.

First, they do not match the uniforms of the people wearing them. During the All Star Game, players wear the uniforms of their team, not the All Star Game uniform. Therefore, those socks would only match the Padres color scheme. As a result, the socks do not match with any other team's color scheme, and therefore, almost of all the players in the game.

Second, there is so much going on. The baseball stirrup or sock is at its best when it is simple. Either as one full color or a main color with stripes, the best socks do not go over the top. These socks go all over the place. The logo, the team name, the stars are all additions to the sock that take the grandeur out of it.

Francisco Lindor
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Third, the sock does not always line up correctly. Because the All Star logo is so big on the sock, it is easy to see if it is in different locations on each leg. And for a few All Stars, one leg had the logo on the back of the calf while the other leg had the logo on the side of the calf. It is not a major detail, but it is an element that can make or break an outfit.

This issue is even more noticeable when some players do not wear the ASG socks. Francisco Lindor, for example, wore his regular Cleveland stirrups (arguably the best in the game) and it looked great.

For the Home Run Derby, I can live with the socks because players are wearing the All Star uniform and their respective socks would not match the All Star uniform. But, the sock is still way too much. It is obvious that having this sock is just a marketing ploy, hoping that youth will want to buy the sock. People will buy the sock, whether is is used in the game or not. But, putting it in the game is not going to result in more sales.

Let's not put money ahead of the game. While socks will not have an impact on the game, MLB should want the All Star Game to be its best product. The All Star Game socks are arguably its worst product.

MLB All-Star Game FanFest 2013

I attended the Major League Baseball All-Star Game FanFest at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. I was very excited to be attending and I was glad I did. Going to FanFest is an event every baseball fan should experience. If have not gone, you need to go.

When you walk into the Convention, you immediately see a large baseball with the FanFest logo on it. Dubbed the "World's Largest Baseball", it is a main place for photo-ops. However, there was a much more attractive and much cooler ball. This ball was made by Charles Fazzino. Fazzino's work was on display during FanFest and his baseball was one of his many excellent pieces of art. He also made an official commemorative poster. His work is fantastic, especially his baseball themed work.

FanFest is not just exhibits, there are many activities to do. Two different miniature baseball diamonds were put up for events for kids. Taco Bell sponsored an event named "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" where people pretended to "steal a base". There was a "Home Run Derby" activity where, like the actually Home Run derby, you would try to hit a ball over a wall.
They also had a location where little kids could participate in baseball mini-games. There also was a fielding event. 

A big part of FanFest was the Collector's Showcase and FanFest Auction. The Collector's Showcase had all different types of collectables. There were baseball cards, pins, figurines, photos, autographed baseballs, and magazines, among other things. They had something for everyone. The FanFest Auction had some amazing antiques. Some of my favorites were a 1921 World Series presentational pocketwatch, a "Red Sox Rooters" pin from 1916, a wooden carved Tiger with autographs on it, a Whitey Ford credit card and a 1892 Brooklyn Grooms vs. New York Giants scorecard. Some of the items that looked to be very expensive include a poster of the movie "Play Ball" with Babe Ruth on it, a baseball  attributed to Babe Ruth's 701st homer and is also a ball autographed by Ruth, a Mickey Mantle 1959 All-Star Game bat, a Ty Cobb bat and a Ted Williams road jersey. It was great to look around. Along with the showcase and Auction, there was were 2013 All-Star Game kiosk full of programs and clothing and a Clubhouse Store. The Clubhouse Store was not just All-Star Game apparel, it also had non-All-Star Game items.

In the All-Star Clubhouse, former Mets were interviewed in a Q&A. I saw Art Shamsky and Ed Kranepool, both members of the 1969 Miracle Mets.  I heard them talk about their Major League experiences. Shamsky was a member of the Mets from 1968-71. He is well-known for having the dog on "Everybody Loves Raymond" being named after him. He went into detail on his career. An interesting fact I learned about Shansky is; Pete Rose and Tony Pere were his teammates on his first professional team (A Class D team from Geneva, NY).  Kranepool spent his entire career with the Mets, from 1962-79. He has appeared in the most games ever in a Mets uniform. Kranepool was very open about his career and was very opinionated. He was very interesting to listen to his story.

One of my favorite attractions of the convention was the area dedicated to Minor League Baseball. They had a large map that showes the location of every minor league team in every league. They also showed pictures of some notable ballparks. Not only that, they had two walls were they showed the minor league affiliates of major league teams in a very unique way. Underneath the major league team's logo, they put the hat of their affiliates. The Triple-A affiliate's hat was right underneath the MLB club's logo, followed by the hat of the Double-A team, and so on. That was a spectacle that has to be seen.

The FanFest would not be a FanFest without former All-Stars, Hall of Famers, and legends attending and giving out autographs. When I went, I had four players who where great players from who to get an autograph. They were Gaylord Perry, George Foster, Bert Campaneris, and Rollie Fingers. Perry is in the 300 Win Club and a Hall of Famer who had a controversial career. Foster was a member of "the Big Red Machine" in the 1970s and was a 1977 NL MVP. Campaneris was a six-time All-Star and was the first player ever to play all nine positions in one game. Fingers is a Hall of Famer and was the 1981 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner and is well-known for his handlebar musche. That was a great experience. Not only to get to meet the legends, but to see them all together was great.

MLB All-Star Game Snubs

Josh Donaldson

Josh Donaldson
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Donaldson has been one of the best players in the American League during the first half. Their are few players who have the numbers he has. He is in the top five in the AL in batting average with .319, slugging percentage with .536, and an on-base plus slugging percentage with .924. His WAR numbers are also excellent. His fWAR (Fangraphs WAR) and rWAR (Baseball-Reference WAR) is 4.2. The puts him seventh in the fWAR and eleven in rWAR. He is the only player in the top fifteen in fWAR and top eleven in rWAR that is not in the All-Star Game. Another reason Donaldson should make it is because of the success of the Athletics. The Athletics have the second-best record in the AL, but only have one player representing them at the All-Star Game. The Mariners, who are 12.5 games behind the A's in the AL West, have two representatives. It would make sense that the AL West leading Athletics have at least more then one player in the game.

Shin-Soo Choo

With the NL's outfield being stacked, it is understandable that Shin-Soo Choo was overlooked. However, he has a very strong case for being an All-Star. Choo's first year in Cincinnati has been excellent. He may have a batting average of .273, but has an on-base percentage of .418. That is extraordinary. Only his teammate Joey Votto earns more walks then him. He is the best leadoff hitter this season. If any player goes down with an injury, Choo should be asked to join the other All-Stars at Citi Field.

Anibal Sanchez

The Tigers have arguably the best starting rotation in the majors and should have three starters in the All-Star Game. Anibal Sanchez may even be pitching better then the other two Tiger starters on the roster for the Midsummer Classic, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. His ERA (2.70), ERA+ (158), Strikeouts per Nine Innings (10.9), and Runs Allowed per Nine Innings (3.01) are better then his two teammates. Sanchez does not get the attention of Verlander and Scherzer get, but he is just as good as them this year. If they are on the All-Star team, he should be too.

Shelby Miller
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Shelby Miller

Shelby Miller is one of the St. Louis Cardinals great young arms. Miller is currently 9-6 with an ERA of 2.80, an ERA+ of 133, a WHIP of 1.074, 107 strikeouts, and a Strikeouts per Nine Innings of 9.7. He also has a runs Allowed per Nine Innings of 2.98 and a Fielding Independent Pitching of 2.91. His .223 batting average against and a .289 batting average on balls in play is very good. Miller's WAR is also very good, He has a rWAR of 2.5 and a fWAR of 2.2.  Miller has gone under the radar during the first half due to the success of the other St. Louis pitchers, but he should be in New York during All-Star Week. He is one of the best pitchers in baseball.