D-backs leave tradition behind with 7 edgy new uniforms
PHOENIX -- Baseball is a tradition-laden game. But being a young franchise affords the Diamondbacks leeway to veer from some of the game's tradition now and then.
They took that opportunity with their latest uniforms, which they unveiled Thursday night under the stars at a VIP event at an open-roofed Chase Field.
In leading up to the unveiling, President & CEO Derrick Hall and players used "football-like" and "modern" to describe the new uniforms. After the runway show in front of a couple hundred fans and team personnel, such comments make sense.
The most obvious addition is a "sublimated" diamond pattern that adorns the shoulders and the back of the pants, near the ankles and calves. It is a subtle reference to the club's name, snakeskin and diamond shape of a baseball field. The pattern also is on the back, around the jersey number, on the alternate uniforms and some caps.
"We have the ability to kind of remold ourselves and experiment, try something new and be the first ones doing it," outfielder A.J. Pollock said.
A modernized version of the Snakehead logo, which was popular from 1998-2006, adorns the left sleeve of each new jersey. The logo features updated eyes, fangs, tongue and baseball seams. The logo is used in Sedona red, Sonoran sand and black color schemes for the first time.
"I love all the details," outfielder David Peralta said. "Look at this detail ... it flows."
The Snakehead logo is back! It returns as the #Dbacks sleeve patch for the first time since 2006. #DbacksEvolution pic.twitter.com/rTM7Gk8EN9
— #DbacksEvolution (@Dbacks) December 4, 2015
A number on the jersey front returns for the first time since 2002. A new three-color D-backs wordmark, in a custom stylized font, is positioned across the chest; it is the first time a D-backs jersey features an arched wordmark.
"The evolution is here," Hall said before the players hit the runway.
In all, the D-backs unveiled seven new uniforms. Here are a couple distinguishing features about each.
#DbacksEvolution is here. pic.twitter.com/k6zfBqKNvH
— #DbacksEvolution (@Dbacks) December 4, 2015
Home: White with a Sedona red sublimated diamond pattern; the player's number on the front and name on the back are Sedona red, outlined in black; the D-backs wordmark on the front and number on the back are black, outlined in Sedona red.
Home alternate: White with a gray sublimated diamond pattern on the back and around the bottom of the pants; the player's name and number (both front and back) are outlined in teal, as is the braid down the legs and at the end of the sleeve.
Road: The road grays are back, though in a darker, "bolder," more modern shade.
Road alternate: Dark gray with teal outlining.
Red alternate: Sedona red jersey with a black sublimated diamond pattern around the shoulder, white pants with a Sedona red sublimated diamond pattern at the bottom; all wordmark, player's name and number are black, outlined in both Sedona red and Sonoran sand.
Black alternate: Black jersey with a Sedona red sublimated diamond pattern around the shoulder, white pants with a Sedona red sublimated diamond pattern at the bottom; the primary "A" logo is on the chest; on the back, the player's name is in Sonoran sand and the number is Sedona red.
Hispanic heritage: Similar to the black alternate, but with "Los D-backs" across the chest in Sedona red and the player's number in Sonoran sand on the font.
The team's eighth uniform is the throwback purple and teal, circa 1998-2006, that is worn for home Thursday games.
Many of the new design elements are geared toward younger fans.
"We need to get as many kids out here as possible," said catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, who grew up in the Valley, played at Arizona State and witnessed firsthand the D-backs evolution since its 1998 beginning.
The D-backs last altered their uniforms in 2007, when they went from purple and teal as primary colors to Sedona red and black.
The new uniforms were designed by an in-house team, Hall said, and produced by Majestic Athletic. New Era produced the new caps.
"With this franchise being around for less than 20 years, a lot of people aren't married to any uniform," pitcher Josh Collmenter said, "so we can do something like this and try to appeal to a new audience."
Players gave their input throughout the redesign process. The darker shade of gray on the road uniforms was the players' idea.
"When the players saw them, everyone was just really excited," Pollock said. "There is no team in the league that has jerseys like this."
