Last month, Major League Baseball and New Era introduced a new mesh-backed “trucker” style cap for Spring Training games. The style, which involves a few thousand holes in the back of the hat, was developed with player comfort in mind to help keep them cool under the hot sun of Arizona and Florida.
One thing they apparently forgot to consider was the effect of that hot, hot sun on the skulls of our more follically challenged ballplayers. Enter Chicago White Sox third baseman Jake Burger who shared precisely what happens on his Twitter account yesterday:
Youch. Perhaps Jake’s too young to remember the Mary Schmich-penned Baz Luhrmann hit from 1998, but if I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
Baseball’s new Spring Training cap faced some criticism amongst the cap collecting communities for the mesh backing, with many claiming the alteration made the caps appear “cheap” or “unprofessional.” Several ballplayers have worn versions of these caps without mesh backings, including Houston’s Justin Verlander.
Is this enough to force New Era into a new direction for Spring Training 2023? I certainly hope so.
Do you like the mesh-backed caps? Let me hear all about it in the comments.
Related stories:
Baseball Players Wearing Yellow Ribbons on Jerseys Today 
Green Camo Caps Worn Across MLB This Weekend 
MLB Celebrates 75 Years Since Jackie Robinson’s Debut with New Logo 
In Bloom: Washington Nationals Unveil 2022 City Connect Uniform 
A Detailed Look at MLB’s 2022 Spring Training Logos and Caps 
Major League Baseball’s 2022 Spring Training Caps Released 
Cleveland Porcupines? Guardians President Details Name Change Process 
Baseball’s 2022 Spring Training Logos Revealed