BOSTON, MA – APRIL 20: Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees watches from the bench during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park April 20, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by J. Rogash/Getty Images)
With several MLB teams releasing new threads throughout the offseason, it is time for the Yankees to finally follow suit and bring in an alternate.
“iT’s TrAdItIoN!”
I don’t care.
A permanent alternate jersey for the New York Yankees is long overdue.
The interlocking “NY” is the most iconic logo in the world. The pinstripes are donned on several jerseys, yet the Yankees are known for it.
But we will live.
The Yankees, of course, have made slight changes to the uniform with the rest of Major League Baseball on previous Mothers’ Days, Fathers’ Days, Memorial Days, the Fourth of July, September 11th remembrance, and Players’ Weekend.
The last time the Yankees wore an alternate jersey aside from a league-wide change was when they faced the Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 20, 2012 – the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park opening (pictured above).
The last time before that was in 1996, when they wore the New York Black Yankees uniforms in celebration of the Negro Leagues.
Of course, with any changes to the uniform, you will get the fake altruistic Yankee fans who will threaten to boycott the season in response. When the freaking Nike logo was put on the jerseys, it was the end of the world. Nike. Not Bumble or Waste Management. NIKE!
But with a sport that is dying for younger fans, it’s time.
And no, I’m not asking for the black tops from last year’s Players’ Weekend. At least not permanently.
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 25: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees wearing special color schemed uniforms with players choosing nicknames to display for Players’ Weekend 2019. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
But look at the some of the fire that has been released around the league since the start of the last offseason and it’s clear that it’s possible to look fresh while honoring a club’s history.
And speaking of those hard-line traditionalist Yankee fans, how many of those people wear Yankee jerseys with the last names on the back?
Babe Ruth rotates once more in his grave when someone buys a Babe Ruth jersey that says “RUTH” on the back. The most popular Yankee jersey on Fanatics is a “YOUR NAME” jersey.
The Yankees sell navy blue player tees — reminiscent of their spring training uniforms — with the last name on the back. Every Yankee fan who would complain about a third jersey owns one of those tees.
The Yankees even sell jerseys that they never have even worn.
Like this gray pullover that’s labeled a “Men’s New York Yankees Mitchell & Ness Gray Cooperstown Collection Wild Pitch Jersey T-Shirt.”
And this blue pullover called the “Men’s New York Yankees Mitchell & Ness Navy Cooperstown Collection Mesh Wordmark V-Neck Jersey.”
There are several others that you can find with a cruise through the team and league’s online shops.
So for all of the traditionalists out there who say the Yankees shouldn’t have a third jersey — many more than three of them exist already.
While the older generations will pretend to boycott for about one day until they watch baseball again, it will garner the youth’s attention — and that is a lot more important than your Uncle Joe’s one-night boycott.
No one is asking for nicknames or a totally different color scheme. But would it be so much of a crime to wear the navy-blue tops during the season every once in a while, considering they’re worn all spring and throughout Yankee Stadium anyway?
The pinstripes are beautiful. They should, and probably will, remain forever.
But a third Yankee uniform won’t kill you.