If the echoes that came my way from the first half of this article mean anything, then the outcry over the second half of my countdown of the 30 best fitteds in baseball should be deafening. But that’s all good, the spirit of a lot more than just the game is tied up in the headwear it puts out. This is the soul of cities, of lifelong allegiances we’re talking about here. It’s only right it goes to the heart.
In this second-half finale to the top 30 caps in Major League Baseball, we get into the crème de la crème of it all. In many cases coming up soon, it’s not just about the best top pieces on field today; it’s about the most iconic images in the sport’s history. It’s not rare to see a team switch it to stay fresh or to keep up with the times. For many of the joints coming up, that’s not necessary, simply because they are the definition of timeless.
It’s somehow appropriate that the best of the best in baseball are the most enduring, for it’s the most enduring sport in the nation’s history. Even though it has been surpassed in mass popularity, it still has a place deep into the imagery of the country it once owned. So it’s only right that the top 15 fitteds in the game today are mix of what’s been great about it forever.
But these don’t need an introduction or a lead-in. They fittingly (ehhh, that was a brutal segue, but it couldn’t get passed on) speak for themselves. New Era makes for an era that's both the future and the past all at once, and nothing's truer to the soul of baseball (and the culture) than that. Let's get into it.
15. Atlanta Braves: A good thing that needs no fixing. It is still relatively young in its form but a new age classic that has the official logo of the A as well. It’s a two-way threat of recent times; while it has hosted at least four Hall of Famers on the field, it also became the symbol of Atlanta’s rise at the same time in the 90’s.
14. Pittsburgh Pirates: One that gets props for holding the legacy of Pittsburgh baseball firm, even if the on-field product has struggled to. You could slide Roberto Clemente or Barry Bonds straight into this one today and nobody would notice the difference.
13. Washington Nationals: The former Expos switched to the expected colors of being the Nation’s capital representatives, while giving a nod to the original Senators’ logo (if not slightly Phillies replica-ish) on their current lid. Only hit it takes is that it forced out the Expos joint, which was one of the best of all-time.
12. Texas Rangers: An updated look from their very straightforward joints of the Nolan Ryan/Juan Gonzalez era. The reverse to the all red lid was a smart move that looks like they cut in straight out the Texas state flag.
11. Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies makeover into the brighter joints they have now seems like it gave new life to the team on first touch in years. While the red with white logo standards are sharp, the all blues with the red “P” may really be their best look. Options are good.
10. Oakland Athletics: The green dome, yellow billed, white logoed A’s joint will forever be nice. It’s a layover of the Technicolor 70’s that still works, and while they’ve toned it down some since then, it’s the absolute best of the west on the American League side.
9. Baltimore Orioles: The O’s were ahead of their time when they unleashed the black, white and orange joints on baseball in the 60’s, with the success of Brooks and Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer and a 4-headed, 20-game-winning staff, and the style stuck. It’s not a coincidence they have flirted with rediscovering top form for the first time in forever since they switched back to them this year.
8. Boston Red Sox: This hat has been around has long as time itself it seems, but for good reason. The blue and red of the Sox can’t be tampered with and is arguably as iconic as their chief rival's image in the Bronx. The curse of the Bambino got exorcised, but it’ll be a lot tougher to get this throwback out of Beantown.
7. Chicago Cubs: Not often winners on the field, but I’ve got to give them credit for at least not looking bad while taking the fall.
6. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays had some of the best caps ever devised during their early 90’s Championship years, with the Blue Jay and Maple Leaf standing out on the white backdrop, and undoubtedly had the best batting helmets ever. They got away from that, trying some things out in recent years, but got back to their winning formula this year. Best new-age retro gear of any squad.
5. San Francisco Giants: The most slept on, but sharp hat in the game. The Giants' whole image is dope, and blends in perfect with the bridge and brick that is AT&T Park. While at the same time, it’s keeping up a traditional that started with Willie Mays and the Polo Grounds back in New York.
4. Detroit Tigers: A cap that really puts on for its origin as hard as any other does. The Old English “D” set off the dark backdrop speaks volumes on toughness and grit that is Detroit. Another long-standing logo as well, but they also have rocked some underrated variants over the years too.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers: From Brooklyn to LA, the Dodgers have rocked some of the freshest unis in the game, but the cap is what sets it off. The icy blue on it is clean, crisp and classic with a logo that’s also spread through the city and culture. That’s the most you can ask for.
2. St. Louis Cardinals: The STL logo on the cap is as synonymous with the city as the Arch that hovers above it. The Uniform has evolved some over the years, but the “Birds on Bat” logo of the Sunday cap is a classic as well and the overall style of the club is one of the few that it’s safe to say will never change.
1. New York Yankees: This was predictable, but it’s the best kind: the obvious only choice. The “NY” logo is the most distinct image in all of sports, a hallmark that has inspired countless other teams' apparel for decades. Its crossover appeal is so huge that it’s just as big of a symbol of the field as on it, where it’s rung in 27 World Series titles. The consistency of both of these items also makes the Yanks' garb what it is: you could take Babe Ruth out of 1927 or Joe DiMaggio out of the 40’s, place them next to Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera today, and the images would be identical. That’s the very definition of legacy there.
So there it is, the 30 best game-day lids in the game. So now that my word is out the way, let me hear how you REALLY see it. Bring the chatter to the Cheap Seats in the commentary down south of here…
