The Jersey Draft

24 Mar 2011 by Eric

In another fit of list-making compulsion, Ted sent me an email yesterday with some major league player jerseys he would actually wear. His impetus was what he called the "wave of fashion and design" this blog is riding. He sees no reason to stop, and neither do I. After all, Spring Training takes a big turn toward the boring after the St. Patty's day uniforms get stored up for next year.

The list just came out of Majestic's top selling jerseys for 2010. No big surprises. But not a very P&P set of players.

Sure Josh Hamilton is on there, with his crazy arm tattoos and rock n' roll past. Sure Tim Lincecum is on there. But Jeter at no. 1 offers little in the way of excitement. So here we bring you a short jersey-wearing draft.

Eric: John Rauch

I've always wanted the chance to mention John Rauch on this blog. For one, he's extremely tall. For another, he has a cool neck tattoo that I haven't looked at closely, but from his perch on the mound distinguishes him as both a badass and a dude with better aesthetic taste than most of his fellow ballplayers.

Ted: Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Stitch-for-stitch, this jersey is gonna get you the most value. This recommendation is the jersey equivalent of the little per-ounce price they put on the shelf labels at the supermarket. Ten pounds of cheese is gonna save you a bundle on the unit price. Same thing for Salty.

Eric: Milton Bradley

Once, I was merely a Dodger fan supporting his team's center fielder. Now I am the baseball blogosphere's most avowed Milton Bradley apologists. Also, it's sure to be a conversation starter. As in "hey, why are you wearing a Milton Bradley jersey?" "Because he's complicated. You should read my blog."

Ted: Jose Valverde

Papa Grande is a real character, with a serious array of rituals and a joyfully haphazard windup. And what's a jersey for if not to celebrate the game's entertaining and outlandish personalities. Acceptable replacements: Big Papi, Brian Wilson, Nick Swisher.

Eric: Lance Berkman

I'm surprised Ted didn't chose this one, as Berkman is his favorite player. I just like guys who seem to be having more fun than anybody else out on the field. Would have to be an Astros jersey though.

Ted: Bryce Harper

Yes, this could be the Mark Prior jersey of a few years from now. On the other hand, I could be getting in on the ground floor of some serious stardom. This jersey choice is the angel investment in the early days of a juggernaut. You've seen The Social Network, you know the deal.

Eric: Andre Ethier

Because he was once traded for Milton Bradley

Ted: Ichiro

His $1.3 million contribution to Japan's relief efforts is just the latest evidence that Ichiro is operating on another level. You might as well jones off of his vibe (see BIRG on Ron Kaplan's bookshelf) by wearing his jersey. Bonus: it's got his first name on the back, which is so very European football.

Eric: Tim Lincecum

If he played for any other team, I would likely own a Lincecum jersey t-shirt already. He's the only UW alum in the league right now, but beyond that he's a likable character. Character.