IT’S A MADD MADD WORLD...

This latest kerfuffle over the new baseball uniforms with the see-through pants and the shrunken letters and numbers on the back is just the latest example of MLB’s misguided decision to get in bed with Nike. It was bad enough back in 2 0 1 9 when MLB entered into their one billion dollar marriage with Nike and it meant the swoosh would now be defacing all the major league uniforms, but now the so-called Nike Vapor Premier jerseys that were introduced last Tuesday with their apparel retailer Fanatics are getting horrible reviews from the players and fans alike. Supposedly cooler and more comfortable, the players are complaining the fabric has a different consistency and is creating a see-through vibe especially in the pants. A majority of the players said they just look cheap, “like a T.J. Maxx knock-off” said one player. … It’s understandable if the reason Angels owner Arte Moreno is reluctant to engage in any more expensive long-term free agent contracts is because he’s stuck with one of the most unpopular players in the game, Anthony Rendon, who has three years and $1 1 7 million left on his contract, but has failed to play in more than 6 0 games four years in a row and can’t seem to stop talking about how much he hates baseball. Upon arriving at Angels camp last week, the perpetually sullen Rendon told reporters that baseball has never been his top priority — his faith and his family are — and that baseball is just a job to make a living. Back in 2 0 1 8 , Rendon said: “I think we play too much baseball” and that MLB needs to shorten the season. In lieu of that, he’s apparently decided the shorten the season himself … Even though expansion is at least 2 -3 years away, I’m hearing of a growing sentiment among the owners for Nashville and Salt Lake City, which would certainly make sense geographically.