Major League Baseball will look anything but uniform for a newly created Players Weekend later this month.
MLB, together with the MLB Players Association, announced Wednesday a group of initiatives aimed letting players express themselves while connecting with their past in youth baseball.
From Aug. 25 to Aug. 27, players will wear alternate jerseys inspired by youth league designs, and they can also replace last names with nicknames on jersey nameplates.
Players will be able to declare their nicknames ahead of time, which will enable fans to buy jerseys with the nicknames on them, much like the NBA first did in 2014.
Player nicknames will even be included on the back of New York Yankees jerseys, the first time any nameplate has been on the back of the team's uniforms.
Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius will be "Sir Didi." Other nicknames already declared include Atlanta Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips ("Dat Dude"), Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista ("Joey Bats"), Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor ("Mr. Smile"), Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen ("Cutch") and Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ("All Rise").
Nicknames that attempt to include brand names or are deemed offensive will not be allowed.
Players will also be permitted to wear custom-designed flashy equipment, from batting gloves to bats, that shows their personalities.
so MLB goes Beer League for a weekend ... seems cool ... but I doubt it was decided for the players
this line in the 4th paragraph explains it :
"which will enable fans to buy jerseys with the nicknames on them"
jersey sales must be flat so they had to come up with a way to change that