The Intangibles: Boston Red Sox - Perfect Zero's Blog

Perfect Zero's Blog

The Intangibles: Boston Red Sox

Posted on March 19, 2012 at 01:31 PM.

Today, I am continuing my look at all thirty teams in Baseball and the things that make them either great for starting a franchise, or lousy for playing one. This is "The Intangibles," a series of games that look at the aesthetic side of Baseball.

I grade my selections on these criteria...

Stadium Playability- This has to do with how well the stadium plays in the game
Stadium Aesthetics- Basically, how pretty the stadium is.
Team Logo- Is it unique or is it just another run of the mill baseball with circular text?
Uniforms- Are they classic, are they eye-poping, or do they induce depression?
Overall- Not an average, but a sumation of the experience that I have with the team.

I will play with thirty teams in their stadiums, and I hope to have this done by the next baseball season. Today its off to the Hub City to catch the Boston Red Sox in action. The Red Sox started out as the Boston Americans with blue stockings, but adopted the nickname when the team changed their socks (at times, newspaper writers also used Pilgrims and Beaneaters for nicknames). The team had early success winning World Championships in the 1910's as well as the first World Series in 1903. however, it took nearly a century for the team to win its next World Championship in 2004. Currently, the Red Sox are one of the premier teams of the American League, and continue to maintain the fiercest rivalry in baseball with the New York Yankees.

The logo for the team are two red stockings (surprising, I know). This was part of a change in 2009 from the previous roundel that featured two red stockings superimposed on a baseball with "Boston Red Sox" around the ball. It is a very clean logo and appealing to the senses, but I feel that there is something missing in its simplicity. Still, one can't fault the team for trying to use a new logo to pump out more merchandise, and it is a fresh breath to have a logo that isn't a circle. The Red Sox actually tried to use the two hanging socks on their caps for Friday games where they don't wear their traditional letter logo, but that was phased out the following year.

The home uniforms are truly a classic for this team. The wordmark in red, the "B" on the cap, the red and blue stirups... everything about it is classic. The numbers are in a block font that is unique to the team, and they finally came to their senses and added the names to the back of their jerseys. The road uniforms really divide me. On the one hand, I would like to see more red on the jersey as they had before the 2009 switchover. However, they have a very classic look to them devoid of piping and with a solid blue motif. The blue alternate jerseys are nice looking, but the reds are horrid with the blue numbers barely noticeable. Still, this is a classic set that has some more modern taste in alternates.

With the looks of the team now past, we come to Fenway Park. No matter how you feel about it being a classic stadium or being run down due to be a hundred years old, the park just feels like a home for baseball. The Green Monster in left is a throwback to fitting old ballparks in neighborhoods, and the seating arrangement has the feel of the old parks with modern adjustments. Day or night, the visibility is great, and the park seems to shine on the game. No matter what the angle, the ballpark looks beautiful in the game.

As for playability, the park favors the right handed batter really well, and the left handed batter when aiming for the foul pole. If you're into defense, the outfield here is a neat one for you, especially with all of the nooks, crannies, low walls in right, the Monster in left, the triangle in center, it plays so well. The foul territory is tiny, so pitchers have a short wall in left and tiny foul room which makes this a hitters park in my book. Like I said before, if you have a speedy defense and some good bats, Fenway Park is going to be a dream for you.

Grading the whole thing...

Stadium Playability- (A-)
Stadium Aesthetics- (A+)
Team Logo- (B-)
Uniforms- (A)
Overall- (A)

The Red Sox have a classic look in a classic ballpark, and have all the tools that make them aesthetically pleasing. If you're looking for a difficult team to play with, avoid the Sox. If you are looking for a team to look good with, Boston has that team.