The Team Name Conundrum

This will be Sean's fourth year playing baseball in the Carmel Sports Association, and my fourth as a coach. From the first year, Sean and I have prepared ourselves for what team we got assigned to. The CSA uses Major League Baseball team names and logos on the hats and shirts. In our first year, in the Tee Ball division, we were the Giants (and the Angels were the only other team). OK, nothing to be too troubled by. The second year, our first in Soft Toss, we were the Braves. Last year, we were the Phillies. The other options were the Brewers and Astros.

Then came this year. The choices? The Pirates, Indians, Diamondback, Nationals, Rangers, and...ugh...Red Sox.

I can't even imagine how my dear son would have reacted if I had told him that he had to wear a Red Sox hat and shirt all year. At the top of his most hated sports franchises sits baseball's entries in Boston, and New York in the National League.

Just so we're clear, I didn't raise Sean to act like this:

What would I have done, you ask? Been a good sport about it all - and probably wouldn't have worn the hat.

I feel bad for my coaching companion of these three years. Dave Sweet is a Mets fan (poor guy) and yet he had to suck it up and be a Phillie and Brave. Dave also suggested making us the Red Sox this year, simply to get even with me. I can't say that I blame him.

I never quite saw the logic in having some of the more polarizing teams as a possibility. While you can't make everybody happy, the majority of people have strong feelings about the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox (ESPECIALLY in New York!), and Phillies. It would make sense, to me, to stay away from these teams.

Mike Berg, the commissioner of the CSA, has suggested the possibility of using minor league teams in the future, and that is an idea that I absolutely love. The logos are so fun, and the teams are so harmless, with little or no allegiances. I think that's a winner.

Fortunately, we'll be the Pirates this year, so no worries. Now if I could only have my old Pops Stargell era hat again, life would be grand.