MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has been known for making decisions fans hate, most recently seven-inning doubleheaders and a man on second base during extra innings, but Tuesday showcased one of his worst decisions yet.

As the American League won their eighth consecutive All-Star Game – this time 5-2, led by All-Star Game MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit a 468-foot home run into the thin Denver air – the players were forced to wear uniforms they themselves despited.

It was a storyline that overshadowed the game itself. Usually, players wear their normals uniforms with an All-Star Game patch, creating a beautiful, unique collage of players – one of the many things that makes the sport and All-Star Game iconic. Fans took pride in seeing players on their team wearing their favorite jerseys.

But this year, the stars wore concoctions many compared to jumpsuits. The AL wore all navy blue and the NL wore white, with three-letter abbreviations for what team the player represented on the front. Players wanted more input in the design.

“We can do better. We can do better, man,” White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson said. “We need the players’ input next time.”

“MLB should just let the players wear their own uniforms instead of these slow pitch softball ones,” Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brett Anderson posted on Twitter.

“I’m a big fan of each team wearing their own,” White Sox closer Liam Hendriks said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the uniformity, I don’t mind the little stars on the back, but for me, this year specifically, it would have been nice. I don’t like blue pants.

“I think it’s interesting. I don’t mind the concept they’re going for, I just feel like they need a little more player input. This year was thrown together so quickly, so hopefully years in the future we can get a little collaboration going.”

Fans and journalists alike joined forces to share their frustration over the jerseys, too.

“I really enjoyed when the MLB All-Star Game had the players in their own uniforms. It was cool to see them all playing together. Felt like real All-Stars. This has the look of a slow-pitch softball tournament,” one fan wrote.

“That said these uniforms are horrific. The best part of the All-Star game growing up is seeing the AL and NL team uniforms together on the field. MLB overthinks and still finds a way to strip us of this perk,” political columnist Joe Concha wrote.

“One of the main points of the MLB All-Star Game is the civic pride you get from watching your team’s best players in their own uniforms competing with and against all the other teams’ best players,” Mets radio broadcaster Wayne Randazzo said. “That’s taken away with these uniforms. They can’t do this again.”

Baseball had the sporting stage essentially to itself on Tuesday night and it did unite a country of fans – it was just for the wrong reason.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:David Lazar