New Baseball Caps

In a move that will probably make the zealots over at Peta happy.. It was announced today that starting in 2007, there will be new baseball caps worn by the players on the field. They won’t look any different, but they’ll be made out of different material. Previously (and for some time, too) they were made out of wool. The new ones will be made out of 100% polyester. It’s some sort of new tech in the hat to reduce sweat, and make the hat better in say 100 degree days.
I wonder what they’ll feel like – according to the article, they’ll all have black brims, and will conduct sweat away much better than before. I know a lot of people get all bent out of shape over change. What I worry about is if they’ll use this as an excuse to raise the prices again. These things are already way too expensive ($28 per cap). In re-reading the article, I missed the sidebars the first time. The price is going up again. Retail on these hats will be $32, instead of the $29 they previously were. Hopefully they don’t get so sweat stained up as much, so I can keep one for a few more seasons than before, and amortize the cost. It seems really weird to be using the phrase “amortize the cost” in a story about a baseball cap.
Anyway, go check out the full article over at USA Today, which has quotes from several players. One of my favorites is a line from Diamdondbacks infielder Orlando Hudson, who says that after the season starts, it will be about his performance, not his hat.