Getty Image / Chris Bernacchi / Diamond Images
- Jake Burger is a third baseman for the Chicago White Sox and is currently with the team at Spring Training Glendale, Arizona
- He took to Twitter to criticize the MLB’s new Spring Training hats for leaving his bald head with a hilariously awkward sunburn
- Read more MLB stories here
Spring Training is in full swing in Florida and Arizona. In the immortal words of Bob Marley, “the sun is shining, the weather is sweet. Makes you wanna move your baseball feet.”
Athletes have been treated to some truly perfect weather in the opening days of Spring Training both in Florida and Arizona. It’s about to get REAL HOT out West with temps in Glendale, AZ expected to hit a high of 96 on Saturday. And that could spell trouble for the bald bros of the league.
Bald MLB players have typically been protected by their baseball hats which have always been an integral part of the MLB uniform. But the MLB’s new Spring Training hats have a flaw that puts bald players at risk of getting sunburned in a hilariously awkward way. Case in point, Jake Burger.
Jake Burger Rips MLB’s New Spring Training Hats After Suffering Hilariously Awkward Sunburn
I’ve got a bone to pick with whoever designed these Spring Training hats… @MLB @MLBNetwork pic.twitter.com/hOyDe8poZg
— Jake Burger (@Burgatron13) March 20, 2022
That sunburn almost looks like the Tampa Bay Rays’ ‘sunburst’ on their logo. It’s that weird.
Also, I’m not bald but I can partially relate to this struggle. I part my hair along a cowlick and that has led to some truly miserable sunburns over the years as that specific part of my scalp is exposed if I wear a trucker hat (or no hat). Scalp sunburns are the worst. It’s itchy and makes it look like you have dandruff.
In the case of these MLB players, the only thing they can do is put sunscreen on their heads and hope for the best. But someone should’ve seen this coming with the new hat design, right?
Best Reactions To Awkward Sunburn From New Spring Training Hats…
props to @chelsea_janes, who said to me a few days ago that the bald dudes were going to get gnarly sunburns from the mesh spring training hats. https://t.co/LqsgcFDlnx
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) March 20, 2022
After a week, how are we feeling about the spring training hats? pic.twitter.com/sXkEte2E1c
— Blue Heaven (A Dodgers Podcast) (@BlueHeavenPod) March 20, 2022
Note to self: no spring training hat purchases https://t.co/jTqBAHf8qf
— DLD13 (@DLDels) March 20, 2022
The mesh spring training hats are an abomination. Just saying.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 15, 2022
— DJ Burnside (@DennisJBurnside) March 20, 2022
This pretty much sums up what that Jake Burger sunburn must feel like. A scalp sunburn just hits different.
— Ryan (@BaseballGuyRyan) March 20, 2022
The league really supplied their players with trucker hats for spring training and thought it was a great idea. 😂
— Eric Himmelheber (@erichimmelheber) March 20, 2022
I’m actually going to my first Spring Training game in three years later this week. But I’ll be down in Florida’s Grapefruit League watching the Baltimore Orioles take on the Red Sox and not in the desert. I’m also going to hit an evening game and this leads me to my point: every Spring Training game should be at night.
Players like Jake Burger must be protected. The sun is simply too punishing in Florida and Arizona this time of year and every game is outdoors. It’s either that, or they get rid of the pointless mesh in the hats.