BOSTON (AP) — Baseball's fashion police have raided Joe Maddon's hood.


The Tampa Bay Rays manager has been told by Major League Baseball that he can no longer wear his favorite hoodie. Maddon likes to put on the pullover during cold days at the ballpark, but MLB said it's not approved for use during games.

Baseball reissued a memo last Friday saying managers and coaches could only wear jerseys or outerwear OKed by MLB.

Maddon wore the pullover during the weekend at Fenway Park.

"The thing is we've been doing it for several years now and they've really cleaned them up," he said Monday after the Rays completed a four-game sweep of the Red Sox with an 8-2 win.

"There was a time where they first did it, it was more of — the quality was less. The quality has been raised, it's more of a shiny kind of material now that I know presents well. I've seen them on TV, it presents really well. I have no idea why this is happening. For me, it's just a comfortable thing. I've always worn hoodies," he said.

Maddon, who prefers the pullover to big coats, said he wore it under his coat Friday during a rainy, chilly evening.

"We all heard about it," he said. "I wore it under the coat because it was cold and I needed it to stay warm."

Maddon said he enjoys how it fits, but he'll abide by the rules.

"Go back to your collegiate days, I did a lot of football — I don't know if they think it looks too football-ish. I have no idea," he said. "All I know is that it's a comfortable piece of clothing, I think it's attractive, if you're looking for younger fan, I think those are the people that really are attracted to something like that, too. Listen, I will state my case because I think I can, but I will follow the rules, too."

Maddon has been something a fashion trendsetter in the majors. In 2008, he was among the first to start wearing the MLB-approved caps with the Elmer Fudd-style ear flaps during the postseason

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Who does he think he is, Belicheck?

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Making it mandatory for coaches to wear the uniform is stupid. The guy should just coach in a suit. Connie Mack would be rolling over in his grave right now.

Would you want to see George Karl in a Nuggets uniform?

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From a comedy standpoint? Absolutely.....Seeing Baseball managers in uniforms is funny. Everytime Bobby Cox waddles out there or Lou with is belly hangnging out in front of him. But I definately agree about it not looking professional. Hockey coaches have it right wear a suit and look like you are all buisness. And if at all possible grow an awesome mustache.

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Good point.

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It had to have been a Majestic Rays' hoody you are referring. If the Drew Carey-looking Joe Maddon can't wear an officially licensed hoody in the dugout when the Rays are playing cold weather games outside, he should cry foul if the White Sox' own Ozzie Guillen, the Twins' Joe Cocker-looking Ron Gardenhire, the Red Sox' Terry Francona, the Yankees' Joe Girardi and other managers in Bud Selig's Major League Baseball are allowed to wear hoodies over their uniform when the weather's cold. MLB's hoody ruling sucks, and besides, I'm wearing a hoody myself!

I disagree, Dbag. A baseball coach wearing a suit out on a hot summer day would look stupid. I guess I'm so used to seeing them in uniform, as opposed to football, basketball & hockey coaches, it would be too weird.

Remember when Buck Showalter was filling out a lineup card before becoming one of the many "talking heads" at ESPN? I remember when Buck managed the Yankees, Diamondbacks & Rangers, he never took off the jacket, even in hot weather...

I think it is silly that they have dress requirements for professional coaches/managers. Let them wear whatever they want. If a baseball coach wants to wear a suit, so be it. If a football coach wants to wear a hoodie, so be it. What difference does it make?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

In the case of Bill Belichick, RFDC, I think it's a trademark of his with the New England Patriots. Besides, Coach Belichick's cut off hoody is very, very popular on the team's Web site.

Thanks SHARK. Do you think Mike Tomczak would be a hoodie guy or a suit guy?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."