Padres unveil new camouflage jerseys

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- The San Diego Padres unveiled new gray road jerseys Wednesday, abandoning the sand-colored uniforms they have worn since 2004.

The team a day earlier showed off new camouflage jerseys using a Marine pattern, MLB.com reported. The team wears camouflage for Sunday home games to honor the Marines who live in the San Diego area.

The gray jerseys are a return to a color the team wore for 19 seasons.

"With the grays, our intent is to return to a more classic road uniform look," Padres Chief Operating Officer and President Tom Garfinkel said. "We recognize that sand is a color unique to San Diego, and it is not being eliminated from our marks."

The camouflage jerseys were unveiled at the annual Military Appreciation Luncheon, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. While the team has worn camouflage to honor the military since 2000, the Marine design is harder to see than the previous Army and Navy Seal versions.

"I don't know if other teams will be able to see us in the dirt," pitcher Heath Bell said. "Pretty cool. Now if they hide the grips on a fastball and slider."