One of the most underrated aspects of the Twitter experience is the ability to include hashtags with charming emojis at the end. This trend includes Major League Baseball, with all 30 teams getting their own unique hashtag.
Let’s rank every phrase from best to worst, complete with a dash of criticism or praise for each one.
No Creativity
These teams are very boring. Like, tremendously painful. Gross.
No. 30: #Rockies (Rockies)
The possibilities were endless, yet “Rockies” was viewed as the best option here? That’s ridiculous. The lack of creativity is so disgusting and bland.
No. 29: #Dodgers (Dodgers)
Once again, the Dodgers had a chance to dominate their social media presence, much like how they dominated Major League Baseball last year. “ITFDB” would have been perfect, among other phrases. Instead, they settle on “Dodgers.” They get the edge over Colorado thanks to a tiebreaker fueled by last year’s success.
No. 28: #MNTwins (Twins)
Another team, another boring hashtag. At least they added “MN” at the beginning.
No. 27: #RiseAndGrind (Athletics)
This is a cool hashtag and is, in general, a good phrase. However, it doesn’t have much to do with the Athletics. There’s creativity here, but it’s not team-specific.
Respectable
These are all strong hashtags that are a bit more creative than just the team name itself. Still, the phrases are just “meh.”
No. 26: #ChangeTheGame (White Sox)
The idea of changing the game and adapting as the sport grows is charming, and the White Sox have used this message in several marketing campaigns, so you could argue it is team-specific. However, in the end, it has little to do with the White Sox themselves and would probably fit better as an MLB-wide campaign. Furthermore, it’s a weird phrase coming from a team that hired 76-year-old Tony La Russa as its manager.
No. 25: #OurCLE (Indians)
As is the case with a few other teams in the league, the Indians are pushing the idea of a united fanbase. While that is a great message to spread, it lacks in the creativity department.
No. 24: #STLFLY (Cardinals)
The incorporation of the “Cardinals” mascot in the word “FLY” is a fun touch, but there are still a lot of flaws here. It’s not really a phrase that will stick outside of the hashtag. It also seems like someone forgot to turn their caps lock off.
No. 23: #LetsGoBucs (Pirates)
This is a respectable choice, but there were surely better options out there. The “let’s go” phrase would fit with almost any team, so the Pirates’ decision to take it for themselves leaves a lot to be desired from a creativity standpoint.
No. 22: #StraightUpTX (Rangers)
I deliberated back and forth on this as it’s a candidate for the top-12. In the end, though, it fits best in this tier because it really doesn’t offer much more than the others ranked around it. It shows the unity of a fanbase and the neatness of Texas, but much like Chicago, you could find ways for it to fit with other teams, too.
No. 21: #DetroitRoots (Tigers)
There’s something about the word “roots” that gives it a greater feeling of unity than phrases like “we” or “our.” Therefore, while it still belongs in this tier of city-specific, non-baseball phrases, it escaped the bottom-10.
We’re Getting Somewhere
Okay, progress is being made, people. These clubs have some solid hashtags. At this point in the list, you shouldn’t feel offended if your team is listed. We’ve reached the good side of the rankings.
No. 20: #WeBelieve (Angels)
As painful as American League baseball has been in Los Angeles, the fanbase still believes in its club. You could argue that this isn’t team-specific, but it really does fit well with a struggling group like the Angels that has yet to lose hope.
No. 19: #ForTheH (Astros)
This probably belongs in the “respectable” tier because it lacks in baseball identity, but it sneaks into the next group thanks to how cool it sounds. The bold choice of using a letter as a noun (“the H”) garners extra respect.
No. 18: #ForTheA (Braves)
Same as above. Atlanta gets the edge, though, because it has a slightly more team-specific feel. (Don’t ask why because I’m not really sure.)
No. 17: #WeAreBlueJays (Blue Jays)
While teams like the Indians and Tigers used non-baseball phrases to show unity, the Blue Jays included their team name. They’re among the bottom half because it’s relatively uncreative, but it still commands a tip of the cap.
No. 16: #HungryForMore (Padres)
The thought process behind this one was solid, but there are some logistical concerns. The Padres are on the up and up, but “more” implies that there is already a plentiful amount of something (in this case, success). Sure, San Diego made the postseason last year, but I’d rather see this hashtag from a team that made a slightly deeper run and just barely missed out.
No. 15: #TogetherRoyal (Royals)
Much like the Blue Jays’ hashtag, the Royals were able to incorporate both unity and their team name. They get bonus points for the double meaning of Royal (the baseball team and the hierarchal status).
No. 14: #ThisIsMyCrew (Brewers)
This one gives off the same vibes as the Royals, but it gives a larger sense of pride and power while still being team-specific and unifying. After all, “my crew” sounds like an imposing force that you would not want to mess with.
No. 13: #ResilientSF (Giants)
This isn’t tremendously team-specific, so you could debate whether it really deserves to be listed at No. 13. With that said, it spreads a strong message for how to conduct yourself both on the field and off it. It doesn’t deserve a spot in the next tier, but it’s still among the better half of hashtags.
That’s More Like It
This is a small but mighty group. All three hashtags are team-specific and add the perfect piece of flair to tweets.
No. 12: #RaysUp (Rays)
The Rays’ hashtag is simple and straight to the point. The biggest concern here is that it’s not really a phrase that you’ll see outside of Twitter. Still, it’s creative, team-specific, and suggests a level of superiority. (#Rats would have been more fun, though.)
No. 11: #CubTogether (Cubs)
Much like the Rays, the Cubs have a decent hashtag. They don’t have the implications of superiority like Tampa Bay does, but they do have the important sense of unity and togetherness. That’s enough to give them the edge here.
No. 10: #RattleOn (Diamondbacks)
The Diamondbacks might not be doing a lot of winning, but at least their hashtag implies that success has been flowing. “Rattle on” provides a sense of accomplishment and fearlessness. Of course, it also incorporates the Diamondbacks without directly stating the team name.
These Teams Just Get It
This is the bulk of the best hashtags in the league. The list features a blend of old and new phrases that combine creativity and team significance.
No. 9: #SquadUp (Yankees)
The Yankees have made “Squad Up” by Streetlife and Method Man one of their theme and hype-up songs. It also, of course, works to define the unity of a team. New York is incorporating creativity, unity, the New York hip-hop scene, and a team-specific aspect here. Nicely done.
No. 8: #SeaUsRise (Mariners)
The Boston Celtics have used a similar phrase, except with “C” instead of “sea.” That could imply a lack of originality, but I don’t care. The phrase is motivational and determined. The next step, of course, is actually rising in the standings.
No. 7: #Birdland (Orioles)
This is the traditional Orioles phrase. It covers almost all the bases, touching on their team name, team-specificness, and even a sense of community with the “-land” ending. With that said, it’s not very motivational, which is why it didn’t crack the top five.
No. 6: #DirtyWater (Red Sox)
As a New England native, this makes me happy. Just seeing the hashtag prompts sends audio waves of “Dirty Water” by The Standells through my brain.
No. 5: #RingTheBell (Phillies)
A tip of the cap to the Phillies for incorporating such a big part of their city here as doing so solicits a sense of community. You can’t argue that it’s not baseball-specific, either, because it indicates a feeling of accomplishment, success, and a job well done. After all, can’t you just imagine a bell ringing as Bryce Harper trots around the bases?
No. 4: #NATITUDE (Nationals)
Okay, this is good. The Nationals are showing off some spunk with their hashtag. This might be an outlier among the list as it is most definitely not baseball-related, nor does it have anything to do with unity. Still, the blend of “Nationals” and “attitude” is powerful. Also, in this case, caps lock was a good thing. Good job, Washington.
No. 3: #ATOBTTR (Reds)
I’ll always enjoy phrases with neat meanings that many non-fans would have to look up. Here, the Reds are using the “and this one belongs to the Reds” exclamation. Although it was coined by Marty Brennaman and his son, Thom, who have both poorly represented the sport of baseball with their insensitive comments, this phrase has nearly dropped the Brennaman identity and now is merely a product and representation of Reds baseball. The Dodgers should take notes because they’d be ahead of the Reds if they used “ITFDB” (it’s time for Dodger baseball) in their hashtag.
Mega Elite
Yes, please. I wouldn’t blame you for tweeting about these teams just so you can see the hashtags.
No. 2: #JuntosMiami (Marlins)
This translates to “together Miami” in Spanish. By itself, in English, this phrase would be mediocre. However, thinking outside of the box and utilizing a whole different language is a massive win. Of course, not any team can do this. It works particularly well for Miami, of which 60 percent of its population speaks Spanish.
No. 1: #LGM (Mets)
The simplicity of this hashtag should prove to some teams that you can turn a bland phrase into something incredible. LGM is used across the fanbase and just makes sense as their hashtag. It really does show how far a tad of creativity can go. After all, “LetsGoBucs” was 22nd and “LGM” was first despite having almost the same meaning. “TogetherRoyal” and “CubTogether” finished in the double-digits while “JuntosMiami” was unique enough to garner recognition at No. 2.
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