Three-Letter Codes (Insomnia Post)

[Edgy MD]

Seeing the Nats in their City Connect jerseys and identifying themselves by the sort of three-letter abbreviation that you find on an out-of-town scoreboard, it occurred to me, as it occasionally does, that — unlike Olympic three-letter country abbreviations, or three-letter airport abbreviations — we don't have officially standardized codes for all Major League geographic designations appearing on out-of-town scoreboards. (I was lying awake in bed considering this, so please forgive the exhausting emptiness of it all.)



Three-letter team codes are mostly standardized. You know that BOS is Boston and STL is St. Louis. But there are distinctions.



1. If a team is one of two with the same geographic home designation do you use the third letter to designate the team's nicknamed or league?



2. If a team is has a geographic designation that is two words, well that makes it pretty clear what the first two letters should be, but then, do you even need to use a third letter?



3. Then there are teams from geographically designated localities, like Washington, where there simply isn't consensus over which three letters to extract from the city's or state's (or bay's) name.



The short answer is that it mostly doesn't really matter. Standardization doesn't have to be officially sanctioned, but can arise from a meritocracy. Whichever abbreviations are recognized and work for people rise to the top.



At least, it should be the answer, but we are in the age of databases, so my three-letter code ought to match your three letter code, or else things are going to get futzed up when we exchange data. So let's settle this right now.



In the NL EAST, ATL and MIA are pretty universal, but are the Mets NYN or NYM? Are the Phillies PHI or PHA? Are the Nats WAS (most common) or WSH (the breastplate on those new jerseys).



Have I seen WTN as well? Or PHL?



In the NL CENTRAL, STL and MIL are close to set in stone, as is CIN (though I feel like I've seen CNT or something stupid like that somewhere. But are the Cubs CHC or CHN? The Buccos are PIT but are there still stragglers out there using PGH?



In the NL WEST, COL is blessedly unvaried, but there's the Pads (SD or SDP?), the Giants (SF or SFG) the Dodgers (LA or LAD or LAN) all with ambiguities hanging over their heads. The Diamondbacks should easily default to ARI, but there are still scoreboard operators using ARZ, presumably in order to get more Scrabble points.



In the AL EAST, TOR is used everywhere. BAL has 95% saturation but we might still have to hunt and kill the remainders who brandish a BLT out there, as if Johnny Unitas might get offended. The Red Sox were once BSA but there aren't a lot of fans around who will wonder if BOS is the Braves. There could an argument that an original code should not be altered, but that's silly. We're looking for universal usage here, but not universal into perpetuity. Are the Yanks NYY or NYA (or possibly they should universally appear on scoreboards as MFY). Do you use TB or TBR for the Rays?



In the AL CENTRAL is pretty solid. DET, MIN, and CLE are unlikely to go anywhere. If you meet somebody using CLV, you are meeting a crazy person. But are the Royals KC or KCR or even KCA? Are the White Sox CHA or CHW?



Lastly, we have AL WEST where TEX, HOU, OAK, and SEA all pretty much reign supreme. SEA can also distinguish the Mariners from the STP Pilots in a database that includes historical teams. But then we have the Angels and their historic mess of a relationship with what geographic designation they represent. Are they ANA? Are they LAA? (If so, is that last A for "Angels" or "Anaheim" or "American League" and does it matter?) Should they just be forced to carry CAL forever in tribute to Rod Carew.



This is what I thought about as I lay awake last night, and I invite you to reread when yourself have trouble sleeping.



https://content.sportslogos.net/news/2022/03/washington-nationals-2022-city-connect-uniforms-new-nike-pink-cherry-blossom-wsh-grey-sportslogosnet-feat-1.jpg>

[kcmets]

WSH fashion tops are UGG.



The standard codes to me are what bbrdotcom uses. No?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Did Johnny Unitas have an aversion to bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes?

[Edgy MD]

I think BLT was something like a scoreboard abbreviation you might see in the time of the Baltimore Colts.

[Edgy MD]

The standard codes to me are what bbrdotcom uses. No?

Maybe, but baseballreference uses "TBR" and ESPN uses "TB" and the fascists are never going to be able to take over this country if we can't sort that out.

[kcmets]

I dunno how to react to flipping the fascists and Disney cards.



I really didn't mean anything so dramatic.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I should probably address this in the UMDB. Right now, there's no distinguishing the Cubs and White Sox on this chart, unless you know that the Mets would have had a home-and-road against the Cubs but not the White Sox.



http://leaptoad.com/mets/wl_opponent_year_graph.php?year=2019>

[Frayed Knot]

I use three letter codes often and have for years.

I guess I pretty much made up my own on the ones that weren't obvious and have been treating those as if they are the universal standard ... because of course they should be.



NYM, PHI, ATL, WAS, MIA

CHC, PIT, MIL, StL*, CIN

LAD, SFG, SDP, ARZ, COL



NYY (when not using MFY), BOS, TOR, TBR, BAL

CHW, CLE, KCR, DET, MIN

TEX, HOU, LAA, SEA, OAK





* And, yes, I usually take the trouble to use the lower case t

[Fman99]

I think it makes more sense to use the team name than it does the A or N for AL/NL. That's just me. CHC and CHW and NYM and LAD all make more sense than the AL/NL equivalents do, or would.

[Chad ochoseis]

I think the generally accepted TLA for Chicago's AL team is CWS, even if it doesn't fit the pattern.

[seawolf17]

Frayed Knot wrote: NYM, PHI, ATL, WAS, MIA CHC, PIT, MIL, StL*, CIN LAD, SFG, SDP, ARZ, COL NYY (when not using MFY), BOS, TOR, TBR, BAL CHW, CLE, KCR, DET, MIN TEX, HOU, LAA, SEA, OAK

I agree with all of these except I use ARI for Arizona. I very much agree with team-name-as-third-initial vs league-name.

[ashie62]

It must be a rainout day.

[Edgy MD]

I can start another thread. I totally can.

[whippoorwill]

I like NYM and NYY. PGH for Pittsburgh. PHI for Phillies.



I haven't thought about the White Sox or Cubs in years so I'll have to think on that.



Fire away on a new thread Edgy!

[TransMonk]

CHN, CHA, NYN, NYA, etc. make me think of early 90s computer games that had no official MLB affiliations. I've always gone with two letters when abbreviating for the Rays, Royals, Giants and Padres.



My abbreviations go:

NYM, PHI, WAS, MIA, ATL

CHC, MIL, STL, CIN, PIT

LAD, SF, SD, ARZ, COL

NYY, BOS, TOR, BAL, TB

CLE, CHW, DET, MIN, KC

HOU, LAA, TEX, SEA, OAK

[Edgy MD]

=whippoorwill post_id=89716 time=1650386255 user_id=79]
I like NYM and NYY. PGH for Pittsburgh. PHI for Phillies.

[whippoorwill]

Nope!



PIT means Pitt University

[The Hot Corner]

=TransMonk post_id=89725 time=1650388876 user_id=71]
CHN, CHA, NYN, NYA, etc. make me think of early 90s computer games that had no official MLB affiliations. I've always gone with two letters when abbreviating for the Rays, Royals, Giants and Padres.



My abbreviations go:

NYM, PHI, WAS, MIA, ATL

CHC, MIL, STL, CIN, PIT

LAD, SF, SD, ARZ, COL

NYY, BOS, TOR, BAL, TB

CLE, CHW, DET, MIN, KC

HOU, LAA, TEX, SEA, OAK

[Frayed Knot]

Chad ochoseis wrote: I think the generally accepted TLA for Chicago's AL team is CWS, even if it doesn't fit the pattern.

I could go with CWS but BRS seems wrong and I'd prefer my socks to match so it doesn't look like I dressed in the dark (which I usually do anyway).

[Edgy MD]

It's true. A single exception could lead to anarchy. Next thing you know, we'll have women in coaching boxes and taco trucks on every corner.

[Edgy MD]

I don't follow the NFL, so I'm just now learning that scoreboards abbreviate Jacksonville as JAX.



I'm not sure if that is genius or profane. Possibly both.

[A Boy Named Seo]

=TransMonk post_id=89725 time=1650388876 user_id=71]
CHN, CHA, NYN, NYA, etc. make me think of early 90s computer games that had no official MLB affiliations. I've always gone with two letters when abbreviating for the Rays, Royals, Giants and Padres.



My abbreviations go:

NYM, PHI, WAS, MIA, ATL

CHC, MIL, STL, CIN, PIT

LAD, SF, SD, ARZ, COL

NYY, BOS, TOR, BAL, TB

CLE, CHW, DET, MIN, KC

HOU, LAA, TEX, SEA, OAK

[whippoorwill]

=kcmets post_id=89656 time=1650301212 user_id=53]
WSH fashion tops are UGG.



The standard codes to me are what bbrdotcom uses. No?

[Edgy MD]

From a perspective of something-that-represents-the-city-to-the-outside-world-and-the-natives-identify-with-as-well-but-is-NOT-NOT-NOT-about-politics-or-the-military, they were a huge win.



It's a franchise that not only stole the already-played-out character-race idea pretty much at their outset, but did it by using the four presidents off of Mt. Rushmore, which is 1,600 miles away, so they've seemingly had an identity crisis from the outset. As suspicious as I am of the "City Connect" thing, anything that makes the teams more distinct from one another is good to me, and being the first team to put blossoms on their hat certainly does that.

[Centerfield]

=Fman99 post_id=89664 time=1650304327 user_id=86]
I think it makes more sense to use the team name than it does the A or N for AL/NL. That's just me. CHC and CHW and NYM and LAD all make more sense than the AL/NL equivalents do, or would.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I like NYM and NYY. PGH for Pittsburgh. PHI for Phillies.

Edgy MD wrote: That's interesting. I really thought I might have been dreaming when I suggested there were still outlets using PGH for Pittsburgh.

=whippoorwill post_id=89753 time=1650396651 user_id=79]
Nope!



PIT means Pitt University

[kcmets]

The whole enchilada...



"BS1","NA","Boston","Braves","1871","1875"

"CH1","NA","Chicago","White Stockings","1871","1871"

"CL1","NA","Cleveland","Forest Cities","1871","1872"

"FW1","NA","Ft. Wayne","Kekiongas","1871","1871"

"NY2","NA","New York","Mutuals","1871","1875"

"PH1","NA","Philadelphia","Athletics","1871","1875"

"RC1","NA","Rockford","Forest Citys","1871","1871"

"TRO","NA","Troy","Haymakers","1871","1872"

"WS3","NA","Washington","Olympics","1871","1872"

"BL1","NA","Baltimore","Lord Baltimores","1872","1874"

"BR1","NA","Brooklyn","Eckfords","1872","1872"

"BR2","NA","Brooklyn","Atlantics","1872","1875"

"MID","NA","Middletown","Mansfields","1872","1872"

"WS4","NA","Washington","Nationals","1872","1872"

"BL4","NA","Baltimore","Marylands","1873","1873"

"ELI","NA","Elizabeth","Resolutes","1873","1873"

"PH2","NA","Philadelphia","White Stockings","1873","1875"

"WS5","NA","Washington","Nationals","1873","1873"

"CH2","NA","Chicago","White Stockings","1874","1875"

"HR1","NA","Hartford","Dark Blues","1874","1875"

"KEO","NA","Keokuk","Westerns","1875","1875"

"NH1","NA","New Haven","New Havens","1875","1875"

"PH3","NA","Philadelphia","Centennials","1875","1875"

"SL1","NA","St. Louis","Red Stockings","1875","1875"

"SL2","NA","St. Louis","Brown Stockings","1875","1875"

"WS6","NA","Washington","Olympics","1875","1875"

"BSN","NL","Boston","Braves","1876","1952"

"CN1","NL","Cincinnati","Reds","1876","1880"

"CN4","NL","Cincinnati","Stars","1880","1880"

"HAR","NL","Hartford","Dark Blues","1876","1877"

"LS1","NL","Louisville","Grays","1876","1877"

"NY3","NL","New York","Mutuals","1876","1876"

"PHN","NL","Philadelphia","Athletics","1876","1876"

"SL3","NL","St. Louis","Brown Stockings","1876","1877"

"IN1","NL","Indianapolis","Blues","1878","1878"

"ML2","NL","Milwaukee","Cream Citys","1878","1878"

"PRO","NL","Providence","Grays","1878","1885"

"BFN","NL","Buffalo","Bisons","1879","1885"

"CL2","NL","Cleveland","Spiders","1879","1884"

"SR1","NL","Syracuse","Stars","1879","1879"

"TRN","NL","Troy","Trojans","1879","1882"

"WOR","NL","Worcester","Ruby Legs","1880","1882"

"DTN","NL","Detroit","Wolverines","1881","1888"

"BL2","AA","Baltimore","Orioles","1882","1889"

"CN2","AA","Cincinnati","Reds","1882","1889"

"LS2","AA","Louisville","Colonels","1882","1891"

"PH4","AA","Philadelphia","Athletics","1882","1891"

"PT1","AA","Pittsburgh","Pirates","1882","1886"

"SL4","AA","St. Louis","Cardinals","1882","1891"

"CL5","AA","Columbus","Colts","1883","1884"

"NY4","AA","New York","Metropolitans","1883","1887"

"NY1","NL","New York","Giants","1883","1957"

"BR3","AA","Brooklyn","Dodgers","1884","1889"

"IN2","AA","Indianapolis","Blues","1884","1884"

"RIC","AA","Richmond","Virginias","1884","1884"

"TL1","AA","Toledo","Blue Stockings","1884","1884"

"WS7","AA","Washington","Nationals","1884","1884"

"ALT","UA","Altoona","Mountain Citys","1884","1884"

"BLU","UA","Baltimore","Monumentals","1884","1884"

"BSU","UA","Boston","Reds","1884","1884"

"CHU","UA","Chicago-Pittsburgh","Browns","1884","1884"

"CNU","UA","Cincinnati","Outlaw Reds","1884","1884"

"KCU","UA","Kansas City","Cowboys","1884","1884"

"MLU","UA","Milwaukee","Brewers","1884","1884"

"PHU","UA","Philadelphia","Keystones","1884","1884"

"SLU","UA","St. Louis","Maroons","1884","1884"

"SPU","UA","St. Paul","Saints","1884","1884"

"WSU","UA","Washington","Nationals","1884","1884"

"WIL","UA","Wilmington","Quicksteps","1884","1884"

"SL5","NL","St. Louis","Maroons","1885","1886"

"KCN","NL","Kansas City","Cowboys","1886","1886"

"WS8","NL","Washington","Senators","1886","1889"

"CL3","AA","Cleveland","Spiders","1887","1888"

"IN3","NL","Indianapolis","Hoosiers","1887","1889"

"KC2","AA","Kansas City","Cowboys","1888","1889"

"CL6","AA","Columbus","Colts","1889","1891"

"CL4","NL","Cleveland","Spiders","1889","1899"

"BL3","AA","Baltimore","Orioles","1890","1891"

"BR4","AA","Brooklyn","Gladiators","1890","1890"

"RC2","AA","Rochester","Hop Bitters","1890","1890"

"SR2","AA","Syracuse","Stars","1890","1890"

"TL2","AA","Toledo","Maumees","1890","1890"

"BRO","NL","Brooklyn","Dodgers","1890","1957"

"BSP","PL","Boston","Reds","1890","1890"

"BRP","PL","Brooklyn","Wonders","1890","1890"

"BFP","PL","Buffalo","Bisons","1890","1890"

"CHP","PL","Chicago","Pirates","1890","1890"

"CLP","PL","Cleveland","Infants","1890","1890"

"NYP","PL","New York","Giants","1890","1890"

"PHP","PL","Philadelphia","Quakers","1890","1890"

"PTP","PL","Pittsburgh","Burghers","1890","1890"

"BS2","AA","Boston","Reds","1891","1891"

"CN3","AA","Cincinnati","Kelly's Killers","1891","1891"

"ML3","AA","Milwaukee","Brewers","1891","1891"

"WS9","AA","Washington","Senators","1891","1891"

"BLN","NL","Baltimore","Orioles","1892","1899"

"LS3","NL","Louisville","Colonels","1892","1899"

"WSN","NL","Washington","Senators","1892","1899"

"BLA","AL","Baltimore","Orioles","1901","1902"

"MLA","AL","Milwaukee","Brewers","1901","1901"

"PHA","AL","Philadelphia","Athletics","1901","1954"

"WS1","AL","Washington","Senators","1901","1960"

"SLA","AL","St.Louis","Browns","1902","1953"

"BLF","FL","Baltimore","Terrapins","1914","1915"

"BRF","FL","Brooklyn","Tip-Tops","1914","1915"

"BUF","FL","Buffalo","Blues","1914","1915"

"CHF","FL","Chicago","Whales","1914","1915"

"IND","FL","Indianapolis","Hoosiers","1914","1914"

"KCF","FL","Kansas City","Packers","1914","1915"

"PTF","FL","Pittsburgh","Rebels","1914","1915"

"SLF","FL","St.Louis","Terriers","1914","1915"

"NEW","FL","Newark","Peppers","1915","1915"

"MLN","NL","Milwaukee","Braves","1953","1965"

"FLO","NL","Florida","Marlins","1993","2011"

"KC1","AL","Kansas City","Athletics","1955","1967"

"LAA","AL","Los Angeles","Angels","1961","1964"

"CAL","AL","California","Angels","1965","1996"

"SE1","AL","Seattle","Pilots","1969","1969"

"MON","NL","Montreal","Expos","1969","2004"

"WS2","AL","Washington","Senators","1961","1971"

"MIL","AL","Milwaukee","Brewers","1970","1997"

"HOU","NL","Houston","Colts","1962","2012"

"ANA","AL","Anaheim","Angels","1997","2021"

"BAL","AL","Baltimore","Orioles","1954","2021"

"BOS","AL","Boston","Red Sox","1901","2021"

"CHA","AL","Chicago","White Sox","1901","2021"

"CLE","AL","Cleveland","Indians","1901","2021"

"DET","AL","Detroit","Tigers","1901","2021"

"HOU","AL","Houston","Astros","2013","2021"

"KCA","AL","Kansas City","Royals","1969","2021"

"MIN","AL","Minnesota","Twins","1961","2021"

"NYA","AL","New York","Yankees","1903","2021"

"OAK","AL","Oakland","Athletics","1968","2021"

"SEA","AL","Seattle","Mariners","1977","2021"

"TBA","AL","Tampa Bay","Devil Rays","1998","2021"

"TEX","AL","Texas","Rangers","1972","2021"

"TOR","AL","Toronto","Blue Jays","1977","2021"

"ARI","NL","Arizona","Diamondbacks","1998","2021"

"ATL","NL","Atlanta","Braves","1966","2021"

"CHN","NL","Chicago","Cubs","1876","2021"

"CIN","NL","Cincinnati","Reds","1890","2021"

"COL","NL","Colorado","Rockies","1993","2021"

"LAN","NL","Los Angeles","Dodgers","1958","2021"

"SDN","NL","San Diego","Padres","1969","2021"

"MIA","NL","Miami","Marlins","2012","2021"

"MIL","NL","Milwaukee","Brewers","1998","2021"

"NYN","NL","New York","Mets","1962","2021"

"PHI","NL","Philadelphia","Phillies","1883","2021"

"PIT","NL","Pittsburgh","Pirates","1887","2021"

"SFN","NL","San Francisco","Giants","1958","2021"

"SLN","NL","St. Louis","Cardinals","1892","2021"

"WAS","NL","Washington","Nationals","2005","2021"

https://www.retrosheet.org/TEAMABR.TXThttps://www.retrosheet.org/TEAMABR.TXT



I would still go by what's on bbrdotcom, which gets its data from

Retrosheet, so it's all one pickle playing pepper hot mess.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I'd be able to figure out whatever MLB team is being referenced, no matter what three letter abbreviation is used.



That's just me, though.

[whippoorwill]

I like NYM and NYY. PGH for Pittsburgh. PHI for Phillies. Edgy MD wrote: That's interesting. I really thought I might have been dreaming when I suggested there were still outlets using PGH for Pittsburgh. =whippoorwill post_id=89753 time=1650396651 user_id=79] Nope! PIT means Pitt University

So if you saw a baseball scoreboard that listed NYM v PIT, you would think that the Mets were playing the Pitt Panthers?

[kcmets]

Of c=batmagadanleadoff post_id=118653 time=1677005905 user_id=68]
I'd be able to figure out whatever MLB team is being referenced, no matter what three letter abbreviation is used.