Banana Stand T-shirts, blinged out cleats and five more of MLB's boldest 2014 fashion statements

With uniforms, sponsorship deals and even team-mandated facial hair restrictions, Major League Baseball's best and brightest have always had to employ some ingenuity to set themselves apart. Luckily, the most fashion-forward have always shone through. It's difficult to picture Dock Ellis without the curlers or Sal Fasano without that thing growing on his face.

As the pennant races heat up, let's take a look at some of the boldest style pioneers from 2014. If nothing else, you'll know exactly which statements you want to make when it comes time to get ready for that first fall beer league game.

Troy Tulowitzki's Banana Stand T-shirt

Nothing says "I watch better television that you do" quite like a comfortable t-shirt emblazoned with a lesser known reference to the greatest sitcom to ever come back from the dead. Bonus points for wearing it while sitting in the stands at Yankee Stadium even though you play for the Rockies.

Yasiel Puig's All-Star haircut

#ASG Cut: pic.twitter.com/cGtUDVAC6C

- Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 13, 2014

Yasiel Puig posted a goose egg in the Home Run Derby and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in the actual All-Star Game ... but man did he look stylish doing it. In advance of the Midsummer Classic, the Dodgers outfielder got himself a new haircut, complete with a star on the side of his head.

Coco Crisp's back-of-the-head goatee

Growing a beard on your face is so 2013. That's why Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp opted to grow one on the back of his head. All he needed was a pair of Groucho glasses to complete the look and convince fans he was peering out of the dugout and into the stands.

The Rays' Woodstock-themed road trip

Joe Maddon has been leading his club on themed road trips for a few seasons now, but none to date made a bigger statement than mid-May's flashback to a bygone era. Really, nothing says "we're here to play baseball" quite like a great pair of bellbottoms and a vest with fringe. 

Josh Donaldson's All-Star arm band

Was he playing third or helping school children cross a busy intersection? We'll never know ...

Indians' high socks for solidarity

The Indians sent pitcher Justin Masterson to the Cardinals for Minor League outfielder James Ramsey at the Trade Deadline. To pay tribute to their former teammate, the entire Cleveland team rolled up their pants and rocked high socks--as was Masterson's style--in the first game after the trade.

Andrew McCutchen's gold-plated cleats

Cutch (along with Jay Bruce, Jayson Heyward, Torii Hunter and Adam Jones) sported special-edition, gold-plated cleats emblazoned with a No. 42 on the bottom in honor of Jackie Robinson Day in April. For what it's worth, Curtis Granderson also wore special cleats to honor Robinson, but did so without having to pan the Yukon River. BOOM, that's a Gold Rush joke.