2010 MLB Catch-All Thread

[LittleHurt05]

I don't know how overall attendance figures are looking so far, but I've seen that the Blue Jays, Nationals, & Orioles have already had record low attendace days for their parks, including under 10k for a game at Camden Yards.

[Balta1701]

I don't know how overall attendance figures are looking so far, but I've seen that the Blue Jays, Nationals, & Orioles have already had record low attendace days for their parks, including under 10k for a game at Camden Yards.

I happily have the data readily available.

Before Game 2 of the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium, MLB Chief Operating Officer Bob DuPuy said he'd be happy to see attendance, coming off a recession-induced 6.7% drop, stabilize in 2010.

 

That's pretty much how the season is shaping up through the first two weeks, thanks mainly to fans in Minnesota flocking to the Twins' beautiful new ballpark, Target Field. Through 185 playing dates, MLB clubs have drawn just under 6 million fans, about half a percentage point below the same period last year. Take away the Twins, whose average crowd has rocketed to 38,382 per game from 24,405 at the dank Metrodome a season ago (through April 18), and the league is down 2% year-t0-date from 2009.

 

Last year at this time, only the Cleveland Indians were averaging fewer than 20,000 fans per game (19,226). This year they're joined by the Oakland A's, Toronto Blue Jays and Florida Marlins, all of whom are down at least 4,000 a game in the early going. Also down big: the Arizona Diamondbacks (25,142 per game, off 19%), Baltimore Orioles (20,941; down 18%), and New York Mets (33,477; down 9%).

 

Altogether, attendance is lower at 17 of 30 MLB stadiums from 2009 - at least 1,000 fans per game lower at 13 of them.

 

Things are turning upward in some places outside of Minnesota. The Atlanta Braves, showcasing talented rookie Jason Heyward, are 7,400 per game ahead of last year's pace. And the Texas Rangers, who have faltered at the gate significantly in recent years, have recovered to the tune of 6,000 a game this year, pushing their MLB rank to 16th from 27th.

Worth noting is that this year has had considerably better weather than previous years. That probably means 2 things; first, more people have been able to go out to games, and second...there have been more games earlier in the year due to fewer rain/snow-outs (which probably actually help overall attendance by pushing more games into the summer months).

[LittleHurt05]

I happily have the data readily available.

 

Worth noting is that this year has had considerably better weather than previous years. That probably means 2 things; first, more people have been able to go out to games, and second...there have been more games earlier in the year due to fewer rain/snow-outs (which probably actually help overall attendance by pushing more games into the summer months).

 

Thanks for the info, interesting stuff. Its funny how one team's new ballpark can change how the overall numbers look. I know the Twins had sold nearly 3 million tickets before the season even started and are on pace for an 81-game season sellout this year. Other than your main top teams like BOS, NYY, CHC, STL, etc. it looks like overall attendance is definitely struggling. For a team like Toronto or Baltimore with no chance to make the playoffs, its easy to see why the fans would stay home.

[NorthSideSox72]

I happily have the data readily available.

 

Worth noting is that this year has had considerably better weather than previous years. That probably means 2 things; first, more people have been able to go out to games, and second...there have been more games earlier in the year due to fewer rain/snow-outs (which probably actually help overall attendance by pushing more games into the summer months).

So despite the unusually good weather, MLB outside of the Twin Cities is again significantly down in attendance this year. Not a good sign for MLB. If this keeps up, I wonder if you might actually see some teams lower prices next year for tickets.

 

[Balta1701]

For a team like Toronto or Baltimore with no chance to make the playoffs, its easy to see why the fans would stay home.

This is the one real thing that eventually baseball is going to have to realize is a problem. Teams that are persistently down in geographic regions are hurting the overall revenue, even if the area isn't going to be a baseball powerhouse otherwise. If Toronto, the DC/Baltimore Area, Pittsburgh, KC, South Florida, Oakland, perhaps TX, etc., never put up a team that is even in contention through the end of August, then there's no reason for those areas to build baseball fan-bases.

[caulfield12]

Texas? Houston (traditionally, you can't blame them for tuning out this year if they lose Berkman/Oswalt) and the Rangers have good fanbases, the Rangers attendance is up again this year, right?

 

Colorado really plateaued and then their fans came back with the World Series and winning baseball.

 

Seattle, with a competitive ballclub, they're doing much better again.

 

The trouble spots are obviously OAK, KC (just need a winner, MIL proves a small population base can support a team, and new stadium), PIT, TOR, CLE (ever since Dolan deconstructed the 2002 team....and now shedding Sabathia/Lee/DeRosa/V-Mart, the fans just don't trust ownership), both Florida franchises (stadium/multiplicity of issues too long to discuss), WASH/BALT, TOR.

 

That's 10 teams...not including San Diego, so let's say 11. That's a pretty significant %. I also didn't include CINCY, who was able to sign Chapman, so I'll look at that as a positive sign for the future of that franchise.

 

If/when McLane sells the Astros, all bets are off, but they have a relatively new ballpark, they just have to become competitive again.

 

Fans in PIT, KC, Baltimore and Toronto, as well as SD and Houston...those six teams, there's very little to look forward to. At least the Nationals have Strasburg and higher draft picks to rebuild for the future.

 

I think the presence of NY/BOS/TB just dooms the bottom rung teams, to the point where they fans have given up. Both BALT and TOR have had longstanding and proud baseball traditions, but they, also have high hopes for the future with their young talent. Even then, though, it's a LONG LONG row to get to first place or the wild card.

 

What did TOR draw against KC at home last night on a Monday? Must have been brutal...

Edited April 20, 2010 by caulfield12

[Kalapse]

But his overall defense at the position is (or was) awful, since he seemed incapable of throwing to first base.

Yeah, I don't get how he can now be considered "solid" after being atrocious with us. He's only had 15 opportunities to field and throw the ball since leaving Chicago (3 this year) and he does have 1 (fielding) error in the 15.

 

For his career he's only had to make 41 throws in the field, he's failed to make the throw with a resulting error 5 times: that's an .891 fielding percentage on throws in the field.

[Benchwarmerjim]

What did TOR draw against KC at home last night on a Monday? Must have been brutal...

the announced attendance was 10,314, but I would bet 8,500 is more accuarate

 

[flavum]

MLB dropped Cliff Lee's suspension. I guess he convinced them his injury caused his wildness.

 

Not sure if he's ready to come back this weekend against the White Sox.

[Kalapse]

MLB dropped Cliff Lee's suspension. I guess he convinced them his injury caused his wildness.

 

Not sure if he's ready to come back this weekend against the White Sox.

He's not supposed to be back until May.

[flavum]

Ok, good. I'll take every break we can get.

[Leonard Zelig]

MLB won't let Rays manager wear hoodie during game

 

Seems pretty silly.

[LittleHurt05]

MLB won't let Rays manager wear hoodie during game

 

Seems pretty silly.

 

Yeah it is. Reminds of when Del Rio & Nolan wanted to wear suits on the sidelines in the NFL, but the league said no, you have to wear our sponsored clothes with your team name/logo on them.

[Kalapse]

Lance Berkman is in the Astros lineup today.

[smalls2598]

Rockies president Keli McGregor was found dead in a Salt Lake City hotel room; it hasn't been stated on how he died, but police say there doesn't look to be any foul play.

[DBAHO]

Here's a fun little stat.

 

The Rangers have stolen 9 bases off Wakefield and Martinez in 6 innings.

[witesoxfan]

Jason Heyward is still amazing.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Jason Heyward is still amazing.

 

That dude's got me speechless. I'm just glad he's in the NL.

[caulfield12]

Phil Rogers' lastest power rankings.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-sp...19.story?page=2

 

Noted that Konerko and Braves would be a good (albeit very premature) match in a trade.

[Balta1701]

Theo Epstein gave the Red Sox a profanity laden rant.

[caulfield12]

I don't know about profanity-laden.

 

He said "sh--"

 

They can say that on network tv these days, right? I was expecting an Ozzie-esque rant or diatribe, he sounded completely cool and reasonable to me, just like KW has been sounding this week in his quotes.

[Balta1701]

The yearly Forbes revenue/expenditure/team value numbers are out. According to these data, the Sox are actually in the upper part of the league in terms of earnings/income last year, in no small part due to them holding very little debt.

[NorthSideSox72]

The yearly Forbes revenue/expenditure/team value numbers are out. According to these data, the Sox are actually in the upper part of the league in terms of earnings/income last year, in no small part due to them holding very little debt.

Interesting that all but two teams made money. Not that many years ago, it was closer to 50/50.

 

Tigers losing a lot of money.

 

[caulfield12]

Which is why they had no choice but to dump Granderson and Edwin Jackson.

 

And which is why it was curious they went out and acquired Valverde instead of going with Perry or Zumaya as closer, as well as shelling out money to Johnny Damon.

 

The thing is, the Tigers were somehow able to get out from under the Robertson deal....but they have big contracts still for Willis, Inge, Carlos Guillen, Ordonez, Cabrera, Bonderman, now Valverde....before that, Sheffield and Renteria, to name a couple more.

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/121409-...randerson-trade

[Jordan4life_2007]

There have been a few new improvements made to UZR. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/uzr-updates