Piling On
by Jeff Sullivan on Feb 18, 2009 8:23 PM PST
in Miscellaneous
- Via Chuck Armstrong, Jack Zduriencik, and the Seattle Times staff, the current plan is for Junior to spend the bulk of his time at DH and the remainder in left. This ought to come as no surprise, but it's still nice to hear, since Griffey as DH has a little value and Griffey as LF makes one long for the sweet embrace of eye cancer. Of course, ideally we'd like to see the team burn all his gloves and chain him to the bench every time the M's are in the field, but it's not realistic to expect them to completely shut him out from playing defense, so here's hoping Wakamatsu's able to give him just enough time to stay happy, and nothing more. The more we get Endy in the outfield and Griffey at DH, the better.
- Zduriencik claims there was no "Plan B" behind Junior, and the Braves seem content to fill up their roster internally. Somebody might want to tell Garret Anderson that he has inadvertently retired an Angel.
- SBN might want to fix this.
- It seems Braves fans are absolutely furious with David O'Brien for leaking the Griffey-to-Atlanta stuff before anything was official. They're furious because there are rumblings that this leak contributed to Griffey's ultimate decision. That sounds kind of silly at first, but I guess when you're torn between family and fans, it doesn't take much to tip the balance. I don't know. Maybe it's all a load of hoohah. All I can say is that Braves fans are taking the completely wrong approach, because if O'Brien's leak really did play a part in all this, then he just saved Atlanta from a whole lot of defensive humiliation. It isn't often you can say "I think a beat writer just made our team better." This is one of those times. David O'Brien deserves to wake up to like three thousand muffin baskets in the morning.
- There's also a bit of blame floating around that's getting thrown Griffey's way for taking so long to make this decision. He doesn't deserve it. Look - for one thing, the whole saga got its lifeblood from the media, which couldn't stop shoving out fresh articles despite nothing new coming from the Griffey camp. And for another, when you have to choose between playing close to home and playing where you began your career, you should be granted several days to make up your mind, because it's not an easy choice. Give Griffey a break. I know the whole process was annoying and reminiscent of last winter's Bedard/Jones disastiations, but in the end, all it cost us was a day or two of Griffey working out with the team. And that's probably for the best. Don't want him getting injured.
- Should the Mariners play respectable baseball and stay somewhere near the race for much of the summer, I predict that, out of our many weaknesses, Griffey/Fuentes will be among the most consistently unpleasant.
-
All offseason, I was hoping we didn't sign Griffey
Now that it’s happened, I’m suddenly really happy, I guess I had forgotten how much Griffey meant to me, and it wasn’t registering in my mind who he was.
He’s the reason I made the awful life decision of following Seattle, even though I’m from Syracuse, NY
Welcome Home, Junior
mariners124m - February 18, 2009
I know what that's like.
I’m a contrarian from Connecticut who couldn’t stand the Yanks or Sox. Griffey was my formative baseball years and I loved him. I’m not one for nostalgia and seeing Griffey as an old man come back as a shell of what I remember isn’t my ideal choice, but I find myself considerably more excited for this than I had expected.
DCMariner - February 18, 2009
Exactly
mariners124m - February 19, 2009
You can actually see my screen shot
JI - February 18, 2009
This is the most excited I have been about a free agent signing since Beltre
Corco - February 18, 2009
I suspect my level of satisfaction with this deal will come down to
what exactly “the bulk of his time at DH and the remainder in left” means. Not only does Griffey in LF spell trouble for our defense, but it also potentially means, if Kenji and Shelton have poor seasons, that we’ll have a suboptimal DH for those games as well.
katal - February 18, 2009
I get the impression based on the offseason to this point that if there's one thing the M's understand
It’s the value of outfield defense. I’m pretty confident everything will be OK.
Corco - February 18, 2009
For the record, the deal is apparently $2M base, plus $2.5 more in incentives.
Pretty reasonable.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
Jim Street's writing is ambiguous and poor?
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
I know. I'm as shocked as anyone.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
I could tear that job a new asshole
JI - February 18, 2009
This from the Braves SBN Blog:
Coming from a team that won 10 more games and finished 4th in their division, like The M’s…
GoCougs - February 18, 2009
I don't think the Braves should have much more hope for next year either.
Fin - February 18, 2009
I dare you to post
“bitch, we got Willie Mays on our side.”
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Triple goddamn dog dare.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Damn Chop
Fin - February 18, 2009
Their misery and tears only fuel my satisfaction further!
Fearless Frog - February 19, 2009
Fuentes? We have a player named Fuentes who is a weakness?
Bearskin Rugburn - February 18, 2009
I was about to say the same thing, but I feared I would end up looking extremely stupid.
I’m glad to let you toss yourself in front of that bullet for me.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
Nice work!
Teej - February 18, 2009
Brian Fuentes
Jeff Sullivan - February 18, 2009
As in late inning matchups between Griffey and Fuentes will be painful to watch
BrettJMiller - February 18, 2009
Amazingly, I had pretty much forgotten that Fuentes signed with the Angels.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
The more I think about it...
The smarter this move is from a business standpoint. A family of four spends an average of $191.60 at a Mariners game. Thus, each person spends, on average, $47.90. If 200,000 new fans come at $47.90 a pop that’s revenues of $9,580,000. Obviously that isn’t all profit but its not even counting the Griffey jerseys the entire family bought before they got to the game. If they actually get an increase of 200k fans, the budget department will be doing back flips.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
Or you could just no be an idiot
and eat before going to the game and then not sit in box seats and knock 70 bucks of that total.
JI - February 18, 2009
and park for free
msb - February 18, 2009
That's a tad bit more difficult but entirely doable for Sunday afternoon games.
JI - February 18, 2009
I've never had any trouble finding free parking at Safeco at any time of day or day of week
The worst situation I ever had was coming for Ichiro bobblehead night this year about 1 hour before gametime and I had to park a few blocks south of Starbucks, but that’s the worst I’ve ever seen
Corco - February 18, 2009
Opening day was a nightmare.
JI - February 18, 2009
I got there 2 hours before gametime and didn't have any trouble with the railroad track parking
Corco - February 18, 2009
Not everyone has the luxury of getting to the stadium hours before gametime
and knowing how ot navigate their way around Seattle.
JI - February 18, 2009
That's true
Corco - February 18, 2009
Living 2 miles from Safeco FTW.
appleshampoo - February 19, 2009
Living .5 miles from Safeco FTW.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
Damn you.
appleshampoo - February 19, 2009
A dude got killed about three blocks from me a few nights ago.
It’s give and take.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
This is what I tell Jeff about living three blocks from Toronado in San Diego.
Beer is awesome. Stabbings and robbery are not.
Teej - February 19, 2009
Awesome neighborhoods are well worth the risk of bodily harm.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
That's what I told myself while shopping to replace my TV, computer and Xbox.
I love North Park, but fuck. It’s frightening.
Teej - February 19, 2009
You just gotta start cappin' mothafuckas.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
I put a "GO AWAY" floormat in front of my outside door, so I should be good.
Teej - February 19, 2009
Put a Garret Anderson poster in the front yard
Nobody would dare come near…
Ezzra - February 19, 2009
Except Teej lives near Angels territrory
the Garret Anderson poster would probably attract them
seattlebruin - February 19, 2009
I just wear a t-shirt that say "I HAVE NO INTERESTS OR DEALINGS WITH THE ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE OR RAP MUSIC PROMOTION" at all times.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
Had a Russian River Rejection Ale at Toronado last night
stabbings and robbery might just be worth it
lemonverbena - February 19, 2009
I like to get there and hang out talking to Morrow when I can.
Silas became famous to the Ms dugout through Morrow.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
This is one of the only reasons I want kids
The thought of the joy of taking my kid to a Major League Baseball game and introducing him to a Major League Baseball player puts a huge grin on my face
Corco - February 18, 2009
I've reported this before, but...
Brandon and I were talking. It was early in the season, and no signs of stretching him out. I said, “Don’t worry, dude – they’re going to send you down soon to stretch you out. Don’t get mad when they send you down, it’s a good thing.” He replied, “Yeah, we’ll see if THAT happens.” He wasn’t happy with the FO. At that point, Silas holds a ball out for him to sign (at age two), and Brandon rubs his head, saying “Hey little guy? How are you?”
Silas replied, “I gotta poop soooooo bad.”
From that day to the end of the season (last game, even), if Brandon saw us, he would go into the dugout, bring out whomever he could collect, and point up at Silas. They would all wave and laugh.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
That is story I will pass along to everyone that gives me two minutes of their time.
mark sobba - February 18, 2009
I just e-mailed it to my wife
ConorGlassey - February 18, 2009
You guys are cool.
Almost as cool as Silas.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Conor!
How’s life at BA?
Teej - February 18, 2009
Huh...
Joey just couldn’t stop asking Morrow if he struck people out with his fastball – “Did you strike ICHIRO out with your fastball!”
PositivePaul - February 18, 2009
I have to say ...
opening day I’ve usually gone with the extra money, and just been willing to bite the bullet.
msb - February 18, 2009
It's pretty easy if you don't mind walking a bit.
The entire CD and most of the ID is unzoned.
Aaron Campeau - February 18, 2009
Hmm ok.
I’m not sure what that has to do with anything. You are not the average person. Congrats on that.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
It's not an insult towards you
rather than that those studies assume many things that just don’t make much sense
JI - February 18, 2009
That's fine
but do we have anything better to use? You can’t ignore something simply because its imperfect. It at least gets you in the right area. Whether or not you eat doesn’t change the dollars that come in and the people who walk through the door. It’s not like they pull these numbers out of thin air. Removing parking entirely from the equation still brings in $8.7 million. And, again, that’s not even counting merchandise sold elsewhere.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
That's why they call it an "average".
pdb - February 18, 2009
Uhh, right
That was the original point of the post. The “average” MLB fan spends around 50 dollars for a game. Thanks for explaining that though.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
that was more of a reply to JI but I hit the wrong reply link
pdb - February 18, 2009
It's almost like he's quoting Dave Henderson
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
If that was to me
then no, I’m not quoting anyone. I haven’t heard Dave Henderson speak since I left Seattle three years ago. I’m simply marveling at the M’s ability to make money.
I could care less if Griffey came back. He left the team on worse terms than A-Rod did, in my opinion.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
'That's why they call it an average' was one of Hendu's refrains
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
I miss Seattle =/
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
MLBtv is nifty and pretty well priced
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
Yeah, but my point is that it doesn't actually cost a family of 4 that much money to see a game.
JI - February 18, 2009
OK
Do you have any evidence to support it? Blanket statements should have some basis in facts.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
Even if I get free tickets, I end up spending over $100 for my wife, my son and I. And that's on a scrimping day where I only drink three beers.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Let's see
You can get four decent tickets in LF that comes out at about $72, I’ll throw in $10 for parking, and $32 for snacks. That comes out to $114., you could even ramp them up to View tickets and pay ~$100 for the tickets and it’s $142.
JI - February 18, 2009
$32 for snacks is too low
and the official parking garage is $20
Corco - February 18, 2009
we bring our own food ...
althpugh some times we splurge on coffee on a real cold day … and I have been known to occasionally go for a beer. A beer.
msb - February 18, 2009
I would say from experience that's not the case
When I’ve gone with my parents and sister by the time you get 4 View Reserved seats, 2 hot dogs, 2 bowls of clam chowder, a bag of popcorn, a pretzel, 4 regular drinks, and park (my parents are scared of free parking), plus 4/3 of a souvenir every game (figure they came up for 1 series at a time and would buy roughly 1 souvenir per person each series), you’re scraping right up against that- and I’d guess that for at least people who drove a long way to see the game that’s an easily surpassable expense
Corco - February 18, 2009
If anything
I think the number undershoots what people spend. I have no problem with most of the numbers but I think alcohol and food sales are severely underestimated while memorabilia is probably overstated. Who actually buys two hats every time they go to a game?
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
I totally agree
We don’t ever even buy alcohol at the game- throw that expense in and it jumps way up
Corco - February 18, 2009
This is why the flask was invented.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Plus the screen name makes this post include a rimshot.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
I have no idea what you are talking about.
No idea at all.
msb - February 18, 2009
The flask saves me $191 at every game.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
What is it made out of, a hollow leg?
Kermit. - February 18, 2009
I bring a Whizzinator full of gin to ever game.
Teej - February 18, 2009
*every, dammit
Teej - February 18, 2009
I don't know why, but this comment cracked me up
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
Probably because the thought of drinking from a big fake penis in public is hilarious.
Teej - February 18, 2009
Pretty much this
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
Drink Budweiser. You'll be the hit of the party.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
OK, that's what I thought.
Say, that reminds me, Mardi Gras is this weekend.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
I've got some beads for Robert here in my... basement.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Do you have candy?
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Yeah, she's a four hundred pound black woman.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Gahh...I'm sooo tempted to find the nastiest picture I can find on Google
and post it here in regard to that.
Do you want that on your conscience Kevin?
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Don't remind me
I’m pissed that I wasn’t able to get to either Mardi Gras and Gasparilla at all this year
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Well for the sixth consecutive year I find myself in New Orleans this time of year.
I really dont have much choice in the matter.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
:(
:(
Kirsten Schlewitz - February 19, 2009
I guess you'll have to watch girls flash strange men somewhere else.
JI - February 19, 2009
I thought that the Whizzinator was for athletes trying to fake urine tests.
Am I correct, and if so, how is that working out for you?
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Well, I do pretty poorly at drug tests, because I'm usually drunk off gin-piss.
Teej - February 18, 2009
You guys think I'm skinny because I don't eat.
I’m hollow for booze.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
$191 was a rough estimate.
But it’s pretty sizable, and I’ve taken to ~30 sporting events. So I wouldnt be surprised if it had saved me that much over the entire time I’ve owned it.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Yep
for me the real kicker is the alcohol. Who orders a small beer, and, if you’re drinking at the game only, are you really only going to have one?
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
You can always offer your friend the
“I’ll buy your ticket, you buy my beers” deal, but most of my friends wont go for that one.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Your friends are dicks.
unless you drink like I do.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Yeah, I usually win that deal.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Not a chance.
That 20 you owe them turns into 35 worth of beer.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
Now that I am aware of Collins Pub I think I might be in the market for small beers.
Aaron Campeau - February 18, 2009
That place rocks
Sec 108 - February 19, 2009
I must be really cheap.
The Fan Cost Index is based on “four tickets, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking for one car, two programs and two adult-sized hats.”
I can’t say I have ever had a trip to the ballpark that encompassed all of that.
msb - February 18, 2009
I don't know what two hats comes from
That’s a weird thing to put in
Corco - February 18, 2009
Ding ding ding
JI - February 18, 2009
You guys are relatively local though
So it would be expected that you should be on the lower end of the scale. The big money comes from tourists coming from far distances who manage to rack up a lot more than that $191 that blow the thing up to an insane amount
When I go to games without my parents I never spend more than the cost of tickets
Corco - February 18, 2009
I generally make 1-2 trips a year to Seattle.
JI - February 18, 2009
You're the exception to the rule then
I’m referencing, for instance, the huge numbers of Japanese fans that come in and spend $$$$$$
Corco - February 18, 2009
It's just not enough.
royalcurve - February 18, 2009
What's not enough?
To overcome the ridiculously small subset of Mariner fans that post on this website? I’m sorry, but LL is not a particularly good sample for the entire population, something that a lot of readers are proud of.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
I think she was saying that she'd like JI to visit more.
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
Indeed I was.
royalcurve - February 18, 2009
I'm not used to that type of a reaction.
JI - February 18, 2009
I rescind that complaint.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
Agreed,
Aaron Campeau - February 18, 2009
Wouldn't the average trend more towards locals anyway?
Or is it just the product of 40% of the stadium spending around 20 bucks or less and everyone else spending well over 50 bucks to create an average?
Ezzra - February 18, 2009
Remember, ticket prices make up the largest portion of the numbers.
PSL’s, box seats and suites are owned by locals. As far as food goes, if someone is eating at the game they are going to spend around the same amount, regardless of whether they are local or not. Locals would spend even more money on alcohol if they were to drink at the game. I know that if I have a few before I am going to want more.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
I've never bought food or drink at the stadium
I spend ~$10 a game because more than half the time my tickets are free, too.
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
Yeah, the last game I went to
I spent ~$17 for my ticket and bought nothing inside the gates as I ate just prior to arriving at the park. Occasionally I’ll buy a beer or something (or if it’s 95 deg. out and I’m baking in to fucking sun a giant Mt. Dew), but I only eat a meal at the park as a last resort.
JI - February 18, 2009
I must be cheap too.
I usually bring my own food to the ball park and park for free. Generally my costs are the ticket and beer, nothing more.
royalcurve - February 18, 2009
But why the fuck would you buy all that shit?
JI - February 18, 2009
Tourism
It’s part of the stadium experience- it’s what my parents save their vacation money for. It’s not how I’d spend it, but it’s how they spend it and it’s how an insanely large number of people do
Corco - February 18, 2009
I don't get it.
No one needs to spend a bunch of money on useless souvenirs because their on vacation.
JI - February 18, 2009
I totally agree
But that doesn’t make the fact that it happens any less true
Corco - February 18, 2009
That's why
we have a credit bubble!
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
Sometimes useless souvenirs are awesome.
I got to Safeco approximately once a decade, so I go nuts when I’m there. But yeah, if I lived in the city and always had access to Mariners trinkets and Ivar’s, I’d probably spend a lot less at the ballpark.
Teej - February 18, 2009
Exactly
With the exception of JI, every single person here is local and can go to games anytime.
There’s no incentive or reason to spend large amounts of money when you can go anytime, but when you’re on a family vacation there’s reason to make it “special” and splurge a bit
Corco - February 18, 2009
JI's not the only one who lives out of town.
Teej - February 18, 2009
I mean in terms of people saying "Hey, I never spend money at Safeco" in this subthread
Corco - February 18, 2009
I won't deny that
But you don’t need to spend that money in order to attend the game.
JI - February 18, 2009
Absolutely.
And who buys programs?
Teej - February 18, 2009
Tourists and people who want to keep score
$1 is like the cheapest expenditure at the ballpark
Corco - February 18, 2009
i have no problem with spending a couple bucks on a scorecard.
JI - February 18, 2009
Although they way they tell you to keep score is retarded.
JI - February 18, 2009
This is true
Corco - February 18, 2009
I make my own, personally.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
All you need is one piece of notebook paper.
JI - February 18, 2009
I go to town with photoshop.
But then again, I’m insane.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
If you go to a ton of games and like to keep score
I’d just buy a spiral scorecard notebook made for Legion Ball or something
JI - February 18, 2009
I just bring a notebook and manually generate it
Corco - February 18, 2009
I made one in Excel when I was like eight
by hand drawing all the lines into each cell. Holy shit was that a pain in the ass and a hell of an accomplishment for an eight year old.
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
That's quite impressive
Corco - February 18, 2009
$1?
I’ve never seen a program that cost less than $4. Either way, you’re right, it’s not much money. Maybe I’m just a fiend for beer and hot dogs, but I’ve always seen the program as the lamest cash-grab in the stadium.
Teej - February 18, 2009
Scorecards are $1
I think programs in the stadium are $5, outside (“The Grand Salami”) is $4 and has decent writing, information, and is not a complete cheerleader.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
Oh, OK, I've never seen a scorecard sold by itself.
I grew up on an island.
Teej - February 18, 2009
All the scorecard includes is moderately accurate rosters and little boxes with diamonds in them
so you can tell what base the batter got to and the runners are on.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
and the umpire numbers
so you know who you hate.
msb - February 18, 2009
I write the umps names when they come out for intros.
You can’t see the umps numbers without binoculars AND them turning the right way.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
You have bad eyes sir
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
I get a shot glass from every new place I go to anytime I'm on vacation
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Hey don't get me wrong,
I don’t buy any of that crap. People absolutely do though. I worked as a Seating Host for the M’s for about 3 years and had to walk through the Team Store every once in a while…the place is packed all game and people buy the most ridiculous stuff.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
I nearly bought an autographed Jeff Weaver jersey for $75 last time I was in there
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
Ditto, except it was Vidro #5
JI - February 18, 2009
Did it smell like weed?
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Whiskey
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
But they don't *need* to spend that money to take their family to a game and that's why I call bullshit on those figures
Plus, a hot dog is pretty much the least valuable meal you can buy at the park.
JI - February 18, 2009
They don't need to but they do
You can’t look at how packed the team store and concession lines are and tell me that people don’t do that
Corco - February 18, 2009
You're missing the point
The point isn’t that they’ll spend the money, it’s that often when these are quoted (which I’m not saying is being done here) people don’t realize all the useless bullshit that’s being bought by this hypothetical family, and it doesn’t reflect the actual cost of taking you wife and kids to the game.
JI - February 18, 2009
You're missing the point then
The reality is, whether it is cheaper to or not, that $191.60 is generated every time a family of four comes through the turnstiles. Whether that’s money that needs to be spent or not, it’s still money the same that’s coming in, and that’s how you justify Griffey
Corco - February 18, 2009
But it may well reflect the average money spent per person in the stadium
‘Average’ isn’t even the same as ‘median’ here. The average can be driven up by the tourists spending a fucktonne or people in really pricy seats buying memorabelia far more easily than it can be dragged down by people not blowing their money
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
Precisely
It’s like the “average” income of an American citizen. It is skewed greatly towards higher levels because of how much wealth is held by such a small amount of people.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
No kidding.
JI - February 18, 2009
Woah, sorry
for explaining a scenario that mimics this one exactly…yet you still disagree with.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
My point is this
1) It may very well average out to that because people aren’t savvy spenders or just don’t care. The thing I’m wondering is on average do people usually buy this much bullshit when they go to a game? How did they come up with this as the “average” night. Who the balls eats hot dogs a an MLB park anyway?
2) (And this was implied) These studies are often cited as evidence for people claiming that they can’t take their kids to fucking game because it costs too fucking much. In reality it doesn’t cost $190 to four people to a baseball game, and you don’t even have to eb a cheapskate for that to be true.
3) I’m being critical of someone who would spend like that whenever they attend a game (unless money is no object, but if you have 2 or 3 dependents good luck)
JI - February 18, 2009
I'll bet you'll find that on average most people don't buy all that crap.
I think it must be those “savvy spenders” that screw up the numbers.
No way a family of four
Ezzra - February 18, 2009
You can't discount
the one family who buys a jersey. That makes up for 2 other families who didn’t buy a hat. Even if you’re 100 percent correct on the amount of “stuff” actually sold, that amount of “stuff” will skyrocket way past norms with the revenue generated by Griffey related items alone. I really don’t disagree with you that the methods used aren’t perfect. However, it is impossible to argue that Griffey sales will not bring it up to at least “average”. Plus, they only have to pay him if attendance increases by 200,000. As far as we know there are zero rewards for Griffey based on the total revenue his signing generates. So, again, point is that it is an incredibly savvy business move by the M’’s.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
That's an excellent point
And did a good job of refuting my last point, even though I apparentely deleted the rest of it and was left with broken sentence “No way a family of four”.
Ezzra - February 19, 2009
Was that the British English spelling of "fucktonne"?
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
I'll put it this way;
growing up poor, I got to go to one game a year. for the most part. We sat in the upper deck at the Kingdome, ate before we came, and I got a soda if I was lucky. I went to a game with my aunt and uncle, who were quite affluent, and we sat in great seats, gorged ourselves on hot dogs, nachos, ice cream, etc, and they bought me all sorts of shit at the team store.
When I go to games these days, nine times out of ten my expenditures amount to a beer and a cup of chowder, but I’ll occasionally but some stuff at the team store, splurge on an extra beer, whatever. But it’s the affluent people that bring a bunch of people and spend like crazy that skew these results. That’s why quoting the average cost of attending a game in this case is silly. It doesn’t really reflect reality for most people.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
I wish I were eloquent.
JI - February 19, 2009
The point was just to estimate how much revenue Griffey brings in
Unless he’s not going to bring in the affluent people, using the average revenue seems like the appropriate thing to do.
It doesn’t really matter whether it reflects reality for most people, just whether or not it is the same average for people coming just to see Griffey and people who would come otherwise.
ubelmann - February 19, 2009
I know but I hate the way the term "average" is used in situation such as these.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
There a big difference
between what it actually costs a family of four to see a game, and how much money they spend on average.
JI - February 19, 2009
It is true that the mean is kind of an annoying statistic for a skewed distribution like this
I think it works here, but I can see why it rubs people the wrong way.
ubelmann - February 19, 2009
But people do anyway
I’d imagine they’d be cutting back a little these days, but yeah, the public’s decision making is not entirely driven by parsimony.
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
Otherwise they'd just watch on TV
Graham MacAree - February 18, 2009
I will grant that ballpark hotdogsin general are delicious.
JI - February 18, 2009
Least valuable?
I’d argue each person who buys food spends, on average, way more than the equivalent of a four dollar hot dog.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
If you buy a $4 hot dog you're almost guaranteed to buy a $4 drink
So it’s a minimum $8 right off the bat
Corco - February 18, 2009
Hot dogs aren't filling and you will be hungry later
JI - February 18, 2009
There's a vendor kitty corner to the home plate enterance
that sells dog, drink, and chips for ~$5-6. I usually do that plus a $2 bag of peanuts and I’m good to go.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Yeah, I'm always leery because the Safeco "pack it in policy" seems to differ by the minute
JI - February 18, 2009
That's why I scarf it down outside.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
At that point I'd just go somewhere to eat
but to each his own
JI - February 18, 2009
Luckily that policy ALWAYS allows peanuts in or I'd starve
Ezzra - February 18, 2009
The employees would riot.
After everyone has left the stadium there is a mad rush by people who work there to pick up the outside bags. It’s like vultures descending on a carcass.
TheTank123 - February 18, 2009
I will never forgive them for the way they treated me on opening day last year.
“That’s coffee, huh? Well you better make sure that’s ALL you put in that thermos, pal.”
Fuck you.
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
but you can get free crap on giveaway days!!!
msb - February 18, 2009
Done that!
(except I gave it to my sister)
JI - February 18, 2009
I won an autographed Sexson ball and a hand warmer.
I gave the ball to a seven year old I know and he was disappointed.
royalcurve - February 18, 2009
I am so jealous.
Not for the ball or the handwarmer, but that you won something. I never win anything. I’ve never even had my row win something.
msb - February 18, 2009
Hey fun fact! Every dollar spent on give aways (bobbleheads, traincars) returns $3000 to the team
Kermit. - February 18, 2009
I am going to stand in right field at Angel Stadium during Mariners BP that first series (and during the game!)
in search of the ultimate prize – a baseball hit by Ken Griffey, Jr.
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
Is there a link or some math for that?
Cause I won a giveaway once and certainely didn’t give any back. Is it just based on the idea that people will spend more after they see somebody else has it?
Ezzra - February 18, 2009
I think it's the idea that giveaways attract people to the game where they spend money
thus completely covering the costs of the cheap giveaway and then some.
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
I think that means that when they have a giveaway night
They bring in $3000 more in revenue from people buying tickets. That totally worked on Bat Night in the early ’90s.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
I'll admit it.
I got misty watching that highlight reel on MLB.com. I love the guy, always have and always will.
The Typical Idiot Fan - February 18, 2009
I just watched it.
Dammit.
I’m such a sentimental schmuck.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
Just so you know
That video was ripped from the original tribute video, here. (click on M’s honor Griffey)
which was significantly better because it was actually synced up to the music. This was the same video but MLB did not want to pay licensing costs for the song, I’m guessing.
CapSea - February 19, 2009
$29.99 for a fucking T-shirt?
You’ve got to be shitting me.
JI - February 18, 2009
Supply and Demand
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
and Monopoly
Corco - February 18, 2009
Not necessarily
JI - February 18, 2009
You are my hero JI
I’d even get it if it still had the #66 on the back
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Or #49
JI - February 18, 2009
But he didn't wear that in the bigs, did he?
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
JI - February 18, 2009
Well fuck me
Is that spring training though? Or the alternate unis for the Nats
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
He wore it in 2004
JI - February 18, 2009
Guess what I just bought...
JI - February 18, 2009
Tell me tell me
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
No.
JI - February 18, 2009
All of them are $29.99
JI - February 18, 2009
Even for a WFB Royals shirt?
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Yup.
JI - February 18, 2009
Well that's just unfair to him.
Now people are just getting his hopes up
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Actually I'm not so sure you can buy one.
http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3416833
JI - February 18, 2009
Wow, nobody is good enough to have their own shirt
According to the Royals anyway
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Double plus good
This will keep Zduriencik in the good graces of Seattle media for at least a couple of years. That’s really good, because at this point, he deserves support, even if it’s for the wrong reasons. Z probably wrapped up just a little bit of Job security, and that’s awesome.
philosofool - February 18, 2009
Double plus?
Are you going to go strangle a prole now?
Aaron Campeau - February 19, 2009
The finance department just jizzed their pants at the possible profits
That’s just for starters, I’m sure
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
Fuck, that wasn't supposed to go there
Pretend this is a response to you Corco
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
I must say Marketing should be excited as well.
Imagine how easy it will be to market the team now that they get to put Griffey all over their schedules and crap.
Fin - February 18, 2009
Jeff Nelson, just now:
“have low expectations, then whatever he does, he’ll exceed them”
msb - February 18, 2009
Jeff Nelson is underrated
Corco - February 18, 2009
If anything, he's insanely overrated.
JI - February 18, 2009
Jeff Nelson the baseball player is overrated
Jeff Nelson the person is underrated
Corco - February 18, 2009
Agreed.
redwolf75 - February 18, 2009
Jeff Nelson the person is an asshole
Jeff Sullivan - February 18, 2009
Bullshit. Have you met him? I'm sorry if you have and he was an asshole, but he was great to me.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
His wife is super cool. He was pretty aloof when I met him.
Sec 108 - February 19, 2009
But at least he's preferable to certain other Jeffs.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
I see a forbidden reference here...
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
How forbidden can it be if the .GIF is hotlinked on the sidebar?
esoteric - February 18, 2009
Hmmm, I guess I never noticed the political stances thing before. I thought it was something else
I was wrong, I’m a jackass
Fuzz - February 18, 2009
When he got pissed in 2003 it was hilarious
Corco - February 18, 2009
I've always assumed this
JI - February 18, 2009
How about Jeff Nelson the umpire?
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
Seriously Jeff - Have you met him in person, or is this conjecture?
I didn’t get that feeling at all during my day with him, and I’m not even a Make A Wish kid.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
I've met him. He didn't act too friendly toward my family.
Kinda shrugged and rolled his eyes when we asked for a picture. We were at a fan event, so it seemed a little bit asshole-like. It might’ve just been because it was right after Brett Tomko, who was probably one of the nicer Mariners I’ve ever met.
Ezzra - February 18, 2009
I met Jamie Moyer and Dan Wilson once
I cannot imagine meeting two nicer people
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
That's true as well
Wilson always had that huge smile on his face around fans.
Ezzra - February 18, 2009
Jeff Nelson got into a fight with a groundskeeper
Jeff Sullivan - February 18, 2009
Those guys frequently turn out to be the killer in cheap murder mystery movies
So I’m not judging Nelson.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
MLB groundskeepers?
Apparently I’m watching the wrong murder mystery movies.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
I mean, seriously? Those guys are on GRASS.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
I spent a 2 hr day in a golf cart with that guy. He's nothing but AWESOME.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
This screen being correct again makes me happy.
Just ignore the ©1994 please.
Jack Moore - February 18, 2009
He looks ill
JI - February 18, 2009
A friend of mine once photoshopped a picture of this mug shot next to a fish.
I think that might be a bit over the top for this website/I don’t have it on this hard drive
Jack Moore - February 18, 2009
His lips look more puffy than Angelina Jolie.
Slurvey - February 18, 2009
What a racist game
JI - February 18, 2009
If by puffy you don't mean kissable, then yes.
FlaskInSafeco - February 18, 2009
Bone-Tox.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Oh come on - that's fucking funny.
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Holy crap, they might as well have put a bottle of malt liquor in his hand
Double06 - February 18, 2009
Nerve Tonic.
Two Rs and Two Ls - February 18, 2009
This picture of Griffey was clearly drawn by a man with a none-too-subtle hidden agenda.
esoteric - February 18, 2009
Did Nintendo own the Mariners back then?
Fin - February 18, 2009
Yeah. I believe Nintendo bought the team in 1992.
Teej - February 18, 2009
I guess it makes sense why Griffey would be the sponsor of the game.
Fin - February 18, 2009
So who is going of the 40 man?
To make room for Griffey.
Slurvey - February 18, 2009
LaHair?
BrettJMiller - February 18, 2009
Probably. And Hulett's gone, right? I suppose he could be claimed off of waivers...
kevin_ess - February 18, 2009
Yeah.
Whether he’s claimed or not, Hulett is off the 40-man.
Teej - February 18, 2009
I'm actually pretty hopefuly he clears waivers
he could be a useful player somewhere down the road
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
I'm still kind of surprised that LaHair wasn't placed on waivers instead of Hulett.
BrianL - February 18, 2009
I miss the Tugboat already
seattlebruin - February 18, 2009
I think we all appreciate Keith Law's work over at ESPN.
But he is taking some heat for this article.
Yeah he has a good point from an analysis perspective (nothing new to us), but like we have talked about here and USSM, Griffey brings an irrational excitement to this city. Keith can’t accept the irrational as another point of view after reading his responses in the comments section.
Wilder. - February 19, 2009
Interesting.
The story doesn’t exist anymore, it appears.
Teej - February 19, 2009
What the...
I was planning on responding to it later today.
Jeff Sullivan - February 19, 2009
Not even Google Cache can save us here.
Teej - February 19, 2009
It's not like it was a bad article or anything
Maybe it didn’t toe the ESPN line or something. Maybe the powers that be can get an explanation for us.
JI - February 19, 2009
Not even just the story...
…they took down his whole blog, it would seem. I can understand why someone might disagree with it, but it sure didn’t seem worth censoring unless something crazy went down in the comments.
ubelmann - February 19, 2009
What?
I can see the story.
BrianL - February 19, 2009
If you click here:
link
You can still see it. I think the perma-URL for the entry got messed up is all.
Matthew - February 19, 2009
And now it's back.
Matthew - February 19, 2009
Huh...
…when I tried your link before, it sent me to a page that listed the espn blogs, and the link to Law’s blog was non-functional. Probably just a tech error and not anything interesting.
ubelmann - February 19, 2009
And by your link...
…I meant Wilder’s link.
ubelmann - February 19, 2009
I'm not gonna lie, seeing this on the team site brought a smile to my face this morning:
BrettJMiller - February 19, 2009
Shopped
JI - February 19, 2009
Duh
BrettJMiller - February 19, 2009
God he's fat.
Double06 - February 19, 2009
You can't remarry your ex-wife an expect her to look the same she did at 25.
JI - February 19, 2009
I am a Seattle sports fan before anything else and I can finally say that I am excited about this.
Welcome back Griffey, You mean more to this city than anybody else has ever has. Embrace the love, have fun and please don’t sink our battleship.
Robert - February 19, 2009
I hope it goes this smoothly when we bring A-Rod back in 2018
JI - February 19, 2009
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Kirsten Schlewitz - February 20, 2009
Fuck, I wish I had a 90's Griffey jersey.
Before I scour Craigslist and eBay, I assume the going rate is a couple hundred.
Fearless Frog - February 19, 2009
Doubtful
If anything, since it’s now legal for the Mariners to churn out GRIFFEY 24 t-shirts and jerseys, the market will become over saturated and prices will drop.
JI - February 19, 2009
No, but I mean a retro one like the one in the post.
So I can relive my nostalgia trip forever. My dad took me to the Kingdome many times when I was young and we have loads of memorabilia but he never had the presence of mind to actually grab a Griffey jersey. Sure, the new ones will be plentiful and likely cheap soon.
Fearless Frog - February 19, 2009
I'm willing to listen to offers to my replica
Jeff Sullivan - February 19, 2009
$5
JI - February 19, 2009
Do we have to offer directly to the replica or can we make the offer to you instead?
pdb - February 19, 2009
Is it game worn?
JI - February 19, 2009
Offer?
If you’re serious, I’m interested. Send me a hoot at darkmessiahforte@yahoo.com, granted the size isn’t XXL or something.
Fearless Frog - February 19, 2009
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