Other Arizona Sports Thread 5: Cardinals, Dbacks, Suns, Sun Devils, Wildcats, etc.

[Summer Rose]

Pretty much, It's baseball. You're basically guaranteed to lose 50 and win 50 to mutilate the cliche.

The 2003 Detroit Tigers say hello

(They still managed to win 43 games )

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

RIP Kyle Schwarber

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Score is now 9-6 and it's only the top of the 4th.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

So our pitching still sucks, huh?

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

And the Diamondbacks get their ***** handed to them.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Lots of empty seats around baseball early on.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Looking at baseball attendance is like looking at how full the office is on a holiday when you are supposed to have the day off. Baseball gets paid whether or not you show up to the games, their TV contracts are insane. Issue down the road? Sure. But honestly the bottom line of their financials isn't dependent on if people show up or not.

 

[MIGs Dog]

I would also propose that playing 162 games hurts attendance.

If you lose your first 10 games in the NFL your season is over.

If you lose your first 10 games in the NHL the fans will start talking about firing the coach, the trade deadline, and tanking.

Losing your first 10 MLB games has almost no impact on the season. Last year 86 wins put the Astros in the playoffs. By losing your first 10 you need to go 86-66 "down the stretch", which is only a 56% win rate.

Bottom line, the LONG season creates a lack of urgency and apathy among the fans.

P.S. The above commentary comes from someone who LOVES baseball.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I would also propose that playing 162 games hurts attendance.

If you lose your first 10 games in the NFL your season is over.

If you lose your first 10 games in the NHL the fans will start talking about firing the coach, the trade deadline, and tanking.

Losing your first 10 MLB games has almost no impact on the season. Last year 86 wins put the Astros in the playoffs. By losing your first 10 you need to go 86-66 "down the stretch", which is only a 56% win rate.

Bottom line, the LONG season creates a lack of urgency and apathy among the fans.

P.S. The above commentary comes from someone who LOVES baseball.

Oh it definitely does. 81 home games a year, that's a lot of baseball to go to(most games are averaging 3 hours). Most games start at 6:40, it takes its toll on you over a season. I love watching baseball, but I can't sit through 162 games a year.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Attendance wouldn't be an issue if baseball wasn't so boring today.

 

[awfulwaffle]

How would you improve baseball? It's the same as it always has been.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

I marvel at people who "haven't missed a home game in x years" for baseball. Who else but retirees would have that kind of time? probably 400-500 "manhours", if you will, over 6 months.

 

[_Del_]

Plus the afternoon games. You'd better have a nice boss if you aren't retired.

 

[doaner]

How would you improve baseball? It's the same as it always has been.

You don't. It's always been boring as hell!

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

http://www.nbadraft.net/2016mock_draft

In a recent mock draft, the Suns are picking 3rd and select Buddy Hield.

 

[awfulwaffle]

You don't. It's always been boring as hell!

Might be boring, but I actually enjoy watching baseball. It's not what it "should" be from my perspective. When I get a guy on 1st, I want to bunt them over if I can, and a single knocks in a run most of the time. The NL doesn't play like that, I mean most pitchers now a days just swing the bat. That's the kind of baseball game I like to watch. These big 10-7 games aren't my kind of style. I like the low scoring, alright let's think about how we can scratch out a run to win type of games.

Plus the afternoon games. You'd better have a nice boss if you aren't retired.

This. I could probably get away with it, but I would be working at night AFTER the game, and before. No thanks, I'll skip the game to work straight and enjoy the evening.

I marvel at people who "haven't missed a home game in x years" for baseball. Who else but retirees would have that kind of time? probably 400-500 "manhours", if you will, over 6 months.

Exactly. Good for those that do, but if I was to try and do season tickets I would want to go in with a group, and we just pick the games we want to go to. Heck, even seeing each team 1 time per year would be ok with me. This whole attendance talk is garbage. Yes, there are some teams that have people that do it, but let's be realistic. I do not expect baseball to sell out. From the looks of it, I know it's early on but the lower level has been pretty full. Weekend games with the Cubs should have good attendance, but who really cares? These players are making out like bandits, and it's because of the TV deals, not because of people that go to the games.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

So far the Diamondbacks are keeping it close.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Comeback win 3-2

 

[awfulwaffle]

How was the attendance?

 

[MIGs Dog]

Announced attendance 27k. Cubbies are a big draw.

I like this D-back uniform. Simple...classic

 

[awfulwaffle]

Lol mig i was basically mocking another poster because that seems to be the topic of choice 5 games in this season.

 

[BigMac1212]

Zack Greinke has a ERA of over 9 after 2 starts. Maybe the Dodgers knew something that the D-backs didn't...

 

[Tom Polakis]

Zack Greinke has a ERA of over 9 after 2 starts. Maybe the Dodgers knew something that the D-backs didn't...

I paid more than I usually do to sit favorably to watch the master pitch in Saturday's game. What struck me was there didn't seem to be anything special about his pitching. When you saw Schilling or Johnson pitch, you knew it; they were in command, ahead of every hitter.

Greinke's fastball only touched 93 mph, and they were hitting his off-speed stuff as well. He only started settling down and fooling hitters in around the fourth inning, when it was too late. Obviously, Greinke has been one of the best in the game, but it hasn't been on display in two out of two games here.

I will say that sitting among over 10,000 Cubs fans when they're winning is even more annoying than sitting with Blackhawks or Wings fans, and that's a pretty high bar to clear.

 

[SniperHF]

That kind of pitcher is a dying breed. Or is dead. Maybe Felix Hernandez before his velocity drop was the closest?

For my money Greinke should have won the Cy Young over Arietta though it was definitely close.

Greinke is kind of like pre-cutter happy Haren in approach. Excellent with pitch sequences and changing eye levels. Neither one had the absolutely lethal stuff like you'd think of an RJ but could locate extremely well and not walk guys. Biggest deficit for pitching in Chase is the propensity for fly balls. He has a good 2 seam fastball that should help though.

I will say that sitting among over 10,000 Cubs fans when they're winning is even more annoying than sitting with Blackhawks or Wings fans, and that's a pretty high bar to clear.

Yep. That's why I found an otherwise meaningless sweep of the Cubs back in 2007 so enjoyable

The dumbfounded look on a particularly annoying crop of them in front of me was hysterical when Reynolds hit a homer to give the Diamondbacks the lead in game 1. Especially after they had spent the last 6 innings talking crap.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

The Diamondbacks attendance still isn't very high despite games played on the weekend and against a team like the Cubs. As far as the 162 games in a season vs 16 games in an NFL season comment is concerned, teams like the Rams(back in St. Louis), Jaguars, and Dolphins continue to have attendance issues despite the low number of games in a season. If we want to see better attendance in certain markets, give the product the people want and do it on a frequent basis.