O's Fans Walk Out During Game

[CM1847]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

"He is a very unimportant person who has delusions of grandeur," Angelos said.

+1

The stupid protest isn't going to do anything. Heck those idiots actually gave money to Angelos by buying tickets to the game.

Do you not think he would gladly refund that $22,000 to take away the negative press he is getting out of this? What is $22,000 to him anyway, enough to pay Tejada to play half of an inning? The fans stood up and made a scene in the most visible way they possibly could. Whether or not the protest does anything doesn't matter, newspapers will run articles about it, people will start to pay more attention and people will start hating Angelos even more. It probably won't change anything, but it was well worth that $22 per person ticket price. Heck, it was probably a lot less than that since they were in the nosebleeds.

[rubisco43]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Each ticket was $8/$9. So all told, less than 10 grand. Plus, fans were encouraged NOT to buy and concessions, memorabilia, etc... Fell FAR short of the desired 5-10k ppl (sort of unrealistic considering it's the middle of the work day), but garnering national media plus all over local news, ppl are aware now.

But I don't blame this soley on Angelos. The payrolls of our division foes are ridiculous and in order for us to compete, we HAVE to have a top 5-8 payroll to even sniff the playoffs. Until the finances of MLB changes, teams like us, Toronto, and especially TB have almost no shot. Either that or go back to balanced scheduling. Facing the Red Sox and Yankees 18 times each each year just kills other divison foes.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Do you not think he would gladly refund that $22,000 to take away the negative press he is getting out of this? What is $22,000 to him anyway, enough to pay Tejada to play half of an inning? The fans stood up and made a scene in the most visible way they possibly could. Whether or not the protest does anything doesn't matter, newspapers will run articles about it, people will start to pay more attention and people will start hating Angelos even more. It probably won't change anything, but it was well worth that $22 per person ticket price. Heck, it was probably a lot less than that since they were in the nosebleeds.

I highly doubt this incident would cause people to hate Angelos even more. This walkout will have the same impact as the protest before a Lions game last season and the EA Madden boycott after the exclusive deal ..... nothing.

If they really wanted to send a message, they shouldn't have bought a ticket and told all their friends and family to not spend a dime on the O's until they see major changes.

Angelos will really get the message once there's only 10,000 people showing up to games.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

I highly doubt this incident would cause people to hate Angelos even more. This walkout will have the same impact as the protest before a Lions game last season and the EA Madden boycott after the exclusive deal ..... nothing.

If they really wanted to send a message, they shouldn't have bought a ticket and told all their friends and family to not spend a dime on the O's until they see major changes.

Angelos will really get the message once there's only 10,000 people showing up to games.

Dude, that's happening now. Thanks for looking it up before you said it though, makes you look good.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

But I don't blame this soley on Angelos. The payrolls of our division foes are ridiculous and in order for us to compete, we HAVE to have a top 5-8 payroll to even sniff the playoffs. Until the finances of MLB changes, teams like us, Toronto, and especially TB have almost no shot. Either that or go back to balanced scheduling. Facing the Red Sox and Yankees 18 times each each year just kills other divison foes.

I hear the same complaint from a lot of other Jay fans and I don't buy it. Of course I wouldn't mind a balanced schedule but let's face it, Selig doesn't care about the Jays, O's, and D-Rays.

I don't like using payroll as an excuse. Teams like the A's and Twins win virtually every year despite having a low payroll. A believe if either the Jays, O's, and D-Rays had a GM like Beane or Ryan, these teams would make the playoffs over a long stretch of time.

From a Jays perspective, I like to point out the fact we actually don't play in a strong division. Sure the Red Sox and Yanks are always good, but we also play 2 teams that are awful every year. It's basically a wash.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Dude, that's happening now. Thanks for looking it up before you said it though, makes you look good.

I didn't catch last nights game but I know there were a lot more than 10,000 people in the stands when they had their last previous homestand vs. the Red Sox and Yanks.

[NYJets]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

I didn't catch last nights game but I know there were a lot more than 10,000 people in the stands when they had their last previous homestand vs. the Red Sox and Yanks.

At least half, probably more of those fans were Red Sox and Yankee fans.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

That's how it is every Yankee-Sox series. I was there last year right before the All-Star Break when they were only 2 games out, the crowd was 49,000, and at least 30,000 of them were Boston fans. It's sad really, especially the fact that there are so many lame-excuse-for-fan bandwagon jumpers.

[rubisco43]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

I hear the same complaint from a lot of other Jay fans and I don't buy it. Of course I wouldn't mind a balanced schedule but let's face it, Selig doesn't care about the Jays, O's, and D-Rays.

I don't like using payroll as an excuse. Teams like the A's and Twins win virtually every year despite having a low payroll. A believe if either the Jays, O's, and D-Rays had a GM like Beane or Ryan, these teams would make the playoffs over a long stretch of time.

From a Jays perspective, I like to point out the fact we actually don't play in a strong division. Sure the Red Sox and Yanks are always good, but we also play 2 teams that are awful every year. It's basically a wash.

Again, the A's and Twins don't play the Yankees and the Sox 18 times each year. they play against other small/mid market teams. Do some teams spend more "wisely"? Sure. But to believe that payroll makes NO difference in being able to field a competitive team or not, you have your head in the sand.

[BGarrett7]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Again, the A's and Twins don't play the Yankees and the Sox 18 times each year. they play against other small/mid market teams. Do some teams spend more "wisely"? Sure. But to believe that payroll makes NO difference in being able to field a competitive team or not, you have your head in the sand.

Then how about the Marlins this year? There are only twelve players in the Majors who make more than their entire team combined, and the majority of their schedule is made up of the Mets, Braves and Phillies -- three teams who are currently in the top eleven teams in payroll. I would hardly say that Marlins were unable to field a competitive team because of their salary and who they played.

Baseball has become a much more balanced game than it used to be. Sure, the old standard was that money wins championships. But, in today's game, with where scouting and player development currently are, it isn't necessary to have the money to spend in order to be a playoff contender.

[elicoleman]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Just saw this on youtube...

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[rubisco43]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Then how about the Marlins this year? There are only twelve players in the Majors who make more than their entire team combined, and the majority of their schedule is made up of the Mets, Braves and Phillies -- three teams who are currently in the top eleven teams in payroll. I would hardly say that Marlins were unable to field a competitive team because of their salary and who they played.

Baseball has become a much more balanced game than it used to be. Sure, the old standard was that money wins championships. But, in today's game, with where scouting and player development currently are, it isn't necessary to have the money to spend in order to be a playoff contender.

Absolutey right. There will ALWAYS be an EXCEPTION to the rule. There will be a low spender who will contend, and big spenders who won't. But if you look at the trend of payroll vs. winning percentage, higher spenders have a higher winning percentage. It's documented. It's not some hokey opinion that people are throwing out there. And you talk about Florida "contending"... true, they ARE in the race, but they're still BELOW .500, and put their record in the American Leauge? They would've been done weeks ago. They would've been at BEST 4th place in ANY of the AL divisions. So let's not get all riled up using Florida as an example of how things should/could be done to contend with a low payroll.

It's a long read and can be a bit technical, but read it.

http://danagonistes.blogspot.com/2005/01/show-me-money.html

Here's another list.

http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/totalpayroll.aspx?year=2006

Top payrolls this year? (From top to bottom) and winning percentages
Yankees - .608 (1st in AL East)
Red Sox -.539 (2nd in AL East)
Angels - .536 (2nd in AL West)
White Sox - .552 (3rd in AL Central)
Mets - .601 (1st in NL East)
Dodgers - .526 (2nd in NL West)

Bottom Payrolls? (from bottom to top) and winning percentage as of today
Florida - .494 (3rd in NL East)
Tampa Bay - .379 (Last in AL East)
Colorado -.468 (Last in NL West)
Pittsburgh - .442 (5th in NL Central)
KC - .379 (Last in AL Central)
Cleveland - .458 (4th in AL Central)
Milwaukee - .461 (4th in NL Central)

We can break it down to payroll brackets and look at winning percentage.

5 teams have payroll at $100 million and above, and their combined winning percentage is = .567 (435 wins, 332 losses)

9 teams have a payroll that ranges from 70-99 million
winning percentage = .503 (695 wins, 686 losses)

11 teams range from 50-69 million
winning percentage = .499 (842/844)

5 teams range from 15-49 million
wp = .428 (329/439)

Basically, if you have a 100 mill + payroll, you're gonna win (worst record amongst them are the angels with a 82W/71L record). Pay between 50-99 million, you're gonna have to get lucky and/or good to compete (best record are the Tigers, the worst record are the Cubs). Pay less than 49 million, you're gonna lose (BEST record amongst those teams are the marlins at 76/78).

In the middle range for payroll (20 teams), only 3 teams have less than 70 wins (Orioles, Cubs, Nats), and the O's and Nats are at 68 and 67 wins while the Cubs have 62.

In the bottom 5, the wins are 76, 72, 65, 58, 58. It goes without saying that the 2 WORST records in the MLB are in the bottom 5 in payroll.

So basically, yes, the Marlins are SO ridiculously overplaying based on their payroll. But it's not like they're lighting up the NL.

[Blzer]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Or the A's fans.. Your team is winning and you guys don't sell out. I can't get that one!

Alongside this, the Braves have won their division 14 consecutive seasons (I think), and they hardly sold out during that time. Now they aren't winning, because they don't quite have the payroll that they deserve to have after so many years of winning.

What happened?

[BGarrett7]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

Alongside this, the Braves have won their division 14 consecutive seasons (I think), and they hardly sold out during that time. Now they aren't winning, because they don't quite have the payroll that they deserve to have after so many years of winning.

From 1992 to 2000, the Braves never fell so far as 3rd in the NL attendance rankings. It has only been in the past five years that the fans have stopped turning out.

[Blzer]

Re: O's Fans Walk Out During Game

From 1992 to 2000, the Braves never fell so far as 3rd in the NL attendance rankings. It has only been in the past five years that the fans have stopped turning out.

Oooo, yeah that's when I really started watching them on TBS. Well, maybe around 6 years ago, but I definitely realized it the year that Sheffield and Lopez left.