2009 San Francisco Giants

[Marino]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

I never said trade Cain for Dye, I don't want any of our starting pitchers traded (including Sanchez).

And in that case, this seems like even more of a reason to go to the free agent market. Let's search under 'B'...

You will never let that go. Even if you guys do sign Barry Bonds, it still wont be enough. The guy has been out of the league for over a year and is getting up there in age. Why waster your time for him to be game ready.

[Blzer]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

You will never let that go. Even if you guys do sign Barry Bonds, it still wont be enough. The guy has been out of the league for over a year and is getting up there in age. Why waster your time for him to be game ready.

Because he's worth the risk. And like I said, I have been saying he should be signed on a team since he was first a free agent. It's not like I have just started saying it. Unfortunately, the longer teams wait, the less of him they'll get. Get him now, not later.

[Chizzypoof]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

Be proud Giants fans we are MVF's-

http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/22/bas...-top-fans.html
Forbes.com


Revenue
Baseball's Most Valuable Fans
Christina Settimi, 05.22.09, 12:00 PM ET

It’s settled: Fans of the San Francisco Giants are better than the fans of their bitter rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers. In fact, Giants’ fans are the best in all of Major League Baseball, at least in terms of providing value for their team.

In our first ranking of the most valuable fans of MLB, we flipped tradition on its head and took a look at what audiences around America are worth to the business of baseball. We divided local revenue of each team (including such sources as local television and radio revenue, gate receipts and sponsorships) for the 2008 season by the population of its metropolitan area, according to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate. The resulting revenue-per-fan figure is a rough yardstick of a team’s ability to capitalize on its fan base, regardless of market size.

Revenue figures are before revenue sharing and exclude national media and licensing revenue, which is divvied up equally to all 30 MLB team. For cities with two teams, we divided the population in half for each team, figuring the city’s fan base was split more or less evenly between the two.

In Pictures: Baseball's Most Valuable Fans

A look at the top-ranked Giants’ $78 revenue per fan reflects just how juiced Bay Area fans are to see their team, regardless of its last few lackluster seasons. In comparison, the Dodgers, who made it to the National League Championship Series last season, only generated $38 in revenue per fan.

Of the $166 million the Giants generated in local revenue last year, 71% came from gate receipts and from their local television deal. The Giants get better television ratings than most other teams in similar markets. In December 2007, the team smartly acquired a stake in FSN Bay Area, resulting in a station name change to CSN Bay Area and $30 million in rights fees, a 30% increase from the prior year (and more than double what the Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres get from their local deals).

Attendance dropped 11% in its first year post-Barry Bonds, but management capitalized on a new fan experience centered around the team’s 50th Anniversary, including offering a chance to take batting practice on the field on opening day and creating a "Forever Giants Friday" to honor legends like Willie Mays--and selling the sponsorship of it to Bank of America.

For an additional wow factor, the Giants introduced two new luxury suites: the Legends Club, a 120-person party space in left field, and McCovey Cove Loft, a 40-person patio space off the right field wall that creates the illusion fans are actually sitting on top of the grass.

The Milwaukee Brewers, who play in the smallest metropolitan market (1.55 million), rank second on our list. Despite an average ticket price of $19.88, $8 less than the MLB average, the team generated $73 in revenue per fan last season. Winning was a key component to this success--last year, the Brewers made the playoffs for the first time since 1982. It also helped that the Brew Crew’s fans were lured to the park by a promotion for nearly every home game of the season, not including the endlessly entertaining seventh-inning stretch sausage races.

Miller Park itself seems to be the real draw--fans rave about their experience, including its affordability and amenities. It is consistently ranked by the media among the best parks to visit. In 2008, season attendance topped 3 million for the first time ever, and the team had a franchise-record 44 sellout games. (See "America's Best Baseball Stadiums.")

Brewers management continues to invest to woo fans and increase revenue. In 2009, it overhauled 43 luxury suites, remodeled the team’s main retail store, upgraded several meeting rooms and added a Harley Davidson-themed seating deck. Perhaps Brewers owner Mark Attanasio--who made a public outcry for protection from such behemoths as the Yankees after they stole away his ace pitcher, C.C. Sabathia, with an unprecedented $161 million, seven-year contract--will now stop crying. After all, the Bronx Bombers managed a middling $45 in revenue per fan last season.

We also found that a good team isn't enough. The Florida Marlins rank last on our list with only $11 in revenue per fan. Despite winning the 2003 World Series and having one of the best records in the National League for the last five seasons, the team generated a paltry $58 million in local revenue. Attendance has been an embarrassment in Miami--the team brought in only $22 million at the gate last season, the worst in the league. Marlins management hopes a new baseball-only stadium, slated to open in 2012, will lure fans to the park. It should also help the team capitalize on revenue streams (premium seating, naming rights, concessions and parking) it can't get at Dolphin Stadium, owned by Stephen Ross.

Unlike the Marlins, the Washington Nationals have gotten exactly what they deserve from their fans and sponsors--very little. Despite one of the newest and most beautiful ballparks in baseball, the Nats generated just $26 in revenue per fan last season, the third worst in the league. Blame a horrendous .439 winning percentage during its four full seasons in Washington as team owner Randy Lerner refuses to invest in a solid roster.

Fans aren't stupid. Only 2.3 million turned out in the park's rookie year, the lowest figure in 25 years for a new stadium. Sponsors have turned their backs on the Nats, too; their stadium is still without a naming-rights deal and advertising revenue and television ratings are puny compared with the rest of the league.

In Pictures: Baseball's Most Valuable Fans

[Scottdau]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

Went to the game tonight. Cain was dealing. Burris made the play of the game though!

[Marino]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

You guys can have the best fans all you want. Still won't help in the division race.

[baseball66]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

i wonder if barry would be willing and able to play 1st base??

[baseball66]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

You guys can have the best fans all you want. Still won't help in the division race.

dodgers have been playing way above their heads and are due for a big losing streak soon.

[Blzer]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

i wonder if barry would be willing and able to play 1st base??

Would he be willing? If it gets him on the field, then of course. Though I remember back around 2006, Kuiper said during BP he stuck around first base once to try it out and said he didn't know if he could handle it, that it was tougher than he thought.

But hey, as long as he can catch, it's his offensive production that will help us most. I mean lest we forget we are still ranked 29th and 30th in the statistical categories I provided you guys with earlier, despite our "offensive power surge" (which isn't really much of one mind you, just greater than normal).

[Chizzypoof]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

I don't want to see any dumb trades. The only trade I can honestly think of is Lincecum for Pujols and cash straight up. Even that trade tugs at my heart strings.

The Giants can't get impatient with what they got on the farm. And trading Cain for some middle of the lineup guy won't help us win the West, beat the Mets, Phillies, or any of the top teams. We have so many holes in the lineup that we need more than one power bat. We need defense, a solid hitting Outfielder, and a power corner infielder.

Even if we do obtain some sort of trade for Sanchez, what is one bat going to do? They pitch around him and we are right back to where we are now.

I think we wait for our prospects to develop and once they are in the Majors, we make that one trade to put us over the top.

We are winning because of our pitching. There is no way we can trade Cain, unless it is for Pujols and cash too.

[Scottdau]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

I don't want to see any dumb trades. The only trade I can honestly think of is Lincecum for Pujols and cash straight up. Even that trade tugs at my heart strings.

The Giants can't get impatient with what they got on the farm. And trading Cain for some middle of the lineup guy won't help us win the West, beat the Mets, Phillies, or any of the top teams. We have so many holes in the lineup that we need more than one power bat. We need defense, a solid hitting Outfielder, and a power corner infielder.

Even if we do obtain some sort of trade for Sanchez, what is one bat going to do? They pitch around him and we are right back to where we are now.

I think we wait for our prospects to develop and once they are in the Majors, we make that one trade to put us over the top.

We are winning because of our pitching. There is no way we can trade Cain, unless it is for Pujols and cash too.

At the game last night we talked about a Tim and AP trade. We said we would do it, but St. wouldn't. He was hitting the ball so freaking far at BP that is was amazing. That guy is a beast! I would trade Cain for the right bat though. But it has to be a young stud already establish though!

[Blzer]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

How about this?

Giants trade Matt Cain and Travis Ishikawa to the Marlins for Jorge Cantu and Justin Miller.

[Scottdau]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

How about this?

Giants trade Matt Cain and Travis Ishikawa to the Marlins for Jorge Cantu and Justin Miller.

Nope. And who is Miller, don't we already have him? I would might do that for Ug and Cantu though.

[Stroehms]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

Cain for Ryan Ludwick and a prospect? Plausible?

[ChrisHero]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

I never thought I'd say this, but score some ****ing runs for Zito, he's pitching better than his record indicates.

Edit: If Sabean ever trades Matt Cain, I might just have to release his address and social security number to the world.

[Scottdau]

Re: 2009 San Francisco Giants

I never thought I'd say this, but score some ****ing runs for Zito, he's pitching better than his record indicates.

Edit: If Sabean ever trades Matt Cain, I might just have to release his address and social security number to the world.

Dude give it rest. This team needs a power bat and yes Cain can get you that. We are stock with young studs in the pitching world. So For once look what would be good for this team. And yes I love Cain, but if he can get you a true stud power bat. I say do it. Plus his stock is at a high value right now.