Giants Pitching: cutting into revenues?

by FPTV on Jul 8, 2009 12:04 PM PDT Comment 38 comments

Something occured to me while trying to buy my second beer last night.

After having arrived inside the park a little late (I was waiting for a friend to get off work so I watched the first couple innings from the right field knot hole), we sat down to watch a couple innings with our first round of beers. But by the time we got up to get our second round and a couple hot dogs, we didn't realize that the game was already at into the seventh inning. Consequently, we went back to our seats with hot dogs, but no more beer. Zito took it into the ninth and Sergio Romo closed out the team's 12th shotout of the year, and we were out of there by 9:30.

Thinking back on some of the games this season, I started to realize that the Giants have played more than a few that were done in little more than a couple hours. I love that the ptiching staff is performing so well this season, but I worry that maybe these two hour games are starting to cut into what likely are already lowered revenues this season, and by proxy, affecting our ability to afford an expensive hitter (assuming we should get one; I'm not convinced we should).

Anyway, it's probably just sour grapes that I got cut off after only one beer, so /rant, and in conclusion, make sure to get to the park early!

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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Baseball was made to be played in the day and in less than 2 hours 15 minutes.

by wilriv21 on Jul 8, 2009 12:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not in St. Louis and not in Arlington, TX during the months of July and August.

by SFGuy on Jul 8, 2009 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remarked on that after the game yesterday – I’ve been to six games and I feel like all of them have been over in under 3 hours, including the 13-0 game against the Astros.

I personally appreciate this.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 8, 2009 12:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I guess I should clarify my position. I like fast games and I don’t really like slugfests (the exception being one-sided slugfests in our favor ;-). But, I wonder if the front office should be coming up with ways to counteract the loss of revenues from the shortened games. Judging from what I’ve seen of Neukom, I get the impression (and hope) that his solution would be something like a campaign encouraging people to show up earlier and having more pre-game attractions.

by FPTV on Jul 8, 2009 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I actually got the chance to meet Neukom yesterday at the game (briefly), and he seems like a genuinely cool guy who’s knowledgeable about the game and has the team’s best interests at heart.

"Snow woulda had it!!!"
Self appointed president, ruler, dictator, czar and potentate of the Free Gerald Society. As of... right now.

by beat_la_25 on Jul 8, 2009 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me too

There is nothing I hate more than a game that drags out, especially when the pitcher is slowing the game down immensely on purpose.

Proud father of Juan Carlos Perez. Think Albert Pujols at second.

by marcello on Jul 8, 2009 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hello

Steve Traschel and Livan Hernandez.

by SFGuy on Jul 8, 2009 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doug Davis laughs at Steve and Livan.

Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005. And winner of the 2012 NL Fireman of the Year Award!

by Lyle on Jul 9, 2009 6:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If the Giants pitching staff wasn’t so good the team would be awful and nobody would want to come watch them. So, to answer your question, no.

by FluLikeSymptoms on Jul 8, 2009 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

this

"Why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball just three feet higher?" / Adopted brother of the AnVil

by SoFa King Mike on Jul 8, 2009 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Precisely.

Giant Dirtbags: John Bowker, Steve Hammond. MIA List: Todd Jennings, Brian Anderson
Wronghanded Affeldt pitches right

by Giant among Angels on Jul 8, 2009 6:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

2 Fist and drink FASTER!

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on Jul 8, 2009 12:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No kidding…only a rookie orders them one at a time and takes more than 3 innings to finish the both of them.

Proud papa of Nathan John Schierholtz. Choo Choo...the train is a comin' baby, get off them tracks!!

by PacBellBoozer on Jul 8, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn’t even know you could order them one at a time.

Proud father of Juan Carlos Perez. Think Albert Pujols at second.

by marcello on Jul 8, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

too true! I definitely dropped the ball on that one. But (not the case last night) if you send only one person to get the beers, you do run into that 2 drink limit.

And now i’m just making excuses, but we were working off a gift card for the first round (yeah yeah yeah, we coulda just paid the difference in cash) and yadda yadda

‘sides, we didn’t get to our seats until probably after 8 (also made the rookie mistake of taking the ramp to the upper deck), so if I’d been cut off on my third beer or fifth beer after just a couple innings, i’d still be kinda irked.

by FPTV on Jul 8, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I noticed that earlier this year. Went to a couple games in june and one was 2:02, one was 2:26. I was happy the Gs won both, but almost felt cheated out of time at the park and more beer. Oh well, I am sure I will get stuck at some cold night game that lasts 4 hours, spend a fortune on beer, and wish I had watched the game at home. A win is a win!

by m34josh on Jul 8, 2009 12:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i’m not too concerned about the financial situation of the Giants’ owners.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Jul 8, 2009 1:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

go see a game in the minors

or college for that matter. Less scratching, less obsessive in and out of the batter’s box, etc. I made it back to SF from an SJ giants game before I’ve ever gotten home from downtown.

As for the concession “problem” (cf. Unleash immediately above, who couldn’ t be more right), open the gates earlier. They’d probably sell a lot more beer while the sun is still out anyway. This would allow those of you who want more time in the park (which many of us might if games were not ending 3+ hours after first pitch) to do just that.

Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti. "I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."

There's 3 ways to do something: the right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power/ Ginats Way...

by natteringnabob on Jul 8, 2009 1:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

heh. I’m not worried about the owners’ money either, but i imagine they keep the giants’ finances separate from their own to an extent. the thing with earlier gate times (which I think newcomb already got, didn’t he?) is that a lot of people still wouldn’t come in because they’re either at work (night games) or it’s just too early to make it (day games), so it might not be worth the extra staff hours.

by FPTV on Jul 8, 2009 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Better hitters. Slow the other team’s pitchers down.

by bleacherbob on Jul 8, 2009 3:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You’re not suggesting that the Giant hitters talk more walks, are you? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005. And winner of the 2012 NL Fireman of the Year Award!

by Lyle on Jul 9, 2009 6:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

1) more wins are by far the best thing for revenues, and the pitching is why the Giants have as many as they do
2) I recommend you get to the game on time from now on. Not only will you (not to mention the rest of us) be better able to talk shit about Dodger fans but you’ll have time for another round of beerz

"he walked 18; new league record! Struck out 18, another new league record! He also hit the sportswriter, the PA announcer, the bull mascot twice..."

by i did my job on Jul 8, 2009 3:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I love beer and love baseball, but the beers at the yard are so expensive that I rarely have more than one.

My adopted Giant: "Raptor Jesus" Guzman

by Goofus on Jul 8, 2009 4:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Goofer curve?

offsetting “lost” concessions by charging less larcenous prices, resulting in more overall sales and therefore higher revenue.

Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti. "I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."

There's 3 ways to do something: the right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power/ Ginats Way...

by natteringnabob on Jul 8, 2009 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The game is the place to sober up

Go in with a heavy buzz and you can nurse one 9 dollar beer all game long. I wish BART went to Muni Stadium in SJ.

by Change Up on Jul 8, 2009 5:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah , God.

Pop a beer and put it down.
Come back to it in 1 1/2 – 2 hrs…are you REALLY going to enjoy it?

HERE’S an aberrant thought , from a guy who’s had the nine dollar beer. Who dumped the nine dollar beer , and bought another…don’t buy the nine dollar beer.

Take a fucking stand already.

And as for getting hammered before…how much of the game will be clear in your head later? How much of anything? And you just love driving with a booze headache after the game . right?

I’m no straightedge guy , but this gets ridiculous.

NL West TempestTeapot
Nothing matters , and what if it did?

by victor frankenstein on Jul 8, 2009 8:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've got to agree.

Nothing’s worse than riding on Muni/Bart for 90 minutes with a nascent hangover.

Also, if you’re look ing for a deal at the game, the machines under the Giants coke bottle sell 20 oz. bottle for $3 (1.50 less than the vendors, IIRC). Not as cheap as buying them at safeway and bringing them in yourself, but I’d rather pay the extra for a soda that’s actually cold in the 6th inning.

VAE PVTO DEVS FIO

by Bhaakon on Jul 9, 2009 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Season ticket holder in view reserved FTW

We get $5 food credit so a soda now becomes free. Beer would be $4 for the first one. $2 for the Shaboygan (sp) brat. Of course, it would be good for one item but still.

by SFGuy on Jul 10, 2009 12:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Still wouldn’t buy a beer, though.

by SFGuy on Jul 10, 2009 12:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of course.

What the point of drinking one beer?

VAE PVTO DEVS FIO

by Bhaakon on Jul 10, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

$9 is way too much to spend on a beer. I refuse to buy one at the ball park.

by SFGuy on Jul 8, 2009 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I rarely even have one.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 9, 2009 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

When I went to the Giants vs. Angels game (the one where Vote for Pablo hit 2 jacks), my and my 3 friends were able to get 4 beers each. That was a long game tho

Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2011 Opening Day starting SS!

by Azmanz on Jul 8, 2009 4:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

solution

get hammered before the game.

Bonds stands alone.

Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants

by nostocksjustbonds on Jul 8, 2009 5:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

or just, like, whenever, too.

by FPTV on Jul 9, 2009 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nah.

Judgment Day is coming
comics | art | Nattowear

by Natto on Jul 8, 2009 8:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

REVENUE NEUTRAL

any revenue lost by el rapidamente games, will be regained by having a winning team and increasing the number of fannies in the seats. Nice trade off. Baseball economics 101.

by bradleybear on Jul 9, 2009 6:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs