I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Maybe he would have in the past, but not anymore.
I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Maybe he would have in the past, but not anymore.
you can tell by how few "Griffey Jr." jerseys are worn to the games by the local fans base.
Absolutly. I was at a game 3 years ago when the reds were playing the Montreal/Puerto Rico Expos. This was in May and Jr. was knocking on the door of 500 having around 480 or so hrs. The stadium was packed. It wasn't the team they were playing and it wasn't during a playoff race. Casual fans still come to the game to watch Jr. To be honest if I had the option of going to a reds game and knew that Jr and Hamilton wern't playing either Harang or Bailey better be starting or I am not going to go down to the staduim.
Jr. is the biggest draw for this team right now, including Bailey and Hamilton. He's a guy the fans admire, a guy that's done it the right way, and hopefully he'll finally have an injury-free season. Nothing would be sweeter than Jr. getting his 600th in GABP... well, outside of us winning the division of course.
Nah, I'd rather watch a steroid abusing home run hitter go for and taint the all-time HR record.
Agreed, Griffey is an attraction. And really if he doesn't put butts in the seats, I feel sorry for those fans with the means who don't go to the park to watch the guy play. One of the greatest players to ever play the game wears a Cincinnati Red uniform right now and he won't be wearing that uniform very much longer (whether he's traded or not). If fans can't appreciate that then that's a shame...
"In our sundown perambulations of late, through the outer parts of Brooklyn, we have observed several parties of youngsters playing 'base', a certain game of ball. Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our close rooms, the game of ball is glorious"
-Walt Whitman
I'm pretty sure there's a higher percentage of people coming out to see Jr. then there were Todd Hollandsworth.
I think very few players consistently put fans in the seats in and of themselves. Possibly as they near important milestones (600 homeruns), but on a nightly basis I think the effect is minimal. I think a few dominant starting pitchers (Seaver, Koufax, Johnson, Clemens in their prime) or a highly anticipated rookie debut (Homer) are the only times a single player will bring many additional people to the ballpark.
not that this is much of an input, but he puts me in the seat.
Junior may not put adults in the seats like he would have if his time here were injury-free.
I'm with 1 Tool Player when it comes to adults. But I can't help but wonder his effect on getting kids (and thus, their parents) into the stands. He probably has a bigger impact than we realize.
Last edited by durl; 06-13-2007 at 04:58 PM.
Who is this Griffey guy you mention?
You need only look at his chase for 500 to know that he does indeed bring rears and sell beers. You don't think the ballpark will be packed leading to 600?
That said, I am not sure he brings fans to GABP on any old night. Maybe a decent number of dads bringing their young sons just to say, "remember this at-bat. You're watching a legend." And I did hear exactly that next to me last Friday.
I suspect Griff does draw pretty well on the road. For exactly the reason I mentioned just above. Doesn't help the Redlegs, per se. But I think the subject line of this thread was, does he put fans in seats.
Yes, he most certainly does.
I have a love-hate relationship with Albert Pujols. Mostly hate.
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