Diner Question: Will you attend more Orioles games in 2019?

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• I will not attend any games this season intentionally. I love my team and will definitely watch on tv as many as I can, but this team will be built to lose in the next 2 seasons. I work too hard to give my money to a that is not trying to win. That being said, I’m excited as I can get in the direction they are going, Once this team is actively trying to win I’ll be back. Like last year I pretty much watched or taken all 162!!! I’ll keep doing it love my Orioles.

  • Hopefully, you’ll keep reading here, deqalt.

• Is this a trick question?

  As pitiful as this team has been, and probably will be, I can honestly say that it won't affect how many games I attend. A day at the ballpark is still better than mowing the lawn. So MORE games? Probably not. It's more likely to remain my normal 4 to 5 games this year. BUT .... if someone could convince the Angelos family to pony up for a true XXX large Hawaiian shirt, instead of that pathetically X-large (I'd call it medium) version that they handed out last year, I'd be willing to make that 4 to 6 games. Hey Rich, speaking of XXX large ... how's about a slice of that coconut cream pie from the top shelf?

  Go O's ...

  • Boog, I’m happy to give you the whole pie.

• I finally decided to buy a Dugout Club membership for my son, so we will try to make all 6 of those. That means 5 more games than last year but about the same as the previous few years. Last year we only went to the last game of the season and we only did that so we could see Adam Jones’ last game as an Oriole.

  • JK, I’ll see you at the ballpark this summer.

• Less games for me. I live in Dallas but head to Florida in the spring to catch 5-6 Oriole games. Not this year tho since the Grapefruit League is shaping up to be a tryout of new players for the season. Its hard to figure out who will be on the roster. Hopefully that will be firmed up by the time they play the Rangers locally.

  • I’ll see you in Arlington in June, TxBirdFan.

  • Rich - I split Ranger season tickets but go to all the O’s games. Would love to connect if you’re in town.

• I don't think the number of games will change for me. I'll still do opening day, some really good giveaway games and a few other games here and there. I love a day at the ballpark no matter what! But as we start to build up our farm system, I plan to go to a lot more.... even if we aren't winning. When we have future all stars getting called up, you bet i'll be going to those games.

  • That will give us something to look forward to, Loganmillermusic.

• I didn’t attend any games last season because of over-priced and underperforming players and a manager that played those players no matter what. I want to see the youngsters like Cedric Mullins, Richie Martin, Chance Cisco, Jonathan Villar, DJ Stewart and Trey Mancini play 150+ games without fear of being benched.

  • Hopefully, I’ll see you this summer, guru.

• Hard to say. I didn't attend a whole lot of games last year, and the ones I did were more based on drinking beer than watching the dreck on the field. I'll still head to the ballpark, it's my favorite way to spend an evening bar none. Honestly, I think the crappy nature of the team more effects my television watching than anything. The allure of a summer night at the ballpark will always draw me in a couple times a year, no matter how bad the team is. The biggest difference I noticed last year was, while I would sit and watch the majority of the O's broadcasts (outside of the occasional blowout and West coast weeknight game) to their conclusion in the competitive years, last year I would maybe check the score or not bother turning it on at all.

  But I think you are preaching to the Choir here, Rich. Guys that are reading this blog in the middle of the winter when there is nothing interesting happening in professional baseball are most likely your die-hards. We're showing up to ballpark at some point no matter what. It's the casual fans dollar that is king, they are the ones that drive attendance. And I'm pretty sure they couldn't care less what Mike Elias spreadsheets say, if the team is bad and full of nobodies, they ain't coming.

  • I'm not sure that I'm preaching to the choir, Bancells. I think these are the hard-core fans, but I don't think they blindly spend their money if they're not happy.

    The hardest of the hard-core probably stick with the team no matter what, but the person who goes to 20 games may only go to eight, and the casual fan may cut back to one or two.

    Here and on Twitter, there are many more varied responses than I may have expected.

• As a partial season ticket plan holder of 13 games, I struggled to make it to 8 games last year, not including the games that I work as a concessionaire. To be fair, we did travel to Toronto to see the team before the great fire sale of the end of July. Will I go to more games in 2019? Probably not likely due to financial constraints. I hope to sell as many of my tickets as possible on the open market while taking only a negligible loss on my season plan cost. Hopefully prices don't go up at all in 2019.

  • Creatively, I'm hopeful there'll be some more interesting things to write about in 2019. Hope to see you at the ballpark.

• I will definitely see less games the season.
  But it's a function of logistics and not what the O's do or don't do. I will try and catch as many on MASN as possible though.

  • Hallbe, I hope you stick with us here, no matter what.

• There are, in my opinion, 2 reasons for the drop in attendence...the poor team in the
  Past and the danger in Baltimore of 327 killings and hundreds of hold-ups.

  • Bernie, I think the perception of crime, which I've written about here, is a factor, and attendance dropped from 2015, the year of the disturbances, to 2016. However, the area around the ballpark is perfectly safe and fans can come and go easily.

    I'm a longtime city resident, and I understand the reasons, but I think attending Orioles games is very safe.

• I became a cord cutter recently. Finally, after debating for years, I ditched cable and the high fees. One of the downsides was losing MASN, so in a back handed sort of way, I’ll probably go to more games this year. I just enjoy being at the park. I hope to find a few young guys that I take a liking to and will follow.

  • Chico, I hope to see you at the ballpark often this year.

• I will definitely attend games because I love baseball. How many I can't say. It will depend on how much I enjoy watching this team. If they play hard and play smart, I will be there. Last year was awful. If the other team scored 3 runs in the first inning, I had the sense the game was over.
  The Orioles might hit a solo homer or two, but you never felt they would come back. It became very difficult to watch Chris Davis take a called strike three with runners on base.

  • Danno, I know it was difficult watching the team last year. Hopefully less so this year.

• I went to my first Orioles game in 1970 with my Father and Grandfather and became a fan. Some of my fondest memories as a youth was walking up those concrete ramps at old Memorial Stadium, where I attended a playoff game in 83. I was also sitting in those same stands in 88 when the Orioles came off a 12 game road trip with a 1-23 record. I remember 92, and the move to Camden Yards, when it was next to impossible to get a ticket to see an average Orioles team. I was in the those same stands at Camden Yards on October 6, 2001 when a legend walked off the field for the last time. I don't know how many games I will make in 2019, but I know at least three.Opening day, a tradition with my wife, floppy hat night, a tradition with my best friend, and a Saturday day game a tradition with several cousins. I have cheered, booed, and bitched at the Orioles for almost 50 years and am too old to change. SEE YOU AT THE YARD, LET'S GO O'S!

  • ClyOs, I look forward to seeing you on Floppy Hat night. Don't know when it is, but I'll see you then and hopefully some other times, too.

• I think it will depend on how the season plays out. While I expect there to be games where the O’s are overmatched, I hope to see the players develop more as the season progresses. If that happens I am likely to attend more games this year.

  • I think it's likely to be a challenging season, Cedar, but I hope to see you at the ballpark.

• Hi Rich. As you will recall, I have been a partial plan holder since 1984 and this will not change.

  For the last couple of years, my plan has been split with friends. I get to play schedule tetris with the alacrity of a Rubik's Cube master. Like last year, I'll wind up at one or two a month, or 5 to 10 for the season.

  I plan to ignore the standings. I want to see the performance of the prospects, intriging opposing players, interesting strategies, and as always, the Camden Yards experience.

  Not focused on wins and losses, I'll be a little more inclined to leave a very one-sided game, early.

  • Mark, I hope you'll get to see some good games.

• When I am in town I will catch a few games. The Orioles have a real marketing challenge to get fans to attend games. They basically have a 4A team with many prospects several years away. Hopefully they bring in some free agents to improve the team as a stopgap measures while they develop.

  • I think you make some good points, Grans Strand.

• Take nothing from nothing leaves nothing...

  That last month of 2017 did it for me. No $$$ from me until they can prove they have a product worth supporting... and based on what’s in the cupboard, I’ll probably be dead by then. I’ll take a peek on TV now and then... read about them in the newspaper when I have nothing else to do and hang around here to get a “read” on what real fans think rather than what the paid media hacks dole out.

  • Are you differentiating between the paid media hacks and the unpaid ones, Ekim?

  • Are you paid by the team?

• no not really. but i am going to try to go to a few analytics games. maybe even a few international scouting games. seems like that the team it self is not a major concern. i realize that we are rebuilding but does that mean we only add rule 5 guys and other minor league cast offs. i am not saying go after the top shelf guys. but it sure would be nice to add some sort of proven talent at some point. seems that nothing has really changed in that area. we have seen this before..

  • It will be interesting to see who they end up adding for this season, gijopro.

• I have been a season ticket holder for more than 30 years, now I’m looking forward to Opening Day 2022. Until then , I may keep my MASN subscription active , maybe not . Lots of good baseball available in DC and on other TV networks .

  • I hope you keep reading us whether you go to the games or not, Ogre.

• I love baseball and being at the ballpark too much not to go. I typically go once a month and try to see the stars of the opposing team if I can, so nothing will change for me this year.

• I live up in Maine and have to deal with red sox nation every day. I've a 13 game pack for 3 seats and I saw 6 or 8 games last year . plus MLB on my tv. I will be at opening day and the next game. So I suport the Os as best as I can, good or bad and try to make my 6 to 10 games a year and I live 500+ miles away. You don't come, shorter lines for me at the beer line.

  • wayne, you are my Maine man.

• Absolutely! John and Lou seem to know what the Orioles need. To me, the GM hiring is the best since Frank Cashen. That gives you a idea of how long I've followed the Orioles. I'm excited.