Right now we're 20th in MLB in average attendance. Averaging 24,327. Behind us are: Toronto Minnesota Pittsburgh?? (that one surprised me given their success last season) Seattle (also a bit of surprise given preseason hype about offseason acquisitions) Miami KC Oakland Tampa Chicago White Sox Cleveland -- averaging 14,176/game.
Seattle should pick up some as the weather picks up in June and esp July/Aug. Sept if they're a decent team by that time. I'd imagine some other teams suffer from the same issues if their team isn't great. Minnesota? ChiSox, Cleveland?
most teams pick up in June/July/Aug because kids are out of school. Cleveland's attendance last year was terrible given that was a pretty good team for most of the season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>RHP Matt Albers placed on the 15-day DL (retro to 4/22) with tendonitis in his right shoulder,RHP Jose Cisnero up from Oklahoma City.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/statuses/459780171088678913">April 25, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Jesse Crain developed bursitis, so the Astros took him on the mound. "Early May timetable is no longer early May," Jeff luhnow said.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/statuses/459796050010574848">April 25, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Or he's going through the anticipated adjustment period that we all figured he'd have to face, regardless of when he came up (hence the clamoring to get his feet wet earlier). I know its "ideal" to have prospects come up and produce right away... but in reality, its very rare to have somebody succeed in their very first call up, regardless of how old or developed they are.
I don't doubt it is all part of the process. I guess I shouldn't be, but I am surprised that Porter continues to put additional undue pressure on him by hitting him fourth.
Or maybe its helping to take pressure off of the other struggling guys... Matty D and Carter have hit better later in the lineup. No sense in backing off the sink-or-swim approach at this point.... let him get as many AB's as possible by hitting near the top.
As to one of your observations a couple of days ago....for the first time all year the opposing starting pitcher did not take the mound in the 6th inning.
That really is amazing... I wonder if any individual team has ever had their starting pitcher pitch into the 6th inning in 23 consecutive starts?
Hoes 4-21 against left handers, Presley 3-6. Granted both small sample sizes, but there is no reason to use Hoes as a pinch hitter right now.
Phew!! Thank goodness we didn't bunt the man over after the lead off double! God forbid we actually try and score a run to break a tie heading into the 9th.
I hear ya, but for a team that makes very inconsistent contact but hits a lot of HR's, i'm not too keen on giving up outs by the bunt and hoping for a single or sac fly right now
