May 10th Red Sox @ Braves

[moonslav59]

Of course if they were really adamant on getting under the tax threshold there were other high-priced assets that could have been dealt.

Under the circumstances, Bloom did a pretty good job, I've always said that. It's easier to say now that Verdugo and Wong are playing the way they are.

If Wink can keep this up, one could call the Beni trade a winner. (The money saved also allowed us to sign Renfroe- or Marwin, if you see the glass as half empty.)

It's hard to view losing Betts in any kind of positive light, but under the circumstances, to me, that trade now looks like a plus.

Everyone knows I hated the Renfroe-JBJ deal from day one, but I did say the only way it could work is if a prospect does better than what was expected from hamilton and Binelas, at that time. Hamilton is keeping a sliver of hope alive, but it still looks pretty bad, despite the fact that other teams have moved on from renfroe after having him, for a while, too.

The Pivetta trade is not looking quite as good as before.

The Vaz trade looks good.

The Diekman deal looks like a steal.

Most of the others look okay or are washes. (Aldo R for Schwarber worked.)

[Maxbialystock]

Been over this a bunch since 2019, but bottom line is that Mookie wanted -- and deserved -- a top of the market salary. At his age and position, he had historic WAR; he and his agents knew it, but Boston chose not to pay for it. It wasn't the first or last time the Red Sox front office misread the current market...

As for wanting to leave Boston -- for those wondering about attendance the past month (and who don't live in the Northeast)... did you see on NESN what fans wore to Fenway? Down jackets, wool caps, gloves and blankets OR plastic garbage bags -- some with Sox logos so they charge you another $20 bucks to sit in cramped, obstructed seats.

Excellent comments, especially the one about fan gear at the games at Fenway. You got me: I knew one of the reasons for poor attendance was absolutely abysmal weather. You are also the only one who's ever agreed with me that not all of the seats at Fenway Park are comfortable and unobstructed.

So tonight the weather should be decent. The Sox are above .500. They may be "no names," but right now our guys are playing pretty good baseball when the Sox starter doesn't crap out the first time through the opposing lineup.

Sox attendance to date, 20 games, averages 30,763, 12th in MLB. Last year--with a really lousy team (last in AL East)--they averaged 32,408, 10th in MLB. In 2021 it was covid-affected 21,300, 11th in MLB. So too 2020.

2019, the year after the spectacular 2018 season and with all those big (and/or popular with Sox fans) names--Mookie, Bogey, Devers, JDM, Beni, Sale, Price, JBJ, Vazquez, et al--the Sox average attendance was 36,106, 7th in MLB. And in 2018--the greatest season ever for the Sox, it was 35,747, 9th in MLB.

Why was attendance greater in 2019, a lousy season, than in 2018, a spectacular season? Simple: fans make ticket-buying decisions based on the previous season, not the current one. Remember that amazing, surprising 2013 season, ending in the Sox 3d WS win in the JH era? Attendance was 34,979, 9th in MLB. The next year, 2014, when the Sox weren't very good, it was 36,494, 6th in MLB.

So, given last season's lousy W-L record and the absence--except of course for Devers--of marquee players, my prediction is that this year's average attendance will be below last year's 32,408.

Indeed, you just have to read talksox to realize the disgruntlement with Chaim Bloom and his boss, John Henry. We all seem to believe they have no intention of paying for any good players or fielding a competitive team.

[moonslav59]

Excellent comments, especially the one about fan gear at the games at Fenway. You got me: I knew one of the reasons for poor attendance was absolutely abysmal weather. You are also the only one who's ever agreed with me that not all of the seats at Fenway Park are comfortable and unobstructed.

So tonight the weather should be decent. The Sox are above .500. They may be "no names," but right now our guys are playing pretty good baseball when the Sox starter doesn't crap out the first time through the opposing lineup.

Sox attendance to date, 20 games, averages 30,763, 12th in MLB. Last year--with a really lousy team (last in AL East)--they averaged 32,408, 10th in MLB. In 2021 it was covid-affected 21,300, 11th in MLB. So too 2020.

2019, the year after the spectacular 2018 season and with all those big (and/or popular with Sox fans) names--Mookie, Bogey, Devers, JDM, Beni, Sale, Price, JBJ, Vazquez, et al--the Sox average attendance was 36,106, 7th in MLB. And in 2018--the greatest season ever for the Sox, it was 35,747, 9th in MLB.

Why was attendance greater in 2019, a lousy season, than in 2018, a spectacular season? Simple: fans make ticket-buying decisions based on the previous season, not the current one. Remember that amazing, surprising 2013 season, ending in the Sox 3d WS win in the JH era? Attendance was 34,979, 9th in MLB. The next year, 2014, when the Sox weren't very good, it was 36,494, 6th in MLB.

So, given last season's lousy W-L record and the absence--except of course for Devers--of marquee players, my prediction is that this year's average attendance will be below last year's 32,408.

Indeed, you just have to read talksox to realize the disgruntlement with Chaim Bloom and his boss, John Henry. We all seem to believe they have no intention of paying for any good players or fielding a competitive team.

Looking at attendance rankings is greatly affected by the size of Fenway. Even when we sell out, we don't reach the 40K levels other parks can reach.

Even comparing eason to season makes little sense, sometimes, when you look at what years we won and seemingly had better teams to watch.

[Maxbialystock]

Looking at attendance rankings is greatly affected by the size of Fenway. Even when we sell out, we don't reach the 40K levels other parks can reach.

Even comparing eason to season makes little sense, sometimes, when you look at what years we won and seemingly had better teams to watch.

Agree 37K is about max at Fenway (night games actual max is 37,755), but there is compelling evidence that, if you want high average attendance vs. high peak attendance for when, say, the Yankees come to town--vs the A's or some other small market team--a smaller ballpark is better. The exceptions to smaller is better are the Dodgers and Yankees because both have very big fan bases. Dodger Stadium hold 56K and Yankee Stadium 54K.

I disagree about not comparing season average attendances at Fenway because I'm just about convinced that, not only are there significant ups and downs in average attendance, year to year, but also that they are not necessarily tied to how well that team is playing that year.

More to the point, I think it's very possible that Chaim Bloom and John Henry's joint commitment to cutting payroll will continue to have an effect on attendance--and probably on TV ratings.

When the Angels came to town, April 14-17, attendances were 36,680, 36,594, 34,790, 34,942--an average of 35,751.

In the other 16 home games this season, the average attendance has been 29,516. That's a swing over over 6,000 butts in seats per game of presumably avid Sox fans who actually wanted to see Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. And who can blame them? The four game temperatures were 58, 56, 54, and 50 degrees.

When the Jays came to town, May 1-4, the attendances were 27,438, 27,721, 27,863, and 30,173. And the game temperatures were 50, 50, 50, and 47 degrees. That 47 degree temp game, May 4, was the one with the biggest attendance, 30,173, so I'm not sure weather temp was a big factor in this series or in April series vs the Angels. Those Jays games were all wins in the middle of an 8 game win streak, which completely failed to get Sox fans to go to Fenway Park the way the did to see Ohtani and Trout.

[moonslav59]

Agree 37K is about max at Fenway (night games actual max is 37,755), but there is compelling evidence that, if you want high average attendance vs. high peak attendance for when, say, the Yankees come to town--vs the A's or some other small market team--a smaller ballpark is better. The exceptions to smaller is better are the Dodgers and Yankees because both have very big fan bases. Dodger Stadium hold 56K and Yankee Stadium 54K.

I disagree about not comparing season average attendances at Fenway because I'm just about convinced that, not only are there significant ups and downs in average attendance, year to year, but also that they are not necessarily tied to how well that team is playing that year.

More to the point, I think it's very possible that Chaim Bloom and John Henry's joint commitment to cutting payroll will continue to have an effect on attendance--and probably on TV ratings.

When the Angels came to town, April 14-17, attendances were 36,680, 36,594, 34,790, 34,942--an average of 35,751.

In the other 16 home games this season, the average attendance has been 29,516. That's a swing over over 6,000 butts in seats per game of presumably avid Sox fans who actually wanted to see Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. And who can blame them? The four game temperatures were 58, 56, 54, and 50 degrees.

When the Jays came to town, May 1-4, the attendances were 27,438, 27,721, 27,863, and 30,173. And the game temperatures were 50, 50, 50, and 47 degrees. That 47 degree temp game, May 4, was the one with the biggest attendance, 30,173, so I'm not sure weather temp was a big factor in this series or in April series vs the Angels. Those Jays games were all wins in the middle of an 8 game win streak, which completely failed to get Sox fans to go to Fenway Park the way the did to see Ohtani and Trout.

Sox attendance does not always gel with winning seasons or being loaded with stud supernova stars.

[Maxbialystock]

Sox attendance does not always gel with winning seasons or being loaded with stud supernova stars.

True. This season bears watching, however.

[Maxbialystock]

True. This season bears watching, however.

Weather was warm tonight, 82 degrees, and attendance was a solid 34,553 against a Cardinals team that has struggled so far this season. So it sure looks like the Sox fans will support a "no name" lineup, especially one that is winning games.