Comments on: Mariners trying to attract bats, fans with Safeco changes

By: nygiantstones

nygiantstones — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:28:43 +0000

Nope, sorry. I’ve lived in Seattle for 9 years, and for 4 years in Pullman at college. Seattle fans are not one of the most loyal fan bases in the US. They are a fair-weather fan base that ignores their teams when they’re losing. All you have to do is look at attendance for the Sonics and Mariners when they are (were) losing. The Sounders are extremely popular because they are great right now, and because Seattle is a very euro-centric (Northern-European specifically) town and soccer presents the perfect way for them to express that sentiment. The Seahawk fans are extremely loyal, but I would argue that the truly loyal Seahawk fans are from the working class areas outside of Seattle, such as Kent, Auburn, Tacoma, etc. Seattle is a very educated, yuppy, wine-sipping type of place where sports are merely a choice among many other choices of entertainment.

By: dirtyharry1971

dirtyharry1971 — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:34:21 +0000

Wow those attendance numbers remind me of the bluejays!! Sadly it wouldnt matter if the jays decided to play in a sandbox, nobody is coming except the other team’s fans and all 5 known jay fans!!

By: schneidler

schneidler — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 07:43:35 +0000

I doubt this will turn safeco into a hitter’s park. I’m an m’s fan and I think it’s a good move. I bet it moves the park factor closer to 100, but still on the pitcher’s side. That left-center area was just brutal and needed to come in. It was an extreme pitcher’s park, and this year was the most extreme yet, and no one is quite sure why, but it was crazy. Given all that, it will STILL be a slight pitcher’s park, I think. Also, you said the fence isn’t moving in right, but it is. Coming in by at least 4′ all the way around except at the foul poles.

Oh, and Felix will do fine there. Come on. His home/road splits aren’t that extreme at all. But trading Vargas now probably isn’t too bad an idea…

By: footballer4ever

footballer4ever — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:55:14 +0000

“Seattle has one of the most loyal fan bases in sports. I mean just look how nuts they go for their MLS team. That says a lot in itself.”

You have a good point! Don’t forget to treat fans well or else they won’t be as loyal and the Mariners seemed to have forgotten that golden rule.

By: kruegere

kruegere — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 03:19:41 +0000

Could be an improvement just in the hitter’s mentality. When you play in a ballpark that is infamous for suppressing RH power, you may subconsciously let it impact your game. Also, visiting pitchers. There will be some changes in the way teams play at Safeco, it will be very interesting to see. Losing 7-5 is better than losing 1-0, less heart-breaking because at least we did something. That may just be personal bias.

The Mariners actually hit a ton of HRs on the road this year and the Home/Road splits are very pronounced.

Now, trade Vargas Jack Z.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:31:53 +0000

The point everyone is ignoring is that when you have an extreme pitchers park….mediocre visiting pitchers turn into CY candidates too. You still have to have more talent than the other team….regardless of park configuration.

By: willclarkgameface

willclarkgameface — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 01:47:28 +0000

I personally like that its a pitchers park, but I also like close baseball games that end 2-1. Most “fans” want runs and home runs and teams listen to the middle of the road “fan”, not someone that is super into the game. They already have us. They need to keep the middle of the road fan.

For that, I get very pissed. Pink hat fans can suck it. You ruin everything.

By: dcfan4life

dcfan4life — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 01:09:45 +0000

Seattle has one of the most loyal fan bases in sports. I mean just look how nuts they go for their MLS team. That says a lot in itself.

By: vegagreenleaf

vegagreenleaf — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:57:43 +0000

Yeah, more opposing hitters can jack ‘em out now. Figgins still can’t hit and Smoak’s shallow fly outs are still shallow fly outs…

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:32:45 +0000

Attendance is up about 15% this year at the Mausoleum. Attendance always lags winning in an existing ballpark, especially when ownership spent several years telling fans to stay away.

By: drewsylvania

drewsylvania — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:53:34 +0000

Mariners had 12.2 oWAR as a team, worst in the AL. Moving in the fences won’t improve lousy hitters.

By: emeraldcityfan

emeraldcityfan — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:38:52 +0000

My bad Matthew!

By: drewsylvania

drewsylvania — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:38:49 +0000

You think he wants to pitch in front of a 295-ft RF wall?

By: randygnyc

randygnyc — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:32:26 +0000

Fences moved in on Hal Steinbrenner’s advice. King Felix signs with Yankees for 2014

By: blacksables

blacksables — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:30:37 +0000

Dumb move. I’ve been to Safeco many, many times, and I’ve seen lots of balls caught at, or over the fence, in the exact area they want to shorten.

So, to clarify, dumb move to bring the fence in 12-17 feet. Too much offense, as lots of balls end up out there.

5 feet in? Yeah, that makes sense.

Of course, in Bud’s world (and remember, MLB has to approve this) anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

By: lew24

lew24 — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:28:53 +0000

Hmm…winning brings fans…Just ask the Oakland A’s…oops…nevermind!

By: emeraldcityfan

emeraldcityfan — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:22:47 +0000

I agree Aaron. They should have played to their strengths and kept it a pitchers park. I’m interested how this will affect King Felix’s stats next year. Hope it doesn’t kill our chances to resign him.
I think empathy more than anything else is why attendance is so poor here. You can only hear the “we are rebuilding spiel” for so long.