Mailbag: Adding Keuchel, Opening Day Rotation, Angry Fans

Great point about bringing your own food. 

I'd love for all teams to go the Falcons route and roll back food and drink prices to the 80's. A hot dog with a bun and condiments is no more than 40¢, unless you are at a pro sport.

re: "fan outrage"

Don't mistake Twitter for real life.

I've also wondered about the constant complaining about concession prices. You don't have to buy 2 beers, a jumbo brand-name BBQ sandwich, a pretzel and stop at the sushi bar. You can eat before the game, and while in the stands just buy peanuts and a coke and you'll escape with a couple extra $20 bills in your wallet.

Wouldn't it make more sense to put Gibson at the back of the rotation to start, given he's recovering from severe weight loss? A few extra days of recovery could make a difference.

I've worked at Target Field the last two years, and yes: there are still people who enjoy going to the park for the games themselves, particularly when there's history to celebrate (Hall of Fame weekends) or happening (Mauer's last game.) There haven't been too many sell-outs these last two years (even with the Twins in the Wild Card hunt in 2017) but there are still thousands of fans every game intently watching, scrutinizing, keeping score, cheering and booing at the appropriate times. 

But then yeah, there's people who spend the entire game in one of the many in-park bars, never once looking down at the field or even up at the screen; there's kids who want to play at the playground (which will be even bigger this year) the entire time; and there's people spending the whole game on their phones; and you just want to shake your head in the most dad-way possible. 

I think if Kuechel would sign for 3 years and $30 million he'd have been signed by 10+ other teams by now. I'm sure he's asking for more like 3 years and $60-75 million....or more. Which is why he hasn't signed. Hard to take that risk on a guy that has been losing velocity the last few years. I believe it's a similar situation with Kimbrel.

well, closer than the ridiculous 3 years $30M speculated. I'm almost certain that he's looking for an AAV of at least $17M and probably closer to $20M. The bigger issue may be that he's holding out for a 4-5 year deal on top of it.

Of course the Twins would sign him at 3/$30M. I think the Twins would sign him at 3/$50M. I think he's trying to get a 4th year minimum and everyone is balking because they think his shoulder might fall off in year 2 or 3.

I've worked at Target Field the last two years, and yes: there are still people who enjoy going to the park for the games themselves, particularly when there's history to celebrate (Hall of Fame weekends) or happening (Mauer's last game.) There haven't been too many sell-outs these last two years (even with the Twins in the Wild Card hunt in 2017) but there are still thousands of fans every game intently watching, scrutinizing, keeping score, cheering and booing at the appropriate times. 

 

But then yeah, there's people who spend the entire game in one of the many in-park bars, never once looking down at the field or even up at the screen; there's kids who want to play at the playground (which will be even bigger this year) the entire time; and there's people spending the whole game on their phones; and you just want to shake your head in the most dad-way possible. 

As a former season ticket holder, I can confirm your take. We had a group that sat behind us one year that drove us nuts. The whole game the guys would be jumping up and pushing to get out and back in to their seats (pushing everyone around them). Their wives would be doing selfies the whole game while discussing loudly anything and everything except baseball. We knew all about their kids, families, jobs and unfortunately their sex lives.

Didn’t know I could bring my own food. Thanks for that tip. What is an appropriate container?

I think this year’s team has the potential to delight us all. Optimism is an opening day hazard, but I’m hoping the team will help us forget ice dams and blizzards with a rainstorm of hits and homers. I won’t be at opening day, too cold for baseball, but later, if the boys of summer grow into poised young men, I’ll be there to razz them on.

I've worked at Target Field the last two years, and yes: there are still people who enjoy going to the park for the games themselves, particularly when there's history to celebrate (Hall of Fame weekends) or happening (Mauer's last game.) There haven't been too many sell-outs these last two years (even with the Twins in the Wild Card hunt in 2017) but there are still thousands of fans every game intently watching, scrutinizing, keeping score, cheering and booing at the appropriate times. 

 

But then yeah, there's people who spend the entire game in one of the many in-park bars, never once looking down at the field or even up at the screen; there's kids who want to play at the playground (which will be even bigger this year) the entire time; and there's people spending the whole game on their phones; and you just want to shake your head in the most dad-way possible. 

I went to a couple of Saints games last year, and I don't like the constant "entertainment". I like some fun, and not taking things too seriously, but it's overdone and distracting from the game. I hate it when I look out on the field and have to ask myself, "Hey, how did that guy get on second base?"

I'd love for all teams to go the Falcons route and roll back food and drink prices to the 80's. A hot dog with a bun and condiments is no more than 40¢, unless you are at a pro sport.

I don’t know where you buy your meat. Good hot dogs cost about $1 per quarter pound dog, which is what most ballpark hot dogs weigh. Bun and average condiments prrobably about $.25. Whatever packaging is probably 2-3 cents per.

Of course, you also are paying for someone to make it and someone to bring it to your seat. Figure probably at least $1 worth of labor costs and $.25 for overhead costs like utilities, taxes, food licensing fees, etc. Your 40 cent hotdog now costs $2.25.

Yeah, I don't understand the point of whining about the price of a non essential service.

There is an easy solution if it's overpriced.

Plus, it's pretty much impossible for a non essential service or product to actually be overpriced. It's value is exactly what people are willing to pay for it, no more, no less. If the concessions truly are overpriced, they won't be for long, because not enough people will buy them, which will force them to lower prices.

$1/hot dog??

 

A quick check of Schweigert hot dogs (at the Nicollet Mall Target) lists a package of 10 for $3.99.

 

$.40/hot dog.

 

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1?hl=en&gl=us&output=search&lsf=seller:10046,store:511640365091534753,s:m&q=schweigert+hot+dogs&oq=schweigert+hot+dogs&prds=oid:13223681969682384282,pid:13223681969682384282&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjr28un7IHhAhWsxFkKHXeaD1IQ8gIIRg

 

Presumably buying wholesale in bulk would cost even less.

 

I don't think you'll find any regular hot dogs that weigh in a 1/4 pound, either, for that matter.

Who’s talking about regular hot dogs? We’re talking about the hot dogs served at the ballpark.

From the Twins official website:

The quarter-pound all-beef Twins Big Dog will replace the hot dog formerly known as the Dome Dog and will be served at portable grills and select concessions stands throughout the stadium.

Agreed, to an extent. I have some sympathy for concession price complaints because of the ballpark funding. I think the public gets a bit of a raw deal when we partially subsidize the activity, yet the team is allowed to set full "market price" for everything -- tickets, concessions, even TV broadcasts.

 

Also, the combination of high concession prices plus longer games puts families at a bit of a disadvantage, compared to the average fan. The average fan can deal with those factors by bringing in a sandwich and a bag of peanuts pretty easily. A family has to either bring in a ton of snacks, pay the high concession prices, and/or leave the game early. (On top of paying full freight for kid's tickets too -- the Twins have pretty well ended the longstanding practice of kids ticket discounts over the last couple years.)

 

So I don't mind a little grumbling about concession prices, although I usually focus my energy on spreading the gospel of outside food. If they ever try to ban outside food, though, I'll lead the revolt.

The other option is to go somewhere else.

I take my family to our local townball games instead. Admission is $2 each. Hot dogs, nachos, and beer are $1 each. Pop is 50 cents.

We all have the power of choice.

Well, Hennepin County residents don't have a choice in subsidizing the Twins.

 

Obviously we can choose not to watch -- and many do, particularly non-baseball fans. But for those of us who are fans, it would be nice to get some benefit to our subsidy beyond the Twins mere presence.

Not to get too far into the weeds, but you always have a choice.

People opposed to the subsidy can move, or do their shopping in a different county.

Also, that's just not how subsidies work, it's not realistic to expect them to sell concessions for less than the market will bear, just because they took public money. Amazon didn't pay a dime in federal tax last year, effectively a massive public subsidy. That doesn't mean they are going to give Prime away free to everyone.