Was tonight's hoopla (eg Machado, Chen t-shirt) done only to usurp the Ravens game?

[fearthenoodle]

T-shirt day has been Thursday for 2 years.

[Roll Tide]

By the way, I really, really want one of those Chen T-shirts, but there's 0% chance I'm making the two-hour trek to Baltimore on a work/school night. I'll pay somebody for one.

Im going to try and go need to get it the wife into the idea...PM me your size and I'll see what I can do.

As for the subject ...Im hoping the Orioles wouldnt put Machado in a bad situation to compete with what amounts to a meaningless preseason game that amounts to nothing.

[Orioles0615]

The fact that there are some Ravens fans out there that actually think this is pathetic, not saying the OP thinks this. Also remember the bone head move that was on the Ravens facebook page on opening day. Either way a pennant race >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a fake football game.

[jamalshw]

Is it bad that I didn't know the Ravens were playing tonight until I read this thread? Of course, a good reason for that is that I live in Florida, but I didn't even realize preseason football had already started.

[OFFNY]

Just curious what people think. Sure, we're still in a pennant race, but it seems like a lot of coincidence that they'd throw a T-shirt Tuesday on a Thursday and then bring up their ~best prospect the same night to pack out the stadium. I think the Orioles really want people to know that the Ravens aren't the only birds in town.

If the Orioles had acquired Tim Tebow from the Jets, then I would have said that you might be onto something. They didn't. You're not onto something.

[jamalshw]

If the Orioles had acquired Tim Tebow from the Jets, then I would have said that you might be onto something. They didn't. You're not onto something.

They should. Tebow is a winner afterall, right? So what if he can't hit or pitch, he can't really pass either, but he's a winner.

[ShaneDawg85]

Somebody would deserve to be fired if that really were the case.

[Enjoy Terror]

The Orioles are a business. They know that most of Baltimore is going to be watching the Ravens on TV tonight. So you make the most exciting t-shirt night of the year on that Thursday so you spend your money on the Orioles, and if you don't come out for that, then they hope you watch Machado on TV. Machado may in fact be ready for the show, but I'm pointing out that I think the Orioles made these moves to compete directly for viewership in Baltimore. My argument is at least better than "No that's crazy".

[bdlj0887]

The Orioles are a business. They know that most of Baltimore is going to be watching the Ravens on TV tonight. So you make the most exciting t-shirt night of the year on that Thursday so you spend your money on the Orioles, and if you don't come out for that, then they hope you watch Machado on TV. Machado may in fact be ready for the show, but I'm pointing out that I think the Orioles made these moves to compete directly for viewership in Baltimore. My argument is at least better than "No that's crazy".

I'm not really sure most of Baltimore cares about preseason games.

[SteveO]

If the goal was to usurp the Ravens the announcement regarding Machado would have been made earlier than 11:45pm last night imo

[Frobby]

The Orioles are a business. They know that most of Baltimore is going to be watching the Ravens on TV tonight. So you make the most exciting t-shirt night of the year on that Thursday so you spend your money on the Orioles, and if you don't come out for that, then they hope you watch Machado on TV. Machado may in fact be ready for the show, but I'm pointing out that I think the Orioles made these moves to compete directly for viewership in Baltimore. My argument is at least better than "No that's crazy".

I'm not going to go with "asinine," but it sounds very crazy to me. First of all, I am not sure that the Chen t-shirt is that much more exciting than any other t-shirt. Why, because it has some Chinese writing on it? Second of all, if the O's wanted to use Machado's call-up to promote ticket sales, they wouldn't be announcing the call-up at 11:30 at night, after the post-game show is over, the night before the game. They'd e hyping it a few days in advance, like they did with Wieters. This is a baseball move, pure and simple.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm not going to go with "asinine," but it sounds very crazy to me. First of all, I am not sure that the Chen t-shirt is that much more exciting than any other t-shirt. Why, because it has some Chinese writing on it? Second of all, if the O's wanted to use Machado's call-up to promote ticket sales, they wouldn't be announcing the call-up at 11:30 at night, after the post-game show is over, the night before the game. They'd e hyping it a few days in advance, like they did with Wieters. This is a baseball move, pure and simple.

Two weeks ago they were showing Chen's start live on Taiwanese TV at 1am. Just wait, 23,000 Taiwanese ex-pats are showing up tonight!

[bdlj0887]

Two weeks ago they were showing Chen's start live on Taiwanese TV at 1am. Just wait, 23,000 Taiwanese ex-pats are showing up tonight!

It is pretty cool to see how popular Chen is over there.

[Frobby]

It is pretty cool to see how popular Chen is over there.

He's getting pretty popular over here!

[bmorebird]

No it isn't.

It really is though. It's a PRE season game. Plus, there is no way Buck is concerned whatsoever whether or not the Ravens are playing tonight. This is a baseball move through and through, not one to outdo the other team in town.