FanFest December 12

[scOtt]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">At last count, little over 11,500 at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/orioles?src=hash">#orioles</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fanfest?src=hash">#fanfest</a> today.</p>? Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) <a href="

">December 12, 2015</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That's over a 23% drop from last year.

source - Orioles.com

Maybe that will knock the club upside the head about this STUPID early date. This was NEVER a good idea.

[Nevermore]

I was at Fanfest. I don't know the exact numbers, but I could tell that there were significantly less people there this year than last year. I believe that part of the problem with attendance was because people are involved with planning for the holidays. Does anyone have any information on why Fanfest was scheduled for December? At any rate, I had fun, got autographs from Gonzo, Tilly, and Al Bumbry. I had to leave early because of a personal problem unrelated to Fanfest. I'm glad that I attended.

[TonySoprano]

Maybe that will knock the club upside the head about this STUPID early date. This was NEVER a good idea.

Was it the early date, the .500 season, no Manny or Crush, any or all of the above?

[scOtt]

I was at Fanfest. I don't know the exact numbers, but I could tell that there were significantly less people there this year than last year. I believe that part of the problem with attendance was because people are involved with planning for the holidays. Does anyone have any information on why Fanfest was scheduled for December? At any rate, I had fun, got autographs from Gonzo, Tilly, and Al Bumbry. I had to leave early because of a personal problem unrelated to Fanfest. I'm glad that I attended.

Just because I love this picture.

ballet

[SteveA]

Was it the early date, the .500 season, no Manny or Crush, any or all of the above?

Honestly think the date was the biggest thing. We've come out on good numbers any number of times coming off losing years.

It's just a bad time because people are busy with the holidays. And we haven't had enough winter yet for all but the most fanatical baseball fans to be longingly counting the days until spring training and Opening Day. By late January, everyone is starting to be ready to at least think about baseball.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[scOtt]

Was it the early date, the .500 season, no Manny or Crush, any or all of the above?

I think it's just the early date. Fans have no idea what the team is going to look like. Most years by the end of January the team is 90-95% complete. And people are seriously jonesing for something baseball. I'm anxious for some baseball now but nothing like it will be in late January, frigid temps and ST only a short time away.

[Number5]

Just because I love this picture.

ballet

Imagine how good he might have been had he not served in Viet Nam prior to starting his professional baseball career.

[TonySoprano]

I think it's just the early date. Fans have no idea what the team is going to look like. Most years by the end of January the team is 90-95% complete. And people are seriously jonesing for something baseball. I'm anxious for some baseball now but nothing like it will be in late January, frigid temps and ST only a short time away.

It's not like the Ravens are capturing the area's attention at the moment.

[Carllamy]

First, if anyone wants to see pictures from Fanfest. I post them for public viewing on my Facebook page. Just look up Carl Lamy, I'm the guy in the Icon wearing the O's gear

My day at Fanfest:

Had an 11:00 A.M. entrance ticket, got there at 10:15 A.M. and the line was definitely shorter than it has been for many years. They let us in 10 minutes early - hooray!

I got a $5 picture with Dylan Bundy. I've gotten stuff with him before. He was definitely more approachable and communicative this year. In past years he either didn't say anything, or just said hello. This year he asked me what I would be doing and told me there was a lot of fun things to do.

Far fewer people than in previous years, but it did crowd up over time.

The giveaway line was long - it took about 40 mins. But they handed out all sorts of stuff all at once: Tee shirt, hat, towel - it was a regular wardrobe! Plus four Oriole magazines and a Steve Pearce bobblehead. You got so much stuff you only had to go through once.

Orioles store was in the main room, an area which in the past was taken up by vendors and such, so there was certainly fewer vendors and the like there this year. I was able to buy a red/white/blue O's hat for the 4th of July for $20, which was a deal. But there were no used street posters for $20 - just unused new ones for $60 - a bit of a bummer. Good selection of game used jerseys.

Don't bother with the new Oreo chorro. I bought one, and the traditional chorro is way better.

There was a new poster in the locker room - a list of 2015 Umpires. Next to it was a computer station. I have no idea what the computer station was for, but given the proximity to the Umpire poster, I would guess access to a data base about the Umps for that night?

There were new pictures lining the walls, including a cool one of Brooks addressing the players in the locker room.

There was a new poster outlining all of the rules surrounding bats: what materials can be used, which manufacturers can make bats, what words can go on it, what colors it can be, etc.

A guard at the stadium told me they had black-topped the dugouts with tar a month ago. It was weird seeing them all black.

I was talking with my friend when we were at the trainer's room, and the guard there told me that Brian Matusz has had allergic reactions while at the stadium before, resulting in difficulty breathing.

For the first time they had Buck Showalter's office open for inspection, and let you sit in the visitor's dugout.

[Going Underground]

First, if anyone wants to see pictures from Fanfest. I post them for public viewing on my Facebook page. Just look up Carl Lamy, I'm the guy in the Icon wearing the O's gear

My day at Fanfest:

Had an 11:00 A.M. entrance ticket, got there at 10:15 A.M. and the line was definitely shorter than it has been for many years. They let us in 10 minutes early - hooray!

I got a $5 picture with Dylan Bundy. I've gotten stuff with him before. He was definitely more approachable and communicative this year. In past years he either didn't say anything, or just said hello. This year he asked me what I would be doing and told me there was a lot of fun things to do.

Far fewer people than in previous years, but it did crowd up over time.

The giveaway line was long - it took about 40 mins. But they handed out all sorts of stuff all at once: Tee shirt, hat, towel - it was a regular wardrobe! Plus four Oriole magazines and a Steve Pearce bobblehead. You got so much stuff you only had to go through once.

Orioles store was in the main room, an area which in the past was taken up by vendors and such, so there was certainly fewer vendors and the like there this year. I was able to buy a red/white/blue O's hat for the 4th of July for $20, which was a deal. But there were no used street posters for $20 - just unused new ones for $60 - a bit of a bummer. Good selection of game used jerseys.

Don't bother with the new Oreo chorro. I bought one, and the traditional chorro is way better.

There was a new poster in the locker room - a list of 2015 Umpires. Next to it was a computer station. I have no idea what the computer station was for, but given the proximity to the Umpire poster, I would guess access to a data base about the Umps for that night?

There were new pictures lining the walls, including a cool one of Brooks addressing the players in the locker room.

There was a new poster outlining all of the rules surrounding bats: what materials can be used, which manufacturers can make bats, what words can go on it, what colors it can be, etc.

A guard at the stadium told me they had black-topped the dugouts with tar a month ago. It was weird seeing them all black.

I was talking with my friend when we were at the trainer's room, and the guard there told me that Brian Matusz has had allergic reactions while at the stadium before, resulting in difficulty breathing.

For the first time they had Buck Showalter's office open for inspection, and let you sit in the visitor's dugout.

Also had much more weight equipment since it had not been sent down to Florida.Usually it is gone when Fanfest is.Did you get your picture taken with the bird?I got a picture with Tillman.Nice and friendly guy.

[beantownrefugee]

Dan said that Davis is going to be tough but they are trying. He also said the money they have offered him would be available to be spent on others over the next 8 years. Not all on one player. And probably not all this year.

I was the one who asked Dan whether the ownership had only approved the monies specifically for Chris Davis, or whether if Davis did not accept the offer, those monies would be put to use signing other players. Weams, I may have missed it, but I didn't hear Dan say that the monies wouldn't be spent on just one player. I was actually heartened to hear that the monies would be spent. Dan seemed to indicate that not tying up all of those monies in one player provides the team with flexibility in the out years.

As a side note, the O's staffers who walk around with the microphone ask you what you intend to ask. When I told him, he wanted me to leave out the part about ownership. Good grief. I ignored this. Didn't make sense in the context of the question. I said to Dan, IMO I feel you've made a generous offer to Chris Davis. I understand that Chris Davis is a favorite of Mr. Angelos. Has ownership approved that increase in payroll ONLY for Chris Davis, or if he doesn't sign with the Orioles, has ownership approved those monies for signing other players?

Later during the coaches Q&A forum, I asked about the issues the club has had in developing major league starting pitchers, from those who came up through the minor league system. I asked whether we needed to improve in drafting, was it a mismatch between the minor league coaches and what the major league coaching staff expected? Dave Wallace pointed to the draft as the key. Buck pointed out that E Rod and others had come through the system, turned into big leaguers, and it wasn't fair to point to the draft team or minor league coaches since E Rod and others had been traded. The bullpen coach stated that he knows of only one team that has 3 raised starters. Dave Wallace I thought was the most interesting answer, in that he seemed to indicate that the draft had not yielded the results, and it was the drafting rather than the development which has failed the club.

[Going Underground]

I was the one who asked Dan whether the ownership had only approved the monies specifically for Chris Davis, or whether if Davis did not accept the offer, those monies would be put to use signing other players. Weams, I may have missed it, but I didn't hear Dan say that the monies wouldn't be spent on just one player. I was actually heartened to hear that the monies would be spent. Dan seemed to indicate that not tying up all of those monies in one player provides the team with flexibility in the out years.

As a side note, the O's staffers who walk around with the microphone ask you what you intend to ask. When I told him, he wanted me to leave out the part about ownership. Good grief. I ignored this. Didn't make sense in the context of the question. I said to Dan, IMO I feel you've made a generous offer to Chris Davis. I understand that Chris Davis is a favorite of Mr. Angelos. Has ownership approved that increase in payroll ONLY for Chris Davis, or if he doesn't sign with the Orioles, has ownership approved those monies for signing other players?

Later during the coaches Q&A forum, I asked about the issues the club has had in developing major league starting pitchers, from those who came up through the minor league system. I asked whether we needed to improve in drafting, was it a mismatch between the minor league coaches and what the major league coaching staff expected? Dave Wallace pointed to the draft as the key. Buck pointed out that E Rod and others had come through the system, turned into big leaguers, and it wasn't fair to point to the draft team or minor league coaches since E Rod and others had been traded. The bullpen coach stated that he knows of only one team that has 3 raised starters. Dave Wallace I thought was the most interesting answer, in that he seemed to indicate that the draft had not yielded the results, and it was the drafting rather than the development which has failed the club.

Yup,not really allowed to ask tough questions. They will say that you can't ask certain things.They will go to another person.

[beantownrefugee]

Also I agree with others. Buck's continual comments about the donation bucket were puzzling. We ARE the donation bucket. I've attended two season ticket holder Q&A sessions now. Both times Buck has struck me as talking down to the fans. Dan presented himself much better today than last August. I thought he was dismissive towards the fans last August. He seemed much more professional today.

[Going Underground]

Also I agree with others. Buck's continual comments about the donation bucket were puzzling. We ARE the donation bucket. I've attended two season ticket holder Q&A sessions now. Both times Buck has struck me as talking down to the fans. Dan presented himself much better today than last August. I thought he was dismissive towards the fans last August. He seemed much more professional today.

Yup.Been a season ticket for 12 years now.Went when they really stunk and about 10,000 die hard fans in the stands.Let him pass the bucket around his coaches and players If he don't like it he and the bucket can get kicked down the road.

[Rockford]

Hasn't it been said of Buck that he thinks he is the smartest guy in the room? Part of me wonders if that isn't why he and Rick Peterson have never seemed to mesh. Two of the smartest guys around but seemingly opposite personalities.

Anyway, being questioned seems to be a slight irritant to Buck, even in a forum as harmless as Fan Fest. I notice how the Baltimore press usually tries to find a positive in even the losses and focuses on that in the press conference. Questions aren't asked as much as meandering statements are made then they wait on Buck to comment on said statement.

But I am glad Buck is our smartest guy in the room and hope he remains so for years and years to come.