Ways To Make Attending A 2009 MLB Game Affordable

The economic climate in America has everyone worried. In times like this, entertainment is the first thing that families will cut in order to save money. So what kind of attendance can Major League Baseball expect in the 2009 Major League Baseball season?

MLB is confronted with two major issues as we approach the 2009 MLB season. A bad economy and the "steroids in baseball" issue raising its ugly head again. But realistically, regardless of the steroids issue, families are just not going to come out to the ballpark like they have in previous years.

If you do plan on attending a major league baseball game in 2009, here are a few tips for doing it cheaply:

1. Check out your teams web page and search for discount ticket days. Most teams run some type of family day, half price ticket day, reduced hot dog day, anything. Search the promotion section and plan your day at the park around one of these days. The first way to save money is by taking advantage of lower tickets.

2. Bring your own snacks because food at ballparks can be very expensive. If you can eliminate the cost of food, your overall cost can be reduced by a large percentage. Check your team's website to see what the rules are for bringing in food to the stadium. You may want to bring some sandwiches and eat them in the parking lot before the game - make it a tailgating episode.
3. Parking is another large cost. For most ballparks there is parking very near the stadium, but you will pay for it. If you have young kids, it might be worth paying the price, but if your kids are older find an alternative. The further away you go from the stadium the cheaper. One option is to park in a parking garage away from the stadium and hop a bus. Or take public transportation from your home, eliminating parking cost altogether.

4. Limit the number of souvenirs you purchase. If your kids want a jersey, buy that prior to the game. Convince them this way they can wear it to the game. Also, if you know months in advance you are going to the game, have your kids earn money by doing chores. This money then can be used for any purchases they may want. This will limit the amount spent and make them feel proud of their purchase and accomplishment.

5. Limit the number of alcoholic beverages. At $7 - $10, beer is probably the bigger cost at the game.

6. One of the best ways to make a major league game affordable is to see the minor league affiliates. Prices for tickets can be had for as little as $10 for a really good seat. And the minor league baseball parks cater to the family. They will stage events that entertain the kids and the mascots are always interacting with the crowd. If you go early enough, the players are more than happy to sign autographs for the kids. And there is always a minor league ball club close to home.

So even though it is a tough year economically, you can still enjoy the national past time. To make it even more fun for you and the kids keep score at the baseball game - the memories of that day will be priceless.

source: ehow.com, howtoscorebaseball.info, bestbaseballebooks.com

Jose "Can Say So" About A-Roid

Back in December of 2007, more than 80 players were named in one capacity or another in the Mitchell Report, the investigation into steroid use by major league baseball players. But Jose Canseco was certain there would be at least one more name in the document: Alex Rodriguez.

Immediately after the report was released in 2007, Canseco, who was one of the players named by Sen. George Mitchell in the report, told the Fox Business Channel he was surprised not to see A-Rod's name in the report.

"All I can say is the Mitchell Report is incomplete," Canseco said. "I could not believe that (Rodriguez's) name was not in the report."

It turns out that Jose Canseco was right!

Everyone has heard the latest news that Alex Rodriguez admitted taking steroids from 2001-2003. But in an interview back in 2007 on the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric," he denied every taking steroids and never "had the urge" to take them.

In a Fox interview shortly after the Mitchell report was made public Canseco said of the Mitchell list "It's laughable," "I heard the report, I saw the list of players and there are definitely a lot of players missing. I don't know what they accomplished or what they are trying to prove."
In Canseco's 2005 book, "Juiced," he discussed A-Rod several times, saying the perception that Rodriguez was "the clean boy" was false, pointing to his politically correct personality with reporters as being insincere.

Canseco wrote of Rodriguez: "He's not the saint he's perceived to be. Eventually the media will find something nasty to write about Alex Rodriguez, because trust me, they're looking for it."

Rodriguez has had his share of controversy on and off the field, but he has never been linked to any drug-related issues - not until now!

In late July 2008, Canseco told a Boston radio station that he had "other stuff" on A-Rod, information he would reveal in his next book, "Vindicated," although he wouldn't say whether it was steroid-related.

"Wait and see," Canseco told WEEI.

Well, we don't have to wait any longer. Alex Rodriguez has admitted to taking steroids and apologizes for lying to the American public.

So far, all the allegations Canseco has made about big names using steroids have all came true!

Maybe he should become a politican, we could use some truth there!

source: nydailynews, Fox News

Alex Rodriguez Goes From "A-Fraud" To "A-Roid"

According to a report on the Sports Illustrated website, Alex Rodriguez, the homerun hitting third baseman for the New York Yankees tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. That was when baseball granted players immunity while it conducted survey testing with the hope that the number of cheaters would be low and the performance-enhancement problem would go away.

In that report, 104 major leaguers were identified as having tested positive. At the time, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) guaranteed the players that the results of that "survey" would be kept confidential with no chance of it ever being released to the public.

This is more bad press for Alex following the assertion in Joe Torre's book "The Yankee Years" that his Yankee teammates nicknamed him "A-Fraud" and that he had a "single-white female"-like obsession with Derek Jeter.

Rodriguez reportedly tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone while playing for the Texas Rangers, but does really matter where it was, or when or for how long? Unless he or baseball, or both, can effectively counter another damaging blow, Rodriguez takes his place in the ever-expanding enhancement holding pen, a shadow cast across his career

No word yet from A-Roid or his agent, Scott Boras, in regard to the SI report.
It will be interesting to see what stance A-Roid will take on the matter. Will he come clean like Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitt or will he go the way ala Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens and deny, deny, deny.

It's obvious that steroids in Major League Baseballwill not go away!

Despite all-things-A-Roid, the Yankees are contractually obligated to Alex Rodriguez until 2018 and will have to put up with the distraction.

I wonder what Madona thinks about all of this?

source:nytimes.com