On Sunday, The Philadelphia Inquirer ran an article by Bob Brookover about attendance at Phillies games this season. The writer pondered why fans have not taken to the Phillies and why attendance so far is mediocre. The article was titled “Where is Everybody?” I was moved to write the author a response. It appears below:
Speaking from the perspective of an older fan, a former Phillies season-ticket holder, and a high school/Legion coach for 37 years, I have no desire to embrace the “new” baseball on display at CBP for the following reasons:
1. Sabermetrics can allegedly analyze every movement on the field, but it does not take into account the fan perspective. A strikeout may be just another out to a statistical guru, but it is boring to watch, especially when no two-strike adjustments are being made. Do I want to sit through a guaranteed 10 strikeout + Phillies offense? No, I do not.
2. The shifting is not baseball. Fans may like to see home runs more than anything else, so, I am told, but intelligent hitting (and bunting) to beat a shift would restore balance to the game. Short of that, I would require all infielders to start on the infield dirt and require two players on each side of second base to help the offensive side of the game.
3. I know the Phillies have been criticized in the past for promoting from within and being too loyal to former players, but, at least long-time fans could have a “connection” to generations. It is trendy to bring in young people with new ideas and “disrupt” the workplace in many industries. Is Gabe Kapler a guy to get excited about as the new “genius” to take the Phils back to the playoffs? In the eyes of more seasoned fans, I think he is a turnoff. I caught part of his interview the other night where he said his starting pitchers were “kicking ass and taking names”. Really? That is so cool. And unprofessional, if that’s even a thing anymore. And this reinvention of traditional baseball language (an uppercut is now a launch angle, a tight curve is now spin rate) is somewhat laughable to older fans and incomprehensible to all fans.
4. There are a handful of players worth watching: Nola, Arrieta, Hernandez, Alfaro, Seranthony. You sense that they give their all, all the time. But some of the key players like Odubel and Franco don’t hustle like they should, look lost too often, and generally appear low on baseball IQ. Altherr and Williams and Knapp and Hoskins have regressed. Kingery looks overwhelmed. So what “exciting” players am I going to see at CBP? (I get it; it’s a long season; don’t judge too early yada, yada, yada. Which of course went right out the window with the one-day plaudits when the Phillies were in first place.)
5. All that being said, being in a pennant race will improve attendance, but, dramatically? Not for a year. That’s the way it has always been in Philly. It takes a while to change fans’ mindsets.
The Q-View 