Re:A-Rod's 600th HR Landing Spot Projection at Tropicana Field
by robryan on Sunday August 01, 2010 @06:43AM
(#1565092)
Ah that's what I was wondering, how cheap a baseball they use at that level goes for. Had a feeling that it must not have been much.
Re:A-Rod's 600th HR Landing Spot Projection at Tropicana Field
by jasonkester on Sunday August 01, 2010 @07:04AM
(#1565113)
Actually, I'm probably wrong above in saying that they cost the ballpark anything at all. I suspect the manufacturer pays Major League Baseball a lot of money every year for the privilege of supplying those balls.
Pitchers go out of their way to mangle the balls in specific ways before they throw them, so even the ones that last a few tosses are in rough shape. You'll often see a pitcher simply throw a ball back to the catcher to have it replaced.
The math, by the way, is something like 10k fans @ $50/seat vs. 120 baseballs @ $0.75 wholesale. If there's any chance whatsoever that giving one to a kid in the stands will make him happy enough to come back for another game at any point in his life, it's well worth it.