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Monday, April 28, 2008

WSJ: Carlton: Life After Barry Is a Strikeout At the Ballpark

Folding kayak folding?

Mr. Bonds was a major force behind another Giants-stadium oddity: kayaks. Kayakers used to float by the dozens in McCovey Cove, hoping to fish out a so-called “Splash Hit.” Of the 45 homers that have been blasted into the cove since the ballpark’s opening in 2000, 35 came off the bat of Mr. Bonds. This season, no homers have been hit into the cove, and the number of kayaks bobbing in the water fell to about 10 on opening day from 50 on opening day last year. During the second game of this season, there were no kayaks in the cove. “It’s not as fun,” says 52-year-old Mark Busch, a San Jose businessman who sat in one of the few kayaks on opening night.

That’s bad news for Ted Choi, a 44-year-old Korean immigrant who has rented kayaks to baseball fans for five years here. Game-related rentals used to account for as much as a third of his business, persuading a stable of advertisers to pay roughly $20,000 each to put their brands on his kayaks. This year, he has just two advertisers, and game rentals are scarce most days. “I will be happy if I can break even,” he says.

Repoz Posted: April 28, 2008 at 06:15 AM | 17 comment(s)
Related News: General, Business, San Francisco

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1. JRVJ (formerly Delta Socrates) Posted: April 28, 2008 at 09:10 AM (#2761170)

While it's sad to see one of baseball's greatest quirks fade away (somewhat), you have to wonder about how Mr. Choi planned his Kayak business, what with the possibility of (a) Injuries; (b) Retirement; (c) Age related decline for Bonds.

2. Lassus Posted: April 28, 2008 at 09:30 AM (#2761185)

Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder should be marked on this poor guy's calendar.

3. EddieA Posted: April 28, 2008 at 09:39 AM (#2761192)

While it's sad to see one of baseball's greatest quirks fade away (somewhat), you have to wonder about how Mr. Choi planned his Kayak business, what with the possibility of (a) Injuries; (b) Retirement; (c) Age related decline for Bonds.

He planned about as well as the Giants did in a baseball-related way.

Their actual attendance is down more than the paid attendance, and they are setting record lows in paid attendance for individual games. They were able to tie many of last year's season tickets purchases to this year's so there are many more no shows than would normally be the case.

4. Deadball... With the Power To Melt People's Faces Posted: April 28, 2008 at 09:45 AM (#2761196)

I don't see what Giant fans are so glum about. They have a guy named Barry on their team now, and he's on a record-setting pace....

5. Jose Can Jussi Jokinen (Justin T) Posted: April 28, 2008 at 09:46 AM (#2761197)

Fred Lewis plopped one into the water on Saturday night, which begged the question "If someone hits a home run into the water, and no one is there to snag it, do the Giants get a run?"

6. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: April 28, 2008 at 10:23 AM (#2761237)

Actually, it makes me ask, "Who in hell is Fred Lewis?"

7. Ray DiPerna Posted: April 28, 2008 at 11:37 AM (#2761320)

Getting rid of Bonds for the sake of rebuilding -- or if he was blocking a prospect -- would have been fine.

But getting rid of Bonds for the sake of getting rid of Bonds was kind of pointless. It's almost like the plan for 2008 was "Get Bonds off the team," with little regard for much else.

8. robinred Posted: April 28, 2008 at 11:44 AM (#2761334)

Getting rid of Bonds for the sake of rebuilding -- or if he was blocking a prospect -- would have been fine.

But getting rid of Bonds for the sake of getting rid of Bonds was kind of pointless

.

Yeah, I agree to a large extent. I said that awhile back, and others have said it as well, including a few SF fans.

9. chick-a-DOOM chick-a-DOOM Posted: April 28, 2008 at 11:46 AM (#2761337)

ray

now isn't baseball SO much better now that the man who invented steroids and introduced them to MLB and forced his helpless teammates to use them too (causing them unTOLD mental angwish over whether or not to defy - or is that deify His Excellence) and had the nerve to bring a barcalounger by his locker and unlike every single other star in any sport, was a prima donna - now he's gone?

isn't the giants a MUCH better team with MUCH happier ballplayers AND fans who now flooding the park now that The Cancer In Baseball has been surgically removed?

how fortunate that buddy boy had the sense to tell the other owners not to let him back in the game at ANY cost

10. kevin Posted: April 28, 2008 at 02:47 PM (#2761564)

How about getting rid of Bonds because he was a malignant tumor on the organization?

And that one must feel pain before a wound is healed?

11. Clemenza Posted: April 28, 2008 at 04:57 PM (#2761701)

How about getting rid of Bonds because he was a malignant tumor on the organization?

And that one must feel pain before a wound is healed?

If by "malignant tumor" you mean "resulted in more wins and higher revenue" then yes he was a tumor.

I'm not fan of Bonds but he was not a malignant tumor for the Giants. The amount of pain they are going to feel before the wounds heal is mostly self-inflicted. Barry being on the team had little to nothing to do with having a mostly barren organization now that he is gone.

12. kevin Posted: April 28, 2008 at 05:13 PM (#2761728)

If by "malignant tumor" you mean "resulted in more wins and higher revenue" then yes he was a tumor.

Enron shares were doing pretty well before the the accountants took a closer look too.

13. Morty Causa Posted: April 29, 2008 at 10:26 AM (#2762221)

Was Bonds hitting them for distances like that when he was younger, and before the advent of steroids?

14. EddieA Posted: April 29, 2008 at 10:36 AM (#2762237)

Don't know if the milestone home runs are still on the internet, but except for #1, #600, and #700, they were all smashed.

15. rfloh Posted: April 29, 2008 at 10:40 AM (#2762240)

How about getting rid of Bonds because he was a malignant tumor on the organization?

And that one must feel pain before a wound is healed?

So, it was Bonds who signed Barry Zito? Bonds, who is forcing the new Giants, the Giants that are emphasising youth, and pitching and defense, to start Ray Durham and Rich Aurilia and Dave Roberts, before Roberts was put out of his misery with a knee injury? It was Bonds who seriously considered trading Tim Lincecum, already arguably the best pitcher in the NL, for Alex Rios at the start of the season?

16. Clemenza Posted: April 29, 2008 at 12:54 PM (#2762446)

Enron shares were doing pretty well before the the accountants took a closer look too.

ZING!!!!! Boy, you got me there.

Excpet Bonds did provide ACTUAL dollars and wins as opposed to Enron's earnings which were fabricated. You have argued incessently that the reasons for the real dollars and wins were fabricated and that's fine but you can't say that the actual results did not happen. Therefore his affect on the Giants was positive or not malignant tumor-esque.

17. Cowboy Popup Posted: April 29, 2008 at 01:01 PM (#2762453)

I don't see what Giant fans are so glum about. They have a guy named Barry on their team now, and he's on a record-setting pace....

You know, if they had thought this out, they could signed a terrible righty pitcher to a huge, long contract and then there would be plenty more "Splash Hits".

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Monday, April 28, 2008

WSJ: Carlton: Life After Barry Is a Strikeout At the Ballpark

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