MLB Attendance Notes: Nats Still Having Trouble At The Gate

Nationals Stuggling To Draw Fans So Far This Season

SWINGIN' FOR THE FENCES: The A’s are averaging 21,094 fans for 10 home games through Monday, up 2.3% from the same point in the calendar in ’08, when the club had played 17 home games. Oakland Tribune columnist Monte Poole referenced offseason acquisitions DH Jason Giambi and LF Matt Holliday by saying, “They brought in some guys to help the offense, and that is what I think brought people out to the ballpark early.” S.F. Chronicle reporter Michelle Smith said, “There were some ugly weather nights in Oakland. … I’m a little surprised the numbers were up because when it’s cold and nasty people stay home. I stayed home.” S.F. Examiner’s Glenn Dickey jokingly alluded to A’s Owner Lew Wolff’s drive for a new ballpark, saying Wolff “has to be very disappointed with these numbers because he wants them to go down” (“Chronicle Live,” CSN Bay Area, 5/5).

MLB ATTENDANCE NOTES: ESPN's Tony Kornheiser noted the Royals drew around 21,000 fans for Monday night's game against the White Sox, which featured P Zack Greinke pick up his MLB-leading sixth win of the season. Kornheiser: "That's a big number for a Monday night anywhere, except for maybe Boston and New York … and the reports were that (10,000-11,000) came just to see Greinke" ("PTI," ESPN, 5/5)....In Toronto, Gary Loewen noted Sunday's Orioles-Blue Jays game drew only 20,418 fans at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays are leading the AL East with a 19-10 record, and Loewen wrote the Jays "apparently don't need to rebuild the team," but instead "need to rebuild the fan base" (TORONTO SUN, 5/4)....The Marlins drew a crowd of 10,825 for Monday's game against the Reds, the team's "smallest of the season" at Dolphin Stadium, while last night's matchup only increased slightly to 11,087 (MIAMI HERALD, 5/6).

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