Breaking Down the 2009 Promotional Schedule, Because I Can
It feels like the party is over with no more Spring Training games on TV until late-March. No more reviews, we just have to go off the stats and we know the stats are rather meaningless in Spring.Since there isn't much that I didn't talk about last night, Curtis Danburg was on ABAO and Bobby D was in the booth, both showing off some promotional items for this year's schedule.
If you don't know, I'm obsessed with the promotional items to a point. Not so much getting them but talking about them. Why? Because my opinion matters.
So with pictures now available, I think I'll run down the list of promotional items for you on this Saturday morning and give you my personal critique.
April

April 11th, Blue Jays: Indians Scarf. They did this last year with gloves and a hat I think. This was in wake of the debacle on opening week in 2007 with the snow. It's become comical almost.
April 12th, Blue Jays: Schedule Key Chain. Now I could actually use this more than I could the magnet schedule. It would be fun. Opening weekend is very plentiful for the fan.

April 21st, Royals, Thursday: Lunch & 3 Innings. I'm not sure what this means, but I'm guessing it's a free lunch? I need further verification on this item.
April 25th, Twins: Kerry Wood Bobblehead. Just a preface note, most bobbleheads and good items are on Saturday nights. That's mostly the nights I go, I wonder why? Anyway, kudos to the marketing brains for jumping on this while they could. As always the bobbleheads don't always look like the player, but it's still nice. We haven't had many straight-up bobbleheads like this one in awhile. For some reason it's gone out of style. What does Garko have to do to get a bobblebuddy?
April 26th, Twins: Peralta Wristbands. Kids Fun Day gets their first real item with Peralta wristbands. Keeping the kiddies happy. This is one kids item I don't mind stealing, but I would never do that. They wouldn't fit me anyway.
April Fireworks: Just one on the 24th and it's a Rock N' Roll Show, the RNR HOF inductions are a month earlier so I don't think there is anything that matches.
April Dollar Dogs: Tuesdays are DD nights, and you get one on the 28th against the Red Sox. I'm always a supporter of the DD nights.
May

May 10th, Tigers: Slider Slippers. On Mother's Day to boot. If you saw the game yesterday you saw the Slider Slippers. They actually look rather comfortable. They are just asking to get torn up by the dog though, they look too much like stuffed animals and not enough like slippers for him to leave them alone.
May 25th, Rays: On Memorial Day. A special Are You in the Tribe Grill Apron. That's rather fitting. The new Are You in the Tribe Slogan aside, that would be ultimate for the griller in the family. Kudos to the marketing dept for doing something like that on Memorial Day, that's actually clever.

May 30th, Yankees: Are You in the Tribe Rally Towel. Continuing that AYITT slogan theme with a towel against the hated Yankees. I think they are doing the towel stuff against the Yankees on purpose. I'm all for it. I don't get the Route, Route, Route thing though. Is that like Root Root Root for the Home Team?
May 31st, Yankees: The damn hotdogs are taking over the promotional schedule now too. Ketchup is cheating with his new cap for the kids. Don't worry, Mustard gets his due later this year.
May Fireworks: Two! May 8th a country Fireworks show and May 29th is 70's fireworks night.
May Dollar Dogs: May 26th against the Rays.
June
June 11th, Royals: Half Price Student ID Night. That happens on Thursday. First time this year I believe.
June 13th, Cardinals: Shin-Soo Choo 80's Bobblehead. What? Bobby D says he'll be in a white suit, that's going to look awesome with Choo's hair. There is no picture of this, but I wish there was. It can't be worse looking than the CC Disco with the Afro that was handed out a few years ago. This also kicks off Major League week with a post-game showing of Major League.
June 14th, Cardinals: Sizemore Reversible Jersey. It's better looking than the cheapy Pronk shirt they gave out a few years ago. It's a 80's jersey of Sizemore that reverses and shows the current jersey of Sizemore. Pictures have gone away.
June 15th, Brewers: "Wild Thing" Bobblehead. With Milwaukee and Harry Doyle in town the Indians are paying homage to WILD THING and giving away a Ricky Vaughn bobblehead. A step up from the glasses last year. There is also an 80's fireworks show after the game. This is big time value for a Monday game.
June 27th, Reds: Money Night. Free Money and Money envelopes to everyone 18 and over. I'm not really sure how they are doing it this year. 17 and under get baseball cards instead. It's also the Indians Wives Mystery Ball night which is always fun. It's also NASA night. Whatever that means.
June 28th, Reds: Slider Bank. It's Slider's Head as a Bank, Right.
June Fireworks: Three, you have the one I mentioned on Rick Vaughn night. That will actually be a repeat of what you see if you go Friday to see 80's fireworks night (Confirming I'll be there already). There is also Pop Music Fireworks on June 26th.
June Dollar Dogs: June 16th.
July

July 5th, Athletics: Victor Martinez Catcher's Mitt. You've had the regular kid's baseball mitt and all that. Now you get a catcher's mitt! So your kid doesn't grow up to just be a pitcher or left fielder. He can also grow up to have creaky knees.
July 16th, Mariners: Kicking off Beach Weekend on Thursday with a Half Price Student ID Night. More Beach fun to Come.

July 18th, Mariners: Surfin' Sizemore Bobblehead. Sizemore bobbleheads are a must every year. And it is mandatory for the Indians marketing department to get at least two or three Sizemore-centered giveaways. It just drives the crowds there when Sizemore's mug is on it. This year we've got two Sizemore bobbleheads and one has him on a surfboard. You can bet this is going to be sold out.
July 19th, Mariners: Slider Bobble Belly. Kids fun day gets the Bobble Belly of Slider. Slider is just as exposed as Grady Sizemore is. This concludes not only beach weekend but a very quick month of giveaways.
July Fireworks: July 3rd, a day before Independence day, I'm sure it will be American themed or just good old fashioned Americana fireworks with nothing special. Beach weekend has fireworks again on July 17th and there is one more on the last day of July, the 31st . It's "celebration" fireworks.
July Dollar Dogs: July 16th, a special Thursday going on with Beach Weekend and Hald Price ID Night.
August

August 2nd, Tigers: Slider Bobsterz. To celebrate the birthday of Slider (I forget how old he is, I bet everyone else did too) you get a slider Bobster.. Which is basically a figurine of Slider bobbing on a baseball as you can see. Get one of those balancing birds once and awhile and make Slider that. Those are cool.
August 6th, Twins: Victor Martinez Chest Protector Backpack. They are just overloading on Victor this year. This is a backpack that looks like a chest protector. That's just genius. It celebrates Summer Camp Month. Who the hell wants to go to camp?
August 13th, Rangers: Fausto Carmona Hat Clip Figurine. This is a kid's giveaway to celebrate the second Summer Camp day. I don't know what this is or what it does. They only have two Saturday games this month though so they are just searching for something.
August Fireworks: To make up for the lack of fireworks this month, they are putting on Rock N' blast on both Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd. Okay then.
August Dollar Dogs: August 11th.
September
September 4th, Twins: Car Giveaway. You love the Car Giveaway.
September 5th, Twins: Travis Hafner Pen Holder Bobblehead. I'm guessing this is a bobblehead of Hafner that holds the pen like a bat? Maybe? I an hope, Hafner's first and last promotion of the year, poor Pronk. This also is the Wives shirts off their players backs night, where I'm assuming they auction off the jersey's off their husband's backs. HAR.
September 6th, Twins: Onion Doll. Onion hot dog get's his due with a plus doll.

September 12th, Royals: Historic Logo Towel. Kicking off Wahoo weekend with this lovely towel that has all the logos in the history of the Tribe. That is cool.

September 12th, Royals: Sizemore Wall Banner. Because there wasn't enough Sizemore and because they haven't given the kiddies any Sizemore love, you get a Sizemore Wall Banner. I bet the girls try and bring their brothers, sisters, nephews and neices with them to try and steal this item. They will do anything for Grady.
September 26th, Orioles: Sizemore diving Catch Bobblehead. Ah yes, you didn't think that would be it would you? The mandatory third Sizemore give away and second bobblehead of Grady Sizemore. Genius marketing for putting this closer to the end of the season, unless of course there is a playoff spot on the line, they wouldn't need a give away. This is on Tribe Pride weekened, the last weekend home stand of the year, but not Fan apprecation day, that's on Tuesday and Wednesday against the White Sox.
September 27th, Orioles: Yes Mustard finally gets his due with the best prize of them all. A bobster. He definitely wins the hot-dog give away race and Ketchup didn't cheat!
September Fireworks: Sept 4th, Car Fireworks. I don't know how that works or if they are going to be shooting off fireworks in the shape of cars or not. Sept 11th it's Patriotic Fireworks show on 9/11, very fitting. Finally on September 25th it's Cleveland Rocks fireworks show, which I can only imagine is a fireworks show to the continuous loop of CLEVELAND ROCKS! CLEVELAND ROCKS! CLEVELAND ROCKS! If not, I'd be disappointed.
September Dollar Dogs: September 22nd, get there while you can.
Overall
A very solid year for promotional items. Check out the entire list here. There are many more with charities and stuff like that, but I don't bother going over. There are value nights and everything. The Indians are being very good with the down economy and giving chances for people to come to the games without killing themselves and they are even lowing prices for some things. So great stuff as usual from the marketing department and as we've learned in the past, Grady Sizemore giveaways pull in the fans. I still haven't gotten my Gold Glove Grady Bobblehead from last year because of it. So get there early on those days.