The 10 best giveaways at baseball games

This is what you get for paying exorbitant prices to attend opening day. You walk around saying, "Come on (your favorite Major League team here)," you can do better.
That said, the item is very, very practical.

These are geared toward the kiddies in the audience.
The really young ones are the focus when it comes to batting gloves, which usually come in a plasticy form that would pop if an older kid flexed their fingers.
The wrist bands work pretty well with anyone under the age of 15.
They've vibrantly colored and have the team's logos or a player's name and number.

Hand towels work really well in a frenzied crowd - consider Phillies or Twins fans during the playoffs.
For the not so raucous, the beach towel works very well, too.
It's a practical gift that fans can use while putting the franchise' brand in public places.

Here's an item that's geared solely at kids and is very practical.
It's something they can use on a daily basis while putting the team's brand in schools.
It's subliminal messaging in an overt way.
Go ahead, wrap your heads around that last sentence, which surely makes Yogi Berra proud.

It's so simple it's brilliant. Give little kids baseballs with photos of their favorite players or fake autographs.
This one isn't done so much anymore, probably because adults ruined for kids.
Of course that's what adults often do.
The fake autographs always seemed kind of smarmy to me, because kids so often think they're real. But the photoballs are great.
So do commemorative baseballs.
Plus if it doesn't have a fake Albert Pujols autograph, you can probably get a real Elmer Dessens autograph.

It's hard to get better than when a team actually weaponizes its fans.
And it's not done enough. Imagine what would happen if, as this season comes to a close and the Yankees traveled to Boston, after the Red Sox had been eliminated from competition and their fans had been given these cute little freebees.
The only way it would end better would be if it was dollar beer night.

Pennants are great because fans young and old can display them at work, in their locker or on their bedroom wall.
Some teams have even gotten creative by having pennants that highlight individual players or events.
Another reason this item works is that it's a classic. It's something your grandfather might have had in the cellar 40 years ago and its something your grandchild could have in his or her basement 50 years from now.

T-shirts are another giveaway that works well at baseball games.
They can go to anyone and there is a cornucopia of styles.
Jerseys alone give you many options. Retired stars in retrowear, current superstars, hometown heroes, rookie phenoms or veteran dirtballs.
You can also get jerseys that celebrate special moments: Opening Day, anniversaries of former teams, Hall of Fame inductions, Mother's Day, Father's Day.

Bucket hats, golfing caps, baseball hats, fedora's, whatever.
It's a useful gift that can be given out to any man, woman or child.
The beauty with a cap is that even the cheap ones can be appreciated.

Let's face it, the bobblehead is the Glenn Beck of baseball giveaways.
Some people love the bobblehead. Some people hate the bobblehead.
There's no in-between feelings.
To some, it's the kitschy giveaway. In other words, the Luddites who use RBI in their MVP arguments love these things. It doesn't do anything for the self-respecting adult who understands that OPS+ is a more valuable stat than batting average.
To others, it's a reason to go to a game. Get the bobblehead of your team's MVP candidate or the down and dirty, gritty player who you want your kids to play like. It's the perfect gift for children, collectors and casual fans.
Which camp do you fall under?
The Southpaw loves bobbleheads.
But that's not why it's No. 1.
It's No. 1 because bobbleheads combine the two things baseball loves more than anything. Its past and making oodles upon oodles of money.
Bobbleheads are an old-school gimmick, but a proven one. That means it increases attendance.
I don't know anyone who says, "Hey, they're giving away magnet schedules. Let's go to tonight's game." That would be like saying "Hey, I hear Roger Pavlik is pitching tonight, I hope the tickets aren't too hard to get."

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