This Nick Castellanos jersey is one of the Phillies’ best ever giveaways. These will be available on July 14th against the A’s:

 

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…for of course fans 14 and under.

Why is every giveaway 14 and under? Don’t get me wrong, this jersey isn’t for me. I’ve been retired from the jersey game for a couple of years now. But if this was a giveaway to the first 15,000 fans, people of all ages would gobble these up. There’s an entire 18-25 demo that would have this in regular rotation all throughout college. This jersey would put up 2006 Ryan Howard numbers at day-longs and tailgates. In 10 years it would be a relic. Instead, the Phillies are giving them to teenagers who will outgrow them in 18 months.

It never made sense to me that most of the Phils’ giveaways are designed for kids 14 & under. They’re the only team in baseball that does it. Like the 1980s retro bullpen cart giveaway they have this year. Why is it for kids who weren’t born when Cliff Lee helped them win the pennant? I’m really not trying to pile on the Phillies, I promise, but the corporate side makes it so easy. I don’t care about giveaways, but there are collectors out there that enjoy this stuff. Most teams do giveaways based around the “first (number) fans in attendance”. Here are some examples around the MLB:

New York Mets:

 

Miami Marlins:

 

Atlanta Braves:

Washington Nationals

If you look at the Orioles promotional schedule they couldn’t care less about the kids. Every giveaway is 15 and over. Bobbleheads, t-shirts, beach towels, ball caps all of it. The Baltimore Orioles game day staff:

The Phillies might be the only team that has the majority of their giveaways for children. Is it cheaper? Are they trying to grow the game? Because everything that the Phillies give away that older people would be interested in are given to kids 14 and under:

  

The tally for promotions this year?

14 & under: 10 events

15+: 4 events

21+: 1 event

All fans: 6 events

Two of these giveaways for the older folks are the same bucket hat and ball cap they’ve been giving you on Mother’s and Father’s Day for a decade. Just do every giveaway for the first 15,000 fans. It would make life easier on everyone, especially your gameday staff, while cutting down lines in the process. I’ve seen plenty of fans fight with the people in charge of giveaways because they’re not eligible for it. Now it clogs the area around the gates as they bicker and everyone involved is annoyed.

Clean it up, Phils. We can’t let the Mets organization be better at something than us.