DanMargarita.com

With a small ballpark and a high payroll, the Sox need to maximize revenue, which when translated means "make more money."

The new ownership instituted a new system for opening ticket sales this year. Apparently not understanding or appreciating the time honored tradition of fans that camp out on Yawkey Way the night before the ticket office opens, they devised a plan to discourage such actions. The police often have a plan to keep people from sleeping on the streets. It's called an arrest.

Team officials handed out bracelets to those in line numbered from 1 to 1,460 (the bracelets were numbered that is, not the people). Then they randomly pulled a number, which turned out to be 224, making that person the first in line. Thus, person number 225 was next, then 226, etc.

So, the person who was first in line, either unaware of the new policy or not caring, the person who had braved these frigid New England winter elements the longest, wound up with a high number, in essence being put at the back of the line.

I have to admit, that while I'm a fan, nothing could convince me to want to sleep overnight on a sidewalk in January just to get Red Sox tickets unless they were paying me Manny Ramirez' salary for a day. Due to budget cuts shelters have had to turn homeless people away who have sought refuge. So, some Red Sox fans have willingly chosen to forsake a nice warm bed to sleep on concrete? No thank you.

To the Sox credit, they brought 400 bleacher seats down from $18 to $10, and season ticket holders, who pay an arm, a leg and a few internal organs, get a discount on their tickets (providing that they renewed by Dec 16). Fair enough.

Overall, ticket prices ticket prices went up seven percent from last year. Unfortunately, my paycheck hasn't gone up seven percent. Seven percent might not be so bad for the K.C. Royals, but the Sox already have the highest ticket prices in baseball.

Another way for the team to increase revenue has been to add seats to the ballpark. Last year the club added two rows of $200 seats in front of the previously existing first row and from what I hear, are adding more front row seats this year. At this rate, in five years Sox fans will be able to reach out and grab Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki's belt and keep him from running to first base.

Another plan has the Sox putting seats atop Fenway's fabled "Green Monster" left field wall. You think Manny Ramirez is unhappy playing in Boston now? Wait until he gets a few Bud Light showers.

The way tickets prices are going I suspect that one day they'll charge us to listen to the game on the radio while we sit at home.

Frankly, I think the cheapest place to watch a game now may be through the binoculars at the observation tower on top of the Prudential Building.

I'd better start saving my quarters.