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District On Deck

Winners and Losers from Nationals signing of Gerardo Parra

By James Simmons

Gerardo Parra #88 of the Washington Nationals celebrates his single in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during game four of the National League Championship Series at Nationals Park on October 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Gerardo Parra #88 of the Washington Nationals celebrates his single in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during game four of the National League Championship Series at Nationals Park on October 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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The Nationals have signed Gerardo Parra to a minor league contract.
Gerardo Parra #88 of the Washington Nationals rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Indians during the eighth inning at Nationals Park on September 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Winners:

Gerardo Parra

Of course Parra is a winner here. He is back playing professional baseball in America after one year abroad. His contract to play for the Yomiuri Giants paid $2.5M and could have come along with some incentives. Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington had this to say when Parra signed with Yomiuri last year:

"“I’m sure there’s some marketing aspect of this involved in the whole thing too after what happened here in D.C. last season but his chances of getting a major-league job next year were very, very low and this just makes sense at this point in his career,”"

Presumably Parra did a cash grab in Japan, while hitting .267 in 47 games and is back Stateside. He’ll earn $1M if he makes the Nationals roster (which I think he will) and he’ll get showered with praise and adoration for his part in the 2019 World Series run. Several Nationals won’t get this luxury (Kurt Suzuki, Howie Kendrick, Anibal Sanchez, etc.), Parra will.

Promotions Department

Up until yesterday I am sure the good people in the Nationals Promotions Department were sitting  around trying to figure out what to do for fan giveaways. Then news dropped Gerardo Parra had been signed. They haven’t stopped working since. Sunglasses giveaway. Anything Baby Shark giveaway. Parra jumping over the dugout railing to celebrate Juan Soto’s Wild Card hit, bobble head giveaway. Group hug, shirt giveaway. I mean, the guy’s number was 88, how uncommon is that in baseball? That will be mixed in somehow. The ideas are endless. Parra was a fan favorite and he just made life easier for those people in promotions.

https://twitter.com/masnNationals/status/1357087458308083721

Kids ages 2-6

This is the targeted demographic if you wanted to catch the Baby Shark Live Show. Though, they say it’s a family show and all ages can enjoy. I know what it is like to take a child (multiple children in fact) between the ages of 2-6 to a baseball game and try to get them to pay attention. The task, is not easy. If there are baby shark images around the stadium, or the song plays when Parra comes to bat, or there are people dressed in fuzzy shark costumes, children are more engaged with their environment. Families are more apt to go to games together and enjoy baseball, as well as the experience. Kids are definitely winners here.

Ticket Sales

Families are more apt to go to games together and enjoy baseball, as well as the experience. Well, this one only works if fans are allowed in the stadium. This one only works if the number of fans isn’t capped at some ridiculously low number. No, I do not believe Gerardo Parra the baseball player is going to help sell tickets. Gerardo Parra, the personality, he will help sell baseball tickets. It’s a gimmick that the team rode through the end of the 2019 season. The fans never got to run it back, and while themes only last one year, this is one they are going to be nostalgic about.

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