Part 4 of 6
The American League (AL East)
Baltimore Orioles
Who knew that Baltimore, of all places, was the fashion capitol of Major League Baseball? Our top pick(s) for the Orioles are being clumped together as a theme. That theme being fashion (yea..we’ll call it that). The Orioles have given out a plaid fedora in the past. So this year their plaid floppy hat should bring back fond memories for their fans. Additionally, their Hawaiian shirt giveaway is equally deserving of a walk down a Paris runway. If you manage to secure both of these articles of clothing we have one piece of advice for you: even though they are Orioles apparel, for your own safety please do not walk around the streets of Baltimore sporting both at the same time (or either one on it’s on for that matter). There is no need to risk your life so carelessly!
Plaid Floppy Hat – July 10th, 2015 vs. Washington Nationals
(First 20,000 fans age 21 and older)
Hawaiian Shirt – July 12th, 2015 vs. Washington Nationals (First 20,000 fans 15 and older)
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are not known for being generous with their Stadium Giveaways. 
The franchise usually ranks at the bottom of the list in terms of items distributed each season. However, this year they have a respectable lineup. While there are not too many giveaway days total, the items they are distributing are certainly worthwhile. Noteworthy items include a number of bobbleheads, a replica stadium, and a Pedro Martinez Hall of Fame plaque. The standout item is their Star Wars theme night giveaway: a Death Star baseball. Make sure your purchase the special ticket required to obtain this item if you plan to attend the game. A few other franchises have given out similar Death Star baseballs in past years. But not many, so these items are still unique and cool enough to garner a lot of attention.
May 4th, 2015 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
(special ticket holders only)
New York Yankees
Comparing the Yankees giveaway list from this year to last, we feel they’ve lost some of their flash. Don’t get us wrong, the 2015 SGA list is good, real good even. You have a number of bobbleheads (including a Babe Ruth), a replica full-sized bat, and even a collectible toy truck. But some of the effort put into the past when the Yankees came up with SGA ideas just seems to be lacking. With a less than stellar roster, why no continuing tribute items for Jeter or Rivera? Where is one of those 8 million World Series rings (in replica form) that their fans never shut up about? Like we said, it’s a good list, but not up to normal Yankees standards. The best item we see is the Masahiro Tanaka bobblehead. In his first year pitching in the Majors (after dominating 6 seasons in Japan ) he compiled the following eye-popping stats: 13 wins (in only 20 games started), 2.77 ERA, 141 K’s in only 136.1 IP. He also was an All-Star, and finished 5th overall in the AL ROY voting. Tanaka is the clear-cut ace on the team this year. Sadly, he is trying to pitch through a partially torn UCL. So fans are going to be holding their breath, and expectations of a repeat performance of his stellar 2014 numbers are unlikely.
April 28th, 2015 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
(First 18,000 fans)
Tampa Bay Rays
With well over 40 (yes 40!) items on the list this year, don’t assume they’re just giving out a lot of junk for the sake of it. The variety and quality of the items being given out by the Rays is 
nothing short of spectacular. We could try to list them, but there are too many. Click this link to jump right to the Rays comprehensive SGA list and have a look for yourselves. It’s worth the time!
For the Rays we decided not only to pick our favorite, but a runner-up as well. The runner-up is the Evan Longoria walk-up music bobblehead. A bunch of teams in the past year or so have jumped on the talking bobblehead craze. The Rays put a unique spin on the concept with the walk-up music angle. If you are a big baseball fan and watch a lot of games, you know you enjoy discovering what songs your favorite players decide to 
blast as they approach the plate. Admit it! The reason we gave this one runner-up status is because while the idea is awesome (we love it), they missed a much better opportunity by not using it with past Rays player Pat Burrell. If you aren’t aware, Pat The Bat is known to have played “Hit Me One More Time”, by Brittney Spears as his walk-up music back in the day. As a Phillies fan, I’d of paid dearly to get a Pat Burrell, Brittney Spears walkup music bobble!
Our top pick for the Rays in 2015 is their Rays Etch-A-Sketch. Call us guilty of nostalgia, but this item, as well as a few others (Longoria Rubber Ducky, Alex Cobb Gumby, Retro Tin Lunchbox) are just plain fun. Try explaining to your kids how in the world an Etch-A-Sketch was fun while they stare like zombies into their Iphones. Or what the hell Gumby is exactly! Classic toys are always a welcome site as SGAs these days.
June 14th, 2015 vs. Chicago White Sox
(All fans 14 and under while supplies last)
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are the lone team north of the border, in a sports landscape dominated by ice hockey. 
This season looks to convert a few of those fans over to baseball, because the Blue Jays have made some serious off-season acquisitions to bolster their chances at competing in the always cutthroat AL East. Arguably the most exciting pickup was Josh Donaldson. Can he keep up his power surge over the past few seasons? Will he eclipse the 30 HR or 100 RBI mark for the first time in his short professional career? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, with Donaldson joining the likes of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion…there is going to be no lack of excitement in the Blue Jays offense this year. With all the potential he brings to the franchise, we picked the Josh Donaldson replica white jersey as our favorite Blue Jays SGA item this season.
May 10th, 2015 vs. Boston Red Sox
(First 20,000 fans)
NL East – NL Central – NL West
AL East – AL Central – AL West Coming Soon…
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