Admittedly, I’m a bit out of the loop when it comes to going to a baseball game as an average fan. Truth be told, I think I went to three games last year in a non-working capacity where I sat in the stands and watched the game like most of you. The year before that it was maybe four or five.

And all of those occasions, I never paid for nice seats. My buddies (who buy a block every year) either had them, or else I would pay for the $6 general admission seats and then usually hang out in the centerfield beer garden.

So when it comes to the game experience, I’m admittedly unfamiliar with what the average costs are for fans to go to the game. Other than the $8 for a Miller Lite, I’m pretty much out of the loop. Tickets? Parking? I have a rough idea, but not completely. I’m pretty sure it’s kind of expensive.

What is the purpose or reference for these three paragraphs of blatherings that will most likely you resent me? Well, the Associated Press recently polled a group of baseball fans about the game and certain aspects of it. Here’s the story on it.

Here's the full poll and results.

The results are semi-interesting, though not surprising.

The lead of the story is that the soaring costs of going to a game – tickets, parking, concessions – is what a large portion of the fans polled believed is the biggest problem facing Major League Baseball. Officially 45 percent of the fans polled said that was the biggest problem, with 29 percent saying it was players’ salary, 19 percent thinking it was steroids and 6 percent saying the length of games.

In the last AP poll conducted in 2006 – it was players’ increasing salaries. The same in 2005, but now it’s the cost of games.

Look everybody knows the economy is in shambles. And baseball is an entertainment expense. At some point, people will be priced out of it. Many people I have spoken with have already been priced out. For many families, going to games isn’t a weekly occasion or monthly occasion, but a once or twice in a season occasion. It’s simply too expensive.

It was apparent in spring training

Just think if you were trying to go to a game at the new Yankee Stadium.

If you remember last season, the Mariners had 7 of the 10 smallest crowds in Safeco first 17 games. Of course, it was freezing for those games. But the attendance was significantly down last season. Will it continue this year?

Drawing more fans does matter to the Mariners, or Ken Griffey Jr. wouldn’t have a $3 million attendance-based incentive in his contract.

But let’s get back to the poll other, you’ll notice some other results from the poll in this graphic. People want to see the other names on the infamous A-Rod list, and most don’t think any steroid user should be in the Hall of Fame.

I’ll be the first to admit that polls are far from perfect. But it doesn’t hurt to look at the results because some truths can be found. What are your thoughts? Are you surprised at the results? How about a better idea, here’s the poll below, feel free to answer it. I’d be interested to see your answers or your thoughts on some of the things asked.

Poll below

=> Read more!

TODAY
Rookie Chris Jakubauskas continued his feel-good spring with five solid innings, Russell Branyan homered twice and Ronny Cedeno hit a grand slam as Seattle beat Cleveland, 12-4.
WEDNESDAY
Seattle hosts Cleveland in a 1:05 p.m. game that will be broadcast on KIRO. Probable starting pitchers: Cliff Lee vs. Felix Hernandez.NOTABLE
Jakubauskas, the non-roster invitee who spent years pitching in the Independent leagues, made another marvelous start and has made his case to make the team. In 16 2/3 innings, he’s fashioned a 2.08 earned run average, struck out seven and not issued a walk. “My whole goal was to come in here and show I can pitch at the highest level and make their decision tough,” Jakubauskas said. “I think I have done that. It has been a good spring and it would be tremendous if I could break with the team. If not, I will go to Tacoma and hope I can do the same thing at Tacoma and come back here quick.” …
Brandon Morrow worked the ninth inning and gave up a solo home run …
It sounds like a tabloid headline: “Ichiro Suzuki banned from camp”, but that’s what happened. Ichiro left Monday’s game after two at-bats, feeling a bit light-headed. He told manager Don Wakamatsu he was feeling run down. “I told him not to come in today. And he may get the day off (today) too. We'll see how he feels,” Wakamatsu said. The Mariners theory is that Ichiro’s play and travel with the Japanese World Baseball Classic wore him down. What about teammate Kenji Johjima? “Kenji’s a catcher,” said Wakamatsu, a former catcher. “He’s fine.” …
First baseman Branyan’s two homers gave him seven for the spring, matching the team’s spring lead with outfielder Mike Wilson. Those seven home ties the team record, a record shared by Ken Griffey Jr. (1994) and Jay Buhner, who did it twice (1998, 2000). “I’ve shown them what I can do,” Wilson said. “I guess that’s all you can hope for in spring training.” … Add Branyan: Given the chance to win a starting job for he first time in his career, the 33-year-old journeyman has shown he can play first base. He’ll get the chance to play against righties and lefties, although against tough left-handed pitchers the team might use Mike Sweeney at first. …
Lefty Tyler Johnson will continue his seemingly endless series of bullpen sessions with, yes, another bullpen session today. The team has no timetable for his being ready, but the Mainers have known since February that he wouldn’t start the season with Seattle. …
From the leadoff spot, Endy Chavez went 3-for-4, stole a base and pushed his batting average to .448. Wladimir Balentien, playing right field, also had three hits – and he’s probably cemented a spot on the 25-man roster. …
Good Day to Be A Minor Leaguer: pitchers Erik Bedard and Brandon Morrow will pitch in minor league games today to get their work – Felix Hernandez and others will get the innings in the Mainers-Indians game. And to give Miguel Batista a chance to stretch an appearance, he pitched 2 2/3 innings in a minor league game Tuesday. He allowed a run on one hit and two walks. Pitching coach Rick Adair was on hand for Batista’s outing, and will be there with Bedard and Morrow today. …
QUOTABLE
From Ken Griffey Jr., who met the always-thin Brandon Morrow coming out of the team meal room: “Damn! All this free food and you’re still skinny. Eat something!”

Yes, really.

A day after a light-headed Ichiro Suzuki left the Mariners game after two at-bats, complaining he was light-headed, Ichiro was ordered not to come to camp.

"He said he was just feeling run down," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "So I told him not to come in today. And he may get the day off tomorrow, too. We'll see how he feels."

Ichiro has played in the World Baseball Classic this spring, traveling around the world - starting in Japan - and the Mariners suspect he's simply exhausted.

Given that, and the fact that Ichiro is always in shape and prepared to play, there was no sense of urgency to get him back on the field over the next few days.

What about Ichiro's WBC and Mariners teammate, Kenji Johjima?

"He's a catcher," said Wakamatus, a former catcher himself. "He's fine."

Every spring, teams sigh and make room for one player or another on their roster because of his salary, not his ability.

Fans get used to the notioin that, say, Carlos Silva or Miguel Batista are owed so much money there's no chance the team will ax them and start with fresh faces.

And then, there's the Detroit Tigers.

They've cut Gary Sheffield, a man with 499 home runs - and a $14 million deal this season.

The Tigers thought so little of Sheffield they didn't want him on their roster despite that huge contract - and they literally asked 29 other teams to take him for just part of the money.

No, thanks.

Now, Sheffield will likely be picked up somewhere and paid very little to hit a few home runs and bat in the middle of the order for a bad team.

His career has been marked with nearly as many confrontations as homers, and now even the I-can-work-with-anyone manager Jim Leyland has thrown up his hands.

Go with God, Gary - oh, and take $14 million with you.

Every fan of a team with a disastrous contract and an underachieving player just cheered.