Can I Get a Witness?

There’s a lot of concern coming from Oriole Park at Camden Yards lately — and it really has nothing to do with the home team’s slumping play, which saw them win just 13 of 29 games in August.

It doesn’t even have to do with what many consider to be an underwhelming effort from the front office to try to improve the roster.

No, the concern is at no one, in particular. That’s right: No one. … As in no one in the stands.

See, the Orioles — who, despite their recent struggles, have been in first place atop the American League East this season more days than any other team — are struggling to bring in more fans to chant the Seven Nation Army riff to celebrate rallying clutch hits, shout “O!” during the National Anthem; and sing along to John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” during the Seventh Inning Stretch.

There have been giveaways of wicker caps, slugger-and-pup bobble-heads, emoji shirts and garden gnomes. There have been the tried-and-true fireworks displays and mid-inning giveaways of free pizza.

Still, attendance is down nearly 3,000 turnstile flips each game.

[Related: Blame Organization – Not Fans – For Low Attendance]

Seriously, the team has been in first place more often than they haven’t been. The Orioles have the majors’ leading home run hitter in Mark Trumbo, the game’s most automatic closer in Zach Britton and arguably the most dynamic player between the foul lines in Manny Machado. … They also have perhaps the best secret in the bigs in up-and-coming superstar second baseman Jonathan Schoop and attention grabbing slugger Chris Davis — who, despite his strikeouts and low batting average, I defy you to find a baseball fan who’s not watching him dig in every single at bat.

The Orioles rank 10th out of 15 American League teams in attendance this season, with an average of 26,632 for every game at Camden Yards. … And that includes all those Yankees fans and Red Sox Nation — and even the Nationals faithful — who travel from nearby on I-95 seem to be gaining numbers this month and have made their presence felt in shouting down the home fans wearing orange.

What gives?

Gauging fans on sports talk radio, and callers boast they know the reason, but hardly anyone agrees. You get everything from those explaining how people don’t feel safe downtown since the unrest in the spring of 2015, to the paradox of people who blame low attendance for games being on a school night (when in summer, the attendance hardly climbed).

Others this season accuse poor weather that make sitting in the stands uncomfortable. This spring had soaking rains and the summer was miserable with oppressive heat and humidity.

Take the recent three-game series with the new division-leading Blue Jays — a crucial spot on the schedule. Despite the dramatic overtones, the three games — granted, they were in the middle of the week during the first week of school for many districts in the area — drew 15,532, 16,083 and 16,161. And that last game came on the heels of one of the best “Orioles Magic” victories of the year when Matt Wieters blasted a two-run homer with two out in the eighth before Britton nailed down the win with a three-up, three-down masterpiece … That’s it? Really? And there were a lot of blue shirts in the stands — A LOT! .

I’m 48 years old, and I remember when you couldn’t squeeze another body into Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

So what has changed?

Let’s revisit that Toronto series, when they drew barely 47,00 fans total. That’s a number that was matched for quite a few SINGLE games about 20 years ago when guys like Alomar, Anderson, Ripken, Palmeiro, Baines, Anderson and Mussina were charging out of that first-base dugout.

Did you see any of the games this week? … Check that question: Not did you go to the game, but did you “see” them?

I bet you did. I did, too: Just about every inning. Probably like you.

Why aren’t fans getting in the shadow of the warehouse any more? The convenience of staying home and getting everything you want no more than a stroll into the next room away.

As opposed to those high attendance numbers in the 1990s, fans today can watch every game in the luxury of their own homes. On the high-def TV. With a fridge full of beer that’s not costing them $10 a pop (with tip). You’re not crossing your fingers that you don’t miss an Adam Jones diving catch or a Steve Pearce two-run double because you’re in line for the john. You’re not wondering why your shoes are sticking to the floor under your seat: Spilled beer? An overturned nacho tray with cheese? Who knows? … Also, you’ve already got 28 souvenir cups in the cupboard.

During those Home Team Sports glory days, maybe you’d get four or five games a week that were televised. If you wanted to see the others, you had to go. … Heck, I remember the games on Channel 2 with Scott Garceau and Brooks Robinson. I bet there weren’t even 100 broadcast back then.

Today, fans have already bought their Orioles tickets through their respective cable company to include MASN and MASN2 in their packages. A buck is precious nowadays, even more in many cases than seeing in person how Buck has preciously turned the Orioles into the light from the Dark Ages of those miserable 14 consecutive losing seasons.

The toothpaste is out of the tube. I can’t imagine the Orioles will start televising fewer home games, just to get more fans in the park. There would be a loud outcry. I’d be in the front of the mob.

So, how can the Orioles fix it? The team is a competitive one — in fact, it still holds on to the tentative second wild card spot, and would qualify for the postseason. Camden Yards is still arguably the greatest ballpark in any debate.

The answer is more puzzling than the Orioles recent struggles in hitting with runners in scoring position. … I’m not even sure there is an answer.