Ranking the Best and Worst Promotional Giveaways Offered by MLB Teams

The 2012 MLB season is underway, and fans are already packing stadiums. 

Every year, MLB teams have promotional giveaways to help bring people to their ballparks and show their fans some appreciation. Fans love these giveaways and rush to the park to get there on time for their free gift. 

These promotional giveaways can be awesome or downright terrible. 

Best: San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are giving this sweet Pablo Sandoval bobblehead to the first 25,000 fans when they play the Atlanta Braves on August 26. 

Bobbleheads are underrated and classic. Sandoval has some of the most swag in baseball, and his bobblehead is flat-out awesome.

Fans should rush to AT&T Park in order to get this bobblehead, which will easily be a fan favorite. 

Worst: Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are giving away this floppy hat that combines the team's logo and the Maryland flag to the first 20,000 fans who are 21 or older on July 17 against the Oakland A's.

This hat is a nightmare.

It ruins the great logo of the Baltimore Orioles. It almost looks like when the Maryland Terps attempted to put the state flag on their football jerseys, which was also a disaster. 

Honestly, not many people are too fond of floppy hats, especially ones this ugly. It makes it even worse that only people age 21 or older can wear this. 

Don't worry about traffic for this game, fans, because you won't be missing a thing when it comes to this promotional giveaway. 

Best: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are giving away this Evan Longoria figurine on April 21 against the Minnesota Twins. 

This figurine is pure genius.

It re-enacts Longoria's walk-off home run against the New York Yankees on the last day of the 2011 regular season, which took the Rays to the playoffs. This home run will go down in Tampa Bay history. 

Another cool feature is the background of a real-life picture of Longoria's home run. The figurine also has great detail and an awesome action pose. 

Fans will love this figurine, and it will easily be a collectible.

Worst: Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are giving away this beer vendor bobblehead to the first 20,000 fans 21 or older on August 4 against the Angels.

Really, who wants a beer vendor bobblehead? Not too many fans at all. 

There's way more bad than good about this bobblehead. What is up with the hair? Is this a man, woman or a lion?

Also, it looks like whatever it is, is looking straight up in the sky. 

White Sox fans won't be excited by any means for this giveaway. 

Best: Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals will be giving away this Stephen Strasburg bobblehead to the first 15,000 fans on April 14 against the Cincinnati Reds. 

This bobblehead is great because it resembles Strasburg so much. From the delivery to the sideburns to the chin hair, this bobblehead has great detail. 

Strasburg is one of the best young pitchers in baseball and deserves a great bobblehead. 

Nationals fans are very excited about the future of Strasburg and should be excited about this giveaway as well. 

Worst: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be giving away this Hello Kitty bobblehead on July 1 against the New York Mets. 

Hello Kitty? C'mon now, Dodgers.

This simply does not appeal to a big enough audience. 

Also, the bobblehead represents the 50th anniversary of Dodger Stadium. Hello Kitty is the last thing that should represent a historical anniversary. 

Not too many Dodgers fans will be keeping this giveaway. 

Best: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be giving away this Albert Pujols bobblehead on April 17 against the Oakland A's. 

Angels fans will love this bobblehead, as Pujols is shown doing exactly what the Angels are paying him to do: hit home runs with his classic follow-through. 

Everyone knew Pujols would have to get a bobblehead. The light beard is a nice touch as well. 

This will be a collectible, and Angels fans will be very happy with this giveaway. 

Worst: Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins will be giving away this cowboy hat to the first 10,000 fans on May 26 against the Detroit Tigers. 

This hat is just ugly. It looks poorly made and can probably be destroyed by a three-year-old.

There is nothing wrong with cowboy hats, but there is plenty wrong with this cowboy hat. 

Fans will not be too excited about this giveaway, and it will be in the trash in no time. 

Best: Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies will be giving away this Phanatic Bank to children 14 and under on April 29 against the Chicago Cubs.

This is a great giveaway due to its uniqueness, and the Phillie Phanatic is always a fan favorite. Kids will certainly use this giveaway, and parents will love it, too.

Philadelphia has some of the best fans in baseball, and they will love this special giveaway. 

Worst: Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers will be giving away this Nolan Ryan snow monkey to the first 10,000 fans 13 and under on July 1 against the Oakland A's.

What does a snow monkey have to do with Nolan Ryan?

Absolutely nothing. 

Texas swung and missed big time on this giveaway, and fans won't be jumping for joy by any means for a Nolan Ryan snow monkey.