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bmerzbach	Salem	Lead	[-]
Posts: 342 (02/25/08 19:52:47) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None With venues like Columbus's Golden Park possibly opening up next season -- and ballparks like Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium and Spartanburg's Duncan Park Stadium possibly being available in coming years Kevin, mind telling us where you got the idea that the Avalanche will be moving in the next couple years ? This just seems like a reckless rumor posted to try to generate some attention to your website. Attendance has never been better in Salem and even if the Avalanche were to leave, another affiliated team would scoop up that market so quickly, the SCL would never have a chance. Brian
kreichard	Salem in play	#1	[-]
Posts: 1011 (02/26/08 08:07:47) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Brian, when the Red Sox bought Salem many in baseball assumed it was to someday move the team as part of a larger development deal. Indeed, it doesn't take a sleuth to see the Red Sox way of doing business: leveraging one asset to expand another. They did it with Fenway Park and the Fenway Sports Group. In the grand scheme of things, there's little reason for the Red Sox to be running a minor-league team for the sake of running a minor-league team, and in fact John Henry has shown a distaste for doing just that, selling the Manatees and leasing Sarasota to the Reds. I also assume you missed the Charlotteville/Waynesboro story about city officials there discussing a franchise move with the Red Sox. Exactly what minor-league team could the Red Sox move there? Hardly a reckless rumor, Brian. It certainly has a firm basis in what's being discussed in minor-league circles. And it doesn't take a sleuth to figure out the background behind the SCL leadership. As for another team claiming the market: maybe. But that point is counter to your first point. --Kevin
bmerzbach	Salem	#2	[-]
Posts: 343 (02/27/08 06:09:04) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Call me naive, but I just find it hard to believe that a team that is one of the top draws in the Carolina League and which plays in a fairly new ballpark would be jumping town to an unproven market. I did read the story about a Waynesboro investor wanting to build a ballpark, but the details included in the article were sketchy at best - two unnamed people said that this investor indicated he had talked to a Red Sox official. Who knows if this is true or if people are just trying to push support for a new ballpark to be built ? As for the SCL, let's see if they even make it through the 2008 season before we start speculating as to where they might expand to in future years. Brian
kreichard		#3	[-]
Posts: 1012 (02/27/08 11:57:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	It's not about the baseball team: it's about the potential for development above and beyond the baseball team. Let's be real: a Class A team for the Boston Red Sox is small potatoes. As for the future: every business plans out past the next six months, Brian. --Kevin
bmerzbach		#4	[-]
Posts: 344 (02/27/08 13:17:49) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	It's not about the baseball team: it's about the potential for development above and beyond the baseball team. Let's be real: a Class A team for the Boston Red Sox is small potatoes. Let's be real here - any development (baseball or otherwise) in Waynesboro would be very small small potatoes for the Fenway Sports Group compared to the cash cow known as the Red Sox. I kinda doubt there is $100's of millions of dollars to be made in the middle of Virginia. Brian
kreichard		#5	[-]
Posts: 1013 (02/28/08 04:11:12) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	And ownership of a Single-A team would be very small potatoes for the Fenway Sports Group compared to the cash cow known as the Red Sox. Your arguments are starting to contradict one another in this thread, Brian, because you need to admit your opening thesis may be flawed. --Kevin
bmerzbach		#6	[-]
Posts: 345 (02/28/08 09:27:30) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hmm, not sure how I have contradicted myself. I still maintain that Salem is not moving and my last post was EXACTLY to that point. Since there is not loads of money to be made in the Waynesboro area, it wouldn't make sense for them to move the Avalanche. Every indication is that the Red Sox bought Salem just to simply ensure they could get their High A team out the California League. I'm not sure why there is any need to read more into this. Brian
kreichard		#7	[-]
Posts: 1014 (02/28/08 10:56:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	There are much cheaper ways to get out of California than buying a Carolina League team! Like maybe playing in Sarasota, where the Red Sox ALREADY OWN THE TEAM. Whether or not you think there's money to be made in Waynesboro doesn't matter, Brian. Maybe, maybe not (personally, I don't know), but if the Red Sox are fielding queries and responding affirmatively (and you have not a lick of evidence to say otherwise), then saying there's no chance the Salem team will move is directly contradicted. Yes, I think you have been contradictory. --Kevin
BallparkJD		#8	[-]
Posts: 88 (02/28/08 12:48:46) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Kev and Brian, what causes High A ball to have such low attendences anyway? -JD
kreichard		#9	[-]
Posts: 1015 (02/28/08 14:06:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Depends on the team. FSL has suffered because of the elements -- it's just too damned hot in Florida in July and August -- and attendance in the the Cal League tends to reflect the condition of the facility (Epicenter vs. Sam Lynn). The Carolina League has some franchises (Wilmington, for example) that do quite well. Not quite sure it's a reflection of the level of ball vs. the facility standards. In the FSL, where there are newer and nicer facilities (Clearwater, Daytona), attendance is way up. --Kevin
bmerzbach		#10	[-]
Posts: 346 (02/29/08 06:08:01) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Yeah, I would tend to agree that it is a facility issue - at least with regards to the low attendance in the Carolina and California Leagues. For whatever reason, those leagues have been slower to get new facilities than other leagues. I can't believe it has anything to do with the level of play. Besides Double-A, there is no other level of baseball I'd rather see than High-A. Brian
rrhersh		#11	[-]
Posts: 281 (03/03/08 10:51:07) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Wilmington is one of the ballparks I get to fairly regularly. I don't think its attendence is due to the facility. It is nice enough. Indeed, I think it has a certain eccentric charm. But there is nothing special. My guess is that it is a combination of location and doing a lot of the little things well. Wilmington is a substantial city in its own right, as well as being connected by commuter rail to Philadelphia. Not to suggest that Wilmington is suburban, but it captures some of the suburban-market action that the indies are good at. As for doing things well, it reminds me a bit of Reading. It's hard to put my finger on what exactly it is, but whenever I catch a game there I get the feeling that it is a well run operation. (Also, what's not to like about Mister Celery?) (Oh, yes: and free parking.) I agree with Brian about the level of play. AA and high-A are my favorites. AAA can seem like a holding pattern of guys keeping in practice while they wait for the phone to ring. In the lower minors they certainly hustle, but they can be a bit weak on the basics. AA and high-A players are still proving themselves, but they don't have to stop and think about what base to throw to. All this for ten bucks for a great seat! I try to get to a big league game each season, but if I don't make it I don't worry about it.

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