Displaying the spirit with which Flying Squirrels was picked as the name of Richmond’s new baseball team, the Double-A franchise’s general manager expressed outside-the-box approval yesterday. “Let me be the first one to say: ‘Let’s go nuts!‘“ Bill Papierniak said.

Voters have taken their swings. Now, we wait for the name. Tomorrow, Richmond’s Double-A baseball franchise will announce its nickname. The finalists are the Flatheads, Flying Squirrels, Hush Puppies, Rhinos and Rock Hoppers.

Does Richmond have a hankering for Hush Puppies? That was the winner of CNBC’s push Wednesday for a wild-card entry in the Richmond baseball name-theteam contest. Hush Puppies joins Flatheads, Flying Squirrels, Hambones, Rhinos and Rock Hoppers, names previously submitted by the public and chosen as finalists by the Double-A team’s management. Hush Puppies was chosen from more than 9,000 votes during a 12-hour period.

The call for a wild card entry in the Richmond baseball franchise’s name-the-team contest drew more than 9,000 submissions in fewer than 12 hours yesterday. CNBC and the Class AA club invited interested parties to e-mail suggestions to CNBC from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. About 60 minutes before last night’s deadline, CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell said CNBC had received more than 9,000 entries. On Tuesday, Rovell projected CNBC’s portion of the voting would draw “a couple hundred.“

The possible names for Richmond’s baseball team may not appear to be big hits. But the club’s boss says,  “Richmond will soon learn that we aren’t afraid to stick our necks out there and have some fun.“

April: 8, at Bowie, 7:05 p.m.; 9, at Bowie, 7:05; 10, at Bowie, 6:35; 11, at Bowie, 2:05; 12, at Altoona, 6:30; 13, at Altoona, 6:30; 14, at Altoona, 6:30; 15, Reading, 7:05; 16, Reading, 7:05; 17, Reading, 6:35; 18, Reading, 2:05; 19, New Britain, 7:05; 20, New Britain, 7:05; 21, New Britain, 7:05; 23, at Reading, 7:05; 24, at Reading, 6:05; 25, at Reading, 1:05; 26, at New Britain, 6:35; 27, at New Britain, 6:35; 28, at New Britain, 10:35 a.m.; 30, Bowie, 7:05

After receiving more than 6,000 entries, including duplications, the front office of Richmond’s Double-A baseball franchise has selected five finalists.

Officials say a name for Richmond’s new baseball team will be picked by Oct. 15. A contest to name the AA franchise drew about 6,000 submissions, including duplicates. Voting on the top five starts Monday.

Sons of Pitches
Shad plankers
Rabble-Rousers
Poes
Pros
Rapids
Radicals
Rain
Razmatazz

Chuck Domino, the chief executive manager of Richmond’s Class AA franchise, has been in the baseball industry for nearly 30 years. One thing struck him when he laid eyes on The Diamond. “This stadium was built upside down,“ Domino said. About 8,800 of the facility’s 12,134 seats are in the upper deck.

May: 1, Bowie, 6:35; 2, Bowie, 2:05; 3, Altoona, 7:05; 4, Altoona, 7:05; 5, Altoona, 7:05; 6, Altoona, 11:35; 13, Altoona, 7:05; 14, Altoona, 7:05; 15, Altoona, 6:35; 16, Altoona, 2:05; 18, Erie, 7:05; 19, Erie, 7:05; 20, Erie, 11:35; 28, Bowie, 7:05; 29, Bowie, 6:35; 30, Bowie, 6:35; 31, Bowie, 7:05
  June: 1, Harrisburg, 7:05; 2, Harrisburg, 7:05; 3, Harrisburg, 7:05; 8, New Britain, 7:05; 9, New Britain, 7:05; 10, New Britain, 7:05; 15, Binghamton, 7:05; 16, Binghamton, 7:05; 17, Binghamton, 7:05; 18, Altoona, 7:05; 19, Altoona, 6:35; 20, Altoona, 5:05; 28, Akron, 7:05; 29, Akron, 7:05; 30, Akron, 7:05

Richmond finally has another minor-league baseball team to call its own. The announcement came Wednesday, about seven weeks later than Eastern League President Joe McEacharn projected, but for good reason. Bringing together Richmond’s front office members was no easy feat and was a reason the shift of the Connecticut franchise to Richmond was delayed.

Richmond’s new baseball franchise has a couple of connections that fans interested in major-league prospects and winning will find attractive. Class AAA, the level at which the Richmond Braves played from 1966 to 2008, includes more recognizable names because many players at that level bring major-league experience. But Class AA, the minor leagues’ second-highest rung and the Richmond club’s classification starting next season, usually features a greater number of up-and-coming talents.

Will it be one-and-done with the San Francisco Giants? The Richmond franchise is contractually bound to be the Giants’ Class AA affiliate next season. After that, Richmond could hook up with another major-league organization, if both sides want the arrangement. Chuck Domino, Richmond’s chief executive manager, said Wednesday that it’s “too early to tell” if Richmond and the Giants will seek an extension of their Player Development Contract.

The sign outside The Diamond still proclaims “Home of the Richmond Braves,“ but Richmond and its 24-year-old stadium will have a new professional baseball team beginning next spring.