Eastern League not yet ready to identify Richmond’s new franchise

The Eastern League Board of Directors met yesterday to discuss which of its 12 franchises is headed to Richmond next season. If there was a resolution, the Eastern League president chose not to publicly share it.

"I have nothing to comment on. Nothing to report," Joe McEacharn said.

McEacharn assured Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones in mid-May that an Eastern League franchise will be at The Diamond next season.

The most likely scenario is the relocation of the Connecticut franchise to Richmond, sources say.

That would address two issues for the Eastern League: occupation of Richmond, a high-quality market for the league, and evacuation of Norwich, Conn., which is viewed by many in the industry as too small for Class AA baseball.

Lou DiBella, Connecticut's president/managing partner, through a spokesman yesterday referred all questions to McEacharn. McEacharn earlier this week said that there would be no public announcement until the relocation plan gained approval from Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball. Those are expected by Aug. 1.

McEacharn promised that the process of franchise relocation to Richmond would be "tightly managed." A few owner/operators of Eastern League franchises recognized Richmond as a better situation than they currently have. Sources said representatives of franchises in Erie, Pa., and other Eastern League cities in addition to Norwich expressed interest in Richmond.

"The league is in the process of selecting a franchise and an ownership group, more than one [candidate] in both circumstances, to go to Richmond," McEacharn said earlier this week. He did not say which franchises. Identification of willing relocation candidates when only one is moving could make business uncomfortable for franchises remaining where they are.

Despite the lack of a firm ballpark plan, Richmond is generally viewed as a quality minor-league market and should be, according to Bruce Baldwin, the Richmond Braves' general manager for two decades and now the GM for the Gwinnett Braves. Atlanta moved its Class AAA franchise from Richmond to Gwinnett, Ga., after last season due to dissatisfaction with The Diamond.

"It's really about live, work and play. I think that Richmond is abundant with all of those opportunities," said Baldwin. He added, referring to Richmond's status as a quality minor-league market, "The final piece of the puzzle, basically, is the ballpark."

Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or .