Connecticut Defenders make a lasting impression
If the Connecticut franchise moves to Richmond next year -- and that seems the most likely scenario -- San Francisco's Class AA club and its current fan base will likely part on a good note.
The Connecticut franchise hasn't made the Eastern League playoffs since 2002, the last season it was affiliated with the New York Yankees.
But heading into last night's activity, the Defenders were 49-34 and leading the Eastern League North Division. Connecticut has several well-regarded young prospects, especially on its pitching staff, and is led for the first season by Steve Decker, a former big-league catcher.
"We play very traditional National League baseball," said Charlie Dowd, the franchise's general manager. "Steve Decker bunts, hits and runs, moves runners along."
Connecticut is a remarkable 31-12 on the road, but a not-so-hot 18-22 at home.
"We're not sure if it's the air, the water, or if [Connecticut's Dodd Stadium is] built on an empty graveyard," Dowd said. "It's bizarre."
Dowd said he didn't believe the speculation since February that Connecticut would relocate to Richmond in 2010 has affected the players' performance at home.
"In terms of support, our [attendance is] up slightly," Dowd said.
The Defenders still rank 11th among 12 Eastern League clubs in average home attendance (2,708). Only Erie (2,673) trails Connecticut.
By Aug. 1, Minor League Baseball and the Eastern League are expected to assign one of the 12 Eastern League franchises to Richmond. A Richmond-based ownership group, Richmond Baseball Club LC, failed to buy the Defenders earlier this year. If Connecticut does come to Richmond, the franchise's president/managing partner, Lou DiBella, would likely remain in that capacity.
DiBella earlier this week chose not to comment on the potential relocation.
The Eastern League all-star game is Wednesday in Trenton, N.J., home of the New York Yankees' Class AA affiliate.
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or
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Reader Reactions
Lance62, your facts are completely false. You may want to do a little research before you make inaccurate comments.
Braves average attendance for the past three years was over 4000 a game. Prior to 2006, average attendance ranged from 6000 to 8000 a game for many years.
Hate_Richmond,
I’ve lived here in the metro area except for 6 years since 1970 which is now 39 years and am quite familiar with the general nature of the Braves history during all of that time.
As you already know, my point is the question of whether one thin dime of public money should be spent on bringing or keeping pro baseball here. I don’t happen to think there is enough support by enough taxpayers for that to happen.
It would be nice for those few fans who do love it if a team were here but the fans and club should pay for their own stadium and their own fun and involve no public funds in my opinion. Since they don’t seem able to then it isn’t self supporting due to insufficient interest.
There are other opinions, of course, but that’s consistently been mine and after almost 40 years and attending a few times at the Diamond, I think it’s a point of view that is shared by enough taxpayers versus the opposite view.
It has to be noted that the area also does not appear to be adequate enough to support pro hockey, pro basketball, barely pro soccer or much of anything else pro for either gender athlete that is pro. There are reasons for that like other things to do here but with fractured support for any of those, who can make a valid case for public financing?
So far, the politicians have read their tea leaves like I have like it or not if you are a fervent fan of any of those pro sports.
Lance
Lance:
I suggest you read the book “Baseball and Richmond: A History of the Professional game 1884-2000” by W. Harrison Daniel and Scott Mayer. Richmond has a long history of supporting baseball and a new team coming here will be no different. I would not use the final year attendance of the Braves to support your argument. Many decided to stay away that lame duck year in protest.
I don’t think there is any question that Richmond, VA is a bigger market then Norwich, CT. Why is everyone so against baseball coming back to Richmond? I can understand if you are not a fan of the sport, but at the least it adds one more thing to do in a pretty good city. I feel like I’m the only one looking forward to some games at the old diamond with the dollar beer and hotdog specials.
So, if Connecticut AA moves here the Richmond area would be getting a team that wants to leave because it while leading the “league” draw more than 2700 fans to an area that with AAA hasn’t drawn equivalent fans?
That does not sound like a formula for success, a workable or logical formula to increase attendence, nor one which one public dime should be spent on.
Give the Diamond to VCU and quit fussing about baseball.
Simplify it.
Lance
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