Many pieces to Richmond's baseball puzzle

The guy with the simple first name and befuddling last name already delivered one bold stroke in Richmond's quest for a professional baseball franchise. Eastern League President Joe McEacharn, who pronounces his last name mc-KATH-ren, assured Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones that a Class AA franchise will play at The Diamond next season.

Now come the tough parts: determining the Eastern League franchise that will relocate, cobbling together an ownership group with local flavor, brokering a purchase, then building consensus for a long-term Richmond ballpark solution as the kicker.

Nobody from Minor League Baseball, Richmond Baseball Club LC, or City Hall has designated McEacharn as The Grand Facilitator. But that appears to be the role into which he is slipping as this confusing, prolonged process continues to unfold. It began in January 2008 when the Atlanta Braves announced that their Class AAA franchise would depart Richmond.

Those involved in replacement plans, McEacharn among them, have repeatedly described Richmond's situation as one with "a lot of moving parts." McEacharn hopes to synchronize. His interest, on behalf of Eastern League owners, is understandable.

 



• Richmond is a high-quality market for Class AA. McEacharn's league wants it secured before independent-league officials convince Richmond leaders to give a shot to baseball unaffiliated with major-league teams. That, in part, is why the Eastern League pledged a franchise for Richmond though Richmond still has no long-term ballpark answer.

 



• McEacharn needs resolution so Minor League Baseball President Pat O'Conner doesn't reconsider having made Richmond part of the Eastern League territory. The Class A Carolina League and Class A South Atlantic League also wanted Virginia's capital.

 



• Richmond may again be the home of a Class AAA franchise, though none is currently available. The Eastern League would be eligible for millions in indemnity if Richmond upgraded from Class AA to Class AAA.

McEacharn has made a few visits to Richmond, the latest last week, when he suggested he will keep coming back until the matter concludes. More from McEacharn, who met the Richmond media Thursday adjacent to the site that would be a new ballpark's home if the $318 million Shockoe Center proposal is approved by the city:

How about a timetable for announcing what franchise is coming to Richmond?

It's a very ambitious schedule to get a team here for 2010. A team will need to get in here and be working. They'll need to set up operations. They'll need to get into The Diamond, and start work there. There's a lot to do. No later than Aug. 1, a decision will have to be made.

Is there more than one option for an Eastern League franchise to come to Richmond?

We're not going to limit ourselves to any single option. We're going to create as many options as possible and choose the one that is the best fit for Richmond at the end of the day. . . . I think by baseball standards, Richmond would be a very desirable market under the right conditions. We reiterate that The Diamond is not a long-term solution for anyone.

You said a new franchise would have to be the right fit. What is the right fit?

We want a long-term solution. The mayor has indicated he wants a long-term solution. The [Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns and operates The Diamond] wants a long-term solution. The very encouraging part is nobody doesn't want to do anything. Everybody wants to do something. There seems to be dispute or discussion about what should be done.

A deal to bring the franchise currently in Norwich, Conn., to Richmond seemed close. Is that franchise still a possibility?

Norwich has struggled in the market. It's a very small market. When a team went there in'94, economics of the game were entirely different.

You mentioned that The Diamond is not a long-term solution. What do you think of the plans to put a stadium right here in Shockoe Bottom?

Very encouraged by the option. Enthusiastic about it. I think it's a great opportunity. I could go on ad nauseum [about] the number of success stories of very similar projects. And so we're obviously very supportive of it. But we also know and recognize that it has to be a win-win situation. If it's too one-sided, whether it's too one-sided for the private sector, or too one-sided for the public sector, it won't work. It really needs to be a partnership. We've found that, and we know that.

What are you looking for in an ownership group?

Somebody needs to come into Richmond. and they need to learn Richmond, learn what Richmond wants and needs. If they come and try to take what works in Akron, Ohio, and move it here, it won't be as successful. You really want to come in and form [an ownership] team that fits Richmond.

How important is local involvement in that ownership team?

We very much encourage it. We find from past experience and history that it helps the success. I often find that when you have local people involved, whether it's on a large scale or small scale, that it generates that 'It's ours' feeling.

Contact John O'Connor

at (804) 649-6233 or joconnor@timesdispatch.com.