Adam Witter and Steve Calicutt....

were both recently released by the Giants and as Hondo notes she will haunt us (Hondo and me) no more.....

ly=1634

How cold is it?.......

I have this giant parka coat that I picked up for a song at Bob's years ago. It usually sits in the front closet all thru the winter without being worn (hey, it's New England, suck it up)--until Opening Day at Dodd. It is as Hondo has pointed out, the COLDEST park around especailly at night with the wind whipping around the stands and that is when it gets pulled out of the closet and worn--for the first couple of weeks in April.
Well the past few days have been pretty cold and the coat has been in use. And in one of the many hidden zippered pockets I pulled out this treasure; Opening Day stubs from the past four seasons...

Promo envy.....

FLYING SQUIRRELS 2010 GIVEAWAYS:

• Friday, April 16th – Logo Baseball Giveaway #1 presented by Coca-Cola Classic (First 3,000 Fans - All Ages)
• Saturday, April 17th – Fleece Blanket Giveaway presented by Budweiser (First 3,000 Fans – 21 and Older)
• Sunday, April 18th – Pillow Case Giveaway presented by HCA Virginia Health System (First 2,000 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Tuesday, April 20th – Reusable Grocery Bag Giveaway presented by International Truck Sales of Richmond (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Wednesday, April 21st – Green Hat Giveaway presented by Central Virginia Waste Management Authority (First 2,500 Fans – All Ages)
• Friday, April 30th – Team Photo Giveaway (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Saturday, May 1st – Squirrel Clock Giveaway (First 1,500 Fans – All Ages)
• Sunday, May 2nd – Light Switch Plate Giveaway presented by The Richmond Times-Dispatch (First 2,000 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Wednesday, May 5th – BBQ Mitt Giveaway (First 2,000 Fans – 15 and Older)
• Saturday, May 15th – Pink Visor Giveaway presented by HCA Virginia Health System (First 2,000 Fans – Females)
• Sunday, May 16th – Nite Lite Giveaway presented by Coca-Cola Classic (First 2,000 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Sunday, May 30th – Soccer Ball Giveaway (First 1,500 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Wednesday, June 2nd – Water Bottle Giveaway (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Wednesday, June 16th – Floppy Hat Giveaway (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Saturday, June 19th – Camouflage Cap Giveaway presented by Budweiser (First 3,000 Fans – 21 and Older)
• Sunday, June 20th – (Father’s Day) BBQ Apron Giveaway presented by HCA Virginia Heath System (15 and Older)
• Monday, June 28th – Logo Baseball Giveaway #2 presented by Coke Zero (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Wednesday, June 30th – Clunker Car Giveaway (Raffle)
• Sunday, July 18th – Flying Squirrel Cape Giveaway (First 2,000 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Tuesday, July 20th – Logo Baseball Giveaway #3 presented by Diet Coke – (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Friday, July 30th – Nutcracker Giveaway – Christmas in July (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Sunday, August 1st – Wooden Bat Giveaway (First 2,000 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Wednesday, August 11th – Mascot Bobblehead Giveaway presented by HCA Virginia Health System (First 2,500 Fans – All Ages)
• Friday, August 13th – Golf Umbrella Giveaway (First 1,500 Fans – All Ages)
• Sunday, August 15th – Metal Lunchbox Giveaway (First 2,500 Fans – All Ages)
• Tuesday, August 24th – Team Card Sheet (First 3,000 Fans – All Ages)
• Friday, September 3rd – Drawstring Backpack Giveaway (First 2,000 Fans – 14 and Under)
• Saturday, September 4th – Grill Spatula Giveaway (First 2,000 Fans – All Ages)


Man, the Defs NEVER had those type of giveaways...the Navigators did but never the Defs.
PS hate the logo....

Oh, another thing.....

a note to our future front office staff....please keep last season's starting times; i.e. 6:30PM for night games Monday-Saturday and 1:00PM for Sunday games. If you want to throw in a random midweek day game (camp day) feel free.
We definitely don't want 4:05 starts on Sundays; they tried that years ago and it didn't work!!
And about that camp day--pack the house and prep for it. I mean reach out to every summer day camp, day care, summer school with 50 miles and offer tickets at a dirt cheap price. The kids spend a ton of money at the food stands anyway and you'll get your money back that way. Also staff all the food stands!!!!
Also a hiring hint--reach out to Andy Pappas, former Defender staffer and a fixture in SE CT to help build area business relations.
Hey, how about those away unis?

From left to right: Flash, Crawford, Maday, McNiven, and D'Alessio.

The Connecticut Tigers...well, they can still use the Defenders road uniforms..

that say "Connecticut" across the chest minus the the Defenders shoulder patch and hey good news--they didn't auction off too many of those on the Milb.com. And they can use the existing Tigers home whites from New York with a little modification. That sets the stage for a name the team contest this season for the 2011 season. You would hope for some sort of divisional realignment for 2011 as well.
The press conference started about a hour or so late since the new owner, Miles Prentice, was stuck someplace on the road due to bad weather.
Check out the Bulletin's website for Mr. Prentice's comments and Q&A

Hey, I'm happy baseball continues at Dodd, whatever the name is, and that it's an American League team. The late start the team has in getting up and going for the 2010 will present some challeges in the months to come. The team can't start selling tickets until all the paperwork goes thru until the powers that be sign off on the relocation which Prentice says will be soon.
Whatever logo the team comes up with for the 2010 season will become an automatic collectible since it'll be around for just a single season.


I'll have to change the blog name slightly at some point but the web address stays the same.

Any suggestions for the new team name in 2011?? And what about the 2010 mascot? Tater, Cutter, Tiger??????


Pics top to bottom are Miles Prentice and league President Ben Hayes.

Connecticut Tigers......

for a year and then the name changes in 2011....same division, same schedule...more to come including pics from the press conference...

A suggestion.....

the New York Penn League All-Star Game will be held at Staten Island this season and then take place in Lowell in the 2011 season.
Our new team should bid for the 2012 Game ASAP. It will be the 10th anniversary of the first All-Star Game held at Dodd in 2002. That contest was the last "true" Double A All-Star Game with players from all three Double A leagues sending players to Norwich.
It will also be the 5th anniversary of the ill-fated 2007 All Game held at Dodd. That one featured a fire alarm going off and fog rolling in to blanket the field after an inning or so causing cancellation of the game.
Any thoughts....

ONEONTA MAYOR RIPS NYPL.....

"ONEONTA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The Oneonta Tigers will not play in Oneonta this summer according to Oneonta Mayor Richard Miller. The team will be moving to the Hartford, Connecticut area according to Miller. He said the GM Andy Weber confirmed the teams departure.

A group headed by Miles Prentice bought the Tigers franchise from Sam Nader last year. Oneonta has supported a NY Penn League team for 44 years. Mayor Miller understands the move, yet was very critical of the league. " The NY Penn League’s lack of loyalty and consideration of this community, not to mention the long term former owners, is shocking and reprehensible."

Mayor Miller also said the Weber has confirmed that they will honor their lease agreement with the City and that all season ticket holders who have paid for the upcoming year will be immediately and fully refunded their payments.

Here is Mayor Miller's statement:

"I have been notified by Andy Weber that the Tigers will not be playing in Oneonta this summer. He has confirmed to me that they will honor their lease agreement with the City and that all season ticket holders who have paid for the upcoming year will be immediately and fully refunded their payments.

This is not a time for recriminations toward the group headed by Miles Prentice who bought the Tigers last year. Oneonta has long enjoyed the luxury of professional baseball through the benevolent ownership of Sam Nader and Sid Levine. Their sale of the Tigers was well justified and inevitable. While the new owners had honorable intentions, the economics based on the size of our market and obvious lack of broad community support made the business of their being in Oneonta not tenable.

The fact that they are leaving a year earlier than planned is unfortunate but understandable given the unanticipated opportunity presented to them by the NY Penn league in Connecticut. While I consider their leaving to have been inevitable, their abrupt departure was facilitated and encouraged by the League which the Oneonta community has supported for 44 years. The NY Penn League’s lack of loyalty and consideration of this community, not to mention the long term former owners, is shocking and reprehensible. This action which leaves the community without an assurance of organized baseball less than 5 months before the beginning of the season is prejudicial to our city and was initiated by the league, not the Tigers, in October. Even now, although apparently the Tigers, League and new host city are in agreement the decision is subject to the final approval of Minor League Baseball which could take weeks or months.

My singular interest is in continuing the long tradition of organized baseball in Oneonta this summer. The Tigers, on our behalf, and as an act of good faith, have been working to bring a collegiate league team to Oneonta this summer. Other members of the community have had similar conversations, and I have been approached by an independent professional team who would like to play here. I will devote my energies, with involvement of the Common Council, to working to develop these options for the 2010 season.

Despite my personal disappointment as a fan and Mayor of the City, I wish the Tigers well as they move to the Hartford, CT, area"

Mitch Lively.....

Madison Bumgarner and Tyler LaTorre....

Jackson Williams....

Mike Musgrave....

feels familar.....

Dan Griffin and Craig Whitaker....

From the Daily Star (NY) newspaper....

by P.J. Harmer

"Baseball in Oneonta could end as early as Friday.

Speculation as to whether the Oneonta Tigers will stay for the 2010 season should end Friday as the NY-Penn will reveal which of its 14 teams will settle at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn., during a 1 p.m. media conference at Norwich City Hall.

"I know there's been no official announcement by the NY-Penn League," said Norwich City Manager Alan Bergren, who added that the city approved a contract Tuesday to lease the 6,000-seat stadium to a NY-Penn team. "We've been in negotiations through our city baseball authority and the council to bring a NY-Penn League team to Norwich.

"We've heard teams mentioned, but it's not official," he continued. "It'll be officially made public Friday."

NY-Penn President Ben Hayes did not return messages left Wednesday at his office in St. Petersburg, Fla. His wife, Laurie Hayes, said her husband was unavailable for comment because he was traveling but added that he will attend Friday's media conference in Norwich.

O-Tigers General Manager Andrew Weber refused to comment on the situation, continuing to cite a league-wide gag order on the move that Ben Hayes imposed earlier this month.

"I am abiding by what I've been told by the league," Weber said Wednesday at the O-Tigers' offices at Damaschke Field. "I can't speak for anything about that. ... I've been told by Ben, I've been told by the league that we have to abide by the gag order and I can't comment on anything involving the relocation to Norwich or Norwich itself."

When asked if the O-Tigers would play the 2010 season at Damaschke Field, Weber again used the gag order as a shield.

"There's speculation now about every team," he said. "Answering that question one way or another says that either we are one of those teams or not, and what I've been told is that I have to abide by a gag order until I'm told otherwise."

Last week, Weber said the O-Tigers were still selling season tickets for 2010. On Wednesday, a Daily Star employee called the O-Tigers office to ask about buying season tickets and was told to call back later in the week. Around 6 p.m., the Star again called Weber, who said the O-Tigers were still accepting orders for season tickets.

Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller said Wednesday he has purchased 2010 O-Tigers season tickets _ which range from $135 for one general-admission seat to $1,500 for a six-seat box _ and added the franchise cashed his check. Miller added he planned to attend the June 26 home opener, when Oneonta is scheduled to host the Vermont Lake Monsters.

Miller also said the Tigers have nothing major standing in their way, should they decide to leave.

"There's no financial impediment to their leaving," he said. "There's my judgement, given the length of the relationship we've had with the New York-Penn League and the statements given by the new owners _ I'd be really surprised to be left at the altar, so to speak. At the same time, I understand the economics."

Miller is a shareholder in Rochester Community Baseball, which owns the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. His group also has an operating agreement with the Batavia Muckdogs of the NY-Penn.

Miller said according to numbers he received, the Muckdogs lost $250,000 in 2008 and $140,000 in 2009.

The Muckdogs finished second-to-last in NY-Penn attendance last season at 35,620. The Tigers finished last with 23,521 fans, 16,088 fewer than in 2008.

The decline in attendance at Damaschke Field followed the Dec. 2008 sale of the Oneonta Athletic Corporation, which failed to obtain a beer license in 2009 because it never applied for one.

The Oneonta franchise has been a member of the NY-Penn since 1966, starting as an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Oneonta became part of the Yankees' system in 1967, a relationship that lasted 32 years before Detroit stepped in after New York moved its NY-Penn team to Staten Island in 1999.

Longtime OAC owners Sam Nader and Sid Levine sold the franchise to a group headed by New York City attorney E. Miles Prentice III following the 2008 season. In 2009, Prentice's group eliminated free nights, which were sponsored by local businesses and traditionally drew the largest crowds. The new owners also increased the prices for season tickets but lowered the cost of single-game, general-admission tickets.

Terms of the 2008 sale included keeping the team in Oneonta through the 2010 season, Nader reiterated Wednesday.

"Part of the contract was they would honor the current contract with the city," he said. "They would be here through 2010."

Though Nader spoke highly of Prentice and his group, he said he would be disappointed if the O-Tigers left this season.

"It would be a lack of honesty," he said. "But who knows? I still say they are good people. My experience was always very good."

Messages left for Prentice on his office, cell and home phones were not returned to The Daily Star on Wednesday.

"If you buy a house, you live in it for awhile," Prentice said during an interview with The Daily Star on July 8, 2008. "They've had good people there for a long time. We're thankful we have this year (2009) to break ourselves in and find out what works and what doesn't work."

Miller noted that he called Hayes on Jan. 13 to discuss the move, but Hayes had yet to call him back.

"I'm a realist," Miller said. "I understand the future of minor league baseball in Oneonta is a limited one. I also understand that the community didn't really support the team as well as they might have hoped. The Tigers changed their approach by eliminating free nights. It's a rough time in the economy."

The new owners inherited a contract signed by former Mayor Kim Muller and Nader to lease Damaschke Field when Prentice purchased the team from Nader and Levine. That deal, which is still in effect, called for the team to pay $5,500 in 2006; $6,000 in 2007; $6,500 in 2008; $7,000 in 2009; and $7,500 in 2010.

Miller said last week that the O-Tigers did not notify the city in time if they intended to break the lease. Miller said, according to the agreement, the O-Tigers had until Dec. 31 to serve proper notice.

Oneonta City attorney David Merzig said Wednesday that the O-Tigers would have to "conform to the terms of the contract" whether they play at Damaschke Field or not this summer. Those terms require the Tigers to pay half of the lease amount June 1 and the remainder Aug. 31. The contract includes the use of the field, buildings and concession and advertising rights. The city, however, is responsible for all maintenance of the field and buildings.

Bergren said the NY-Penn's lease with Dodd Stadium is similar to what Norwich has had with other teams in the past. The Connecticut Defenders, a Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants in the Eastern League, left Norwich for Richmond, Va., following the 2009 season.

The NY-Penn lease will run from 2010-2019 and has three five-year options, Bergren said. He added the lease starts at $100,000 per year.

The New London Day, a newspaper in New London, Conn., reported Wednesday that there also is a clause that would allow the team to leave after the 2014 season.

"Our understanding is a team will be coming to the city this year," Bergren said. "The lease begins this year."

Gary Schnip, a member of the Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority who took part in the negotiations, said he also will find out Friday which NY-Penn team is heading to Norwich. He said the city negotiated with the league as opposed to an individual team.

"We can't say anything," he said. "We're told not to say boo. I don't know where they are coming from."

Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said he knew four teams were being considered.

"We did our part," he said. "I have no contact (with teams). ... No one from our city has had contact with the teams."

Nystrom said he was unaware of a report in the Norwich Bulletin, a newspaper in Norwich, Conn., that stated a member of the Tigers relocation committee toured Dodd Stadium last Friday.

Weber said he didn't know what a relocation committee was.

"I can't speak for those writers and whoever was saying that there was a member of the Tigers relocation committee there because I don't even know what it is," he said. "I don't know where the information came from and I can't say anything about it because I don't know of it one, and two, I can't talk about things about any team or anything involved with the relocation to Norwich because of the New York-Penn League gag order."

Oneonta's player development deal with Detroit also runs through this season.

Dan Lunetta, Detroit's director of minor league operations, said a team doesn't need to get approval from the parent club for a move because the major league team doesn't have a stake in the ownership.

"All I can tell you is I'm aware the NY-Penn League has been engaged in some type of discussion in terms of the Norwich territory," Lunetta said. "I have nothing else to provide until I'm given more information."

Oneonta signed a four-year extension on its contract with Detroit in 2005, which began following the 2006 season.

"Relative to what the New York-Penn League has done in regard for the Norwich territory, it would not be appropriate for the Detroit Tigers to offer comment," Lunetta said. "Whatever may or may not be developing or transpiring has to come from the Oneonta ownership, not the Detroit Tigers."

This was written before news of Friday's press conference in Norwich being pushed back.

Brad Boyer...

and a bunch of stuff to recap. First the press conference tomorrow announcing the official relocation of a NYPL team to Norwich has been postponed to Thursday Jan. 28. I was planning on attending tomorrow but oh well.
And a couple of player updates first from AR fan (book goes out Friday) Lelvin Pichardo is now with the Red Sox. Also from Geno fan Merkin Valez is now a Blue Jay. Thanks guys!!
From Baseball American blog fav and Hondo fav shortshop Jake Wald was signed by the D-Backs

Bobby Felmy.....

Word on baseball in Norwich expected Friday - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

Word on baseball in Norwich expected Friday - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

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Good seeing Joe's byline on page 1 !!

Joe Perez with the word on his blog tonight....

as baseball continues at Dodd this year with a team from the New York-Penn league...check out Joe's post via the link on the right of this page...Bulletin beats the Day on this one....

The Day - Norwich City Council will talk baseball tonight | News from southeastern Connecticut

The Day - Norwich City Council will talk baseball tonight | News from southeastern Connecticut

I mean really....

they destroy ND and then shake off Duke last night....another unbeaten season?

PS--get well Coach Calhoun!

Josh Phelps....

Brett Pill.....

Nick Perrira...

Mike McBryde...

Steve Calicutt.....

Brock and EME....

Matt Yourkin....

Tim Alderson....

Andy D'Alessio......

had a strange dream last night that something happened to the Diamond and the team returned to Norwich with no notice. We were winning 3-2 after six innings in the home opener against someone, a day game of all things, and Boyer was playing OF....
wierd....

Tyler Graham....

Up next: Baseball league, city must negotiate - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

Up next: Baseball league, city must negotiate - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

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EME......

Dave Maroul....

The Day - Norwich's new team could be named soon | News from southeastern Connecticut

The Day - Norwich's new team could be named soon | News from southeastern Connecticut

Brandon Crawford....

Waldis Joaquin....

So which team will be offered up by the NY-Penn League to come to Norwich and is it a slam dunk that team ends up coming? When do we learn the identity of that team?
While I'm happy about the prospect of baseball at Dodd this year I must confess to a touch of Missouri in me i.e. show me.
All the teams in that league seem to be open for business as usual. The one exception being the Vermont team and their new GM appeared on Ben's blog recently to say they are not moving.
Well, stay tuned for more details as they come to the light of day....

The Day - Officials bring Class A team closer to Dodd stadium | News from southeastern Connecticut

The Day - Officials bring Class A team closer to Dodd stadium | News from southeastern Connecticut

at least another five years at Dodd if all goes well...but I'm vey aware that another town's fans will be suffering the loss of their team.

Joe Paterson....

maybe some late breaking news tonight re: the New York Penn League.....

Madison Bumgarner....

Our View: New team could be success - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

Our View: New team could be success - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

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The franchise was here for 15 seasons, not 11!

Shane Kaufman.....

Snowing pretty good this morning...

Happy New Year AR!