Stuff.....

Tigers open on the road in 7 short days against the Tri-City ValleyCats, a Houston Astros farm team. The ValleyCats, like the Tigers and I suspect most teams now, have a Facebook presence. It makes for some interesting reading especially from a short season point of view. The ValleyCats make a big deal out of the MLB player draft since one can assume that's where a lot of ValleyCats players will initially come from.
The MLB draft is also something that appears to becoming a bigger and bigger "event" every year. The MLB network has ever expanding coverage and SI had a big piece recently detailing player picks and player bios. It's a made for internet type event.
Maybe the draft is something the Connecticut team can build around in the seasons to come. Draft days upstairs in the Yard! Free hot dogs and popcorn! WiFi for live blogging! I'd look to hook Steve Hamel of the Connecticut Tiger Den blog into the mix somehow for expert insight. Catch on the field between picks!

Anyway, a little bit about the ValleyCats from the milb.com site:

"Joseph L. Bruno Stadium and the Tri-City ValleyCats are together entering their ninth season of Minor League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Joe", this stadium was built in 2002 and since then has become the premier baseball complex in the Capital Region of New York. Named after the New York State Senate Majority Leader who helped secure the funds for the ballpark, Joseph L. Bruno Stadium has served as the home of the ValleyCats ever since their inception. Members of the prestigious fourteen team New York-Penn League; the ValleyCats have opened the eyes of many fans in the area during their early years of existence and are striving to enhance that every season.

The stadium is located on the Hudson Valley Community College campus in Troy, NY. About a 5 minute drive from the state's capital, the facility includes 4,500 seats, 10 luxury suites, a new picnic pavilion, the Top of the Hill Bar & Grill a private party area called "The Porch" and a grass seating berm behind the right field fence. "The Joe" has an open air concourse designed to give every seat a great view of the field and an intimate ballpark feel. All seats at The Joe are extra wide with seat backs, containing extra leg room and cup holders in premium and reserved box sections. This state-of-the-art ballpark also includes a major-league quality video/scoreboard, extensive concessions menu, and inflatable play area for kids. In addition to all the other great amenities, there is free, ample parking here at "The Joe" making this fan-friendly stadium great for a very affordable summer experience.
In 2009, the ValleyCats set a new single-season attendance record of 145,976 fans for an average of 4,293 per game. This is the sixth consecutive year that a new attendance milestone has been reached. The record was bolstered by 12 sellout crowds, including the single-game attendance record of 6,838, set on the Fourth of July.

The ValleyCats, who just completed its eighth season in the Capital Region, have set attendance records in 2004 (110,497), 2005 (116,674), 2006 (129,126), 2007 (136,809), 2008 (140,631) and yet again in 2009. The 'Cats have totaled over 100,000 fans to Joseph L. Bruno Stadium every season since their inception and will draw its one-millionth fan in early 2010.


Joseph L. Bruno Stadium and the ValleyCats offer a spectacular venue for professional baseball and great family entertainment. With affordable prices, whacky promotions, and tons of giveaways, it's not just a night out; but an experience that may last a lifetime. "