Sunday, May 31, 2009

Now what?

First let me start by saying it's nice to hear large crowds made their way to Dodd Stadium this weekend. The weather was nice, and mixed with some good promotions and a first-place team, it's hard to justify not going.

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed or commented on my column in Sunday's paper. It had to get out there and people had to know the conditions in which their team is being taken from them.

Despite over 14,00 fans this weekend, the fans are still the primary reason this is happening. There has to be more support. Not just for three days, but for five months. This was a good start.

My gut feeling is that Lou DiBella sells the team soon to a group comprised of Richmond Baseball and any one of the other groups looking into the situation. I think Ripken Baseball makes the most sense, but we'll see.

Will Norwich see pro ball again? I'd like to think so. I'd like to think some of the struggling Penn League teams will think Dodd is a better place than where they are at now. It may take until 2011 to happen. I also think that MiLB knows this whole process is such a disaster because of Joe McEacharn's mismanagement that getting a team here -- even by the same tactics in which it's trying to remove the current one -- may be the closest way to make amends. Will it? Not entirely. Understand that were this a Penn League team at Dodd, the season hasn't begun yet. That's a lot of baseball to have missed. so it's a tradeoff: shorter season or no season.

For now, enjoy what you have.

1 comment:

greg8370 said...

I hope that if Lou does sell he gets at least the $15.4 million the first group offered.
I hope Lou takes a hard look at any legal remedies he has against the Eastern League and Mr. McEacharn.
I hope that we do get a Single A team in here in 2010 as long as that transaction is on the up and up because two wrongs don't make a right.
I hope a lot of fans come out this summer to Dodd to watch the team mske the playoffs and prove the area still cares about minor league baseball.
I hope the front office promotes the heck out of the team.
I hope both local papers cover each home game with eyes in the press box.
I hope there is minor league baseball at Dodd next summer.

That's a lot of hoping....

Great job with your print column today Joe. You knocked it out of the park.

greg