Survey says...

May 31. That is the drop-dead date by which this deal, as presently proposed, needs to be completed or it's not happening.

Trouble in Richmond?

Richmond, Va. Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced the findings of a study Monday to explore the feasibility of a development that includes an 8,500-seat baseball stadium to house the Connecticut Defenders should the sale and relocation of the team be completed.

In the study performed by Davenport and Co., it was determined that project financing is “highly unlikely” unless the city provides credit support. Because of the city’s credit rating, the amount financed would decrease by an estimated $20 million to $60 million. But that is something Jones is unwilling to give a thumbs up to at the present.

Without the financial backing of the city, the project which was to rely heavily upon a sales tax increase is in serious doubt. With the city’s backing, the hike would be 2.1 percent.

Before I forget

Oakland returned Ben Copeland to San Francisco. It remains to be seen where he will be assigned.

Study hard

I've been told there will be significant movement early next week as a city commissioned a study to investigate the potential impact of a new stadium in Richmond.

What I'm hearing is that it's not good news if you are Bryan Bostic.

Where does that leave the Defenders? My guess is probably still gone but to a different ownership group. Likely, it will be one of the groups MiLB didn't want to look at/consider the first time through this process.

Joe McEacharn has said everything needs to be done by Aug. 1 in order to get the 2010 season logistics squared away. That leaves very little time.

The big question is...

Does this sale take place. It's look less and less likely by the day. It may be that Bryan Bostic and Richmond Baseball LC have been able to clear everything between them and the Defenders except for dollars. And without those dollars -- bye bye deal.

That's not even mentioning the battles that still have to be waged in city and state government. A call for a referendum has been made in Richmond, but it's token. It has no influence on what happens. If the Mayor says it's good to go and there's a team that's it.

Bostic's group gave Richmond until Aug. 1 to the Mayor's office OK the development plan that includes the new stadium they want. But his group received a deadline that same day to have the team purchased and approved to relocate, which is really a non issue once the purchase is done.

However, this has been dragging on for months with a whole lot of "we're close" talk coming from Richmond.

What I think we're seeing is EL President Joe McEacharn going to Virginia this week to help drum up more support (dollars) but making it look like his baseball's herald there as an all-is-good sign. But it clearly isn't.

Minor League Baseball and the Eastern League forced this sale process to happen and it may blow up in their faces. If so, someone besides Bostic takes the fall. That's McEacharn. It rolls down hill, if you know what I mean, and McEacharn is standing at the foot of the hill.

So what happens if this does come apart in the next week, which is when Lou DiBella says this will be settled one way or another? Does the team stay and Bostic or someone else try to buy and move the Erie SeaWolves? Maybe. The more likely scenario is another Richmond ownership group emerges, probably one that the taxpayers of Richmond take to more kindly than Bostic and co. If not, DiBella may have to remain as owner and move the team to Richmond. I can't imagine MiLB would say no provided Richmond-area partners came on board.

It's just hard to imagine the team staying after everything its been through in recent months, with the proposed sale being out there for several months. Plus, with attendance being what it's been -- despite increases the last two years -- and a loss of advertising, the team may never recover if it stayed.

If I'm a proponent of the Defenders staying, then I go to as many games as possible and bring a friend to every game I attend.

Who's to say right now? What we do know is McEacharn and Bostic are still saying the deal is almost done. DiBella says it isn't.

This that and the other

Raise your hand if you thought the Defenders would be 1/2 game out of first on May 14.

That's what I thought.

But they are because they are getting timely hitting to go with the always strong pitching. But you know Steve Decker is nowhere near happy.

Check out the front page of tomorrow's Bulletin. Some interesting stuff regarding the sale of the team. We'll discuss more in this blog sometime around midday. Maybe sooner. Sorry, but a man's gotta sleep :)

Here's something I came across on Twitter and think is hilarious and one of the better MLB-related team ads.

http://interdubs.com/r/ntropic/index.php?al=ylxhb3y&an=KgEFqa&e=RciJ0YP3r

Enjoy!

Alderson fantastic

Six 2/3 of no-hit, 10-K baseball. That's what Tim Alderson did in his Double-A debut Sunday against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. I don't care who you ask, that exceeded everyone's expectations.

There was a lot in his favor, such as facing new batters he had never seen and just being generally a good pitcher. But the 'Cats have some decent bats and he made them look bad.

If he stays here the whole season -- which we learned last year is asking A LOT -- Defenders fans could be in for a treat. Now, Madison Bumgarner, who is widely considered to be better than Alderson, takes the hill tomorrow at New Britain.

What are the odds the bats come to life soon? Now, that would make for an interesting summer at Dodd Stadium.

FYI

Garrett Broshuis is out of extended Spring Training in in San Jose.

Odds and ends

We can start with Greg's questions in my last post. No, nothing new with the sale. As much as I believe it will happen, I also believe that each day longer this takes that the odds of a collapse increases. What kind of odds do I give it? 90 percent of going through.

For those who are holding out hope that the Defenders/AA ball stays here, if the sale falls apart, the team ain't going anywhere any time soon. My sources tell me that Eastern League President Joe McEachern as well as some higher ups in Minor League Baseball are the driving forces behind the sale. So much so that there might have been a blind eye or two turned away from some tampering months ago. Needless to say, this all comes down to money and Richmond would make more than Norwich. Should this sale not happen, don't be surprised if there are changes on the executive level around the minor league baseball community.

However...don't count on this falling apart. Pieces are still moving slowly such as Richmond ownership getting a two-year lease to play at the Diamond until a new stadium is built.

Regarding a short-season A team coming in, Lou DiBella has told me he wants nothing to do with making any sort of inquiries that might be seen as tampering or put the chances of a team relocating at risk.

DiBella has been pretty upset -- and I believe genuinely so -- over the way everything has played out. At the end of the day, he feels the fans are going to get the shaft because MiLB won't guarantee a team relocates should the Defenders leave.

What else do I have for you...

Simon Klink is back in school at Purdue, where he played college ball.

I don't want to say this is for certain, but after just a few games that I've covered I don't feel as if the clubhouse has meshed as well as it had in years past. Maybe, considering the past results, this is a good thing.

Nothing new pitchers arriving. Steve Decker said the Giants told him nothing as of yesterday afternoon. "Deck" is a lot more forthcoming than his predecessors, so my guess is this is a waiting game. However, pitching isn't the team's big concern. They need to hit, which is as slow developing as the Earth's plates shifting into the next expected land formation (200 million years from now, give or take a century or five).

Guess where I am...

Dodd Stadium!

I can't tell you how great it feels to be back here even with 34 people in the stands.

It's a chilly night and the threat of rain is defintely keeping folks away. Not to mention the typical early season drought.

Let's see how this game goes.

Twitter

Check me out on Twitter: joeperez23.

I'll give updates there and here, on the blog, during Defenders games.

Decker means business

Any night where there are fireworks at Dodd Stadium, the Defenders like to escape the parking lot before the fans do.

Not any more. And not under Steve Decker.

Upset at how his team hit in the home opener Thursday, Decker called all the hitters together for a meeting at the indoor batting cage. Whenever someone misses a sign or fails to do their job at the plate, on the mound or in the field, they have a postgame meeting with Decker.

Thursday, he wanted players to understand their job. Tyler Graham bunted with two strikes because that is what he was supposed to do. What Graham was also supposed to do was to give up his at-bat for the good of the team. He didn't, fouling off the pitch and making the at-bat twice as wasteful.

It's not the "Giants Way," as Decker said.

I like this guy.

Sounding fuzzy

For those at the game, you know what I'm talking about here. The speakers sounded funny, almost bsted. Supposedly, one of the speakers was not connected properly and as a result we hear a poor quality sound. Expect that to be fixed for Friday's game.

Let's get started

It's Day One of the home portion of the schedule, and I'm excited. It never feels like the season has really started until there's been a home game.

The crowd hasn't been allowed in, but there's already a nice gathering outside of Dodd Stadium for what is the team's final home opener.

I like what I've seen and heard so far from new skiper Steve Decker. He's no nonsense and that should show on the field. We'll see.

Plus, there are fireworks tonight.

2009 Roster

I'm a bit disappointed. I figured after last year's success with Sandoval, etc. that we would see some Giants love with the likes of Posey and Alderson. Guess again.

Plus, EVERYONE'S favorite is back. Yep, EME.

No. Pitchers Bats Throws HT WT Born Resides Last Year
9 Steven Edlefsen B R 6'2 180 6/27/1985 Bloomington, MN San Jose
14 Jesse English* L L 6'3 220 9/13/1984 Vista, CA San Jose
40 Jesse Foppert R R 6'6 215 7/10/1980 San Franciso, CA Fresno
45 Dan Griffin R R 6'7 245 9/29/1984 Schenectady, NY SJ/Fresno
49 Waldis Joaquin* R R 6'2 235 12/25/1986 Villa Tapia, DR Aug/San Jose
54 Daryl Maday R R 6'2 220 8/12/1985 Bristol, WI Aug/SJ/Conn
19 Brooks McNiven R R 6'5 180 6/19/1981 Vernon, BC, Canada Connecticut
39 Mike Musgrave R R 6'2 199 4/10/1984 Ocala, FL San Jose
51 Daniel Otero R R 6'3 205 2/19/1985 Coral Gables, FL Aug/San Jose
18 Joe Paterson R L 6'1 210 5/19/1986 McMinnville, OR Aug/ San Jose
22 Nick Pereira R R 6'0 190 9/22/1982 Cupertino, CA Fresno/San Jose
31 Henry Sosa* R R 6'2 195 7/28/1985 El Seybo, DR SJ/Augusta
No. Catchers Bats Throws HT WT Born Resides Last Year
28 Tyler LaTorre (DL) L R 6'0 219 4/22/1983 Santa Cruz, CA San Jose
35 Jackson Williams R R 5'11 200 5/14/1986 Tulsa, OK Aug/San Jose
17 Adam Witter L R 6'1 229 2/17/1983 Greenville, NC Connecticut
No. Infielders Bats Throws HT WT Born Resides Last Year
10 Brian Bocock* R R 5'11 185 3/9/1985 Dayton, VA Fresno
5 Brock Bond (DL) B R 5'10 195 9/11/1985 St. Louis, MO Augusta/SJ
7 Brad Boyer L R 6'0 185 10/4/1983 Camarillo, CA SJ/Connecticut
41 Andrew D'Alessio L R 6'4 227 9/23/1984 Naples, FL San Jose
8 David Maroul R R 6'2 210 2/15/1983 Benbrook, TX Connecticut
48 Brett Pill R R 6'4 211 9/9/1984 Covina, CA San Jose
15 Sharlon Schoop R R 6'2 191 4/15/1987 Willemstad, Curacao San Jose
No. Outfielders Bats Throws HT WT Born Resides Last Year
20 Bobby Felmy III L L 5'10 194 4/29/1984 Sunbury, PA San Jose
21 Tyler Graham (DL) R R 6'0 180 1/25/1984 Great Falls, MT San Jose
12 Eddy Martinez‐Esteve R R 6'2 215 4/14/1983 Miami, FL Connecticut
34 Mike Mooney R R 6'1 205 6/8/1983 Hillsborough, CA SJ/Fresno/Conn
6 Antoan Richardson B R 5'8 165 10/8/1983 Nassau, Bahamas Connecticut

Pichardo suspended

He has to sit 50 games after violating the MLB banned substance policy. No word on what he took, but he'll be out until late May.

Looking back and forward

Needless to say, Friday was not the day baseball fans in this region wanted to see. I've heard from those who are glad the Defenders are leaving -- some wishing no team replaces them, and others who are saddened.

I'm still hearing from people who believe bringing in a Red Sox or Yankees affiliate is possible or at least, should happen. To those people, please understand the situation. It's can't and won't happen. In the cases of both Double-A squads, they are right where the big league team wants them The Short-season teams are in Lowell, Mass. and Staten Island, N.Y. Neither is moving, especially when they draw so well. If that makes you say good riddance to a team in Norwich, I have to call you selfish and short sighted.

Reality is the deal to Richmond will happen. One way or another the Defenders, as we know them, will be gone after September. If owner Lou DiBella's plan is successful, there will be affiliated baseball at Dodd Stadium next year.

With so many moving parts, could that element colapse and no team come here? Yes. But I think that a team from the NYP league will move. So many averaged less than 80,000 fans last year. My rough estimate would project a team to drawing in the 120,000 to 150,000 range here. Considering some of those teams drew under 40,000 and one didn't sell beer, that ownership could see a spike in revenue that wasn't imaginable before.

Leaving smaller markets and upgrading to bigger communities is the name of the minor league baseball game these days.

Should a NYP team move in, I suspect DiBella will not serve as owner, rather as an investor. I've gotten the feeling he wants to stay involved in baseball, but not to the extent he has been.

Also, I hope these events - no matter how they play out -- reminds the citizens of Eastern Connecticut that minor league baseball is not a God-given right. Should no one replace the Defenders, don't act as if you are owed something. A big reason the team is being sold isn't because of market size, although that hurts, is because "fans" decided to stay away even after the stadium and the game expereince have improved in recenty years. My sources tell me had the team stayed in the 215,000 to 230,000 range, this discussion would have never taken place.

Blame DiBella all you want; blame the city. You can blame the location and you can blame the economy. But at the end of the day, those who decided this team wasn't worth having shoulders the blame.

It's hard for many people, many of whom still see the Defenders as the Navigators. Truth is they still are, even if the final destination is on another coast.

There's one more season of Defenders, Double-A baseball. Take it in. Smell the grass, taste the popcorn, listen to the crack of the bat. Even if its one more time, remember how sweet it is.

Latest news

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/breaking/x679398855/Defenders-headed-to-Richmond-Va-for-2010

There's MUCH more to come, so keep checking back throughout the day as well as Saturday's Norwich Bulletin.

Richmond info

So far...no one is saying much about the Richmond report saying an ownership group there applied to purchase "specific" minor league team on the Double-A level. The people I've spoken to have all said, anonymously, that Harrisburg is the target, not Connecticut.

We'll see. I'm not ready to believe that just yet.

I'll keep you posted.

HOF thoughts

The election of Rickey Henderson into the baseball Hall of Fame was a no-brainer. He is the all-time leader in steals and runs and with his mix of speed and power he changed the way the game he played in materialized.

I enjoyed seeing Henderson play in New York with the Yankees and few things were as exciting as seeing him stand on first base. It was always a guessing game of when he would run -- not if -- and if he;d steal one base or two.

Why he received only 94 percent of the vote makes no sense. I don't believe, like some writers do, that only a very select few deserve a first-ballot induction. If the guy's a Hall of Famer, he's a Hall of Famer. Just vote him in. The player's numbers don't change. Maybe how they stack up historically changces, but that would take most of a player's 15 years of eligibility and something like a steroid scandal to do so.

Speaking of 15 years of eligibility, Jim Rice needed every one to get in.

To be frank, I'm not totally sold on him. I also can't make a strong enough argument against him. I never saw him in his prime, just his last few years. The things I heard were, "You don't want to face Jim Rice with runners on base" or "Jim Rice has always hurt the (insert team)." That should really tell you something.

He was feared and he produced. Are there guys with better numbers? Yes. And almost every one is Cooperstown.

Good for Rice, and I think it's good for baseball. It took a while, but the voters got it right eventually.

Now if they could only get Andre Dawson elected.

Next year's ballot includes Barry Larkin (not getting in), Roberto Alomar (eventually will get in), Fred McGriff (not getting in) and Edgar Martinez (eventually will get in as the first-ever DH in the Hall).