Richmond, VA getting baseball again

[gman5431]

In the form of an Eastern League (AA) team, as the Connecticutt Defenders are moving there.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/n...milb&fext=.jsp

Will spend "at least 2 season" at the Diamond, which is part of the reason the Braves left.

Definately a bigger market and it was a matter of time until Richmond got affiliated ball again. Let's see how it works out.

G Man

[Biggtone23]

Just going to add the link to the previous thread we had about this back in its rumor stage.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=87461

[Aa3rt]

I just received an alert from my brother, who had been a Richmond Braves season ticket holder for a number of years, that the new team name is to be the "Flying Squirrels".

Here's confirmation from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Richmond team to be called "Flying Squirrels"

Wonder if they'll have Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose as mascots?

[pgsuperfan]

They could called them the Bullwinkle's lol

[RuthMayBond]

I just received an alert from my brother, who had been a Richmond Braves season ticket holder for a number of years, that the new team name is to be the "Flying Squirrels".

Here's confirmation from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Richmond team to be called "Flying Squirrels"

Wonder if they'll have Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose as mascots?

That would make for improbable history, just hope the management is not Mr. Know It All

[Captain Cold Nose]

That would make for improbable history, just hope the management is not Mr. Know It All

Hopefully they'll have something we'll really enjoy.

[Pere]

Flying Squirrels -- which was chosen by the team's owners, front office staff and marketing partners -- beat out Flatheads, Rhinos, Rock Hoppers, and Hush Puppies.

Oh dear.

Seriously, is that the lamest collection of proposed team names ever?

Many fans reacted negatively to the choices, often citing a lack of seriousness and/or local connection as a reason. Todd Parnell, the Flying Squirrel's vice-president and COO, said that the passionate reaction of the fan base could only be seen as a positive.

"I think it's awesome, to know that the people of Richmond care so much," he said in a phone conversation Wednesday afternoon.

Um, no, a passionately negative reaction can be seen as a negative, too.

[RuthMayBond]

Oh dear.

Seriously, is that the lamest collection of proposed team names ever?

You decide

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=80979

[Extra Innings]

Oh dear.

Seriously, is that the lamest collection of proposed team names ever?

Well most minor league team names have a quirkiness about them.

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

I was in Richmond over the weekend and it's good to see they'll be getting a minor league team again.

[Pere]

You decide

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=80979

Those are jokes. This, sadly, is not.

Well most minor league team names have a quirkiness about them.

By quirkiness, do you mean slapstick idiocy? Or just vapid marketing?

No, seriously, a real quirk or idiosyncrasy is fine (sometimes classic), but it's not real if it doesn't mean anything, isn't based on anything, beyond somebody's idea that it sounds "cute," or something.

In any case, I find silly meaningless team names to be part of the sad trend of taking the focus of minor league baseball off the game on the field. No wonder they have trouble selling tickets to minor league playoff games.

I was in Richmond over the weekend and it's good to see they'll be getting a minor league team again.

Yes, it's still good. We can always hope the name is reconsidered someday. I suspect it would help in selling the city on a decent new ballpark, if the image was more that of a serious sports team.

[RuthMayBond]

Those are jokes. This, sadly, is not.

Actually, some of those names are not, either

[Pere]

Actually, some of those names are not, either

Okay. All I saw were the jokes.

[DodgerBlue8188]

I heard about this as well. Can anybody tell me they will be playing the Jacksonville Suns in there schedule?

[Aa3rt]

I heard about this as well. Can anybody tell me they will be playing the Jacksonville Suns in there schedule?

The Richmond Flying Squirrels are in the Eastern League while the Jacksonville Suns play in the Southern League.

Richmond Flying Squirrels 2010 schedule

Eastern League website

Southern League website

[Pere]

You know Jacksonville is no longer a Dodgers affiliate, right? If its LAD prospects you want to see, take a trip to Chattanooga, which is a pretty nice ballpark in a good small-city urban setting, with lots of non-baseball stuff to do in the neighborhood. I'm still baffled as to why the Reds pulled out of there.

[icee82]

I don't think the Reds pulled out of Chattanooga but I think the Lookouts pulled out of the Reds organization. As I understand it and someone may need to correct me on this but the affilliation agreement was up and the Dodgers signed on. Fortunately for the Reds, the Mudcats affilliation was up with the Marlins and they were looking elsewhere. Actually I am glad because I live about two hours from Zebulon and it was nice catching the autos of a lot of future Reds this season. I caught Yonder Alonso twice and Todd Frazier as well. At the big league level, I got Eric Davis, Aaron Harang, Francisco Cordero, David Weathers, Daniel Herrera, Dusty Baker, Brandon Phillips, and Bob Castellini at the Futures Game in Zebulon which was special!!!

[Pere]

I don't think the Reds pulled out of Chattanooga but I think the Lookouts pulled out of the Reds organization.

Well, that makes some sense. Chatty (not just the team) does seem to have their act together more than the Reds recently.

[icee82]

By the way, what a stupid name for a baseball team...the Flying Squirrels. I am from Virginia and frankly I doubt that you would ever see a flying squirrel in Richmond. I am glad they are getting a team but the name does nothing for it.

[DodgerBlue8188]

You know Jacksonville is no longer a Dodgers affiliate, right? If its LAD prospects you want to see, take a trip to Chattanooga, which is a pretty nice ballpark in a good small-city urban setting, with lots of non-baseball stuff to do in the neighborhood. I'm still baffled as to why the Reds pulled out of there.

that's right. Thanks

[Biggtone23]

The domino effect keeps going as with the old Richmond Braves moving to Gwinnett, opening open the city for the Connectticut Defenders to move to Richmond and now tomorrow it will be announced which New York Penn League team will be moving to Norwich to replace the Defenders. Top contenders are the Oneonta Tigers, Batavia Muckdogs and Jamestown Jammers. The next stop for the city that loses its team would probably be to either give up baseball for a while or try to get a team into the New York Collegiate Baseball League.

[davewashere]

The domino effect keeps going as with the old Richmond Braves moving to Gwinnett, opening open the city for the Connectticut Defenders to move to Richmond and now tomorrow it will be announced which New York Penn League team will be moving to Norwich to replace the Defenders. Top contenders are the Oneonta Tigers, Batavia Muckdogs and Jamestown Jammers. The next stop for the city that loses its team would probably be to either give up baseball for a while or try to get a team into the New York Collegiate Baseball League.

The announcement has been postponed until January 28th because the NY Penn commissioner's flight into Connecticut was canceled. I can tell you right now that the Oneonta Tigers are going to be the team moving into Dodd Stadium in Connecticut. The owners (who bought the team before last season) have a contract with the city through 2010, but basically the only penalty for breaking that contract would be having to pay a season's worth of rent on Damaschke Field in Oneonta. And how much is that fee? A paltry $7,000.

[yanks0714]

This is great news for Richmonder's. I lived in the Richmond area for about 4 years, loved the area and hated to leave. Took in a number of games at The Diamond. I though it was a nice ballpark during the times I lived in the area. Easy access and egress right off I95.

However, an acquintance told me The Diamond was falling into disrepair which is one reason the Braves pulled out.

Does anyone know what shape The Diamond was in and how it is now?

BTW, Flying Squirrels is an awful name. And that is coming from someone who lives near the Kannapolis Intimidators (at least partially owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr of NASCAR fame at one time). They play in the same league with a number of weird nicknames such as Sand Gnats.

I'd rather tell someone 'I'm a Flying Squirrel' than 'I'm a Sand Gnat'.

[RuthMayBond]

By the way, what a stupid name for a baseball team...the Flying Squirrels. I am from Virginia and frankly I doubt that you would ever see a flying squirrel in Richmond. I am glad they are getting a team but the name does nothing for it.

Geez, did the owner like to watch Bullwinkle or something?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHk4VXMlE8Y