Comments on: Minor Improvements

By: onephine

onephine — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:13:56 +0000

If I’m not mistaken, the first ball game played at the new diggs was with Springfield and Memphis. I liked the idea back then and still like it now. It was attended pretty well from what I remember but you can’t judge interest in such a game considering. I would imagine if tickets were cut more than half from the regular games the place would could be reasonably full for a weekend played by our affiliates. JC vs the Quads and Springfield vs Memphis for a Saturday/Sunday exhibition. Like you said, logistics aside, this would be a heck of an idea to showcase the new economics of the team and baseball in general.

By: travis

travis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:39:24 +0000

I love some of these ideas. The internet has made it very possible to get info for those of us living away from MO. You could find stats of the players, but not a lot of infomation about which players were the real prospects. As we know, sometimes stats don’t translate to big league potential.

Next, you could have the minor league clubs play a real series(or game) in STL every year while the Cards are on a road trip. Similar to ideas above, but you might get to see the players in more of a game mode.

My interest in the minors really jumped though after the organization started looking that direction more. When the organizational focus shifted to internal development I really took a stronger interest so I could track the development to have a better understanding of our team and the future players.

By: TD

TD — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:12:00 +0000

The Cardinals actually have been showing their minor league affiliate scores at the bottom of the scoreboard at every game along with starting pitchers and some player stats. I don’t think I have seen any standings.

By: Swirls_AEPi

Swirls_AEPi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:06:41 +0000

The Cardinals usually play an exhibition game or two against their minor league teams after spring training every year. They did it in Springfield this year if I remember right, and did it last year in Memphis (I remember Waino pitching against Hawksworth).

By: whopperman

whopperman — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:48:15 +0000

#2 would be nice, but there’s not many off days in the minor league schedule — they play 144 games, and they finish around September 1.

The other thing you could try to do would be to move a series to St. Louis, but you’d have to do a lot of haggling with the minor-league club — if Memphis makes, say, 500k on a typical home game for that day of the week, you have to guarantee them that much plus cover the travel of both teams, and that’s before your own expenses (stadium staff, utilities, etc.).

Even with that, teams might not agree to playing a single game in STL and the rest of the series elsewhere, because of the travel issues that would be involved.

Not saying you can’t make it work anyway, but it’d be a lot simpler, and cheaper, to do what they did a few years ago and play an exhibition game before the season starts.

I absolutely agree about the Memphis announcers — great people and very good at their job.

By: jstrange25

jstrange25 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:21:15 +0000

i’d love to be a fly on the wall of mozeliak’s office right now.

By: jstrange25

jstrange25 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:12:41 +0000

i know this doesn’t have anything to do with this thread, but mulder just left after facing three batters. how many people just threw their dinner plate in the sink and grimaced in disgust like myself? i feel for the guy, but jeez turn the page guys.

By: bwit43

bwit43 — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:48:38 +0000

Wow another Norfolk Cardinal’s fan, was beginning to think I was the only one here : ) To bad the Orioles don’t have any players worth watching at AAA, might actually go to more games.

By: azruavatar

azruavatar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:05:04 +0000

I can’t shake the DePodesta/Dodgers connection loose from my memory. I made that same stupid mistake when referencing his blog the last time. . .

By: theohall

theohall — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:40:40 +0000

Good ideas, all of them. Here in Norfolk, VA, the Orioles are trying to capitalize on that very thing.

Baltimore took over the Norfolk Tides organization in about Jan 2007 after the Mets continually screwed them over. What has Balitmore done since?

1) The last spring training game (both in ‘07 and ‘08) is played between the Tides and the Orioles in Norfolk. This helps generate fan interest by letting the locals at the AAA level see the MLB club with no harm done to the schedule.

2) Baltimore sponsors ticket packages (including transportation costs) which pay for Norfolk Tides fans to see games in Baltimore. They usually give 1 away every other game or so.

3) When the Orioles have off-days, usually 1 or 2 players (never the same two, though), come down for meet and greets before games. The Orioles are careful to not send the guys that actually need rest.

4) The O’s staff befriended the local ESPN Radio affiliate so now, if the Tides and Orioles games are on at different times, both games are aired on the radio.

Basically, the Orioles are doing things to keep the AAA fans involved in enjoying not just the Tides, but the Orioles as well. It seems to be working here in Norfolk, so far.

It would be nice to see St Louis do something similar, or along the lines you suggested.