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Will the Clippers still be affilliated with the Yankees next year? Sorry if this has already been discussed.

Will the Clippers still be affilliated with the Yankees next year? Sorry if this has already been discussed.

 

They haven't been the Yankees farm team for about a year now. They are now the farm team of the Washington Nationals, but they probably will change since the contracts of the farm teams of the Reds and Indians will be up soon.

This year is the last year for Cleveland's affiliation with Buffalo (unless a new contract is signed).

all indications are that Buffalo/Cleveland will swap affiliations next year

all indications are that Buffalo/Cleveland will swap affiliations next year

 

Do you mean Buffalo and Columbus?

I think Washington's contract is up with the Clippers after this year as well.  It'd be nice to have the Indians AAA club playing here.

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

You know, I've never ever been to a Clippers game so maybe I should go at least before the 1st.

"You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers

I would say it would be worthwhile, just to see the old stadium before it's gone. ;) Maybe take some photos for UO!

Michael Arace commentary: There's history throughout Cooper Stadium

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

By Michael Arace

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Joe Santry has, since 1965, worn many hats for the Columbus triple-A baseball franchise.  He has been official scorer, public-relations director, intermittent infield-tarp layer, and so on.  Now, among other duties, he is the team's historian.  In this last season of baseball in Cooper Stadium, he is something of a public trust, and a trove of forgotten treasure.

 

Red Bird Stadium, Franklin County Stadium, "County" and "the Coop" was built with concrete, brick, steel and California redwood, at a cost of $450,000 at the height of the Depression.  It hosted its first game June 3, 1932.  Baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis was in the grandstand and gave high praise to the first stadium to be built with permanent lights.  This was big news, and it would have been bigger news had not Lou Gehrig hit four homers and Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle on the same day in Philadelphia.

 

Michael Arace is a sports reporter for The Dispatch.

 

Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/08/06/arace06.ART_ART_08-06-08_C1_U2AURES.html?sid=101

 

  • 4 weeks later...

Indians end ties with Bisons; switch to Clippers expected

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Business First of Columbus

 

In a move that was expected, the Cleveland Indians this week notified the Buffalo Bisons they were terminating the baseball teams’ long-term Triple A affiliation agreement.

 

Severing the relationship essentially became a done deal in April, when Cleveland declined to extend its minor league affiliation agreement with Buffalo.  Cleveland had to wait until the Bisons’ season ended before dropping the team as its top affiliate.

 

The Indians are expected to move their Triple A franchise down Interstate 71 to Huntington Park, where the Columbus Clippers will play next spring.  The Clippers were the affiliate of the Washington Nationals this year after losing a longtime agreement with the New York Yankees.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/09/01/daily12.html?ana=from_rss

  • 2 weeks later...

Clippers will be Indians' triple-A team, source says

Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 10:23 AM

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The Columbus Clippers have signed a four-year deal with the Cleveland Indians to be the Tribe's top minor-league affiliate, a source told The Dispatch today.  It was widely speculated that the Clippers would sign with Cleveland to be the parent club when Columbus opens the 2009 season in Huntington Park in the Arena District.  The Clippers had spent the past two seasons as an affiliate of the Washington Nationals but allowed that agreement to expire this summer.  The Indians, whose Class AA affiliate is in Akron, had based their triple-A franchise in Buffalo, N.Y., since the 1995 season.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/09/18/clippers.html?sid=101

 

Clippers to bat as AAA Indians for next 4 years

New ballpark is part of appeal for Cleveland's management

Friday, September 19, 2008 - 3:15 AM

By Jim Massie, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The long-anticipated baseball marriage between the Columbus Clippers and Cleveland Indians reached the "I do" phase yesterday after the two teams agreed to terms for a four-year triple-A working agreement that coincides with the opening of Huntington Park in April.  Indians president Paul Dolan and Chris Antonetti, vice president of baseball operations, will join Clippers general manager Ken Schnacke for a signing ceremony at 1 p.m. today on the Arena District site where the new ballpark is rising.

 

This move gives Cleveland four minor-league teams in the state.  The Indians already had minor-league teams in Akron (double-A), Lake County (single-A) and Mahoning Valley (single-A).

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/09/19/clippers19.ART_ART_09-19-08_A1_7KBCB3R.html?sid=101

  • 5 months later...

Bob Hunter commentary:

Baseball in Columbus about to change forever

The Clippers are packing up from Cooper Stadium and moving to Huntington Park in the Arena District.  Opening day is getting closer.

 

 

  • 4 weeks later...

Marketing, logistical benefits made Cleveland a natural tie for Clippers

Business First of Columbus - by Dan Eaton

Friday, March 27, 2009

 

The Cleveland Indians were happy with their 14-year minor league affiliation to the Buffalo Bison and the Columbus Clippers enjoyed their 28-year tie to the New York Yankees, but the combination of the Yankees dropping the Clippers after the 2006 season and the construction of Huntington Park made the Cleveland-Columbus coupling a no-brainer to both organizations.  “When the opportunity became available, it was one we couldn’t let slip away,” said Indians spokesman Bob DiBiasio. “From a business perspective, we could grow our brand by having our AAA affiliate in Columbus. We had to embrace that.”

 

“This is all about branding, name-power,” Clippers General Manager Ken Schnacke said. “This makes two-thirds of the state Indians territory.”  The Columbus move puts four of six Indians affiliates in Ohio — Columbus; the AA-level Akron Aeros; and A-level Lake Valley Captains in Eastlake and Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles.

 

Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/03/30/tidbits4.html

  • 1 year later...

Monday, October 4, 2010, 2:48pm EDT  |  Modified: Monday, October 4, 2010, 3:18pm

Former county commissioner Harold Cooper dies

Business First of Columbus

 

The man who brought baseball back to Columbus has died.

 

A spokesman for the Columbus Clippers said Harold Cooper died Monday at the age of 87. Cooper is a former Franklin County commissioner who is credited with the revival of America’s pastime in Columbus when he became general manager in 1955 of the Columbus Jets, which replaced the departed Red Birds.

 

Full story at: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/10/04/daily8.html

 

Also at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/10/05/the-patriarch-of-columbus-baseball.html?sid=101

Harold Cooper is rightly regarded as the father of professional baseball in Columbus.  He saved baseball not only once but twice.  First as a general manager in 1955, when he got a team to replace the Red Birds, after St. Louis moved them to Omaha.  And second, as county commissioner in 1970, when he got Franklin County to buy and renovate what is now Cooper Stadium on Mound Street and then to buy a team from Memphis to become the Columbus Clippers. 

 

At the time, many people thought that he was "wasting taxpayers money" on the stadium and the team.  But after a very successful 31 year run at the renovated Mound Street location, the Clippers moved last year to their new downtown stadium to rave reviews and sold-out crowds.  Fortunately, Harold Cooper was able to be at the opening of the new stadium to see how right he was to make that public investment long ago.  The statue honoring him was simply a bonus. 

Well, since is a Columbus Clippers discussion thread now, I guess I should post some Clippers baseball news.  The Clippers won the International League playoffs this year.  Then they won triple-A national championship in Oklahoma City against the PCL champs.  Those championships also earned the Clippers the 2010 Triple-A Team of the Year award from Baseball America.  More about all this from the articles below:

 

Champion Clippers had a season for the ages in 2010

 

Clippers are named team of year

Clippers: Extension solidifies Indians affiliation

Thursday, September 23, 2010

By Jim Massie

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The Clippers and the Cleveland Indians signed a two-year extension to their working agreement that will carry it through the 2014 season.  The Clippers ended their second year with the Indians by winning the International League Governors' Cup championship for the first time since 1996 and by beating Pacific Coast League titlist Tacoma in the triple-A championship game in Oklahoma City.

 

Full article: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/09/23/extension-solidifies-indians-affiliation.html?sid=101

  • 3 months later...

Some Columbus Clippers news from Bob Hunter's weekly column...

 

Rumblings

Friday, January 28, 2011 

By Bob Hunter, The Columbus Dispatch

 

For the first time since minor-league baseball returned to Columbus in 1977, the Clippers will play exhibition games with the parent club's double-A affiliate as well as Ohio State.  The triple-A Clippers have a home-and-home series with Akron, playing the Aeros on the road April 4 and in Huntington Park on April 6.  On April 5, the Clippers will play host to the Buckeyes.

 

The Clippers also have an exhibition game with the parent Cleveland Indians at Huntington Park on March 30, and Tribe officials say they plan to have some kind of fan event that morning to replace the winter caravan, which isn't stopping here this year.  The Indians have scaled back their winter tour to include only sites in the Cleveland/Akron area.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/01/28/rumblings-1-28-art-gf3beb00-1.html?sid=101

  • 2 weeks later...

^ thats pretty cool.

 

what is going on with the clipper's old cooper stadium? will it be torn down?

what is going on with the clipper's old cooper stadium? will it be torn down?

There's quite a bit about the proposal to re-use Cooper Stadium in the Projects & Construction section at Columbus: Cooper Stadium re-use.

Youth baseball league and Columbus Clippers going to bat for kids

Groups seek equipment donations to revive the sport in the city's poorest neighborhoods

Sunday, February 13, 2011

By Jill Riepenhoff, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Baseball equipment arrived yesterday by the bagful and carful and even in stuffed minivans.  No bat, ball, bag or mitt was turned away.  The equipment drive at Huntington Park had a lofty goal: to increase the number of inner-city Columbus children playing America's favorite pastime this summer.

 

"We wanted to give something back to the baseball community," said Doug Hare, president of the Central Ohio Youth Baseball League, a youth-sport organization serving 5,000 families.

 

Two years ago, one of the league's Hilliard baseball teams collected equipment for the fledgling Driving Park Baseball League.  Those efforts revived the sport in one of Columbus' poorest neighborhoods.  This year, the Central Ohio league teamed with the Columbus Clippers to equip at least four teams, including Driving Park.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/13/going-to-bat-for-kids.html?sid=101

  • 5 months later...

Clippers 3, Chiefs 0:  Germano throws perfect game

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - 03:08 AM

The Columbus Dispatch

 

Pitcher Justin Germano was thrown into the Clippers' starting rotation a few weeks ago after the Cleveland Indians called up a few of the triple-A team's top pitching prospects.  He was an unlikely candidate to fill the void.  He had struggled in the Indians bullpen earlier in the season, posting a 5.65 ERA in 10 relief appearances.  He had given up a Clippers season-high 12 hits in six innings in his most-recent start, on Thursday.

 

None of that mattered last night.  Germano, a 28-year-old right-hander, threw a perfect game in a 3-0 win over the host Syracuse Chiefs.  He struck out seven in his first win of the season.  He struck out Corey Brown looking with his final pitch.

 

It is the first perfect game in Clippers history and only the fifth in the history of the International League.

 

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/07/27/germano-throws-a-perfect-game.html?sid=101

 


And from the Clippers website:

 

Germano is PERFECT in Syracuse - The first perfect game in Clippers franchise history

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The Columbus Clippers are tied for fourth place in a new ranking list by Forbes magazine that estimated the value of minor league franchises.  Yeah, it's one of "those Forbes lists" - so take it FWIW.  But in this Forbes list, Ohio fared well.  In addition to Columbus making the top 10, the Dayton Dragons and Toledo Mud Hens ranked 8th and 9th.

 

Below is the link to Columbus Business First reporting the ranking.  And there's also a link to the original Forbes article at the Business First site:

 

Business First: Clippers No. 4 in ranking of minor league franchises

  • 2 months later...

Clippers extend deal with Tribe

By Jim Massie, The Columbus Dispatch

Monday, September 3, 2012 - 6:06 AM

 

TOLEDO – Regardless of the outcome of (Monday's) game against the Toledo Mud Hens, the Clippers will end their 2012 season on a winning note, with news that the Cleveland Indians have extended their player development contract through the 2016 season.  The new two-year extension was announced by Ken Schnacke, the president and general manager of the Clippers, and Cleveland general manager Chris Antonetti in a joint release.

 

The association between the Indians and Clippers began in 2009 and coincided with the opening of Huntington Park.  Four seasons later, more than 2.4 million fans have come to the Arena District ballpark to watch the triple-A Clippers play and follow the rise of many of the players to the Indians.

 

Schnacke can point to the record-breaking attendance, two International League Governors’ Cups and two triple-A national championships and say that the affiliation “has exceeded all of our expectations.”

 

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2012/09/03/clippers-extend-deal-with-tribe.html

 


More from the Cleveland Plain-Dealer: Tribe-Columbus Clippers extend contract through 2016

  • 1 year later...

This is not strictly a Clippers post but more of a history of professional baseball in Columbus post.  The reason I'm posting it is because demolition of good old Cooper Stadium began this week (part of a redevelopment into a race track/auto research facility - see more about that HERE in a separate UO thread). 

 

In the Dispatch article covering the demolition, they had a very nice recap of the Columbus teams that played at Cooper Stadium.  Including Cooper's last tenant, the Clippers, who left in 2008 to begin playing at Huntington Park in 2009 in the downtown Arena District (is this really the Clippers 6th season downtown already?).  Here's the Columbus baseball recap from http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/04/18/Demolition-finally-starts-at-Cooper-Stadium.html

 

"The site (Cooper Stadium) was Columbus’ home of minor-league baseball beginning on June 3, 1932, when Red Bird Stadium was dedicated.  The Red Birds moved after the 1954 season and a group led by Harold Cooper brought in an International League team from Ottawa for 1955, renaming it the Columbus Jets."

 

"The stadium sat empty after the 1970 season when the Jets moved to Charleston, W.Va.  Franklin County bought Jet Stadium from the Columbus Youth Foundation for $600,000 in 1975.  Cooper - then a Franklin County commissioner - led the charge to bring baseball back."

 

"The Clippers began play there in 1977 as a Pirates affiliate.  In 1979, they became a Yankees farm team.  The stadium was named for Cooper in 1984.  The final game at Cooper Stadium was played on Sept. 1, 2008."

  • 1 year later...

huntington-park-3*750xx2133-1200-59-0.jpg

 

Columbus Clippers to free up cash with early payment of Huntington Park debt

By Evan Weese, Staff Reporter

Columbus Business First - Aug. 12, 2015, 4:39pm EDT

 

After a successful run through nearly seven seasons since moving to Huntington Park downtown, the Columbus Clippers are ready to pay off a portion of the debt on the $55 million stadium earlier than expected.  Clippers General Manager Ken Schnacke said the accelerated schedule would free up cash for the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A affiliate to make improvements at the Franklin County-owned stadium.

( . . . )

Most of the improvements will not be immediately obvious.  Schnacke said no seats will be added or taken away from the 10,100-capacity venue in the Arena District.  The largest project will be renovating the actual field, which most teams do every eight to 10 years, Schnacke said.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/08/12/columbus-clippers-to-free-up-cash-with-early.html

  • 10 months later...

It's been mentioned in a couple of earlier posts how Harold Cooper, as a county commissioner, brought professional baseball back to Columbus.  In 1970, he got Franklin County to buy and renovate an existing stadium on Mound Street and acquired a team from Memphis to become the Columbus Clippers in 1977.  This recent Business First article looks at how those small investments in the 70's are now reaping large revenues for Franklin County:

 


Once bought for $25,000, the Columbus Clippers have become a $25 million asset for Franklin County

By Jeremy Hill, Columbus Business First

Updated: July 6, 2016, 2:48pm EDT

 

In the late 1970s, Franklin County bought the Columbus Clippers for $25,000.  The investment was a home run.

 

The Clippers and Huntington Park, which are run in tandem by the county, finished 2015 with a profit of $1.33 million, driven by $12.4 million in revenue.  That's up $424,000 from 2014, according to an annual financial report.  Ticket sales brought in $4.4 million, followed by $4.26 million from sponsorships and advertising and $2.36 million from concessions.

 

Franklin County through the board of its Parks and Recreation Department, owns and operates Franklin County Stadium Inc. and Columbus Baseball Team Inc., the nonprofits that manage Huntington Park and the business side of the Clippers.  Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians select and pay the players and coaches.  Franklin County handles just about everything else.

 

If you think this setup – a government entity operating a sports franchise – is unusual, you're correct.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/07/06/once-bought-for-25-000-the-columbus-clippers-have.html

  • 1 month later...

Clippers trying to hit 600,000 in home attendance for the year...two games left (today and tomorrow).  21,012 more needed over the 2 games.  If 600K is hit, ALL playoff games will be free.

 

All tickets to the series are $5...they're running Dime-a-dog and $5 brewfest tonight along with fireworks.  Those with an Ohio State ticket tomorrow get for a "buck" off ($4).

Very Stable Genius

  • 9 months later...
  • 2 months later...

The daily drama of a minor-league team, even a prominent AAA team like the Columbus Clippers, isn't really relevant.  Because, ultimately, all minor-league teams serve to develop players and support their major-league clubs.  No matter the cost to any individual season of their minor-league clubs.  That's just the arrangement.

 

That arrangement was very apparent this season for the Clippers.  On Labor Day, the Clippers played their final game of the 2017 season, finishing with a 71-71 record.  Not terrible, but it cost them a fourth straight IL division championship:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20170905/clippers-6-bats-2--clippers-cant-overcome-injuries-call-ups-fall-short-of-playoffs

 

According to the 2017 season wrap-up article (linked above): "It came down to manpower, or the lack of it, in costing the team a fourth straight division championship.  The core of the Clippers — players such as Ryan Merritt, Erik Gonzalez, Bradley Zimmer, Tyler Olson, Yandy Diaz and Giovanny Urshela — has been helping Cleveland try to pin down a second straight American League Central title. ... In all, Columbus experienced 218 player transactions, including disabled list stays."

  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Columbus to host Triple-A Baseball All-Star Game, national championship in 2018

 

Minor league baseball will hold its two major events in Columbus next year.

 

For the first time, one city will host the Triple-A All-Star and National Championship games in the same year.

 

On July 11, Huntington Park will host the All-Star Game presented by Huntington Bank and Gildan. There'll be other events tied to the game, too, including a home run derby.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/12/12/columbus-to-host-triple-a-baseball-all-star-game.html

"You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers

  • 1 month later...
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  • 1 month later...

725a5764.jpg

 

Video from Business First before last Thursday's home opener showing the improvements made to Huntington Park as it enters its 10th season downtown.  (Hard to believe it's been 10 years already!)  In its 10th year Huntington Park will play host to both the Triple-A All-Star Game in July and Triple-A National Championship in September:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/12/first-look-see-the-changes-inside-huntington-park.html

Great weather to start the 10th season of Clippers baseball at Huntington Park:

 

27580882728_7ce967253a_d.jpg

 

39643291800_cb43619106_c_d.jpg

 

40737738514_1ea6d1149b_b_d.jpg

Oh man, throwback '80s cups!

  • 2 months later...
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Huntington Park will host the Triple-A National Championship on September 18th.  But the Columbus Clippers won't be one of teams playing on that date.  The Clippers got eliminated from making the International League playoffs on the second-to-last day of the 2018 season:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180902/mud-hens-10-clippers-5--loss-knocks-clippers-out-of-playoff-contention

 


The Clippers finished with a 73-67 record - 1/2 game behind Toledo in their division and 1 game out of the IL wild-card spot:  http://www.milb.com/standings/index.jsp?lid=117&sid=t445

  • 6 months later...
  • 4 months later...

Even by Triple-A standards, this season's roster turnover for the Clippers has been extreme.  According to a Dispatch article linked below, the Clippers have seen 29 position players and 49 pitchers(!) play for them in 2019.  Despite that roster turnover, the Clippers clinched the IL West division crown on Thursday and will be in the IL Playoffs.  The title marks the Clippers’ 17th overall division title and fourth in the past six seasons:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20190821/clippers-5-bats-2--ever-changing-roster-doesnt-flummox-clippers

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20190822/clippers-6-bats-2--clippers-win-wrap-up-il-west-title

 

  • 3 weeks later...

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20190911/clippers-7-bulls-4--ryan-lavarnways-two-home-runs-put-columbus-clippers-on-brink-of-international-league-championship

 

The Clippers have won the first two games of the best-of-five International League finals (aka the Governors’ Cup) over the Durham Bulls in Columbus.  The Clippers now have three chances to clinch the International League championship in Durham, North Carolina, starting Thursday night.

 

But whatever happens, last night was the final game of the season in beautiful downtown Huntington Park.  This picture from the ballpark's left field building looking west captures the literal sunset of this 2019 home season:

 

PH-911009973.jpg

 

 

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20190913/clippers-6-bulls-2--clippers-power-at-plate-delivers-il-championship

 

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/columbus-clippers-win-governors-cup-on-go-ahead-homer-by-bradley-zimmer/c-310704810

 

The Clippers denied the Durham Bulls a championship three-peat.  The Bulls were seeking their third straight International League title, a feat accomplished only once in the 87-year history of the Governors’ Cup — by the Columbus Clippers from 1979 to 1981.

 

Using the long ball as they did in the first two games at Huntington Park, the Clippers hit three home runs in the span of eight batters in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring six runs.  That was enough for a 6-2 win to complete a series sweep.

 

The Clippers now hold a league-record 11 Governors’ Cup championships — all won since 1977.  Since the Cleveland Indians moved their Triple-A operation to Columbus in 2009 to coincide with the opening of Huntington Park, the Clippers have won four Governors’ Cup championships (2010, 2011, 2015 and 2019) and two Triple-A national titles (2010 and 2011).

 

The Clippers will face the winner of Sacramento and Round Rock (Austin, TX) next Tuesday in Memphis for the Triple-A National Championship.

48744971538_c9626b6654_b_d.jpg

 

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20190917/clippers-to-start-kyle-dowdy-in-triple-a-championship-game

 

The Clippers needed four games to defeat Gwinnett in the Governors’ Cup semifinals.  In the championship series against Durham, the Clippers swept the Bulls in three games.  But for the Triple-A championship, they’ll get only one game. 

 

The Clippers will take on the Sacramento River Cats tonight in the triple-A national championship game in Memphis, Tennessee.  The River Cats - triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants - won the Pacific Coast League with a three-game sweep of the Round Rock Express.  This will be the first ever game between the River Cats and Clippers.

 

For the first time in four years, the Clippers will be on a national stage.  The Clippers last played in the triple-A championship game in 2015, losing 7-0 to Fresno.  Tonight's Triple-A championship will be televised on Fox Sports 1 at 8PM.

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