I read a column in the Dispatch that proposed Cincy or Cleveland as the new affiliate...however, their contracts don't end until 2008, I believe.

 

From what the article said, this shouldn't have any problems for the newstadium.

 

And as a Clevelander, I feel the need to say something: Yankees Suck!

The Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate is in Indianapolis.  Not sure how the relationship there is.  Despite Pittsburgh's quest to set the all-time record for consecutive losing seasons... it's minor league squads are usually quite successful from a win-loss perspective (like anyone cares).

From Wikipedia:

 

the name "Mud Hens" was first used in 1896, after the team was bought by Charles Strobel. The park where the team played that year was adjacent to marshland which was inhabited by coots, also known as marsh hens or mud hens, from which the team adopted their name.

 

Detroit has Toledo as its Triple-A affiliate, and the Mud Hens are doing great business (high attendence, minor meague champions last year, division title this year, etc.). I believe the contract is something like 20 or 30 years. In other words, Detroit won't even be thinking of another Triple-A affiliate for a long time. I'd say the Detroit-Toledo relationship is the most solid in baseball.

 

I'm not sure that's true...well, yes, attendance and championships and such - but they're working under a 2-year agreement as well (http://www.mudhens.com/view_press.asp?id=219).  And I had no idea how much AAA affiliations jumped around - I suspect the Mud Hens are pretty typical of affiliation-shifting over time - I know the Reds have only been affiliated with their AAA Louisville Bats since 2000...

 

Toledo Affiliation History

1987-Current                Detroit

1978-1986                Minnesota

1976-1977                Cleveland

1974-1975                Philadelphia

1967-1973                Detroit

1965-1966                New York

1956-1964                No baseball in Toledo

1953-1955                Milwaukee

1949-1952                Detroit

1940-1948                St. Louis

1936-1939                Detroit

1883-1935                No affiliation

 

 

^Wow, that is pretty shocking. I still wouldn't worry about Detroit leaving anytime soon, though. Their farm system is rock solid.

 

Anyone know the history of Columbus baseball?

 

Columbus was a minor league affliate with St Louis and Pittsburgh (The switch between the two clubs happened in the early 50s...I think) before the "empty 70s" and the return of baseball with the Clippers.

And along with what River Viewer mentioned with various afflilates for the Mud Hens over the years

In the last 20 years the Reds have had as their AAA affliates

Denver

Nashville

Indy

Louisville

---

Cleveland has used in the last 15 years...

Colorado Springs

Charlette

Buffalo

I had no idea teams were so promiscuous when it came to their minor league affiliations...I'd have thought Toledo and Detroit would have gone back forever...crazy.

Does anybody know if the stadium is still being built even though the Yankees dropped the Clippers as their farmteam?

Yeah, it's still being built. 

That was quick...

 

Clippers to become affiliate of Nationals

By Craig Merz, The Columbus Dispatch

Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 1:23 PM

 

The board of directors of the Columbus Clippers will meet this afternoon in the Captain's Club of Cooper Stadium to approve a working agreement with the Washington Nationals baseball team.  Sources said the player development contract, as it is known, is for the next two seasons, per the wishes of the Clippers.  The deal includes the Nationals playing a major-league preseason game in Columbus next year.

 

Clippers general manager Ken Schnacke has said the team wants to have options when the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds affiliation agreements with teams in Buffalo, N.Y., and Louisville, Ky., respectively, expire after the 2008 season. 

 

The Nationals will become the Clippers' third affiliate since baseball returned to Columbus in 1977.  The Pittsburgh Pirates had their farm team here for two sub-.500 seasons.  The Yankees signed on to start a run of three straight IL titles beginning in 1979.  The Clippers won seven championships in all, the most recent in 1996.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com

 

well, i can say that I learned something today

More detail on the Washington Nationals affiliating with Columbus....

 

BASEBALL IN COLUMBUS

Nationals take helm as Clippers’ new pilot

By Craig Merz, The Columbus Dispatch

Thursday, September 21, 2006 12:03 AM

 

The future of the Clippers began with a phone call from a man whose family has ties to baseball in Columbus.  John W. "Squire" Galbreath II, a partner with the Washington Nationals, was instrumental in pairing his club with the Clippers.  Galbreath called Clippers President and General Manager Ken Schnacke on Friday, shortly after Major League Baseball teams were allowed to seek new affiliates.  Galbreath is the grandson of former Pittsburgh Pirates owner John W. Galbreath, who lived in Columbus, and the son of former Pirates President Dan Galbreath. 

 

That led to a conference call Saturday and a visit to Cooper Stadium two days later by Nationals President Stan Kasten and General Manager Jim Bowden.  Yesterday, the clubs announced a two-year player-development contract beginning with the 2007 season. Washington, a member of the National League, will place many of its top prospects here and also will play a preseason exhibition in Cooper Stadium. 

 

The Nationals replace the New York Yankees, who announced last week that they will leave Columbus after 28 seasons.  Before the Yankees, the Galbreath-owned Pirates were the major-league affiliate for the Columbus Jets from 1957-70 and for the Clippers from 1977, when baseball returned after a seven-year absence, to 1978.

 

Full article: http://dispatch.com/clippers/clippers.php?story=213811

As for the future of the Clippers, I think it'd make sense for Columbus to become a AAA-affiliate for the Reds...I know there is a strong following for the Reds down there. As for the Indians, Buffalo seems a better fit than C-bus even though Buffalo is in a different state. There's always been a fair amount of Indians fans on the south shore of Lake Erie even before the Tribe's affiliation with the Bisons.

I don't know about that.  This may be my biases speaking as a former Clevelander, but I think the Bisons would be far more sucessful here.  There seem to be many more Cleveland transplants down here now than there were even 5 years ago, and I hear way more conversations at work about the Indians than the Reds (even with the Reds competing this year).  The Sports Time Ohio Network is probably helping that some.

There's definitely a stronger affiliation towards the Indians here in Columbus than towards the Reds. All Indians games are not only aired on the radio, but televised as well on local channels; not cable. I'd say for every Reds fan in Columbus, there's at least 3 Indians fans.

 

As far as a suitor for the Clippers come 2008/9, I'd actually prefer it staying the Nationals, or another team outside of Ohio. While I'm sure partnering with the Indians or Red would be a more lucrative option, I don't like the idea of Columbus once again playing second fiddle to something in Cleveland or Cincinnati. Being an affiliate of either team would take away from the feeling of it being Columbus baseball, and would reduce it to quasi-Indians/Red baseball. 

There's definitely a stronger affiliation towards the Indians here in Columbus than towards the Reds. All Indians games are not only aired on the radio, but televised as well on local channels; not cable. I'd say for every Reds fan in Columbus, there's at least 3 Indians fans.

 

As far as a suitor for the Clippers come 2008/9, I'd actually prefer it staying the Nationals, or another team outside of Ohio. While I'm sure partnering with the Indians or Red would be a more lucrative option, I don't like the idea of Columbus once again playing second fiddle to something in Cleveland or Cincinnati. Being an affiliate of either team would take away from the feeling of it being Columbus baseball, and would reduce it to quasi-Indians/Red baseball. 

 

One of the theories on the decline of Clippers attendance is that they are NOT affliated with the Indians or Reds.

 

It's funny...when I went to OSU back in the early 90's...C'bus was Reds/Browns. Hell there were more Pirates fans than Indians fans in Columbus back in those days. So I just assumed things hadn't changed that much. I know the Reds played on some powerful AM station, while the AM station for the Indians would fade in and out and I think it was located out in Union County somewhere. Of course when I went to OSU, at least for the first three years, the Indians had one winning season in the last 20.

 

As for the local affiliation thing, it's kinda 'in vogue' in MLB to move your Triple-A franchise and others closer to your city. It also saves logistical problems. When the Indians had their AAA franchise in Colorado Springs back in the 80's it took all sorts of time and effort to ship people back and forth.

 

Cleanup to delay Downtown ballpark construction

Clippers won’t slide into new home until 2009

By Debbie Gebolys and Robert Vitale

The Columbus Dispatch

Thursday, October 26, 2006 11:25 PM

 

The new home of the Columbus Clippers won't be game-ready until 2009, officials said today.  Franklin County commissioners and team officials originally wanted the AAA baseball team to move to Huntington Park stadium during the 2008 season.  But Don Montgomery, of Nationwide Realty Investors, said construction won't be finished until the end of 2008.  County Administrator Don L. Brown said environmental cleanup at the site, once home to a gas station, will take longer than anticipated.

 

Full story at http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=222259

County secures $12M in sponsorships for Huntington Park

Business First of Columbus

1:05 PM EST Tuesday

by Jeff Bell, Business First

 

Franklin County officials have landed another $12 million in corporate sponsorship commitments for the minor league baseball park they plan to build in the Arena District.  Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and Dispatch Printing Co. each committed $6 million for sponsorships at the proposed Huntington Park, according to a press release from the county.  In addition, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said the city will invest $9.3 million for utilities, roads and other infrastructure improvements at the ballpark site.

 

The 10,000-seat, county-owned ballpark is slated for the northwest corner of Neil Avenue and Nationwide Boulevard. Franklin County Commissioners recently pushed back the expected opening date for the $55 million ballpark to 2009.  Huntington Park will house the county-owned Columbus Clippers of the International League and replace Cooper Stadium, the team's 15,000-seat home on Columbus' west side.

 

Full story at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/10/30/daily12.html 

 

Buzz over new stadium boosting Clippers

Business First of Columbus - January 5, 2007

by Jeff Bell, Business First

 

Things are looking up for the Columbus Clippers, and the team's president and general manager, Ken Schnacke, points to a corner lot in the Arena District as the reason for the optimism.  It's there, where Nationwide Boulevard and Neil Avenue intersect, that Huntington Park will be built, lifting the short- and long-term prospects of the Clippers.

 

The Triple A baseball club saw its attendance jump to near 520,000 in each of the past two seasons at aged Cooper Stadium.  It had not been that high since 1996 and had slipped below 500,000 every year but one from 1998 through 2004.  Schnacke attributed the improved attendance to the buzz among fans about Huntington Park.  Current season ticket holders will be given priority for seats in the new ballpark, which is scheduled to open in 2009.

 

Full story at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/01/08/story3.html?t=printable

County heads to the drawing board

New jail, animal shelter and courthouse make cut for $324 million building plan

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Barbara Carmen

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

County officials will unveil an ambitious three-year $324 million construction program on Thursday. Proposed projects include:

 

• A courthouse. The new building will feature 22 full-size or spectator-size courtrooms for high-profile cases and 10 magistrate’s courtrooms. Franklin County currently has 17 judges and six magistrates slogging through one of the heaviest dockets in the state.

 

• A larger, safer dog shelter. The new 60,000-square-foot shelter would be three times as large as the old one and offer improved ventilation systems to prevent germs from spreading among dogs and people.

 

• A new jail. Franklin County’s third jail might be built next to the one at 2460 Jackson Pike and house 500 to 600 nonviolent offenders. Eventually, the jail Downtown might gain an addition.

 

• Hall of Justice renovations. The project would strip asbestos and remodel the 1970s tower at 369 S. High St., currently home to the Common Pleas Court.

 

• Unified county complex. The county plans to build an airportlike concourse and relocate security checkpoints to link its five buildings on the south side of Downtown.

 

• Huntington Park. The old 17,000-seat Cooper Stadium will be replaced by a 10,200-seat ballpark in the Arena District. The county expects to begin clearing the site for the new ballpark in March, with the opening planned for spring 2009.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/28/20070228-E1-03.html

Still no renderings of the new courthouse, eh?

 

I'm anxious to see that one!

From the sounds of it, I know we will be disapointed.  Nothing good ever comes out of comprimises and a tight budget.

Idunno...Pizzuti is developing it (Miranova), and the DesignGroup is the architect.  They're known for green architecture and have a really nice portfolio...

 

http://www.dgcolumbus.com/news.php?display=119#119

I was refering to the courthouse, even though that is a different thread, it is the same article.  Were you refering to the courthouse as well Brewmaster?

Yeah...I'm sorry...I didn't see the other thread.  If a moderator sees this, feel free to move the last few posts over.

Eh, don't worry about it.  Mods don't want to delete EVERYTHING! ;)

Here's a look at the area where the park is being built and what it looks like now.  Looks like a lot crap needs to be gotten rid of.

 

http://www.bradsbits.com/2007/03/31/huntington-park-location-new-columbus-clippers-baseball-stadium/

BRING IT ON!!!

Here's a look at the area where the park is being built and what it looks like now.  Looks like a lot crap needs to be gotten rid of.

 

http://www.bradsbits.com/2007/03/31/huntington-park-location-new-columbus-clippers-baseball-stadium/

 

And that's just the above-ground crap that needs to get rid of!  I think there's still buried tanks at the corner where the gas station used to sit.

From the 5/15/07 (OSU) Lantern:

 

 

PHOTO: This tract of land on the corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Neil Avenue will become the new home of the Columbus Clippers.  Media Credit: Stevi Cornell

 

Clippers hope new location attracts OSU students

Michael Schwartz

Issue date: 5/15/07 Section: Sports

 

Although Cooper Stadium has served as the home to Columbus baseball for the past 75 years, Franklin County Commissioners and the Columbus Clippers have decided to begin construction this summer on a new stadium to host the Washington Nationals Triple-A affiliate.  The Clippers' new home, Huntington Park, will be located on the corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Neil Avenue, right in the middle of the Arena District.  If all goes according to schedule, Columbus will open its 2009 campaign in the new stadium.

 

Full story at http://www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/05/15/Sports/Clippers.Hope.New.Location.Attracts.Osu.Students-2903598.shtml

Stadium job will give jolt to economy

Business First of Columbus - June 15, 2007

by Jeff Bell, Business First

 

A study shows good things are in store for Central Ohio's economy once work on a Columbus baseball stadium gets into full swing this year.  The economic influence from construction of Huntington Park in the Arena District will total more than $100 million over three years, says a study by the Columbus Chamber and Franklin County.  The impact includes an estimated $45 million to be spent designing and building the county-owned ballpark as well as the ripple effect those dollars will have as they are spent in the economy.

 

Full story at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/06/18/story6.html?b=1182139200^1477632

I am liking this ball park more and more each time I read something new. Hopefully they will also bring the Cleveland Triple-A team here as the home club.

 

HUNTINGTON PARK

Designers want an intimate ballpark

Community integration, low prices stressed

Monday,  June 18, 2007 3:27 AM

By Barbara Carmen, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Franklin County's new baseball stadium will emphasize the "park" in ballpark, with a field of manicured grass, stands of trees and dancing fountains to cool the kids.  "And the great thing is, you'll have great sightlines," Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy said.  They'll be so great that spectators along Nationwide Boulevard will be able to look down onto the diamond -- it will sit 6 feet below the sidewalk -- and watch the game.

 

The county is to unveil designs for Huntington Park at a bash this morning at the Arena Grand Theatre.  The announcement will draw community, business and political leaders, but the stadium was designed with the average Joe in mind.

 

Full story at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/18/BALLPARK.ART_ART_06-18-07_A1_PD71TTA.html

 

Beautiful pictures of the Huntington Ballpark - from what I have heard on the local sports radio (1460 AM), both the Indians and Reds AAA affiliates' contracts are up after 2008.  My guess is that one of these teams will relocate to Columbus given the new ballpark.  Ohio has some great looking downtown ballparks - Cleveland, Cincy, Akron, Toledo, Dayton, and soon to be Columbus.

 

It will also be interesting to see how Nationwide and the other landowners developer the area around the new ballpark - Dayton is planning a near Ballpark Village to complement their single A club. 

I'm pretty impressed by this - This should add a great summertime activity for people in Columbus.  It really does seem to be a 'community' type ballpark, seeing as how you can watch the game for free from the street apparently - Looks to be a great compliment to the area!

NEW HOME FOR CLIPPERS

Ballpark plan scores high with officials

Tuesday,  June 19, 2007 3:30 AM

By Barbara Carmen, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

"It's a fun project," said Harrison Smith, chairman of the Columbus Downtown Commission. "This is going to look like an old-fashioned baseball stadium. The field is very tight, which is the way the old parks always were."  The commission members offered a few suggestions to allow the stadium to play a bigger role in its Arena District neighborhood during the off-season.  It's great, they said, that the park will redeem an unloved swath across from the hockey arena, thereby sharing existing parking lots.

 

Full story at http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/19/ballparkreax.ART_ART_06-19-07_B1_Q3728FK.html

Sounds good...I think the Reds should move their Chattanooga team to Cbus.

It's going to house an affiliate of the Nationals.  I agree 100% that is should be a Reds or Indians affiliate.

I believe it shouldn't as Columbus should remain neutral ground in regards to Cin/Clev sports.  The Nationals are fine.

I understand the neutral ground standpoint, but the Nationals certainly won't do. There is no draw there. No feel for the team. Nothing -

At least with the Yankees there were amazing players constantly going through Columbus. It had a draw.

 

Also, though I understand the point about keeping Columbus neutral, I asked myself why exactly Columbus had to be neutral.  I can't really come up with a good reason. Maybe so that the split fan base in Columbus wouldn't turn one way or the other, but I can only envision it hurting cincinnati, not cleveland.  Cleveland has a pretty large population base and fan base in place. I don't think Columbus fans will make too much of a difference and it certainly won't take away the Cleveland fans already in place.

 

The reds, though, could use a boost. (Not to mention I love the Reds =) Really I just think it would be pretty great to have either farm team right in the middle of the two cities. An Ohio team with an Ohio AAA team, now that's baseball done right!

Bring back the Yankees!

^^Not to get off topic, but the Reds actually have a pretty large fan base that stretches over much of middle-America (OH, IN, KY, TN, IL, WV, MO).  Now not all of these states are diehard Reds supporters, but there are large contingents in them.

Where are there Reds fans in TN? I lived in Memphis and Nashville for 5+ years and never came across any. That state goes for the Braves and the Cardinals.

^Eastern Tennessee, mostly (Knoxville).

 

I understand the neutral ground standpoint, but the Nationals certainly won't do. There is no draw there. No feel for the team.

 

And perhaps that's what Columbus needs; a team that isn't in any way related to the population, thus they can eventually embrace them through investment.  Starting off fresh is sometimes a good thing.

No way...I'm sick of Columbus being a fairweather sports town.  As a Cleveland transplant and die hard Browns, Tribe and Cavs fan, it's disgusting to watch as Columbus sports "fans" root for whomever is doing good at the time.  To have Steelers and Bengals fans approach me to tell me how excited they are about the Browns latest draft just makes me queesy.

 

It's time to draw a line in the sand about baseball.  Let's get those bandwagon jumpers to declare an allegience.

 

 

Well, you just kinda showed why Columbus is a "fairweather" sports town.  Transplants.

 

That's why I think it is good for a team that has no allegence to Ohio to bring a minor league team for the capital city to support without showing a particular bias towards any Ohio sports team (Reds or Indians).  Maybe we can all be Nationals fans!

^good luck...Jim Bowden has successfully ruined/is ruining the farm system for the Nationals, much like he did to the Reds system.  Get used to a lot of half-rate talent (for minor league standards that is).

Better to have half-rate talent than no talent clowns like UncleRando!

 

*scorn*

^completely unnecessary

^Like your avatar.