Richmond, Va. --
In the early 1960s, Sam Cooke wrote and sang, "A Change is Gonna Come."
In 2011, a change needs to come to the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
The Washington Nationals' Double-A farm team in Harrisburg needs to move to Richmond and become the Flying Squirrels.
The San Francisco Giants' Double-A team, currently playing in Richmond as the Flying Squirrels, needs to fly to Harrisburg.
This can happen because both affiliations end after this season.
It should happen because Washington needs a stronger presence in Richmond.
And Richmond baseball fans, bereft of a team to care deeply about since the abdication of the Atlanta Braves, need a reason to be seriously interested in the Nationals.
Will it happen?
"We can't talk about affiliations," Nationals President Stan Kasten said earlier this summer.
Kasten will admit Richmond has the potential to be an important market for the Nationals. And Kasten knows Richmond. He was the president of the Atlanta Braves from 1986-2003.
None of that means the deal will get done. And there's one drawback.
This makes perfect sense.
When was the last time something that made perfect sense got done?
This switch is in the best interest of baseball.
The Nationals lack identity in Harrisburg. They are in the territory of the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles.
There are no major-league teams between Richmond and Washington.
The Atlanta Braves became the favorite team of many Richmonders because it was possible to watch former R-Braves perform in Atlanta via WTBS, then the superstation.
If the Nationals donned the Flying Squirrels uniforms, fans could watch future stars such as Bryce Harper play here.
When/if Harper lands in Washington, Richmonders still could follow him. Nationals games are available almost every night on the MASN network.
And when Stephen Strasburg isn't pitching, there are more than a few empty seats at Nationals Park.
If former Richmond players were on the field for the Nationals, more Richmond fans would make the drive to Washington, even when Strasburg isn't pitching.
Please don't misunderstand. We mean no disrespect to the current Flying Squirrels or the San Francisco organization.
But San Francisco is a continent away. Giants games rarely are seen on the East Coast. It's hard to get excited about Giants prospects when they'll never be seen again -- more or less -- once they leave Richmond.
And there is one other consideration. Building a multimillion-dollar stadium to replace The Diamond will not be an easy sell.
Getting area localities, which often give new meaning to the phrase "contentious relationship," together on a stadium will be more palatable if the major-league affiliate is nearby and has a long-term commitment to Richmond.
Showing posts with label Richmond Flying Squirrels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richmond Flying Squirrels. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Giants want to stay with Richmond; Squirrels make no commitment
Richmond, Va. --
The San Francisco Giants want to extend the player-development contract with the Richmond Double-A franchise, but the Flying Squirrels aren't prepared to commit at this time.
Those positions were established yesterday, when William H. Neukom, the Giants' chief executive officer, met at The Diamond with Lou DiBella, the Flying Squirrels' president and managing general partner. The player-development contract linking the Giants and the Squirrels expires at the end of this season.
"It is a long way from Richmond to [Triple-A] Fresno, [Class A] San Jose and San Francisco," Neukom said, speaking of other Giants' farm clubs. "But the most important thing to us is that we have an affiliation with a well-managed franchise in a community that -- if we play good baseball, and if we become a part of that community -- will support us.
"We will always keep our eyes open for locations, but I think it is fair to say that we think both the community of Richmond and the management and ownership of the franchise have been positive for us."
The Giants' preference would be to remain affiliated with the Richmond franchise, Neukom said. "We're not down to short strokes yet," he added, speaking of additional discussions that will take place.
DiBella said the talks he had with Neukom yesterday involved "How are we doing by you, and how are you doing by us?" He categorized the meeting as "very positive and productive. I think the Giants are very happy with what's happening here."
Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten visited The Diamond on Monday, and the Nationals' player-development contract with their Double-A affiliate, Harrisburg, also ends this season.
"I wouldn't handicap anything at all right now," DiBella said. The Giants since 2003 have been the parent club for the franchise that relocated from Connecticut to Richmond last September.
"There is an affection, and a degree of loyalty," DiBella said. "But you ultimately have to look at your business model and what's best for your success in your market. We're going to consider everything in due course."
The San Francisco Giants want to extend the player-development contract with the Richmond Double-A franchise, but the Flying Squirrels aren't prepared to commit at this time.
Those positions were established yesterday, when William H. Neukom, the Giants' chief executive officer, met at The Diamond with Lou DiBella, the Flying Squirrels' president and managing general partner. The player-development contract linking the Giants and the Squirrels expires at the end of this season.
"It is a long way from Richmond to [Triple-A] Fresno, [Class A] San Jose and San Francisco," Neukom said, speaking of other Giants' farm clubs. "But the most important thing to us is that we have an affiliation with a well-managed franchise in a community that -- if we play good baseball, and if we become a part of that community -- will support us.
"We will always keep our eyes open for locations, but I think it is fair to say that we think both the community of Richmond and the management and ownership of the franchise have been positive for us."
The Giants' preference would be to remain affiliated with the Richmond franchise, Neukom said. "We're not down to short strokes yet," he added, speaking of additional discussions that will take place.
DiBella said the talks he had with Neukom yesterday involved "How are we doing by you, and how are you doing by us?" He categorized the meeting as "very positive and productive. I think the Giants are very happy with what's happening here."
Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten visited The Diamond on Monday, and the Nationals' player-development contract with their Double-A affiliate, Harrisburg, also ends this season.
"I wouldn't handicap anything at all right now," DiBella said. The Giants since 2003 have been the parent club for the franchise that relocated from Connecticut to Richmond last September.
"There is an affection, and a degree of loyalty," DiBella said. "But you ultimately have to look at your business model and what's best for your success in your market. We're going to consider everything in due course."
Friday, April 16, 2010
Quartet welcomes baseball’s return
When he was a kid, Jeff O'Flaherty liked to watch the first few innings of games at Parker Field and then hang out on the Boulevard chasing foul balls.
For O'Flaherty, those days of hunting down foul balls are long gone -- as is Parker Field and its tenants, the Virginians and the Braves -- but O'Flaherty still loves going to the ball yard.
When the Flying Squirrels debut tonight at The Diamond, you can find him in the seats behind home plate.
"I'm looking forward to seeing a full house and people having fun," said O'Flaherty, 57, who's in the banking business. "Baseball's back in Richmond."
O'Flaherty and three buddies from the box seats -- Ray Edwards, Ed Loyd and Tom Schaefer -- gathered at The Diamond on a recent afternoon to chat about the upcoming season.
The sun was shining, a tractor was tilling the infield dirt, and the lower deck's new, green seats -- equipped with cup holders -- were most comfortable.
All was right with the world.
"There's just something about sitting in a ballpark in springtime," O'Flaherty said.
The four were season-ticket holders for the Richmond Braves, and each has made the same investment for the Flying Squirrels.
They've become friends as they've watched games over the years, a tribute not so much to the pitches and hits on the field as to the power of the environment created by a leisurely paced game that lends itself to conversation.
"Always been a baseball fan," said Loyd, 69, who is retired from A.H. Robins Co. "But one thing I like is what we're doing now -- just sit and talk."
They missed getting together last summer at The Diamond after the R-Braves departed for a suburb of Atlanta, and the team that would become the Squirrels hadn't been secured.
"My wife found a lot for me to do around the house," Schaefer, 56, said with a laugh.
In truth, the guys occasionally traveled to see minor-league teams in other towns. Three of them took off to Arizona to watch some Fall League games, and Schaefer and Loyd went to spring training in Florida in March. These men are serious about their baseball.
But they also recognize that attending a ballgame should be fun, and they applaud the approach the Squirrels' ownership is taking toward promoting baseball at the ballpark and in the community.
"They're in the family-entertainment business," said Schaefer, who also is in banking. "You come in the door, you get greeted, you leave and say, 'Wow, that was a good time.' Even if the team loses 10-0.
"That's not really important. We're not in a race to win the World Series. It's a night out."
Said Edwards, 63, who's retired from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and was wearing a Flying Squirrels batting-practice cap: "We'd be here if they were 71-and-0, or 0-and-71."
The move to Double-A baseball compared with the Triple-A Braves and, before them, the Virginians, does not bother this quartet at all. In fact, they expect the players will be hungrier and more accessible to the fans.
And the Squirrels' affiliation with a team on the other coast, the San Francisco Giants, also is not an issue for them.
Schaefer remains an Atlanta Braves fan, and O'Flaherty has friends who remain New York Yankees fans because they were the parent club of the Virginians, who haven't played in Richmond in more than 45 years.
"We were sorry to see [the Braves] leave, but that's minor-league baseball," Schaefer said. "We understand how that works."
Edwards chimed in that he has been a Giants fan since Willie Mays roamed centerfield for them from the 1950s to the 1970s.
As the conversation veered into yesteryear, the four talked about players they remembered, for one reason or another, from years past: Horace Clarke, Felix Milan, Ralph Garr, Julio Navarro.
The list is almost endless. They hope to add new ones as the Squirrels create their own lore.
O'Flaherty's looking forward to seeing a lot of kids at The Diamond tonight. Schaefer is planning to bring his son to the game and eat a hot dog.
"I don't think there's any better place to be [tonight] than right here," Loyd said, "behind home plate."
For O'Flaherty, those days of hunting down foul balls are long gone -- as is Parker Field and its tenants, the Virginians and the Braves -- but O'Flaherty still loves going to the ball yard.
When the Flying Squirrels debut tonight at The Diamond, you can find him in the seats behind home plate.
"I'm looking forward to seeing a full house and people having fun," said O'Flaherty, 57, who's in the banking business. "Baseball's back in Richmond."
O'Flaherty and three buddies from the box seats -- Ray Edwards, Ed Loyd and Tom Schaefer -- gathered at The Diamond on a recent afternoon to chat about the upcoming season.
The sun was shining, a tractor was tilling the infield dirt, and the lower deck's new, green seats -- equipped with cup holders -- were most comfortable.
All was right with the world.
"There's just something about sitting in a ballpark in springtime," O'Flaherty said.
The four were season-ticket holders for the Richmond Braves, and each has made the same investment for the Flying Squirrels.
They've become friends as they've watched games over the years, a tribute not so much to the pitches and hits on the field as to the power of the environment created by a leisurely paced game that lends itself to conversation.
"Always been a baseball fan," said Loyd, 69, who is retired from A.H. Robins Co. "But one thing I like is what we're doing now -- just sit and talk."
They missed getting together last summer at The Diamond after the R-Braves departed for a suburb of Atlanta, and the team that would become the Squirrels hadn't been secured.
"My wife found a lot for me to do around the house," Schaefer, 56, said with a laugh.
In truth, the guys occasionally traveled to see minor-league teams in other towns. Three of them took off to Arizona to watch some Fall League games, and Schaefer and Loyd went to spring training in Florida in March. These men are serious about their baseball.
But they also recognize that attending a ballgame should be fun, and they applaud the approach the Squirrels' ownership is taking toward promoting baseball at the ballpark and in the community.
"They're in the family-entertainment business," said Schaefer, who also is in banking. "You come in the door, you get greeted, you leave and say, 'Wow, that was a good time.' Even if the team loses 10-0.
"That's not really important. We're not in a race to win the World Series. It's a night out."
Said Edwards, 63, who's retired from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and was wearing a Flying Squirrels batting-practice cap: "We'd be here if they were 71-and-0, or 0-and-71."
The move to Double-A baseball compared with the Triple-A Braves and, before them, the Virginians, does not bother this quartet at all. In fact, they expect the players will be hungrier and more accessible to the fans.
And the Squirrels' affiliation with a team on the other coast, the San Francisco Giants, also is not an issue for them.
Schaefer remains an Atlanta Braves fan, and O'Flaherty has friends who remain New York Yankees fans because they were the parent club of the Virginians, who haven't played in Richmond in more than 45 years.
"We were sorry to see [the Braves] leave, but that's minor-league baseball," Schaefer said. "We understand how that works."
Edwards chimed in that he has been a Giants fan since Willie Mays roamed centerfield for them from the 1950s to the 1970s.
As the conversation veered into yesteryear, the four talked about players they remembered, for one reason or another, from years past: Horace Clarke, Felix Milan, Ralph Garr, Julio Navarro.
The list is almost endless. They hope to add new ones as the Squirrels create their own lore.
O'Flaherty's looking forward to seeing a lot of kids at The Diamond tonight. Schaefer is planning to bring his son to the game and eat a hot dog.
"I don't think there's any better place to be [tonight] than right here," Loyd said, "behind home plate."
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sold-out Diamond welcomes baseball back to Richmond
Lou DiBella led a group that purchased the Double-A Norwich Navigators in 2005 for about $10 million. During DiBella's five seasons as managing partner of the club renamed the Connecticut Defenders, there were only a handful of sellouts at 6,695-seat Dodd Stadium.
That's one reason DiBella said he looks forward to being at The Diamond tonight. Richmond's new Double-A franchise, relocated from Norwich and still owned by DiBella's group, will play its first home game in front of a sellout crowd. Reading, the Philadelphia Phillies' Double-A team, is the opponent of the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
"This is going to be a highlight of my years in minor-league baseball," said DiBella, a resident of New York City. "I'm thrilled. I'm pumped up. I can't wait to get there."
Bill Papierniak, the Squirrels' general manager, said that ticket sales for the remainder of the seven-game home-stand have been strong, with a sellout possible for Sunday's 2:05 matinee. DiBella referred to the franchise's general reception as "enthusiasm unmatched compared to anything I've ever seen in minor-league baseball."
Connecticut finished last, or next to last, among Eastern League clubs in home attendance each year that DiBella's group owned the franchise, and in 2009 was last (2,859) despite an 83-59 record.
Bleacher banners -- advertisements that cover the top nine rows of the upper deck -- and new box seats on the lower level have reduced The Diamond's capacity from 12,134 to 9,560. But the Squirrels sold out their first home game about a week after single-game tickets became available on March 15. That's a very encouraging sign of support for the new franchise, according to club management and Joe McEacharn, the Eastern League president.
Tonight's game represents the return of professional baseball to Richmond, which was without a team last year. The Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A club, played here 1966-2008, then moved to Gwinnett County, Ga., due to dissatisfaction with The Diamond.
New ownership and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns the facility, during the off-season invested about $2 million in stadium upgrades. While the Flying Squirrels opened their season on the road with four games at Bowie and three at Altoona, work at The Diamond continued, and club operators maintained their marketing push that began Sept. 23, the day the franchise officially transferred to Richmond.
"If I had to give them a grade, it's a flat-out 'A'," McEacharn said. "They've absolutely met my expectations and probably even exceeded them."
Other members of the Squirrels' ownership group will be in attendance tonight, as will McEacharn and Tim Purpura, the executive vice president of Minor League Baseball. The Squirrels are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, who will be represented by Bobby Evans, vice president of baseball operations.
Clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s are expected. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with a 7:05 first pitch.
That's one reason DiBella said he looks forward to being at The Diamond tonight. Richmond's new Double-A franchise, relocated from Norwich and still owned by DiBella's group, will play its first home game in front of a sellout crowd. Reading, the Philadelphia Phillies' Double-A team, is the opponent of the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
"This is going to be a highlight of my years in minor-league baseball," said DiBella, a resident of New York City. "I'm thrilled. I'm pumped up. I can't wait to get there."
Bill Papierniak, the Squirrels' general manager, said that ticket sales for the remainder of the seven-game home-stand have been strong, with a sellout possible for Sunday's 2:05 matinee. DiBella referred to the franchise's general reception as "enthusiasm unmatched compared to anything I've ever seen in minor-league baseball."
Connecticut finished last, or next to last, among Eastern League clubs in home attendance each year that DiBella's group owned the franchise, and in 2009 was last (2,859) despite an 83-59 record.
Bleacher banners -- advertisements that cover the top nine rows of the upper deck -- and new box seats on the lower level have reduced The Diamond's capacity from 12,134 to 9,560. But the Squirrels sold out their first home game about a week after single-game tickets became available on March 15. That's a very encouraging sign of support for the new franchise, according to club management and Joe McEacharn, the Eastern League president.
Tonight's game represents the return of professional baseball to Richmond, which was without a team last year. The Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A club, played here 1966-2008, then moved to Gwinnett County, Ga., due to dissatisfaction with The Diamond.
New ownership and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns the facility, during the off-season invested about $2 million in stadium upgrades. While the Flying Squirrels opened their season on the road with four games at Bowie and three at Altoona, work at The Diamond continued, and club operators maintained their marketing push that began Sept. 23, the day the franchise officially transferred to Richmond.
"If I had to give them a grade, it's a flat-out 'A'," McEacharn said. "They've absolutely met my expectations and probably even exceeded them."
Other members of the Squirrels' ownership group will be in attendance tonight, as will McEacharn and Tim Purpura, the executive vice president of Minor League Baseball. The Squirrels are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, who will be represented by Bobby Evans, vice president of baseball operations.
Clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s are expected. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with a 7:05 first pitch.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Chuck Domino, Todd Parnell are Squirrels’ Barnum and Bailey
Chuck Domino and Todd Parnell are serious about their business.
But one reason they are successful in their business is that they never take themselves too seriously.
"Even when we have a rough day, we're able to put things into perspective," Domino said. "We don't carry problems to the next day."
Parnell, sitting across the office from Domino, nodded.
"That's right," Parnell said. "We just hammer them out."
And Parnell picked up the gavel he keeps at hand and pounded it on his desk several times.
That got Parnell going on another train of thought.
"He stole my gavel yesterday," Parnell said of Domino. "So I went and got a chain saw and started it up and threatened to cut his desk in half unless he gave it back."
"He really had a chain saw in the office," Domino said.
"And it was running and there were people out there . . . " Parnell nodded toward the ticket window outside his office at The Diamond.
"And they heard the 'ying, ying, ying,' of the chain saw," Parnell said.
Ah, just another day in the front office of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, starring Domino as the chief executive manager and Parnell as vice president and chief operating officer.
The Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League call The Diamond home.
Domino and Parnell are serious about their jobs. They work tirelessly to be successful. They are best friends.
Parnell, known as Parney, has promoted the team non-stop since his arrival.
And, as you might have guessed, they do things a bit differently from most minor-league baseball executives.
"They're incredibly hard working, and they're committed to do the right thing without taking themselves too seriously," said Chuck Greenberg, the incoming owner of the Texas Rangers.
Parnell worked for Greenberg in Altoona, State College, Pa. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Greenberg knows Domino as a minor-league baseball colleague.
"They love to have fun," Greenberg said. "They love to see other people having fun, and they will go to great lengths to make that possible."
Domino, 50, and Parnell, 43, met in 1990 and soon became best friends.
"He was in my wedding," Parnell said. "His older son was the ring bearer in my wedding. Chuck was there when my kids were born.
"I was there when his second son was born. We're pretty close. We just don't act like it all the time."
Theirs is not an act, though. Their job is to make the Flying Squirrels successful. They don't control the product on the field. This year, that is the job of the San Francisco Giants.
Everything around the field, and even the field itself, is under the control of Domino and Parnell and the front office staff. And they settle for nothing less than first class.
The Diamond has undergone $2 million worth of renovations and upgrades since the franchise relocated.
That money was spent on a number of things, from new seats in the lower bowl, to an indoor air-conditioned batting cage, refurbished concession stands and a new souvenir store.
Domino, Parnell and their staff oversaw each improvement.
Parnell is employed by the Flying Squirrels and oversees day to day operations.
Domino is an independent contractor. He also oversees the Triple-A team in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
During the formative stages of the operation, Domino has been in Richmond on a weekly basis. Once the season begins, his visits will be less frequent.
"We are constantly in touch," Domino said. "Texting, e-mailing, phoning. We share the same office."
Parnell interrupted.
"No, no, no," he said. "This is my office. I allowed you to have a corner."
"Yeah," Domino said, "a corner."
"And he tells me to get on my side of the office every day," Parnell said.
Especially when Parnell is revving up a chain saw.
The two met when Domino had an opening for a sales and marketing director with the Reading Phillies. The interview went well, but Domino did not offer Parnell the job, not immediately anyway.
"Another person was recommended to me by someone I highly respected in the business," Domino said. "I interviewed him on the phone and hired him sight unseen because of the recommendation."
That man was supposed to start work on a Monday. He called Domino to let him know he was leaving Topeka, Kan., on Friday.
He never showed up. When Domino finally tracked him down, the man said he had changed his mind.
"I immediately called Parney and said if you're available, you're hired," Domino said. "He said, 'I'll be there in a minute.'"
Parnell laughed.
"I'm not good at hiding desperation," he said.
That began seven years of working side by side in Reading. In 1997, Parnell left to become general manager of the minor-league team in Kannapolis, N.C.
Soon after arriving in Kannapolis, Parnell wondered if he had made the right decision.
Parnell said as much to Domino one day in a 7 a.m. call.
"I said, 'I don't know. These people aren't listening to me. I'm trying to be like you, trying to do this, trying to do that, but these people are doing things the same old way,'" Parnell said
"He said, 'All right, dude, do this and this and this.' Nine hours later, outside my office, I hear, 'What's up you . . . ' and he called me a name we call each other that can't be put in the newspaper. He had driven nine hours to North Carolina because he was worried about me."
Soon, everyone was on board with Parnell in Kannapolis. Life was good. Parnell, his wife and two daughters lived in a house on Lake Norman.
Then, Greenberg, who had acquired the Altoona franchise, called. Domino had recommended Parnell for the general manager's job in Altoona.
Parnell took the job, even though it meant leaving Lake Norman.
When the Altoona franchise was sold, Parnell ran Greenberg's teams in State College, Pa., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Parnell was on the road almost constantly.
Then, Domino called about Richmond.
"I've been doing this for 28 years, and the seven years that were the most fun were the years we were in Reading together," Domino said.
Parnell nodded.
"I've watched the Richmond story long enough to know it's a great market," Parnell said. "But the bottom line is it was Chuck Domino who called.
"This was a chance to start a franchise from nothing with your best friend. There's not too many people who get that opportunity. We felt like it was too much to look past."
Once the deal was struck to move the Connecticut Defenders to Richmond, Domino and Parnell went to work the only way they knew how to work.
"We're a little unorthodox in how we get things done," Domino said. "But we get things done better than most in our unorthodox way."
Nothing typifies that unorthodox thinking better than the name-the-team contest.
Parnell and Domino were overcome with traditional names such as Virginians, Rapids, Ravens, Raiders and Rivermen.
When the five finalists were announced, "traditional" was nowhere among them.
The list consisted of Flying Squirrels, Hambones, Rockhoppers, Flatheads and Rhinos.
Hush Puppies was added a few days later.
What were these guys thinking?
It soon became obvious Domino and Parnell would make the decision based on the name that got the biggest reaction, positive or negative, and offered the best marketing opportunities.
The fans' votes were more a guideline than a binding agreement.
Domino and Parnell knew from experience -- have you heard of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs? -- that even if people hated the name at first, eventually they would embrace it.
"They are incredibly creative," Greenberg said. "And that comes by letting go, not taking themselves too seriously, not judging others and letting the ideas fly."
Domino and Parnell enjoy their jobs so much and have so much fun that it is easy to overlook how hard they work.
Domino has no hobbies. He rarely takes days off, let alone a vacation. Domino and Parnell begin their days by 7 a.m. and end them . . . well, some days never seem to end.
"We have an insatiable desire to succeed," Parnell said. "There's a drive that not a lot of people have, and that drive is from my mentor over there."
And Parnell nodded toward Domino.
"One thing that gets to me sometimes," Parnell said, "is that my personality is so goofy people think all there is to me is stealing gavels and starting chain saws."
And wearing an adult diaper.
"When we first started in Altoona, we wanted to show people we were going to do things differently," Greenberg said. "Parney challenged a non-profit to raise $25,000. And he told them that if they did it, he'd sing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' wearing only an adult diaper.
"The non-profit came up short, but they worked really hard and did a good job. So, one night, Parney stood along the first-baseline, wearing only an adult diaper and sang. It wasn't a pretty sight, but he did it."
A few days later, Greenberg received an unusually large piece of mail. It was a photo of Parnell from that night, sent by Parnell.
"And he wrote, 'Chuck, Thanks for letting me operate the team in a first-class manner'" Greenberg said.
Domino has an almost relentless work ethic. Parnell is right there with him.
In March 1993, a huge snowstorm hit Pennsylvania. The governor told everyone to stay home unless there was an emergency.
Domino called Parnell and said he'd pick him up in 30 minutes.
"I said, 'Chuck, there's no way,'" Parnell said. "The governor told us to stay at home. He said, 'The governor doesn't have a ballgame in 30 days. We're going to work.'
"He picked me up and somehow we drove sideways to the ballpark and got to work."
How hard does Parnell work? Well, it seems as if he never stops working. He is in constant demand as a speaker. He will leave the office at the end of the day only to return at 11:30 that night and work for several more hours. And he still will be back at 7 a.m.
"Sleep seems to be the enemy of Parney," Greenberg said. "He's in the office every morning at 7. Sometimes, that's because he's never left the office from the night before. Sometimes, it means he's only been gone for a few hours.
"Parney and Chuck wouldn't know how to mail it in if you showed them. No matter is too small for their attention. To have been in the business as long as they have and to still sweat the details the way they do is a great predictor for success.
Greenberg expects nothing but success for the Flying Squirrels.
But one reason they are successful in their business is that they never take themselves too seriously.
"Even when we have a rough day, we're able to put things into perspective," Domino said. "We don't carry problems to the next day."
Parnell, sitting across the office from Domino, nodded.
"That's right," Parnell said. "We just hammer them out."
And Parnell picked up the gavel he keeps at hand and pounded it on his desk several times.
That got Parnell going on another train of thought.
"He stole my gavel yesterday," Parnell said of Domino. "So I went and got a chain saw and started it up and threatened to cut his desk in half unless he gave it back."
"He really had a chain saw in the office," Domino said.
"And it was running and there were people out there . . . " Parnell nodded toward the ticket window outside his office at The Diamond.
"And they heard the 'ying, ying, ying,' of the chain saw," Parnell said.
Ah, just another day in the front office of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, starring Domino as the chief executive manager and Parnell as vice president and chief operating officer.
The Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League call The Diamond home.
Domino and Parnell are serious about their jobs. They work tirelessly to be successful. They are best friends.
Parnell, known as Parney, has promoted the team non-stop since his arrival.
And, as you might have guessed, they do things a bit differently from most minor-league baseball executives.
"They're incredibly hard working, and they're committed to do the right thing without taking themselves too seriously," said Chuck Greenberg, the incoming owner of the Texas Rangers.
Parnell worked for Greenberg in Altoona, State College, Pa. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Greenberg knows Domino as a minor-league baseball colleague.
"They love to have fun," Greenberg said. "They love to see other people having fun, and they will go to great lengths to make that possible."
Domino, 50, and Parnell, 43, met in 1990 and soon became best friends.
"He was in my wedding," Parnell said. "His older son was the ring bearer in my wedding. Chuck was there when my kids were born.
"I was there when his second son was born. We're pretty close. We just don't act like it all the time."
Theirs is not an act, though. Their job is to make the Flying Squirrels successful. They don't control the product on the field. This year, that is the job of the San Francisco Giants.
Everything around the field, and even the field itself, is under the control of Domino and Parnell and the front office staff. And they settle for nothing less than first class.
The Diamond has undergone $2 million worth of renovations and upgrades since the franchise relocated.
That money was spent on a number of things, from new seats in the lower bowl, to an indoor air-conditioned batting cage, refurbished concession stands and a new souvenir store.
Domino, Parnell and their staff oversaw each improvement.
Parnell is employed by the Flying Squirrels and oversees day to day operations.
Domino is an independent contractor. He also oversees the Triple-A team in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
During the formative stages of the operation, Domino has been in Richmond on a weekly basis. Once the season begins, his visits will be less frequent.
"We are constantly in touch," Domino said. "Texting, e-mailing, phoning. We share the same office."
Parnell interrupted.
"No, no, no," he said. "This is my office. I allowed you to have a corner."
"Yeah," Domino said, "a corner."
"And he tells me to get on my side of the office every day," Parnell said.
Especially when Parnell is revving up a chain saw.
The two met when Domino had an opening for a sales and marketing director with the Reading Phillies. The interview went well, but Domino did not offer Parnell the job, not immediately anyway.
"Another person was recommended to me by someone I highly respected in the business," Domino said. "I interviewed him on the phone and hired him sight unseen because of the recommendation."
That man was supposed to start work on a Monday. He called Domino to let him know he was leaving Topeka, Kan., on Friday.
He never showed up. When Domino finally tracked him down, the man said he had changed his mind.
"I immediately called Parney and said if you're available, you're hired," Domino said. "He said, 'I'll be there in a minute.'"
Parnell laughed.
"I'm not good at hiding desperation," he said.
That began seven years of working side by side in Reading. In 1997, Parnell left to become general manager of the minor-league team in Kannapolis, N.C.
Soon after arriving in Kannapolis, Parnell wondered if he had made the right decision.
Parnell said as much to Domino one day in a 7 a.m. call.
"I said, 'I don't know. These people aren't listening to me. I'm trying to be like you, trying to do this, trying to do that, but these people are doing things the same old way,'" Parnell said
"He said, 'All right, dude, do this and this and this.' Nine hours later, outside my office, I hear, 'What's up you . . . ' and he called me a name we call each other that can't be put in the newspaper. He had driven nine hours to North Carolina because he was worried about me."
Soon, everyone was on board with Parnell in Kannapolis. Life was good. Parnell, his wife and two daughters lived in a house on Lake Norman.
Then, Greenberg, who had acquired the Altoona franchise, called. Domino had recommended Parnell for the general manager's job in Altoona.
Parnell took the job, even though it meant leaving Lake Norman.
When the Altoona franchise was sold, Parnell ran Greenberg's teams in State College, Pa., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Parnell was on the road almost constantly.
Then, Domino called about Richmond.
"I've been doing this for 28 years, and the seven years that were the most fun were the years we were in Reading together," Domino said.
Parnell nodded.
"I've watched the Richmond story long enough to know it's a great market," Parnell said. "But the bottom line is it was Chuck Domino who called.
"This was a chance to start a franchise from nothing with your best friend. There's not too many people who get that opportunity. We felt like it was too much to look past."
Once the deal was struck to move the Connecticut Defenders to Richmond, Domino and Parnell went to work the only way they knew how to work.
"We're a little unorthodox in how we get things done," Domino said. "But we get things done better than most in our unorthodox way."
Nothing typifies that unorthodox thinking better than the name-the-team contest.
Parnell and Domino were overcome with traditional names such as Virginians, Rapids, Ravens, Raiders and Rivermen.
When the five finalists were announced, "traditional" was nowhere among them.
The list consisted of Flying Squirrels, Hambones, Rockhoppers, Flatheads and Rhinos.
Hush Puppies was added a few days later.
What were these guys thinking?
It soon became obvious Domino and Parnell would make the decision based on the name that got the biggest reaction, positive or negative, and offered the best marketing opportunities.
The fans' votes were more a guideline than a binding agreement.
Domino and Parnell knew from experience -- have you heard of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs? -- that even if people hated the name at first, eventually they would embrace it.
"They are incredibly creative," Greenberg said. "And that comes by letting go, not taking themselves too seriously, not judging others and letting the ideas fly."
Domino and Parnell enjoy their jobs so much and have so much fun that it is easy to overlook how hard they work.
Domino has no hobbies. He rarely takes days off, let alone a vacation. Domino and Parnell begin their days by 7 a.m. and end them . . . well, some days never seem to end.
"We have an insatiable desire to succeed," Parnell said. "There's a drive that not a lot of people have, and that drive is from my mentor over there."
And Parnell nodded toward Domino.
"One thing that gets to me sometimes," Parnell said, "is that my personality is so goofy people think all there is to me is stealing gavels and starting chain saws."
And wearing an adult diaper.
"When we first started in Altoona, we wanted to show people we were going to do things differently," Greenberg said. "Parney challenged a non-profit to raise $25,000. And he told them that if they did it, he'd sing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' wearing only an adult diaper.
"The non-profit came up short, but they worked really hard and did a good job. So, one night, Parney stood along the first-baseline, wearing only an adult diaper and sang. It wasn't a pretty sight, but he did it."
A few days later, Greenberg received an unusually large piece of mail. It was a photo of Parnell from that night, sent by Parnell.
"And he wrote, 'Chuck, Thanks for letting me operate the team in a first-class manner'" Greenberg said.
Domino has an almost relentless work ethic. Parnell is right there with him.
In March 1993, a huge snowstorm hit Pennsylvania. The governor told everyone to stay home unless there was an emergency.
Domino called Parnell and said he'd pick him up in 30 minutes.
"I said, 'Chuck, there's no way,'" Parnell said. "The governor told us to stay at home. He said, 'The governor doesn't have a ballgame in 30 days. We're going to work.'
"He picked me up and somehow we drove sideways to the ballpark and got to work."
How hard does Parnell work? Well, it seems as if he never stops working. He is in constant demand as a speaker. He will leave the office at the end of the day only to return at 11:30 that night and work for several more hours. And he still will be back at 7 a.m.
"Sleep seems to be the enemy of Parney," Greenberg said. "He's in the office every morning at 7. Sometimes, that's because he's never left the office from the night before. Sometimes, it means he's only been gone for a few hours.
"Parney and Chuck wouldn't know how to mail it in if you showed them. No matter is too small for their attention. To have been in the business as long as they have and to still sweat the details the way they do is a great predictor for success.
Greenberg expects nothing but success for the Flying Squirrels.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Callaghan is local link for Squirrels’ ownership team
Minor League Baseball wanted a local investor in the ownership group of the Richmond Flying Squirrels. So did Lou DiBella, the Double-A franchise's president and CEO. Brian Callaghan filled the slot.
DiBella introduced Callaghan, 39 and a 1993 Virginia Tech graduate, Thursday at The Diamond during a Squirrels' event set up to display ballpark improvements.
"He made a significant investment in the team," DiBella said of Callaghan, founder and co-CEO of Apex Systems, Inc., a Richmond-based company that provides temporary and temporary-to-permanent technical staffing. "He is now part of what we call the Chairman's Council, which is sort of like the board of directors of the team. We wanted a Richmond voice on that board."
Callaghan attended Lake Braddock High School in Burke and worked in Northern Virginia, Oregon and New York prior to settling in Richmond. He founded Apex Systems in 1995.
DiBella, who lives in New York City, leads an ownership group of about 35 investors. Callaghan chose not to reveal the amount of his investment, but said he was one of the larger minority investors, and characterized his role as the local link for the ownership group.
"You have to have somebody who's on the ground, who understands what it's like to be in the community," Callaghan said. He added that he is in position to speak with business and community leaders on a regular basis, "and I think it's important for an operation like the Squirrels to have that kind of connection."
When the Richmond market was vacated by the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise following the 2008 season, Minor League Baseball pushed for majority local ownership of the new Richmond team. That plan dissolved when Richmond Baseball Club LC, due to lack of funds, failed to close the $15-million deal for DiBella's franchise.
"That gave us an opportunity, and when we got that opportunity, we jumped on it," DiBella said.
Minor League Baseball granted DiBella permission to transfer the franchise to Richmond. Minor League Baseball selected the franchise, which was the Connecticut Defenders, as a candidate for relocation primarily because of attendance issues in Norwich, Conn.
Callaghan formally joined the ownership group in January.
"Watching the [management] team that they've assembled, watching the way they approached it, was something that really hooked me," he said. "I remember an early conversation with them, talking about it as an investment, and they said, 'You need to understand, you're not in the baseball business, you're in the family-entertainment business.'
"That type of attitude to me was the hook that I really think we needed."
DiBella said he has no intention of relinquishing his role as head of the ownership group. He said there is a possibility of adding other Richmond-area residents as investors
DiBella introduced Callaghan, 39 and a 1993 Virginia Tech graduate, Thursday at The Diamond during a Squirrels' event set up to display ballpark improvements.
"He made a significant investment in the team," DiBella said of Callaghan, founder and co-CEO of Apex Systems, Inc., a Richmond-based company that provides temporary and temporary-to-permanent technical staffing. "He is now part of what we call the Chairman's Council, which is sort of like the board of directors of the team. We wanted a Richmond voice on that board."
Callaghan attended Lake Braddock High School in Burke and worked in Northern Virginia, Oregon and New York prior to settling in Richmond. He founded Apex Systems in 1995.
DiBella, who lives in New York City, leads an ownership group of about 35 investors. Callaghan chose not to reveal the amount of his investment, but said he was one of the larger minority investors, and characterized his role as the local link for the ownership group.
"You have to have somebody who's on the ground, who understands what it's like to be in the community," Callaghan said. He added that he is in position to speak with business and community leaders on a regular basis, "and I think it's important for an operation like the Squirrels to have that kind of connection."
When the Richmond market was vacated by the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise following the 2008 season, Minor League Baseball pushed for majority local ownership of the new Richmond team. That plan dissolved when Richmond Baseball Club LC, due to lack of funds, failed to close the $15-million deal for DiBella's franchise.
"That gave us an opportunity, and when we got that opportunity, we jumped on it," DiBella said.
Minor League Baseball granted DiBella permission to transfer the franchise to Richmond. Minor League Baseball selected the franchise, which was the Connecticut Defenders, as a candidate for relocation primarily because of attendance issues in Norwich, Conn.
Callaghan formally joined the ownership group in January.
"Watching the [management] team that they've assembled, watching the way they approached it, was something that really hooked me," he said. "I remember an early conversation with them, talking about it as an investment, and they said, 'You need to understand, you're not in the baseball business, you're in the family-entertainment business.'
"That type of attitude to me was the hook that I really think we needed."
DiBella said he has no intention of relinquishing his role as head of the ownership group. He said there is a possibility of adding other Richmond-area residents as investors
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Broadcast team will chase Squirrels, story lines
nowBuzz up!
The radio team behind the baseball team won't be bragging about how it used to slug sliders.
Jon Laaser's hardball career peaked at a Minnesota high school. "Obviously, you want to be a major-league player, like everybody else," he said. "I knew that was a lost cause."
Anthony Oppermann's parents were so concerned with his grades in Texas that he wasn't allowed to play Little League. His most memorable personal involvement with the game: "Bat and ball in the pasture," Oppermann said.
They learned about professional baseball through experience as broadcasters in minor leagues, and this season are the voices of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants' Double-A club.
"There's no reason that a minor-league broadcast can't sound major league," said Laaser, 30.
The Squirrels open April 8 at Bowie, with broadcasts on WRNL (910). Laaser [LAY-zer] will be with the club for all 142 games. Oppermann will work with Laaser on home-game broadcasts. When the Squirrels hit the road, Oppermann will operate from a Richmond radio studio as the primary voice of pregame and postgame shows.
Pregame shows will begin a half-hour before the first pitch. "We'll recap the previous night's game, set the scene for that night's game, preview the pitching match-up, go through the standings, lineups, interviews," said Oppermann, 27.
The half-hour postgame shows will wrap up the day's events in the Eastern League and include phone calls from fans. "You don't see that very much in minor-league broadcasts," said Laaser.
Game coverage will feature the play-by-play baseline, but expect lots of tangents.
"We're big on the entertainment side of things," Laaser said. "You won't find us chattering on about things that don't have something to do with what's going on in the game. But at the same time, I think there are any number of avenues through what's happening that you can bring humor and levity into it, and make that relevant.
"That's really what my goal is."
Oppermann intends to focus on the human element, give listeners a reason to root for players and tell their stories. "If they're succeeding, why? If they're not succeeding, what are they doing to get better?" Oppermann said. "Make those characters kind of come alive."
Laaser and Oppermann worked as broadcasters at previous stops for members of the Squirrels' management team, hence their presence here. The franchise came to Richmond on Sept. 23, and with the relatively short time available to get the stadium ready following a year without baseball, all Squirrels employees have been involved in facility polishing.
"For right now at least, it's 'We need to get this done. Do you have the skill set to do it?'" Laaser said. "Unfortunately, I don't, but they still throw me out there. If your seat is dirty on opening day, it's not my fault. I tried my best."
This is a new franchise, but Oppermann and Laaser plan on-air reflections about the Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A team during 1966-2008 that relocated because of dissatisfaction with The Diamond, and opposing players who came through the ballpark since its 1985 opening.
"In this day and age, when you build one [stadium] and knock it down 10 years later, you don't find many places that have as many years of history as The Diamond," Laaser said. "Whatever the situation was here in the stands or with stadium talk, that didn't change the baseball.
"There were some great players who came through here. Absolutely, we'll talk about them."
The radio team behind the baseball team won't be bragging about how it used to slug sliders.
Jon Laaser's hardball career peaked at a Minnesota high school. "Obviously, you want to be a major-league player, like everybody else," he said. "I knew that was a lost cause."
Anthony Oppermann's parents were so concerned with his grades in Texas that he wasn't allowed to play Little League. His most memorable personal involvement with the game: "Bat and ball in the pasture," Oppermann said.
They learned about professional baseball through experience as broadcasters in minor leagues, and this season are the voices of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants' Double-A club.
"There's no reason that a minor-league broadcast can't sound major league," said Laaser, 30.
The Squirrels open April 8 at Bowie, with broadcasts on WRNL (910). Laaser [LAY-zer] will be with the club for all 142 games. Oppermann will work with Laaser on home-game broadcasts. When the Squirrels hit the road, Oppermann will operate from a Richmond radio studio as the primary voice of pregame and postgame shows.
Pregame shows will begin a half-hour before the first pitch. "We'll recap the previous night's game, set the scene for that night's game, preview the pitching match-up, go through the standings, lineups, interviews," said Oppermann, 27.
The half-hour postgame shows will wrap up the day's events in the Eastern League and include phone calls from fans. "You don't see that very much in minor-league broadcasts," said Laaser.
Game coverage will feature the play-by-play baseline, but expect lots of tangents.
"We're big on the entertainment side of things," Laaser said. "You won't find us chattering on about things that don't have something to do with what's going on in the game. But at the same time, I think there are any number of avenues through what's happening that you can bring humor and levity into it, and make that relevant.
"That's really what my goal is."
Oppermann intends to focus on the human element, give listeners a reason to root for players and tell their stories. "If they're succeeding, why? If they're not succeeding, what are they doing to get better?" Oppermann said. "Make those characters kind of come alive."
Laaser and Oppermann worked as broadcasters at previous stops for members of the Squirrels' management team, hence their presence here. The franchise came to Richmond on Sept. 23, and with the relatively short time available to get the stadium ready following a year without baseball, all Squirrels employees have been involved in facility polishing.
"For right now at least, it's 'We need to get this done. Do you have the skill set to do it?'" Laaser said. "Unfortunately, I don't, but they still throw me out there. If your seat is dirty on opening day, it's not my fault. I tried my best."
This is a new franchise, but Oppermann and Laaser plan on-air reflections about the Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A team during 1966-2008 that relocated because of dissatisfaction with The Diamond, and opposing players who came through the ballpark since its 1985 opening.
"In this day and age, when you build one [stadium] and knock it down 10 years later, you don't find many places that have as many years of history as The Diamond," Laaser said. "Whatever the situation was here in the stands or with stadium talk, that didn't change the baseball.
"There were some great players who came through here. Absolutely, we'll talk about them."
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Squirrels’ foundation starts with ballpark
First, make The Diamond swing. Then consider a long-term solution to Richmond's ballpark situation.
Those who attended yesterday's Kiwanis Club of Richmond luncheon at the Virginia Historical Society received that pitch from Todd Parnell, the vice president and COO of the Flying Squirrels, Richmond's new Double-A baseball franchise.
"We're committed to making The Diamond the place where more people come to than any other place in the Eastern League," Parnell said. "And then, everything else will happen from there.
"I want to put as many rear ends in the seats as we possibly can, and that's what we're focused on doing."
The Flying Squirrels are investing about $1.5 million improvements to The Diamond, whose condition drove the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise from Richmond following the 2008 season. A community decision on whether to build a new ballpark will depend partly on what the Flying Squirrels offer, Parnell suggested during his high-energy presentation of about 30 minutes.
"You've got to yell when it's time for me stop," Parnell told his audience. "I should have been a preacher, but there are certain things that got in the way of that."
Entertainment at The Diamond will start not with the first pitch, but when fans "drive into the parking lot," Parnell promised. "There are a few things as a consumer, just like you, that really get to me. It's parking, friendliness, pricing, friendliness, pricing and friendliness."
The last four digits of the Flying Squirrels' telephone number spell F-U-N-N. "We're so much fun we needed to add another N," Parnell said.
The Flying Squirrels will have a minimum of 10 fireworks nights a year, according to Parnell, who's been in the minor-league baseball business for 21 years. The R-Braves usually put on two fireworks shows per season. Each Richmond player will have a community-service requirement that may involve a reading program or some other activity related to Richmond's youth.
"Our philosophy is we start at 'yes,' and go backwards. We don't start at 'no,'" Parnell said. "We really want to do everything people ask us to do, or at least will attempt to do it
Those who attended yesterday's Kiwanis Club of Richmond luncheon at the Virginia Historical Society received that pitch from Todd Parnell, the vice president and COO of the Flying Squirrels, Richmond's new Double-A baseball franchise.
"We're committed to making The Diamond the place where more people come to than any other place in the Eastern League," Parnell said. "And then, everything else will happen from there.
"I want to put as many rear ends in the seats as we possibly can, and that's what we're focused on doing."
The Flying Squirrels are investing about $1.5 million improvements to The Diamond, whose condition drove the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise from Richmond following the 2008 season. A community decision on whether to build a new ballpark will depend partly on what the Flying Squirrels offer, Parnell suggested during his high-energy presentation of about 30 minutes.
"You've got to yell when it's time for me stop," Parnell told his audience. "I should have been a preacher, but there are certain things that got in the way of that."
Entertainment at The Diamond will start not with the first pitch, but when fans "drive into the parking lot," Parnell promised. "There are a few things as a consumer, just like you, that really get to me. It's parking, friendliness, pricing, friendliness, pricing and friendliness."
The last four digits of the Flying Squirrels' telephone number spell F-U-N-N. "We're so much fun we needed to add another N," Parnell said.
The Flying Squirrels will have a minimum of 10 fireworks nights a year, according to Parnell, who's been in the minor-league baseball business for 21 years. The R-Braves usually put on two fireworks shows per season. Each Richmond player will have a community-service requirement that may involve a reading program or some other activity related to Richmond's youth.
"Our philosophy is we start at 'yes,' and go backwards. We don't start at 'no,'" Parnell said. "We really want to do everything people ask us to do, or at least will attempt to do it
Friday, December 25, 2009
the Diamond is beginning to look, well, Squirrelly
Banners unfurled. Signs were replaced. The first of several thousand box seats were fastened to their lower-level aisle positions.
Those were improvements made yesterday at The Diamond, with more to come. The Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A team of the San Francisco Giants, originally pledged $1.5 million to facility upgrades. Chuck Domino, the franchise's chief executive manager, yesterday said the team's commitment has increased to about $1.65 million.
The Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns The Diamond, committed $75,500 toward upgrades. Domino said his club's increased commitment will result in a new scoreboard. The Flying Squirrels initially planned to use $25,000 from the RMA to repair the existing scoreboard.
"But after learning more about the problems with the board, we decided that we would put the $25,000 of the RMA's money, instead of toward repairs, toward a new $150,000 board," Domino said.
Green plastic box seats replace the aluminum benches in the lower deck. Luxury boxes and clubhouses are being renovated, among other improvements. Domino said one of his proudest days will occur when the refurbished concession stands open for the Flying Squirrels' April 15 home-opener.
"Those concession stands alone were almost enough to make me run back to Pennsylvania and put my head under the covers and never return to Richmond, Virginia, again," said Domino, who is also chief executive manager of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
Domino was aware of some objections to the unorthodox name of the team when "Flying Squirrels" was announced in mid-October. He said he believes the Richmond community has generally embraced the name since then. The logo was revealed on Dec. 1, also the day the team store The Squirrels Nest opened at The Diamond in the down-the-first-base-line space where the stadium's restaurant used to be.
"If people are voting on the logo with their pocketbooks in the team store, then it looks like it's been well-received," Domino said. "I can't imagine too many teams this time of year doing the business we're doing."
According to Domino, a hat and apparel vendor who thought the club was too ambitious on sales projections recommended that the Flying Squirrels reduce by half the volume of their first order for team gear.
After the first day [the store opened], we called and doubled the order," Domino said.
The Richmond Braves played at Parker Field or The Diamond from 1966-2008, and the Braves' dissatisfaction with the stadium caused the Atlanta organization to relocate its Triple-A franchise to Gwinnett County, Ga.
Still undetermined is a long-term ballpark solution for Richmond. The options appear to be a major renovation of The Diamond, a new ballpark on the Boulevard, or a new ballpark elsewhere in the area.
James L. Jenkins, chairman of the RMA board of directors, said informal discussions continue about a long-term plan for new or renovated stadium. More serious discussions could begin next year, he suggested.
"It's still too soon, in my opinion, with the economy being as it is and with the jurisdictions struggling with their budgets for 2010 and looking at a continuing struggle for 2011," Jenkins said. "I don't know that anybody is ready to whip out a checkbook and make a commitment at this point."
Domino said the RMA is working on finding a new home for The Diamond's most conspicuous resident: the sculpture of Connecticut, the Native American brave who peers onto the Boulevard from the stadium's superstructure. It now appears possible, however, that Connecticut could remain on the perch he has occupied since 1985.
Those were improvements made yesterday at The Diamond, with more to come. The Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A team of the San Francisco Giants, originally pledged $1.5 million to facility upgrades. Chuck Domino, the franchise's chief executive manager, yesterday said the team's commitment has increased to about $1.65 million.
The Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns The Diamond, committed $75,500 toward upgrades. Domino said his club's increased commitment will result in a new scoreboard. The Flying Squirrels initially planned to use $25,000 from the RMA to repair the existing scoreboard.
"But after learning more about the problems with the board, we decided that we would put the $25,000 of the RMA's money, instead of toward repairs, toward a new $150,000 board," Domino said.
Green plastic box seats replace the aluminum benches in the lower deck. Luxury boxes and clubhouses are being renovated, among other improvements. Domino said one of his proudest days will occur when the refurbished concession stands open for the Flying Squirrels' April 15 home-opener.
"Those concession stands alone were almost enough to make me run back to Pennsylvania and put my head under the covers and never return to Richmond, Virginia, again," said Domino, who is also chief executive manager of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
Domino was aware of some objections to the unorthodox name of the team when "Flying Squirrels" was announced in mid-October. He said he believes the Richmond community has generally embraced the name since then. The logo was revealed on Dec. 1, also the day the team store The Squirrels Nest opened at The Diamond in the down-the-first-base-line space where the stadium's restaurant used to be.
"If people are voting on the logo with their pocketbooks in the team store, then it looks like it's been well-received," Domino said. "I can't imagine too many teams this time of year doing the business we're doing."
According to Domino, a hat and apparel vendor who thought the club was too ambitious on sales projections recommended that the Flying Squirrels reduce by half the volume of their first order for team gear.
After the first day [the store opened], we called and doubled the order," Domino said.
The Richmond Braves played at Parker Field or The Diamond from 1966-2008, and the Braves' dissatisfaction with the stadium caused the Atlanta organization to relocate its Triple-A franchise to Gwinnett County, Ga.
Still undetermined is a long-term ballpark solution for Richmond. The options appear to be a major renovation of The Diamond, a new ballpark on the Boulevard, or a new ballpark elsewhere in the area.
James L. Jenkins, chairman of the RMA board of directors, said informal discussions continue about a long-term plan for new or renovated stadium. More serious discussions could begin next year, he suggested.
"It's still too soon, in my opinion, with the economy being as it is and with the jurisdictions struggling with their budgets for 2010 and looking at a continuing struggle for 2011," Jenkins said. "I don't know that anybody is ready to whip out a checkbook and make a commitment at this point."
Domino said the RMA is working on finding a new home for The Diamond's most conspicuous resident: the sculpture of Connecticut, the Native American brave who peers onto the Boulevard from the stadium's superstructure. It now appears possible, however, that Connecticut could remain on the perch he has occupied since 1985.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Flying Squirrels Baseball To Air On Sports Radio 910
RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, are pleased to announce a two-year media partnership with Clear Channel Broadcasting - Richmond, which will make Sports Radio 910 AM the radio flagship station for Flying Squirrels baseball in their first two seasons in Richmond. Sports Radio 910 will carry all 142 regular season games, any potential post-season games and the Eastern League All-Star Game. Additionally, all games will be available via on-line streaming at SportsRadio910.com.
"Sports Radio 910 is proud to be the radio home for the exciting first two seasons of Flying Squirrels baseball, including the inaugural season in 2010," said Sports Radio 910 Program Director Michael Clifford. "We look forward to a long relationship with the Flying Squirrels and are happy to get local Richmond baseball back on the air!"
The Flying Squirrels have also announced their radio broadcast team, which will consist of Jon Laaser and Anthony Oppermann. Laaser will provide play-by-play during all 142 regular season games, while Oppermann will provide play-by-play during home games and select road games. Both voices will have a consistent presence on Flying Squirrels' broadcasts, as Oppermann will also anchor 30-minute pre and post-game shows for all game broadcasts.
"Anthony (Oppermann) and I have both come to Richmond with the goal of providing a Major League-caliber broadcast to the baseball fans in this great area," said Laaser. "We couldn't be more pleased that we have formed this partnership with Sports Radio 910, where we know we will have the opportunity to implement that broadcast, while continuing to expand the reach of Flying Squirrels Baseball."
Laaser comes to Richmond after a one-season stint as the lead broadcaster for the Montgomery Biscuits (Double-A - Tampa Bay Rays). He is reunited with Flying Squirrels' Vice President & COO Todd "Parney" Parnell, whom he worked with while calling games for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced-A - Atlanta Braves) in 2008 and the Altoona Curve (Double-A - Pittsburgh Pirates) in 2007. A native of Minneapolis, MN, he has also provided play-by-play for the Yakima Bears (A - Arizona Diamondbacks), St. Paul Saints (Independent) and St. Cloud River Bats (Summer Collegiate). In addition to his experience in baseball, Laaser has also served as the lead announcer for Charleston Southern University football and men's basketball, the Minnesota State High School Football/Basketball Championships and Hamline (MN) University football. His broadcasting career began in sports talk radio, with Clear Channel's KFAN in his native Minneapolis.
Oppermann also brings a wealth of experience to the Flying Squirrels radio booth, having most recently occupied the role of "Voice of the R-Phils," as the lead broadcaster for the Reading Phillies (Double-A - Philadelphia Phillies) in 2009. A native of La Grange, TX, Oppermann spent two seasons (2007, 08) as the lead broadcaster for the Potomac Nationals (Advanced-A - Washington Nationals), based in Woodbridge, VA. His baseball resume also includes time spent with the Daytona Cubs (Advanced-A - Chicago Cubs) and Round Rock Express (Double-A - Houston Astros). He rejoins Flying Squirrels' CEM Chuck Domino, whom he worked with in Reading, as well as Flying Squirrels' General Manager Bill Papierniak, whom he worked with in Daytona
"Sports Radio 910 is proud to be the radio home for the exciting first two seasons of Flying Squirrels baseball, including the inaugural season in 2010," said Sports Radio 910 Program Director Michael Clifford. "We look forward to a long relationship with the Flying Squirrels and are happy to get local Richmond baseball back on the air!"
The Flying Squirrels have also announced their radio broadcast team, which will consist of Jon Laaser and Anthony Oppermann. Laaser will provide play-by-play during all 142 regular season games, while Oppermann will provide play-by-play during home games and select road games. Both voices will have a consistent presence on Flying Squirrels' broadcasts, as Oppermann will also anchor 30-minute pre and post-game shows for all game broadcasts.
"Anthony (Oppermann) and I have both come to Richmond with the goal of providing a Major League-caliber broadcast to the baseball fans in this great area," said Laaser. "We couldn't be more pleased that we have formed this partnership with Sports Radio 910, where we know we will have the opportunity to implement that broadcast, while continuing to expand the reach of Flying Squirrels Baseball."
Laaser comes to Richmond after a one-season stint as the lead broadcaster for the Montgomery Biscuits (Double-A - Tampa Bay Rays). He is reunited with Flying Squirrels' Vice President & COO Todd "Parney" Parnell, whom he worked with while calling games for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced-A - Atlanta Braves) in 2008 and the Altoona Curve (Double-A - Pittsburgh Pirates) in 2007. A native of Minneapolis, MN, he has also provided play-by-play for the Yakima Bears (A - Arizona Diamondbacks), St. Paul Saints (Independent) and St. Cloud River Bats (Summer Collegiate). In addition to his experience in baseball, Laaser has also served as the lead announcer for Charleston Southern University football and men's basketball, the Minnesota State High School Football/Basketball Championships and Hamline (MN) University football. His broadcasting career began in sports talk radio, with Clear Channel's KFAN in his native Minneapolis.
Oppermann also brings a wealth of experience to the Flying Squirrels radio booth, having most recently occupied the role of "Voice of the R-Phils," as the lead broadcaster for the Reading Phillies (Double-A - Philadelphia Phillies) in 2009. A native of La Grange, TX, Oppermann spent two seasons (2007, 08) as the lead broadcaster for the Potomac Nationals (Advanced-A - Washington Nationals), based in Woodbridge, VA. His baseball resume also includes time spent with the Daytona Cubs (Advanced-A - Chicago Cubs) and Round Rock Express (Double-A - Houston Astros). He rejoins Flying Squirrels' CEM Chuck Domino, whom he worked with in Reading, as well as Flying Squirrels' General Manager Bill Papierniak, whom he worked with in Daytona
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Upgrades under way at The Diamond
Lower-deck benches are gone. Concession stands have been gutted. A former restaurant is being transformed into a merchandise store.
The Diamond is undergoing unprecedented renovation.
Before the Class AA Richmond Flying Squirrels open their home schedule April 15, 3,200 dark green box seats will be fitted into the lower bowl, which had aluminum benches and backrests. The concession operation will be reinvented. Flying Squirrels gear will be sold from one of the largest souvenir shops in the minor leagues.
"In terms of the [fans'] experience, being able to sit in a new, individual plastic seat with a cup-holder is going to be probably the first thing that makes the most lasting impression," said Mike Berry, general manager of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns and operates The Diamond.
Franchise owners committed $1.5 million to renovation. The RMA contributed $75,500.
"The team with new ownership is looking to do whatever they can to make [fans] feel that this is going to be a fun place," Berry said. "There's going to be a lot of stuff going on, and they want to make this the best family experience they can make it."
No comparable upgrade took place at the 12,134-seat facility while Atlanta's Triple-A team, owned by the Atlanta Braves, played there from the ballpark's opening day in 1985 through the 2008 season. There also are improvements fans won't see. The front office has been remodeled. The home clubhouse was gutted and expanded. It will include a weight room. The press box is getting new windows.
More comfortable seats and better concessions were priorities, according to Todd Parnell, the Flying Squirrels' vice president and COO.
"People are really going to be able to have a full food and beverage experience here at The Diamond," he said. "They'll be able to see the food being prepared. They'll be able to smell it. They'll be able to enjoy the taste of it.
"There's a lot, in my opinion, that goes on with food and beverage as part of the experience a family has wherever they go. It's our plan to make sure the food and beverage experience here is a big part of coming to the game."
There is no resolution concerning Connecticut, the sculpture of the American Indian that peers out over The Boulevard, Berry said. His staff is exploring options apart from the ballpark perch for Connecticut because "I don't know that the team necessarily feels like he really fits into what they're doing," said Berry. He chose not to elaborate on what options are being considered.
The RMA and the franchise agreed to a two-year lease for use of The Diamond, with three one-year renewals possible. During the period to which the lease applies, the RMA and the franchise will explore the possibilities of a major renovation of The Diamond and a new ballpark, at that site or elsewhere.
The Diamond is undergoing unprecedented renovation.
Before the Class AA Richmond Flying Squirrels open their home schedule April 15, 3,200 dark green box seats will be fitted into the lower bowl, which had aluminum benches and backrests. The concession operation will be reinvented. Flying Squirrels gear will be sold from one of the largest souvenir shops in the minor leagues.
"In terms of the [fans'] experience, being able to sit in a new, individual plastic seat with a cup-holder is going to be probably the first thing that makes the most lasting impression," said Mike Berry, general manager of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns and operates The Diamond.
Franchise owners committed $1.5 million to renovation. The RMA contributed $75,500.
"The team with new ownership is looking to do whatever they can to make [fans] feel that this is going to be a fun place," Berry said. "There's going to be a lot of stuff going on, and they want to make this the best family experience they can make it."
No comparable upgrade took place at the 12,134-seat facility while Atlanta's Triple-A team, owned by the Atlanta Braves, played there from the ballpark's opening day in 1985 through the 2008 season. There also are improvements fans won't see. The front office has been remodeled. The home clubhouse was gutted and expanded. It will include a weight room. The press box is getting new windows.
More comfortable seats and better concessions were priorities, according to Todd Parnell, the Flying Squirrels' vice president and COO.
"People are really going to be able to have a full food and beverage experience here at The Diamond," he said. "They'll be able to see the food being prepared. They'll be able to smell it. They'll be able to enjoy the taste of it.
"There's a lot, in my opinion, that goes on with food and beverage as part of the experience a family has wherever they go. It's our plan to make sure the food and beverage experience here is a big part of coming to the game."
There is no resolution concerning Connecticut, the sculpture of the American Indian that peers out over The Boulevard, Berry said. His staff is exploring options apart from the ballpark perch for Connecticut because "I don't know that the team necessarily feels like he really fits into what they're doing," said Berry. He chose not to elaborate on what options are being considered.
The RMA and the franchise agreed to a two-year lease for use of The Diamond, with three one-year renewals possible. During the period to which the lease applies, the RMA and the franchise will explore the possibilities of a major renovation of The Diamond and a new ballpark, at that site or elsewhere.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Displaying the spirit with which Flying Squirrels was picked as the name of Richmond's new baseball team, the Double-A franchise's general manager expressed outside-the-box approval yesterday.
"Let me be the first one to say: 'Let's go nuts!'" Bill Papierniak said.
Flying Squirrels, chosen by franchise owners and manage ment, was among more than 6,000 submissions in a name-the-team contest.
Flying Squirrels was the submission of Prince George County's Brad Mead. He won two season tickets for life, a jacket and a cap.
Mead's picture will appear in the 2010 program. He was unable to attend yesterday's announcement at the Richmond Times-Dispatch's headquarters downtown and was represented by his mother, Donna Nelson, and stepfather, Kyle.
Mead, a 30-year-old graduate of James Madison University, works as a magistrate in Hopewell. He is a fan of the Boston Red Sox and said he didn't attend many games at The Diamond after his 1997 graduation from Prince George High School.
Regarding his suggestion of Flying Squirrels, Mead said he considered the trend toward odd nicknames among minor-league teams and tried to come up with one that was "goofy or crazy."
To Chuck Domino, the club's chief executive manager, Flying Squirrels stood out because it is highly unusual. He heard from those who pushed hard for Rapids, Rebels, Virginians and other conservative options.
"Just didn't have the pizzazz," Domino said.
The Flying Squirrels name fits the approach that Domino and Todd Parnell, the Squirrels' vice president and chief operating officer, intend to take with the Double-A team of the San Francisco Giants.
Domino noted that the circus atmosphere at games is the job of franchise management; the Giants will handle the baseball. Games start April 15 at The Diamond.
The team is relocating from Connecticut, where it was known as the Defenders.
Domino acknowledged that the choice of Flying Squirrels -- which beat finalists Rock Hoppers, Rhinos, Flatheads and Hush Puppies -- probably would not receive immediate approval from Richmond-area residents.
"It's going to be rough. We're going to have to put on our seat belts," he said. "But we promised Richmond that we were going to be different, and I think this makes a statement that we are going to be different."
The Division III teams at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton are called the Fighting Squirrels.
"People think our name is funny, but we've also gotten a lot of good press because of it," said Sharon Spalding, the school's athletic director.
Mary Baldwin's nickname comes from the central figure in the crest of a school founder.
Domino is the former general manager of the Double-A Reading Phillies. Parnell is the former GM of the Double-A Altoona Curve. The franchises, both in Pennsylvania, were very successful under their leadership.
"They set the standard for what happens in minor-league baseball and the amusement," said Gary Green, part of the franchise's ownership group. "They set the standard, and everybody else follows. This is about fun. Minor-league baseball is anything but conventional."
According to Domino, each of the finalists had some support among the group that eventually agreed on Flying Squirrels. He added that Flying Squirrels received sufficient support in online voting for finalists "to affirm our decision."
Gauging merchandising potential was a part of the decision-making process, and yesterday Domino already was considering the possibilities of squirrel tails, squirrel nests and other squirrelly links. A team store will replace the restaurant at The Diamond.
The team logo will be ready by the end of next month. The franchise's new Web site is SquirrelsBaseball.com
"Let me be the first one to say: 'Let's go nuts!'" Bill Papierniak said.
Flying Squirrels, chosen by franchise owners and manage ment, was among more than 6,000 submissions in a name-the-team contest.
Flying Squirrels was the submission of Prince George County's Brad Mead. He won two season tickets for life, a jacket and a cap.
Mead's picture will appear in the 2010 program. He was unable to attend yesterday's announcement at the Richmond Times-Dispatch's headquarters downtown and was represented by his mother, Donna Nelson, and stepfather, Kyle.
Mead, a 30-year-old graduate of James Madison University, works as a magistrate in Hopewell. He is a fan of the Boston Red Sox and said he didn't attend many games at The Diamond after his 1997 graduation from Prince George High School.
Regarding his suggestion of Flying Squirrels, Mead said he considered the trend toward odd nicknames among minor-league teams and tried to come up with one that was "goofy or crazy."
To Chuck Domino, the club's chief executive manager, Flying Squirrels stood out because it is highly unusual. He heard from those who pushed hard for Rapids, Rebels, Virginians and other conservative options.
"Just didn't have the pizzazz," Domino said.
The Flying Squirrels name fits the approach that Domino and Todd Parnell, the Squirrels' vice president and chief operating officer, intend to take with the Double-A team of the San Francisco Giants.
Domino noted that the circus atmosphere at games is the job of franchise management; the Giants will handle the baseball. Games start April 15 at The Diamond.
The team is relocating from Connecticut, where it was known as the Defenders.
Domino acknowledged that the choice of Flying Squirrels -- which beat finalists Rock Hoppers, Rhinos, Flatheads and Hush Puppies -- probably would not receive immediate approval from Richmond-area residents.
"It's going to be rough. We're going to have to put on our seat belts," he said. "But we promised Richmond that we were going to be different, and I think this makes a statement that we are going to be different."
The Division III teams at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton are called the Fighting Squirrels.
"People think our name is funny, but we've also gotten a lot of good press because of it," said Sharon Spalding, the school's athletic director.
Mary Baldwin's nickname comes from the central figure in the crest of a school founder.
Domino is the former general manager of the Double-A Reading Phillies. Parnell is the former GM of the Double-A Altoona Curve. The franchises, both in Pennsylvania, were very successful under their leadership.
"They set the standard for what happens in minor-league baseball and the amusement," said Gary Green, part of the franchise's ownership group. "They set the standard, and everybody else follows. This is about fun. Minor-league baseball is anything but conventional."
According to Domino, each of the finalists had some support among the group that eventually agreed on Flying Squirrels. He added that Flying Squirrels received sufficient support in online voting for finalists "to affirm our decision."
Gauging merchandising potential was a part of the decision-making process, and yesterday Domino already was considering the possibilities of squirrel tails, squirrel nests and other squirrelly links. A team store will replace the restaurant at The Diamond.
The team logo will be ready by the end of next month. The franchise's new Web site is SquirrelsBaseball.com
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Flying Squirrels soar into Richmond
Gliding rodents have prevailed.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Richmond Pro Baseball announced that the name of the city's new Eastern League team will be the Flying Squirrels. The moniker was one of six finalists chosen in a name-the-team contest which drew over 15,000 submissions.
The Flying Squirrels, San Francisco's Double-A affiliate, relocated from Norwich, Conn. (where they played as the Connecticut Defenders).
The club will play in The Diamond, which housed the International League's Richmond Braves until that team moved to Gwinnett County, Ga., following the 2008 campaign.
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. The latter entry was a late "Wild Card" addition to the contest, chosen by CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell after he solicited name suggestions on his blog. An additional contender, Hambones, was removed from consideration earlier this week after the NAACP pointed out that "hambone" is the name of a foot-stomping minstrel show dance (the club had chosen it as a finalist in homage to Virginia ham).
"We are thrilled with the passion that selecting the name of the team has ignited within the community," said Richmond Professional Baseball chief executive manager Chuck Domino in a press release. "We have promised the baseball fans of Richmond a truly unique brand of fun. Out of all the tremendous entries we received, we believe the Flying Squirrels moniker provides the best representation of that brand, while giving us unlimited avenues to creatively explore the identity of this team."
In attendance at the press conference were Jason Klein and Casey White of Plan B Branding, who outlined the team's strategy in regards to the creation of a logo and branding strategy (The logo will be unveiled at a later date). Brad Mead, the fan who submitted "Flying Squirrels" in the name-the-team contest, was unable to attend. However, Mead's mother and step-father accepted the prize of two life-time season tickets on his behalf.
Speculation over the team name had been a hot topic of conversation in Richmond since the finalists were announced last week. 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. "We will never shy away from getting people to talk, and having an opinion, so we haven't taken offense. Whether people are saying things that are good or bad, it's all good because they are talking about Richmond baseball as a family again. And, at the end of the day, who's going to turn away from fun?"
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Richmond Pro Baseball announced that the name of the city's new Eastern League team will be the Flying Squirrels. The moniker was one of six finalists chosen in a name-the-team contest which drew over 15,000 submissions.
The Flying Squirrels, San Francisco's Double-A affiliate, relocated from Norwich, Conn. (where they played as the Connecticut Defenders).
The club will play in The Diamond, which housed the International League's Richmond Braves until that team moved to Gwinnett County, Ga., following the 2008 campaign.
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. The latter entry was a late "Wild Card" addition to the contest, chosen by CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell after he solicited name suggestions on his blog. An additional contender, Hambones, was removed from consideration earlier this week after the NAACP pointed out that "hambone" is the name of a foot-stomping minstrel show dance (the club had chosen it as a finalist in homage to Virginia ham).
"We are thrilled with the passion that selecting the name of the team has ignited within the community," said Richmond Professional Baseball chief executive manager Chuck Domino in a press release. "We have promised the baseball fans of Richmond a truly unique brand of fun. Out of all the tremendous entries we received, we believe the Flying Squirrels moniker provides the best representation of that brand, while giving us unlimited avenues to creatively explore the identity of this team."
In attendance at the press conference were Jason Klein and Casey White of Plan B Branding, who outlined the team's strategy in regards to the creation of a logo and branding strategy (The logo will be unveiled at a later date). Brad Mead, the fan who submitted "Flying Squirrels" in the name-the-team contest, was unable to attend. However, Mead's mother and step-father accepted the prize of two life-time season tickets on his behalf.
Speculation over the team name had been a hot topic of conversation in Richmond since the finalists were announced last week. 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. "We will never shy away from getting people to talk, and having an opinion, so we haven't taken offense. Whether people are saying things that are good or bad, it's all good because they are talking about Richmond baseball as a family again. And, at the end of the day, who's going to turn away from fun?"
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