Author Topic: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg  (Read 12390 times)

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Offline Natsinpwc

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #75: February 18, 2015, 08:08:39 AM »
I am really hoping that once Richmond builds a new ballpark in a few years the Nats AA team moves there.  Currently Richmonds ballpark isn't great.
Why would the Giants want to move their team out if a new stadium is built?  Seems it would take work manuevering with other teams.
Have never been to the stadium in Richmond but would like to get down this year to see a Senators game.

Offline JPC

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #76: February 18, 2015, 08:26:20 AM »
Do you really see that happening?
Yeah I'm sure they'll get one either where the current ballpark stands or downtown, it just may take a little longer.  The most recent news on the situation is the city is trying to get the 3 local counties to help finance the project along with some private investors.  The counties seem to be on board as far as I know, they helped fund the original ballpark. 

I moved down here from Fairfax a couple years ago and have been hoping a new ballpark would lure the Nationals farm team down here.  I go check out a good amount of games at the diamond especially when our guys are in town.

Offline NJ Ave

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #77: February 18, 2015, 10:02:51 AM »
I wish they'd move the Suns to Charlottesville.

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #78: February 18, 2015, 10:06:10 AM »
Why would the Giants want to move their team out if a new stadium is built?  Seems it would take work manuevering with other teams.
Have never been to the stadium in Richmond but would like to get down this year to see a Senators game.

I wonder how much business having a more local parent club would bring? If it's a decent amount, the question is would they upgrade for the Giants, or would they not bother

Offline JPC

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #79: February 18, 2015, 04:55:22 PM »
Why would the Giants want to move their team out if a new stadium is built?  Seems it would take work manuevering with other teams.
Have never been to the stadium in Richmond but would like to get down this year to see a Senators game.
I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult to get the Giants farm system out, from what I understand though the farm clubs tend to sign 2-4 year contracts.  Once the contracts are up they can extend or move on. 

Bringing a Nats farm team to Richmond makes perfect sense though.  It's only 2 hours from DC(on a good day), there are a good amount of fans that could make the short trip down to catch a game, some could get here quicker than DC.  The market supports the flying squirrels no matter who the system is for, but if they could follow the kids careers on up to the big club it would help establish more Nats fans down here.  There are a lot of Braves fans in Richmond because for over a decade they were the Richmond Braves.  The fact that I moved to an area where I'm surrounded by Braves fans drives me crazy.

Offline mitlen

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #80: February 18, 2015, 04:57:20 PM »
I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult to get the Giants farm system out, from what I understand though the farm clubs tend to sign 2-4 year contracts.  Once the contracts are up they can extend or move on. 

Bringing a Nats farm team to Richmond makes perfect sense though.  It's only 2 hours from DC(on a good day), there are a good amount of fans that could make the short trip down to catch a game, some could get here quicker than DC.  The market supports the flying squirrels no matter who the system is for, but if they could follow the kids careers on up to the big club it would help establish more Nats fans down here.  There are a lot of Braves fans in Richmond because for over a decade they were the Richmond Braves.  The fact that I moved to an area where I'm surrounded by Braves fans drives me crazy.

My son and VaRK are there so you're not alone.     One of the pluses is the location of the stadium as well.    Easy on and easy off of I-95.

Offline comish4lif

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #81: February 19, 2015, 06:53:39 AM »
I'm not saying it wouldn't be difficult to get the Giants farm system out, from what I understand though the farm clubs tend to sign 2-4 year contracts.  Once the contracts are up they can extend or move on. 

Bringing a Nats farm team to Richmond makes perfect sense though.  It's only 2 hours from DC(on a good day), there are a good amount of fans that could make the short trip down to catch a game, some could get here quicker than DC.  The market supports the flying squirrels no matter who the system is for, but if they could follow the kids careers on up to the big club it would help establish more Nats fans down here.  There are a lot of Braves fans in Richmond because for over a decade they were the Richmond Braves.  The fact that I moved to an area where I'm surrounded by Braves fans drives me crazy.
I get the impression that the Nats are happy with Harrisburg. Also only 2 hours from DC.

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #82: February 19, 2015, 11:53:05 AM »
I thought Lerner was the one holding back against having the AA team be in Richmond because he somehow thought it split his market... which is ridiculous... as it would only strengthen it.

I used to work for the Flying Squirrels way back when... would have loved them to be the Nats, not the Giants. It's how you build a fan base, really... letting locals see the kids before they become stars is a great idea.

Online varoadking

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #83: February 19, 2015, 11:58:52 AM »
I used to work for the Flying Squirrels way back when...

Way back when?  You mean some time since 2010?   :D

 

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #84: February 19, 2015, 03:08:38 PM »
Richmond should be a Nats affiliate, but it should be AAA.  I suppose there really isn't much of a difference to the giants between having an affiliate in Harrisburg v. Richmond, but Harrisburg already is pretty close to the Nats market and runs a decent franchise.  They will want a presence north and west of the DC area, and if Hagerstown moves, H'burg would be it. The Nats seem to have a good relationship with Syracuse, and they have the AAA franchise while Richmond doesn't, but Syracuse is the odd ball for the Nats system, not Harrisburg.  It's not possible to get a AAA team to Richmond unless some other city loses its AAA franchise or swaps for the Squirrels, but it would be the right move to have Syracuse be a Mets or other NE team affiliate and have Richmond be the Nats AAA affiliate.  There'd be something good to have Charlottesville get Hagerstown, Potomac remain in the area (or F'burg), Harrisburg remain an affiliate, and have Richmond as the AAA affiliate.

Online varoadking

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #85: February 19, 2015, 03:20:12 PM »
Richmond should be a Nats affiliate, but it should be AAA.  I suppose there really isn't much of a difference to the giants between having an affiliate in Harrisburg v. Richmond, but Harrisburg already is pretty close to the Nats market and runs a decent franchise.  They will want a presence north and west of the DC area, and if Hagerstown moves, H'burg would be it. The Nats seem to have a good relationship with Syracuse, and they have the AAA franchise while Richmond doesn't, but Syracuse is the odd ball for the Nats system, not Harrisburg.  It's not possible to get a AAA team to Richmond unless some other city loses its AAA franchise or swaps for the Squirrels, but it would be the right move to have Syracuse be a Mets or other NE team affiliate and have Richmond be the Nats AAA affiliate.  There'd be something good to have Charlottesville get Hagerstown, Potomac remain in the area (or F'burg), Harrisburg remain an affiliate, and have Richmond as the AAA affiliate.

Having Richmond as the Nats AAA affiliate would be great.  I could see 3Kespi all the time then...

Offline mitlen

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #86: February 19, 2015, 03:22:15 PM »
Having Richmond as the Nats AAA affiliate would be great.  I could see 3Kespi all the time then...

He could be a AAA Flying Squirrel in Richmond VA.    Classic "Mothers"   ....

Offline NJ Ave

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #87: February 19, 2015, 03:27:28 PM »
There'd be something good to have Charlottesville get Hagerstown, Potomac remain in the area (or F'burg), Harrisburg remain an affiliate, and have Richmond as the AAA affiliate.

The UVA stadium seems easily nice enough to house a low-A team, but I don't know how well it would work. If you can't sell beer at non-University events held at University venues...THE HORROR.

Pretty nice digs though, and I would LOVE just rolling my UVA men's basketball season tickets directly into Suns season tickets.


Online varoadking

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #88: February 19, 2015, 03:28:01 PM »
He could be a AAA Flying Squirrel in Richmond VA.    Classic "Mothers"   ....

He is something of a squirrel...just needs to master the flyin' part...

Online varoadking

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #89: February 19, 2015, 03:29:28 PM »
The UVA stadium seems easily nice enough to house a low-A team, but I don't know how well it would work. If you can't sell beer at non-University events held at University venues...THE HORROR.


(Image removed from quote.)

I bought beer at the Elton John concert at the John Paul Jones Arena several years ago.  Is the arena off campus?

Offline NJ Ave

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #90: February 19, 2015, 03:31:08 PM »
I bought beer at the Elton John concert at the John Paul Jones Arena several years ago.  Is the arena off campus?

That should answer my question then. No, JPJ is on-campus. You can't buy beer at men's basketball games for example. So it's settled - Charlottesville :)

No rooting interest or anything...

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #91: February 19, 2015, 04:23:26 PM »
I think it's collegiate events only you can't buy beer there.

Offline welch

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #92: April 09, 2015, 12:18:45 PM »
Richmond should be a Nats affiliate, but it should be AAA.  I suppose there really isn't much of a difference to the giants between having an affiliate in Harrisburg v. Richmond, but Harrisburg already is pretty close to the Nats market and runs a decent franchise.  They will want a presence north and west of the DC area, and if Hagerstown moves, H'burg would be it. The Nats seem to have a good relationship with Syracuse, and they have the AAA franchise while Richmond doesn't, but Syracuse is the odd ball for the Nats system, not Harrisburg.  It's not possible to get a AAA team to Richmond unless some other city loses its AAA franchise or swaps for the Squirrels, but it would be the right move to have Syracuse be a Mets or other NE team affiliate and have Richmond be the Nats AAA affiliate.  There'd be something good to have Charlottesville get Hagerstown, Potomac remain in the area (or F'burg), Harrisburg remain an affiliate, and have Richmond as the AAA affiliate.

Mets AAA team is in Las Vegas, for reasons I don't understand. Would make sense if Mets had Syracuse, Nats had Richmond, and the current Richmond franchise moved...San Jose? Sacramento?

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #93: April 09, 2015, 01:16:32 PM »
Mets AAA team is in Las Vegas, for reasons I don't understand. Would make sense if Mets had Syracuse, Nats had Richmond, and the current Richmond franchise moved...San Jose? Sacramento?
sort of a Richmond / Las Vegas swap to put SF's AA team close to them and the Mets AAA nearby as well.  Makes a lot of sense geographically, except Las Vegas is the biggest of the cities. Also, I don't think there is an AA league closer than the Texas League, so I'm not sure what sort of high minors league a Vegas team could be in other than the PCL.

Offline houston-nat

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #94: April 09, 2015, 03:10:44 PM »
The reason the Mets are in Vegas is that nobody wants the Vegas AAA team, so Vegas goes to whichever ballclub fails to sign a deal with some other, better AAA venue elsewhere first. The Mets lost out and got stuck with Vegas.

Offline welch

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #95: April 09, 2015, 11:13:48 PM »
The reason the Mets are in Vegas is that nobody wants the Vegas AAA team, so Vegas goes to whichever ballclub fails to sign a deal with some other, better AAA venue elsewhere first. The Mets lost out and got stuck with Vegas.

Ah, I remember the Tidewater Tides.

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #96: April 10, 2015, 10:59:30 PM »
Tidewater is now the Orioles farmclub.  I thought the Braves left Richmond because the stadium grounds were such poor shape that a AAA team would no longer play there.  The state wouldnt pay for improvement.   It met AA standards so the Squirrels moved in

Offline tswphoto

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #97: April 11, 2015, 07:23:59 AM »
Tidewater is now the Orioles farmclub.  I thought the Braves left Richmond because the stadium grounds were such poor shape that a AAA team would no longer play there.  The state wouldnt pay for improvement.   It met AA standards so the Squirrels moved in

Yes.  It floods.  Also, the Braves' AAA club is now just a few miles up I-85, in the Atlanta 'burbs.

Offline tswphoto

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #98: April 11, 2015, 07:29:14 AM »
I like the Hagerstown park.  No frills, very accessible, good views.  It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the Potomac facility was left behind. 

Offline Clever

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Re: Hagerstown now looking at Fredericksburg
« Reply #99: April 11, 2015, 08:13:03 AM »
I agree. No one should have to go to Virginia to see a baseball game.