Arkansas Blog

Welcome back, Max. I knew it was just a matter of time before you or the AT would post something along these lines. The jealousy of NLR and its ability to build this new park and replace a failing RWF, which was on the verge of costing LR a team altogether, astounds me.

As for Memphis, why don't you look at the team's records over the last couple of years -- I'll tell you, they've been lousy. While the Cards have been doing well, the minor league teams have suffered through a lack of talent that is just now beginning to right itself. Not to say the Angels won't have the same problem, but they have typically had a deep farm system since the start of the decade.

Yep, that deep Angels farm system really paid off for the Travelers last year with that impressive 51-87 record. And the 71-69 team in 2005 was a regular juggernaut. I think you'd find that those records are, somewhat ironically, nearly identical to those of the Memphis Redbirds over that same span (71-72 in 2005 and 58-86 in 2006). I think a review of the recent records posted by the Travelers reveals that the Angels wonderful farm system is no better than the Cardinals farm system in terms of producing winning teams. When was the last time the Travelers made the playoffs? Not recently, at least by my recollection.

If lousy teams mean bad attendance, as The Pig suggests, Dogtown Park might not be filled for evermore, either.

LMAO

"The jealousy of NLR and its ability to build this new park and replace a failing RWF, which was on the verge of costing LR a team altogether, astounds me. "

I went to that beautiful, tax-payer financed multimillion dollar tribute to the pusuit of mediocrity this morning for the first day game. Surrounded by kiddies in on free passes, I managed to have a good time but not because of the Travs--it was the ever-cool mega-can of Fosters.

3-0

Aples and Oranges boys. Memphis has 80 million in bonds to pay off, Dickey-Stephens has only 5 million in short term debt to pay off. We built Altel Arena with no debt and it makes a profit annually now. Dickey-Stephems only has about 15% of its construction cost financed and will likely make a profit and be debt free within 3-4 years. And they say we aren't that smart in Arkansas. The last laugh is on them. They are still paying on the Pyramid bonds. HA!

"Yep, that deep Angels farm system really paid off for the Travelers last year with that impressive 51-87 record. And the 71-69 team in 2005 was a regular juggernaut. I think you'd find that those records are, somewhat ironically, nearly identical to those of the Memphis Redbirds over that same span (71-72 in 2005 and 58-86 in 2006). I think a review of the recent records posted by the Travelers reveals that the Angels wonderful farm system is no better than the Cardinals farm system in terms of producing winning teams. When was the last time the Travelers made the playoffs? Not recently, at least by my recollection."

If you'd be so kind as to read my post, you'll see I was comparing the organizations as whole. Take a look at 2005's Baseball America and you'll find Anaheim No.1 in all of baseball while the Cardinals were dead last. My point is that the Travs should enjoy better seasons than Memphis should because the Angels are deeper in talent than the Cardinals. Look at the number of farm hands now in Anaheim, many of whom recently passed through Arkansas. Things flow up in baseball. When the parent team draws it's usually from the AAA affiliate, which then has to draw from AA and so on. Arkansas is starting to get some of that flow this season.

And by the way, did anyone even read the CA article? Memphis still leads the PCL in attendance!! But heaven forbid this poor folks who long for the nostalgia of Tim McCarver. Those folks are having the last laugh as Autozone fails.

Get over, LR, you friggin lost. Just be lucky it was only LR that lost, and not the area as a whole, which is what would have happened if the team stayed at RWF.

Sam is right about this being apples and oranges.

Not only does NLR have only $5 million in bond debt as the tax largely paid off the stadium in advance but it has no owners to deal with. The stockholders (owners) of the Travs put their profits back into the park, something that NLR would have to do otherwise.

Thanks to some bright minds years ago that came up with the stockholder arrangement for the Travs and the generosity of NLR taxpayers, Dickey-Stephens is in the best possible long-term financial situation. I would bet there will be surplus funds put back into the stadium in 5-10 years.

"If you'd be so kind as to read my post, you'll see I was comparing the organizations as whole."--Pig

That's fine. I'll admit that the Angels are widely thought to have a superior farm system, but that has not equated to wins, at least not with the Travs. Your original point was that Memphis doesn't draw because the team has generally not been good. My point was that the Travs have been no better, indicating that they might not draw so well, either, once the aura of the new park fades.

I thought I read that Alltel lost money in 2006 - Thanks Buddy and company (nice lighting at you parking lot next door - wink!) Say AT folks, care to remind us how well Alltel has performed vs. what was sold..pls?
W hile these shiny-new cribs looks so fine...rarely do they live up to expection. Batter up!

"Yep, that deep Angels farm system really paid off for the Travelers last year with that impressive 51-87 record. And the 71-69 team in 2005 was a regular juggernaut."

The 2005 Travs lost the Texas League Championship Series, so they were pretty decent. In the last few years,
Ervin Santana, Mike Napoli, Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Reggie Willits, Tommy Murphy, Kendry Morales, Casey Kotchman, Dallas McPherson, Jeff Mathis, Francisco Rodriguez, Jered Weaver, Alberto Callaspo, Joe Saunders, and a few others have went from the Travs to the Angels. The talent is there, including this year.

As far as Memphis goes, I believe this is a problem throughout minor league baseball. Minor league teams try to be more than what they are. If they would be honest with themselves, they would realize they are going to have a core group of a few thousand fans, and anything above that is gravy. Teams expect more, and they should realize they there is not going to be a full house every night, with a few exceptions.

The Travs and the Memphis Redbirds both have great parks, and fans should support them for what they are - a local team that is connected to the larger baseball world.