Message: 1
Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 22:36:55 -0000
From: "Mike Sopp" <mikesopp@...>
Subject: Erie/Altoona controversy?



I don't know if anyone listened to the Seawolves games the last
couple of nights, but in the middle of two excellent games there was
an annoucement of an article where a former Seawolves player
mentioned that Erie should be a short season team along with a few
other choice comments about the Seawolve franchise and Erie baseball
as a whole.

Todays game was accented by a rather spirited discussion (read bar
room debate) between the writer of the article and the Seawolves
announcer.

There were a few things that came to mind while I listened to the
goings on:

1) kudos to the Altoona writer for even coming on the broadcast to
begin with - he showed a lot of intestinal fortitude and the
willingess to stand behind what he was saying

2) I do not know why the Seawolves announcer was so put out at the
idea of the weather during games in April as being brutal. As
someone who left opening night midway thru the game, who chain drinks
hotchocolate (thank god they arent charging $4 for it anymore) and
sneaks peppers from the consession stand to stay warm, and someone
who has stayed away from games because of the weather, April baseball
in Erie is brutal.

3) But the one point I do not think the Altoona writer got, was why
fault the Seawolves ownership for wanting to make money? They are in
business not to just provide a community service, but actually to
better their bottom line. And if doubling home dates would do that -
then god bless them.

4) The other thing was - it was almost like the writer was blaming
the Erie ownership for going to AA. Forgive my ignorance, but didn't
minor league baseball have something to say in what teams got those
franchises?

I know Erie is not high on the attendance ranks of the Eastern
League, and I have to admit to wondering when the Tigers contract is
over if Erie would end up moving back to a short season team, but I
think the Seawolves management is definately getting the short shrift
here.



This year especially many of the Eastern Leagues have had problems with
spring baseball. The Trenton Thunder lost their first week of the
season on the road to snow at Portland and Norwich. Spring baseball in
Reading was brutal too and I am sure attendance was down this year
compared to last.

Over the 11 seasons I have been a season ticket holder at Reading, I
have seen opening day move from nearer mid-April to very early April.
That extra week or so I tricky in the great Northeast!!

John B. Pfeiffer
Wescosville, PA