The Indians formally announced yesterday that they have severed their player development contract (PDC) with the Buffalo Bison. Although it has not been officially announced, it is expected that the Columbus Clippers will announce shortly that they have severed their player development contract with the Washington Nationals. It will then likely follow that sometime between September 15 and the end of the month that the Clippers management and Cleveland management will hold a gala press conference in Columbus to announce that the Clippers and Cleveland have signed a player development contract for 2009-2010 to coincide with the opening of the new Clippers stadium, Huntington Park, to open in 2009.
The combination of affiliation with the nearby Cleveland Indians, as well as the new park, located next door to Nationwide Arena in the nightspot-laden Arena District, will create a significant spike in attendance. The Clippers’ previous home, Cooper Stadium, is over 70 years old and in a deteriorating urban neighborhood perceived by locals as being unsafe, with nowhere nearby to go before the game for a nice dinner or after the game for a few rounds.
I know that, as a Columbus resident, I will be attending many more Clippers games due to the affiliation and the new stadium. I can say that the Clippers’ past affiliation with the FEDBU has kept me from attending games in the past, as I found it difficult to root for future Yankees.
It is rumored that Toronto is eying moving their AAA affiliate from Syracuse across the Niagara River to Buffalo, a move which would make perfect sense for both franchises. It is also rumored that Syracuse will affiliate with the New York Mets.
Oh, and last night the Indians kicked some White Sox butt again, 9-3, behind a good performance from Fausto Carmona and some actual clutch hitting from the Tribe, who blew the game wide open with five runs in the 7th inning. Oh, and Victor Martinez homered, finally.
In other news, Aaron Laffey has been shut down for the year.
Businessman’s special today at 12:05. Sowers vs. Vaxquez.
