While I was in Queens last night watching R.A. Dickey be really awesome, the Newark Bears dropped the opening game of a four-game series to the New Jersey Jackals.
Greg Lane, seen here in a photo from 2011, made his 2012 Newark Bears debut last night. (Photo credit: Paul Hadsall)
The Bears had three new additions to their roster suiting up for the first time in 2012 last night.
- Infielder Mike Richard, Oakland’s 11th round pick in the 2007 draft, started at shortstop and led off, going 1-for-4 in his Newark Bears debut. Richard played for the Jackals and the Rockland Boulders last season, and made it as far as Double-A in affiliated baseball.
- Pitcher Greg Lane made his official Bears’ 2012 debut last night, though he was with the team during spring training and last season. He gave up one hit in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
- Pitcher Mike Petrowski, who played college ball for Rider University and spent time with three Can-Am League teams last season, rounds out the new additions to the Bears’ roster.
Departing the Bears are infielder/DH Courtney Billingslea (.161, 3 HR, 5 RBI in 18 games) and pitchers Sean Campbell (0-4, 11.08 in 5 games) and Rob Swift (0-1, 3.60 in 3 games), who were released.
Paul,
After reading the above, I hope you’ll forgive me for asking…
In your opinion, how can anyone be a fan of a team like the Bears or of a minor league team, maybe and more specifically, an independent minor league team?
I’m not saying that it might not be an enjoyable night out and that there’s a decent chance you’ll see a competitive game with some fairly skilled players. But, with all the turnover, to be an actual fan? Having worked in the business, I don’t see it.
Qualifying the above… The affiliated minors, especially at the lower end, also have a fair amount of turnover. But that’s to be expected. And, more than that, there are players there who will eventually get a shot at “the show” and it’s fun to try to guess who they might be. Matter of fact, not too long ago, I went back to look at an old scorecard from a Brooklyn Cyclones game (July 6, ’08) and, not knowing who they were at the time, were the names of Ike Davis, Kirk Nieuwenheis and Josh Satin. You don’t get that in the indy minors as almost anyone who gets signed by a major league team ends up as a roster filler.
I think it comes down to the time investment you put in. If watch one game a month, I agree, there’s too much roster turnover for anyone to have a chance to become a fan. But that’s kind of true at any level. The Mets have already used 39 different players this season – if you watched one game a month, I don’t think you’d really recognize anyone beyond David Wright, Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey & Daniel Murphy.
When I attended Somerset Patriots games regularly, there were dozens of fans who knew all the players and who could tell you about the big moments in team history. Most of the other teams had enough fans who cared enough to travel – sometimes even organize a bus trip – to see their team on the road. Even the Bears still have a handful of fans who can tell you about the days of the Cansecos and the team’s two Atlantic League championships.
This year’s Bears squad has used 29 players through 30 games. It’s not exactly a stable roster, but I think a team with a 10-20 record should be looking to shake things up.
The 2009 Newark Bears team was another story – they made so many roster moves and used so many players that the Atlantic League broadcasters couldn’t even keep up with it all.
Now we can debate whether investing the time to be a fan of any pro sports team is really a smart decision if you want, but that’s another issue.
Paul,
I was one of those Newark broadcasters you mentioned.
I had Mark Skeels (the team’s GM that 2009 season) on one of the broadcasts late in the season. I brought up player moves and he described what was entailed with sales and when a player’s contract gets sold to an MLB outfit. Then I asked him if he knew how many players had worn a Bears’ uniform. At the time, the number was in the 50s. When he said he wasn’t sure, I told him. And his eyes nearly popped out of his head. I guess he lost track.
Anyway, back to the original subject… Somerset was always a good draw and the Atlantic league features a lot of ex-major leaguers. So, maybe having hung around Newark a bit too long and knowing what I do about minor and major league ball, maybe Somerset has a core group of dedicated fans. Even still, I doubt the number is a large one, at least compared to the Mets and Yankees–maybe a couple hundred, if that.
My contention, however, is that places like Somerset, Rockland and the Jackals draw well because of what they’re selling, baseball being only a part with the ballpark experience (read: a decent family night out at a reasonable cost) probably being the primary.
I would agree that actual fans of minor league & independent league teams are just a part of the picture in filling a ballpark on a nightly basis – but they do exist. Families and groups looking for a fun night at a reasonable cost will make up most of the crowd on any given night.