Jim Seip: October 2008 Archives

AtlanticLeagueBaseballNews has reported the Newark Bears will fold -- or at least not play in the Atlantic League in 2009 -- creating big issues for a league that has already seen CEO Frank Boulton bail out one team this offseason.

The league may be forced to either bail out Newark or once again use the traveling Road Warriors. (Psst: Jeff Scott keep your resume handy.) The league would then cut its 140-game schedule to 126 games. The smaller schedule allows teams to keep roughly the same number of home dates, because the Road Dogs play all their games on the road.

Boulton purchased the Bridgeport Bluefish earlier this offseason, and revealed he had used $150,000 to keep the Fish in business during the season. The Newark news is not a surprise, the atmosphere/crowds at the park were terrible this season. But the timing could not have been worse.

The York Revolution have opened the closets at The Vault, and will sell game-worn jerseys starting Monday. The team will sell home white, road gray, alternate red, gray batting practice and cream White Roses jerseys.

The cost: $175.

None of the jerseys contain name plates across the back. So if you want No. 2, it could be because Kennard Jones, Tike Redman or Travis Hake wore the uniform. However, some jerseys have already sold out.

The Revolution have already sold out of all Jason Aspito (No. 28) and Kazu Tanaka (No. 9) jerseys, according to Revolution marketing manager Tim Beckwith. And the team only had two Matt Dryer (No. 33) and Keoni DeRenne (No. 7) jerseys by late Thursday afternoon.

ATTENTION: Jerseys will be sold on a "first-call, first-serve" basis. Jerseys will only be sold by contacting Beckwith at 717-801-4486 beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 27. Fans are encouraged to call about jersey availability before Monday.

Three Atlantic League franchises reached the top 50 in attendance in minor league baseball according to Ballpark Digest. The attendance figures included all affiliated and independent teams.

The Long Island Ducks (ranked 29th), Somerset Patriots (ranked 48th) and Lancaster Barnstormers (ranked 50th) were included as some of the top draws in all of minor league baseball in 2008.

The York Revolution ranked 59th, drawing 300,526 fans during its first full season at Sovereign Bank Stadium. Not able to play a home game until June 15 during its inaugural 2007 season, the Revolution showed a year-to-year increase of .37.

Of note: Only one other team in the top 100 -- Monclova of the Mexican League -- matched York's one-year attendance spike.

Atlantic League founder and Long Island Ducks owner Frank Boulton has purchased the Bridgeport Bluefish, according to the Connecticut Post.

The Bluefish ranked last in attendance this season, and according to The Post owed almost $250,000 in rent for the Ballpark at Harbor Yard (pictured above). One of three founding teams still playing in the Atlantic League, Bridgeport may have been saved by Boulton -- at least for now.