51s could serve as interesting case study
It seems we have put the whole build-it-and-they-will-come theory on a permanent hiatus, because the odds of a new ballpark being raised for the 51s any time soon probably rivals that of Oscar Goodman giving up the hard stuff for good.
But if not lavish digs with all modern-day amenities that draw people from their couch to the car and into a beer line, what convinces anyone to make the effort?
How much do relationships between those watching and those playing matter at this level of professional baseball?
As the crow flies, as long as the crow doesn’t dart off course in search of more grasshoppers, the distance between Las Vegas and Toronto is 1,956 miles. This is the second season in a two-year player development contract between Las Vegas and the Blue Jays, a pact made out of necessity for both sides.
They needed each other because, well, no one wanted either.
Connections between fans and minor league players can be tight, certainly not always to the intimate level of Annie Savoy and Crash Davis, but in a way that those who pay to view young talent today develop an admiration for certain players they then follow throughout a major league career.
It was easier for such bonds to develop when the 51s were affiliated with the Padres and Dodgers. Proximity helped. Even when players were promoted, they didn’t go far.
"You know, I think we have a core group of fans that support us no matter who is wearing the Las Vegas uniform," 51s president Don Logan said. "But when every Dodgers and Padres game is on television in your market, people are going to have a fondness for them. The Iowa Cubs are coming here in a few weeks, and we’ll have a lot of fans for Iowa. The Cubs are the Cubs.
"But by and large, I think fans are ambivalent to the affiliation. How a team plays, even though people might not admit it, matters. We haven’t been in the hunt (for a championship) since 2002. It has been some time. I think that matters.
"If a couple guys are sitting around wondering what to do on a Thursday night and are huge Padres or Dodgers fans and we are the affiliate of either, it’s a little easier for them to decide to come on out. That’s just common sense."
It was tough last season. The 51s seemed to be out of the race a few minutes after Opening Day ceremonies commenced. Nobody was that excited about the Blue Jays and their prospects being here from the outset. The economy was drowning at an atrocious rate. The average attendance was its lowest in four seasons. There was talk of changing the nickname and logo. Cashman Field turned 27, which means it seemed 107.
If not for the comforting sight of play-by-play man Russ Langer tossing Cracker Jack to fans during the seventh-inning stretch, things would have been really desperate.
But this year’s team has a chance to be an interesting case study. It is good enough to contend all season. It owns names (Brett Wallace, Brian Dopirak, Jeremy Reed, J.P. Arencibia, Brad Mills) that have been or will be at the next level sooner than later. August could arrive and games might still matter for a team that through 13 home dates this season is averaging 4,129 fans.
"When we walk out there, we want to put a winner on the field and have a good attitude coming from the stands," 51s manager Dan Rohn said. "It’s about development — developing winners, not losers who go out there and play like crap. We need to play with intensity, and it helps when you have great crowds at home. It’s tough enough taking abuse 72 games a year on the road.
"People need to support who we are. We’re the Las Vegas 51s. We’re not the Toronto Blue Jays or Los Angeles Dodgers. A local fan base should be able to support their team and have fun getting to know these kids and understanding them."
Arencibia is one. The catcher was born and raised in Miami and knew as much about the Blue Jays growing up as he did about shoveling snow in the winter. But he’s one step from the ultimate step, here to do whatever it takes to make it.
Along the way, he wouldn’t mind remembering Las Vegas for more than its nightlife.
"Obviously, our focus is on where we want to go," Arencibia said. "But (fan support) shouldn’t be about the organization. It should be about watching young guys who are the future and some who have already been in the big leagues."
All things considered, this season will test such a theory.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618.
