More on our Double-A cousins

Ballparkdigest.com provided the link to this Friday story about the community committee for the support of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, the new Double-A affiliate of the Mariners.

City, Jaxx team up to put the fun back in baseball
The city of Jackson and the Diamond Jaxx say they are working with a renewed spirit of cooperation to improve attendance at Jaxx games this season.
A meeting Thursday morning at City Hall drew 26 local businessmen, city officials, media representatives and Jaxx personnel to discuss ideas on how to restore community support for the Double-A baseball franchise. Committees are being formed, and a second meeting is scheduled for Jan. 18.
"I feel like I did in 2003 again," Jaxx Vice President David Lozinak said after the meeting, which lasted nearly two hours. "Everyone is taking a positive approach to making this work in Jackson. Hopefully, all the negativity surrounding the battle between the city and (former Jaxx President) David Hersh is a thing of the past, and we can move forward. It really is refreshing."
Okay. How does city government feel about this?

Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer, who helped bring minor league baseball to the city in 1998, said he hopes West Tennessee is willing to give the sport another chance at Pringles Park.

"We need to root for the home team and remember what a joy baseball was during its first three years," Farmer said during his opening comments at the meeting. "... We can make baseball good again."

After the meeting, Farmer said this is the first time in the last two years the city and the Jaxx have made a significant effort to work together to improve attendance.

"There have been efforts or discussions to do things before, but there was no enthusiasm behind it for various reasons," Farmer said.

"But the enthusiasm comes from both sides now. ... Obviously, the key is getting people into the stadium."

Paid attendance at Jaxx games exceeded 300,000 each of the first three seasons. Attendance has declined each year since to a low of 95,486 last season.

Ouch. I'm not a big fan of committees, but if the enthusiasm is there and they can get the fans in the park, Jackson will be a fun place for ex-Rattlers to play as they move through the Seattle system.

Here is one idea that was in the "Save the Jaxx" article.

There were several suggestions at the meeting, including having a downtown parade on opening day to help introduce the new baseball personnel from the Seattle Mariners.

I'm trying to picture pitching coach Brad Holman and hitting coach Tommy Cruz in a parade.