Speaking of Fort Wayne

Hat tip to Baseball in Fort Wayne for the following news items regarding the potential name change for the Wizards.
New name could be revealed Thursday

Thursday? That's.......Today!?!?!?!

Wizards get a new name

The announcement is going to be made at 10:00am CDT. That link above goes to WANE-TV and includes a list of 10 rejected names.

10: Fort Wayne Newtons
9: Fort Wayne Dudes
8: Fort Wayne Weiner Dogs
7: Fort Knocks
6: Fort Wayne Fashizzle
5: iWiz
4: Fort Wayne Mighty Gherkins
3: Fort Wayne.ComPadres
2: Harrison SquarePants
1: Hoosier Daddies

Thank, Gehrig that these names were rejected. Although: Dudes, Let's Go...Dudes! would have made an interesting cheer.

Fashizzle, Daddies?

Reaction in Fort Wayne (Kind of)

Naming rights for the new ballpark in Fort Wayne -- much like the new ballpark in Fort Wayne -- have drawn reactions.

Who gets the first say?

A prominent consumer advocate doubts the community benefit of a non-profit health system buying naming rights to a stadium.

Parkview Health will spend $300,000 annually over 10 years for the privilege to call the home of Fort Wayne’s minor league baseball team Parkview Field.

“There have to be better things to spend $3 million on than that,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, deputy director for the Health Research Group at national consumer group Public Citizen. The money would be better spent on unmet medical needs, he said.

Lurie described Parkview’s plans to offer outreach programs such as blood drives and other health screenings as window dressing. At least advertising through other media, such as print and TV, conveys information about services being provided; this just promotes name recognition, he said.

Yep, advertising to fans at a baseball game will do nothing to convey ''information about services being provided''. Those fans are just "window dressing". Being fair here, the gentleman quoted above is not quoted as saying "window dressing" by the writer. It just seems that way. But, that won't keep me from using that phrase later in this post.

One other thing. I'm just a baseball announcer, but Dr. Lurie is based in Washington, D.C. Is he a Fort Wayne native? Does he know the ins and outs of the Fort Wayne market? Is he familiar with this particular project in Fort Wayne? I don't know.

But, popping his name and Public Citizen in a google search brings up a lot of national issues and -- at least on the first few pages -- nothing specific to Fort Wayne. Something that I just find...interesting.

Who else do we have?

The president of Fort Wayne-based Neighborhood Health Clinics Inc., a Fort-Wayne based non-profit clinic, didn’t fault Parkview for affixing its name to a baseball field. Parkview contributes funding to Neighborhood Health.

Given the size of the organization and the amount it spends on advertising, Mary Haupert said, it’s appropriate for the organization to take this step to raise its profile.

That's it? No quote from Ms. Haupert in the story? Probably couldn't come up with anything snappy like "window dressing" in her quote.

Parkview and the soon-to-be-renamed Fort Wayne Wizards will collaborate on numerous health-related initiatives at Parkview Field, the hospital said.

That includes health and fitness education and activities; blood drives; cholesterol, blood pressure and other health screenings; tobacco cessation; trauma prevention; and bicycle safety and other safety education programs, as well as promoting healthy food choices developed by Parkview nutritionists and the Parkview Heart Institute.

“We want to help ensure that Harrison Square is successful and serves as a springboard for future projects,” Perlich said. “This will result in a stronger economy and a stronger health system.”

But, don't you see! That is all "window dressing". Better to just slap the name on the stadium and we'll see you in ten years.

“If they’re expecting to get revenues out of this, I would think they’re going to be disappointed,” said Daniel McQuiston, marketing professor at Butler University.

Given the details of the deal, McQuiston perceived the move to be more public relations than advertising. Insofar as it will provide funding for the team and capital improvements, he thought it noble – something that could increase good will among the community.

It could raise Parkview’s profile, he said.

Are they expecting to get revenues out of this? Going back to the original story I found this...

Mike Packnett, Parkview Health's president and CEO, said as northeast Indiana's largest employer, it is important for his company to be involved with a project he believes is critical to the area's future.

"I don't know of a more vital project for downtown Fort Wayne, the city of Fort Wayne and the entire region," he said of Harrison Square. "This must be a success."

and this

Packnett said he understood that he might get some criticism for spending money on a downtown ballpark. But he said the investment fits the corporation's goals of being a good health provider and of being a good corporate partner. He said he hoped the project would spur other investment in the area, which is important for health care.

"We know we can only be a strong health system when we have a strong economy," he said.

He also added the stadium would be a unique way to market Parkview's services to a "captive audience" of thousands of people each year.

and this

As part of the deal with Parkview, the corporation will get an appointment to the advisory board that oversees the stadium's operations and appropriates money from the maintenance fund. The other five members are a Hardball representative, an appointee from the Grand Wayne Center, an appointee from the Downtown Improvement District, the city controller and an appointment from the convention and visitors bureau.

Okay, there is one sentence in their about marketing their services to a "captive audience". The rest is about making the project a success and being a good corporate citizen within the community. I must have skipped those days in my marketing classes in favor of Happy Hour at Orville T's.

A day in the Parkview

Naming rights for the new Fort Wayne Ballpark at Harrison Square have been sold.

Parkview Field will be the home of Fort Wayne's baseball team when it opens next season.

Team owners, city officials and Parkview executives Thursday announced that the non-profit health corporation bought the naming rights for Harrison Square's baseball stadium. The deal is for $3 million over 10 years.

Mike Packnett, Parkview Health's president and CEO, said as northeast Indiana's largest employer, it is important for his company to be involved with a project he believes is critical to the area's future.

"I don't know of a more vital project for downtown Fort Wayne, the city of Fort Wayne and the entire region," he said of Harrison Square. "This must be a success."

There was also this:

Packnett said the health provider will have a large presence in the stadium. It could provide blood pressure and other health screenings at the stadium, and would staff the first-aid station and provide a nursing room.

Packnett said his nutritionists and dieticians would also be working with ballpark concessionaires to help provide healthy choices for food and drink.

People craving nachos and a beer need not worry.

"We will have some unhealthy food," Freier said.

Thank, God!

Now to the really important thing...No, not the visiting radio booth. What is the team going to be called?

Freier said construction is on schedule for the stadium and sod is expected to be laid sometime this month. He said the new name of the team, which has been called the Wizards, should be announced by early October.

So, two weeks, then?

A win for Dinger

This was the picture from Midwest League action that grabbed my attention last night.

You know how the Mascots always lose to the kid...Dinger the Dragon has continued that streak of Washington General proportions. But, with last night being the last night at Memorial Stadium in Fort Wayne and with the club retiring the Wizards nickname. Dinger finally won one and he did it against a blast from the past.

Arm in arm, Dinger the Dragon and Wayne the Wizard touch home plate in the mascot race Thursday. It was Dinger's first and last career win.

Technically wouldn't that make it a tie? Nevertheless, a nice moment which proves that Wizards and Dragons can get along.

PHOTO CREDIT: Samuel Hoffman - The Journal Gazette

Getting all Memorial in Fort Wayne

The Fort Wayne Wizards are getting ready to say good-bye to Memorial Stadium and to the nickname Wizards. The Journal-Gazette had a few articles yesterday to do the former. Ben Smith really needs to tell us how he feels.

Diamond in the rough

So what can we say now about Memorial Stadium, other than goodbye?

...

And so here is the truth: It was the Taj Mahal of baseball stadiums, except for the Taj Mahal part.

This isn't even the best section. This is...

To be honest, its history is not that historic and its aesthetics less than aesthetic, so let's set aside the poetry. It doesn't work here, frankly. "The Castle" might have been its kinda-sorta nickname, but the Big Concrete Slab probably fit better.

Or maybe it's really this:

...what a ballpark is or was or will be has nothing to do with architecture. People make it what it is. People give it whatever life or loveliness it has, even if it's a place as devoid of external romance as Memorial Stadium.

Or, for the big finish, this story from Opening Night of Memorial Stadium on April 19, 1993:

I spent part of the game sitting next to an 82-year-old man named Red Braden, who's been gone almost a decade now. Sixty-five years before, back in the 1920s, he'd gone door-to-door with a petition, trying to get a baseball stadium built. He failed.

Ah, but on this night

The lights came up, the players trotted to their positions across the green, green grass, and stooped, careworn Red Braden became a child again.

"All of a sudden, I'm seein' what I was " he began.

Then he gestured wordlessly around the place, at the lights, the ballplayers, the fans, the stadium itself.

The Taj Mahal of ballparks?

Memorial Stadium wasn't that then and never would be. But for one moment, on one cold night, it was all the Taj Mahal one man would ever need.

How About an All-Time Wizards Team? Right here

In honor of the final days of Memorial Stadium, the Wizards, in conjunction with The Journal Gazette, have announced their all-time team. Sixty-eight players who have played in Fort Wayne eventually reached the majors. The list includes current White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Corey Koskie and current Royal Joakim Soria, who pitched in this year’s All-Star game.

You're going to have to follow that link to get the list.

What about top moments? Right here.

April 24, 1994: Alex Rodriguez, playing for the Appleton (Wis.) Foxes, smacks the first home run of his professional career.

Click for the rest.

While there is video posting going on...

Here is the flyby video of the Elfstrom Stadium expansion for 2009

Here is the flyby video of Harrison Square in Fort Wayne.

Impressive. I await the video of the visiting radio booth.

View from the Press Box

A last look from Memorial Stadium

Trim, fit, rich, and

back for round two.

Round 2 to rename local team begins

The [Wizards] began a second round of fan voting Friday, asking for input to choose a new name from four categories.

“We didn’t think the play right now was to go out with ‘Here’s 20 names we think a lot of, rank them,’ ” [Fort Wayne GM Mike] Nutter said. “All would get beat up, all would split the vote. It would be a little different.”

Fans are asked to rank the following four categories:

• Fort Wayne icons and/or prominent historical people

• Fort Wayne geography (Three Rivers, Summit, etc)

• Fort Wayne’s history as a center of innovation and invention

• The “Old Fort” or similar military theme

The voting runs through Thursday at HarrisonSquareFortWayne.com.

That is a little different.

Catching up with...

The Fort Wayne Wizards.

July 1:
Wizards get 2,574 name ideas

More than 2,500 team names were submitted in the Fort Wayne Wizards “Re-Name the Team” contest, and hundreds of them were received on Monday, the final day, according to an announcement from the team.

Ballpark top beam in place

With shouts of “Play Ball!” from two construction workers, the final major piece of steel was fastened in the downtown Harrison Square ballpark.

Dozens of dignitaries, contractors and fans lined up to autograph the final 20-foot steel beam Tuesday morning before it was raised and locked in place.

The “topping off” ceremony signifies the completion of a project’s major steel work, and developers said people should soon begin seeing the ballpark take shape.

Opinions on names

Two papers in Fort Wayne have takes on the potential new name of the Wizards.

Here is the News-Sentinel take...in a column. Be prepared.

Why change-o your presto, Wizards?

They're considering a new name for the Fort Wayne Wizards when they move to Harrison Square, and I already have a few favorites:

♦Fort Wayne Questionable Investments.

♦Fort Wayne Downtown Revitalizers.

♦Fort Wayne Empty Condos.

Sorry. I had to get my sarcasm out of the way right off the bat, so to speak.

That was sarcasm? I couldn't tell.

Anyway, another history lesson:

When Fort Wayne landed the baseball franchise from Kenosha, Wis., in 1992, a contest to name the team settled on five finalists: Wizards, Kekiongas, Sandbaggers, Cavalry and Summit City Pioneers.

The only one worth revisiting is the Kekiongas, because that was the city's first known pro baseball team in 1871. In fact, the Wizards wore throw-back jerseys with “Kekiongas” across the chest occasionally in the 1990s. However, naming a team with an Indian association might be a tough sell in politically correct times. It would be done as a tribute, but designing the mascot would be impossible.

Interesting.

Here is the Journal Gazette...in a column.

History can provide new team name

Three names that probably won’t make the cut as the Fort Wayne Wizards look for a new handle to go with their new Harrison Square digs:

• The Failures (As in, “Harrison Square will be a failure”).

• The Doom (As in, “Harrison Square is doomed”).

• The Nattering Nabobs of Negativism (An oldie but goody, hauled out of Spiro Agnew’s closet to honor the constituency that thinks Harrison Square is a doomed failure).

• Is there a limit
• of three
  
• bullet points to each column?

None of those is my pick, though. My pick is this: The Runaways.

It is, of course, a tip of the cap to Josiah Harmar, who ran away during the Battle of Kekionga in October 1790. And before you scoff, let me point out why this is not the worst nickname ever:

• The worst nickname ever was the Peoria Prancers, a one-time IHL franchise whose mascot, if I recall correctly, was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or some reasonable facsimile.

• “Runaways” is historical.

• It would create puzzlement and confusion among opponents.

• Did I mention it was historical?

• I guess
• that the bullet points
• are limited by
  
• the amount of sarcasm
• that each writer
• needs to
  
• get out of his/her system
• I guess
  

Wither the Wizards

It was rumored and hinted at. Now it is for real.

Wizards Looking for New Name

The Fort Wayne Wizards may not be the Wizards for long. Wizards officials have announced that when the team moves to the new ballpark at Harrison Square in April, they may do so with a new name. And fans will have the opportunity to throw their suggestions into the mix.

Beginning Sunday fans can log on to www.harrisonsquarefortwayne.com and suggest team names. The team may adopt your idea as the new moniker next season.

Check out that website, by the way.

What does a certain Fort Wayne baseball blogger think?

I’ve written previously about what the Harrison Square development potentially means for the future of Minor League Baseball in Fort Wayne. It could mean many changes, from parent club to Minor League level. While most of that is still in the air, it now appears very likely that 2008 will be the last season for the Fort Wayne Wizards.

The first link in the excerpt is worth the click through to an earlier post of Chad's.

Knowing next to nothing about I'll suggest Daisies. Well, maybe not.

A follow up from Fort Wayne

Chad from Baseball in Fort Wayne checked in with a comment on the post about Fort Wayne below.

He goes much deeper into the issue of a potential name change (among other things) for the Fort Wayne franchise in his post titled: What Does Harrison Square Mean for the Wizards' Future

In 1993, the Wizards came to Fort Wayne and Wayne the Wizard was Grand Marshall of the metaphoric parade. Years later, when General Sports purchased the team, they sent Wayne into virtual retirement where he has been a miserly hermit. He’s lost a step or two in his dance moves, but he is still seen from time to time on special occasions. In his place, Dinger the Dragon appeared and has been the mascot mainstay since that time.

As pointed out by WhatsGoingDown(Town), the mascot and the team name have very little linking to local affinity. I suggested they name Dinger “Mad Anthony” when General Sports held a suggestion contest, but apparently, the NBADL liked it better.

Also of note at the post is Chad answering questions about potential league and level changes. Short story. It is much more likely for the Wizards to change their name than to change league or levels.

Looking in on the Wizards

I'm reading this story and started going, 'Huh?'

The closing of The Castle this year could also signal the end of the Fort Wayne Wizard.

Moving the city’s professional baseball team downtown could also mean a change in its mascot and its nickname.

Jason Freier, CEO of Hardball Capital, the Wizards’ owner, said several people have suggested a name change to him as the team prepares to move into a new stadium.

Why would you want to change nicknames with a new stadium?...wrote the radio announcer of the team no longer called the Appleton Foxes who no longer play at Goodland Field.

Remember, the condos that are supposed to be part of the new stadium project?

The message to the City Council last week was crystal clear: The downtown Harrison Square condominiums will be built.

But while developers can promise to construct the building, there is no guarantee people will buy condominiums, live in them and make downtown Fort Wayne the place to be.

As of last week, only five of The Harrison’s 62 condominiums had been bought, and a host of factors – both national and local – makes it difficult to fill the luxury-living complex. The building has not begun construction and must be substantially complete by June 1, 2009, according to the contract with the city.

Go figure. No guarantees. A lot of details on the project at the link.

And, look! Actual on-field notebook.

Ray Stokes lasted three at-bats as a Fort Wayne Wizard in 2007. Actually, it wasn't even a full three at-bats.

Stokes broke his wrist in a July 15 game while checking his swing. It was his first and only appearance as a Wizard after a promotion from Class-A short season Eugene (Oregon).

“I don't even think the plane cooled down yet,” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said.

Stokes began his second stint as a Wizard when he was promoted on Thursday from extended spring training in Arizona. He was in Friday night's lineup as the designated hitter and went 1-for-3 and scored a run.

“I was a little nervous,” Stokes admitted.

Also, Stevie Delabar was released by the Padres and a few other players were moved to the DL as part of the player moves.

The Return of the Five-Man Rotation

Remember this post from early in the season?

This is the key part:
If there is one Midwest League beat writer who knows about the piggyback pitching system, that beat writer would be Marc Katz of the Dayton Daily News. So, he was ready when Fort Wayne brought that system to town this week.

At least for now, Fort Wayne manager Doug Dascenzo is all for the piggyback pitching system parent San Diego has installed for his team.

He gave all the same reasons the Reds used when they forced their lower minor league teams into harsh pitch counts while alternating starters with relievers.

The system requires eight pitchers who can start games. At Fort Wayne, pitchers are allowed only 60 pitches before being replaced.

When it was pointed out not every team has eight pitchers good enough to make the system work, Dascenzo said, "We have eight pitchers."

How's it working so far? Entering Wednesday night's (April 9) game, the Wizards were 1-5 with a team ERA of 5.40, 12th in the 14-team Class A Midwest League.

Well, the Wizards have scrapped the tandem.

Thirty-eight games into the season, Fort Wayne abandoned its handcuffed eight-man starting pitching rotation in favor of the standard five-man rotation featured at the major league level.

“We've been kind of kicking it around a little bit and felt like a good time to start was (Thursday),” Wizards manager Doug Dascenzo said. “We're excited about doing that.”

The official decision came from the front office of Fort Wayne's Major League affiliate San Diego Padres. Vice President of Scouting and Player Development Grady Fuson and minor league pitching coordinator Mike Couchee coincided with Dascenzo to make the choice.

“They felt it was time to go the five-man,” Wizards pitching coordinator Tom Bradley said. “The guys did a real good job with the eight-man, so they just decided to make the switch. We weren't going to do the eight-man the entire year.”

How did that whole piggyback thing work out for the Wizards?

Fort Wayne ranks last in earned run average (4.41), hits (354), runs and earned runs (185-160) and second in home runs allowed (29). But the strategy behind the eight-man rotation was to keep pitch counts low, meaning pitchers focused on pitching for contact (i.e., more hits against) rather than trying to make batters chase pitches out of the strike zone, as evidenced by the Wizards' league-low 91 walks.

Haven't done this in awhile

The next few posts are to take a look around the rest of the MWL and some of the other things going on in Minor League Baseball. Starting with the Fort Wayne Wizards and their webcam of construction at the new Harrison Square ballpark.

Whatever you do, do not, repeat not, click on the time lapse feature and count how many times the snow melted and returned in one time through the show.

Just DO......NOT. You've been warned.

This is the end

...of this chapter in Fort Wayne Wizard baseball. Last Thursday was the last opening day at Memorial Stadium. They are moving into the downtown Harrison Square stadium next season. Here are the feelings of Wizard fans.

The positive:

Al Fry, avid follower and season-ticket holder since the Wizards first took to the field in 1993, said the night brought back a lot of memories.

“We waited for years for (baseball) to come to Fort Wayne,” he said.

Fry, who has been to every Major League Baseball stadium in the country, is looking forward to the new Wizards stadium downtown, though he thinks parking and traffic might pose problems when the Clinton Street bridge closes for construction in 2010.

Kristi King, Fry’s daughter, who described herself as a “fair-weather fan,” said she thinks the move will be a positive thing for the team and the city.

“I’m excited about the move downtown,” King said. “I think it’ll be cool. Hopefully it will boost business downtown.”

The not so positive:

Pat Metzler, also a season-ticket holder, said he’ll remain a Wizards fan no matter what. But with the stadium move, he may not remain a season-ticket holder.

“Being a fan is not my problem,” he said. “Getting there and parking is my problem. I probably won’t stay with this if I can’t find parking.”

The....

Rick Vance, who attended the opener with his three children, Miranda, Breanna and Korban, said they probably won’t attend nearly as many games after the Wizards make the move.

“Personally, I think it’s a little bit sad,” he said. “There just isn’t anything to do downtown.”

Yeah. If only Fort Wayne would have some large stadium downtown in which a sporting event could take place. No, not one sporting event...70 sporting events...during the spring and summer months. If only there would be something like that, then there would be something to do downtown...That'd be great.

Other teams' rosters

Some of the other Midwest League rosters have been trickling in:

Like Burlington:

The roster is highlighted by shortstop Mike Moustakas, who was taken second overall by the Royals in the 2007 amateur entry draft. The roster also includes three players who spent time with the Bees during the 2007 season.

Entire roster of the Bees.

Like Cedar Rapids:

The 2008 Cedar Rapids Kernels have broken Spring Training camp and are on their way to Cedar Rapids! The 25-player roster includes two of the LA Angels Top 10 Prospects, as ranked by Baseball America, in RHP Jordan Walden (#3) and C Anel De Los Santos (#10).

The roster includes three members of the 2007 MWL playoff team as C Cody Collet, RHP Sammy Leon, and OF Tyler Johnson return to Cedar Rapids.

Entire roster of the Kernels.

Like Dayton:

Shortstop Todd Frazier and third baseman Brandon Waring headline the roster. Frazier, selected in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, was chosen as the top prospect in the Pioneer League with Billings last summer after signing with the Reds. He hit 22 home runs last spring at Rutgers University to rank fourth in the country.

Waring hit 27 home runs at Wofford College to rank second among all NCAA Division I players. After signing with the Reds, he hit another 20 homers at Billings to lead the Pioneer League and all short-season professional leagues.

Entire roster of the Dragons.

Like Fort Wayne:

Seven players who appeared with Fort Wayne last season will open the year with the Wizards and 16 players who were drafted by the Padres organization last summer will be a part of the club.

The outfield is led by Luis Durango, who won the Arizona League batting title in 2006 and the Northwest League batting title last season. Durango was also named the 2007 Topps Northwest League Player of the Year, hitting .367 with a league-best 110 hits and eight triples.

Also leading the outfield will be Brad Chalk, a second round pick from Clemson. He split the 2007 season between Peoria and Eugene, hitting a combined .276 in 34 games.

Entire roster of the Wizards.

Like Great Lakes:

Pitchers Steven Johnson, Thomas Melgarejo, Miguel Ramirez, Miguel Sanfler and Kyle Smit; catcher Kenley Jansen; infielders Brian Mathews and Preston Mattingly; and outfielder Scott Van Slyke all played for the Loons during the 2007 inaugural season.

The six players on the Loons’ roster ranked in Baseball America’s Top 30 prospect list in the Dodgers’ organization are: third baseman Pedro Baez (10), pitcher Bryan Morris (12), outfielder Andrew Lambo (14), pitcher Justin Miller (22), second baseman Mattingly (28) and pitcher Geison Aguasviva (30).

Entire roster of the Loooooooooons (as a PDF).