‘HOME’ GAMES ON THE ROAD? FINANCIALLY UNDERSTANDABLE BUT LOYALTY WISE STRICTLY BUSH
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY LABOR DAY, SEPT. 4, 2011) — THE PLANET was wrong. Jim Gleason, Jeffrey Turner, and everyone else who at this address as commentators never got on board with the Pittsfield Colonials were right. The Colonials critics and the realists about professional baseball in Pittsfield can rub it in as much as they like. THE PLANET will take his beating like a man.
We repeat: They were right. We were wrong. Let us know about it all you want. We won’t fire back.
THE PLANET was played for a fool.
We trusted; we were let down.
We believed; we were laughed at — with a pie thrown in our face for good measure. Humble pie may not taste the best, but it still nourishes if one profits from the unpalatable meal.
‘HOME’ Games on the Road
The Pittsfield Colonials are playing their “home” playoff games on the road, in New Jersey against the Jackals. THE PLANET found out about this on Saturday, during the regular season finale at Wachconah Park, which sharp-eyed readers will notice is not “Beloved” in this post. The reason is money. Teams split playoffs revenues based on attendance.
We sat on the story to let the Boring Broadsheet take it, for two reasons:
(1) THE PLANET heard about this not from the team but from one another source. Guess it was silly for us to expect to be brought in on the decision in advance, even though we had allowed out name and likeness to be used promotionally, billed as “Communications Consultant.”
(2) The BB deserved this story more than we did and would give its due amount of venom.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The reason for this “home” decision is money. In the playoffs, teams split revenues from tickets sold. THE PLANET understands the bottom line as well as anybody, but we understand responsibility even better. Even granting for the sake of argument that recouping lost money overrides the need to reward your loyal fans and trumps the archaic trait of loyalty, AT LEAST AT MINIMUM don’t you think some advance word via this channel and other media would have made this a more palatable situation?
There may be more to say about the Colonials situation, not all of it flattering, and then again, there may not. It all depends upon … well, those in the know — they know what it depends upon. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, we have more important fish to scale.
With that, we go all Doris Day on ya, now: Che sara, sara!
——————————————–
THE PLANET WISHES YOU A GREAT LABOR DAY HOLIDAY.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
R U Sirius? Home games on da rd.?
..lets see…it will cost about three hundred to get to the Canadian ballparks? I’m putting more in my Church basket this week.
Dan, you trust people like Buddy Lewis, who is and has been all for Buddy Lewis, not for the people of Pittsfield. He is a friend of ruberto, who is a friend of Angeblow. As I’ve said before, you can tell a lot by the company people keep. Now maybe this park can be used for what it should be, high school and Legion, as well as some Babe Ruth games. Let the kids and young adults use it, that’s all it should be used for.
Jim if the so called baseball fans of pittsfield and the berkshires came out to the games they would not be playing them on the road.Face it Pittsfield is no longer a baseball town,you cannot blame Mr.Lewis for playing the games on the road,how much kicking in the teeth must the man take.
Well G-Spot, if your man Dan Bianchi wouldn’t have killed baseball in Pittsfield a few years ago, we would be enjoying Class A or AA baseball. The Civic Authority would have lined some pockets, no different than whats going on now or forever in Pittsfield, but atleast we’d have good baseball to watch.
You are a mo-ron. Dan helped save us from the horrible fate of the Civic Authority. Can people imagine ruberto in power of a thing like that? I shudder to even think of it. I proudly voted against that monstrosity. Isuppose a mo-ron like you voted for it.
You bet I did G-Spot. I wanted to see good baseball (i.e.-minor league baseball) in Pittsfield. Plus, if the stadium could have been marketed properly, the Albany River rats could have played in an exhibition game in the proposed hockey portion of the stadium/arena. I know it’s real entertainment in Pittsfield. If that happened, all the guys like you and the rest of your ilk who hang around Hobo Park on North Street would have nothing to complain about.
Why don’t you go back to hanging around “chooch” and filming trains, you know your type of entertainment.
You must be describing your environment and activities because I certainly don’t do the things described above. You write your own experiences I guess. You must be part of the Doyle/Berkshire Eagle crowd who would have gotten kickbacks and other bennies from the building of a new stadium. I was in favor of the new stadium, just not the stupid ancillaries that went along with it, such as the Civic Authority.
RIP, Pittsfield as a baseball town. I often disagree with Valenti, vehemently, but I got to say I admire the way he fessed up here. Disagree or not, he at least has my respect.
I understand having to play where people will show up and watch,but find it very sad. If everyone in Pittsfield went to just one game that would an average 1000 per game, twice and it would be a windfall for the team. Maybe we should consider a larger subsidy to keep the team or a bulldozer after all only 2 present of the residents attended a game this year.
Aclu
I’m for the bulldozer. Even a new stadium wouldn’t help out. The town is down.
Before you all tell me that it’s on the historic registry and we can’t tear it down I was only kidding. We need to find a way to save baseball in Pittsfield it is a quality of life issue for those of us who go to the games just Barrington stage and the Colonial theater. God knows we put enough money in to those.
Keep your eyes on the TV listings for The Pittsfield edition of “Life after people”
Random thoughts:
I would have loved to have gone to a few games at Waconah park this year. I love the place. But life is so hectic and I am so tired at the end of the day.
I believe this man is tied to Gerry Doyle and the GOB crowd so even if I went I would feel soiled for contributing to their financial gain.
The quality of these players has no effect on my thinking. I enjoyed watching the little league world series on tv and they are not pros.
Neither are the players who played here the last two years. They’re the dregs lof the minor leagues. I much more enjoy watching the kids here and on tv play, it’s good to see people giving their all for a banner or trophy like these kids do every year locally or nationally.
JIM
They’re not the dregs. I’ve covered baseball for a long time. I know how the minor leagues work. Many guys get released or ask for their release because of politics. Guys with enough talent don’t for whatever reason get a chance. It’s been that way for a long time. There’s no question that the Colonials have guys that could compete and succeed, now, in Double A and Triple A ball. Some could even make major league rosters, starting with Edmondson, Molina, and Bomback.
Then why aren’t they in Double or TRIPLE A or in the majors? I’ll answer that, because they’re not good enough to play there, that’s why they’re here in Palookaville.
JIMMY
As to the quality of baseball, you’re wrong. It’s Double A, for sure. I attended lots of Triple A games this year, in Syracuse, and my judgment is reliable. As I explained, there are many reasons why guys don’t stick in organizations. Sometimes it IS a case of “not good enough,” but many times, there’s a log-jam at certain positions, there’s organizational politics, there’s injuries, etc. I saw maybe 35 home games this year. I am a good judge of horseflesh. Talking only about the on-field aspect, this was Double A quality, far better ball than the Single A Mets or Astros, even though they were affiliated teams. There, the emphasis was on learning. Here, the emphasis is on winning and trying to impress for a second chance in organized ball. Indeed, there were guys signed by the majors from the league this year. That’s all: at least admit what I know. The team was a good ballclub.
And then there 4. Donna Walto’s campaign is basically over. Her protest campaign (Dan’s words) apparently has a platform of anti social behavior and drunken anarchy . No one told Donna you can’t mess with the Police, at least not until you get elected. Like My Mom always told me don’t mess with the police cooperation is not a confession.
Does anyone think that the Colonials will be back next season?
I hope not.
I keep hearing about Pittsfield not supporting the Colonials. They averaged 840 people this year. Up from 701 last year. That’s a 20% gain. I bet a lot of businesses around here would be dancing in the streets if they had a 20% gain. It was short-sighted of Buddy and his group to think they could find instant success here. There are a lot of other things to do in the Berkshires so they needed to be a little more patient. The excellent play of the Colonials and fine managing by Jamie were starting to change opinions. But this fiasco with the playoffs has ruined any trust that they had built. We went to a lot of games this summer and it is a slap in the face to those of us who showed our loyalty.
Shame on Donna Walto!!!!!!!!! Three missing men, remember one was a witness against Hell’s Angels. Then they set him up with gun in car . This does not look good
Walto was never a serious candidate anyways, as this site pointed out. There are only three legitimate candidates, Joe, Dan, and Pete. Three good solid names. Two good solid men.
As for the Colonials, thanks for the slap in the face. The baseball was on the field excellent. They had the manager of the year but the front office was a joke, kids who didn’t know what they were doing. Dan Valenti, at least you can hold your head high, you did what you could for them jokers.
@Aclu..so Donna was the fifth?
She was 4th but Fillio just shot in the rankings.
Jim you are so stupid I can’t believe you remember to breath.
At least I have the balls to use my real name so you know who you are calling names. I don’t have the same opportunity.
I’m not going to give my name, but I’ve known you and your family for many years , your father was a great man who cared about the kids of Pittsfield more than any three people I’ve ever met. Baseball is for kids and to help us all feel like kids for a while. The real tragedy is that that may be taken away.
I’d rather know who I’n conversing with than not, no matter if I’ve known you for years or not. This kind of baseball and the kind of people running it are not good for Pittsfield, just as ruberto is not good for Pittsfield. His friends and appointees are running this so it’s got to be crooked just like he is.
Jim for someone who has never been to a game your sure .a expert.This league was a much better caliber of ball than the NECBL and the Penn league.Dont worry you’ll get your wish and the park will slowly rot into the ground.
There’s no reason for it to rot into the ground. It can be used for youth sports, baseball, football, lacrosse and others, like it always has been. I hope and pray ruberto and the bobbleheads don’t give this group money to keep them here. Let them go and good riddance.