22 • Valley Voice
1 September, 2016
Sports Rawhide Moves Forward While Other California League Teams Fold Nancy Vigran
As the Visalia Rawhide looks forward to the possibility of postseason playoffs again this year, two other California League teams, the Bakersfield Blaze and the High Desert Mavericks of Adelanto in San Bernardino County, face the last few games of their existence. The Blaze held its last regularly scheduled home game on Sunday in a stadium that has seen 75 years of baseball. The Rawhide and the Blaze continue to vie for first in the Northern Division; the Mavericks are contending with the Lancaster Jethawks in the Southern Division. The Mavericks host their last regularly scheduled home game on Thursday, September 1. The decision for team and ballpark closures was not made by the teams, but rather by Minor League Baseball due to Minor League Single-A realignment, according to a press release from Minor League ball. Both teams are dealing aging facilities with some of the lower attendance ratings in the League. In 2017, this leaves the California League with only eight teams – four in each division. There will still be a North and South Division, and the Rawhide will remain in the North. The Visalia team will still play the same amount of total games, and will only play the other teams in the league, said Rawhide Gen-
eral Manager Jennifer Pendergraft. [of Visalia] and the ball club, have con“We will just play those other teams tinually invested into the facility, for more often. both fan and player amenities, to create “The largest effect for the business momentum in a positive direction. The operations will be a large increase in Diamondbacks have been committed travel expenses. We are losing our only to us the last 10 years, and we’re looking commute trip, Bakersfield, so now we forward to extending that relationship will have to pay for hotel rooms no even longer, very soon. matter where we travel,” she said. “The city has continued to uphold Pe n d e g r a f t their end of the cited that both deal by investing the Blaze and into their facility the Mavericks to help get it closare being bought er and closer to out by Major the industry avLeague teams, erage at our level. with moving outAnd the ball club side of California has also made the result of the large investments now inadequate into the facility, facilities. the community Neither Ba- Jennifer Pendergraft. Courtesy/Rawhide and surrounding kersfield, nor neighborhood to Kern County, have spent any funds to- show their commitment to making sure ward the ballpark in decades, she said. Visalia continues to host a professional The Visalia Rawhide doesn’t have team for many more years to come. that problem. “That’s the key - a great working “For us in Visalia, our situation is relationship between those three parties much different now,” Pendegraft said. - the city, ball club and MLB affiliate.” “Ten years ago, we were sitting in a simWhile it is not too likely that the ilar position as Bakersfield and High loss of the Bakersfield team will affect Desert, with a dilapidated ballpark, Visalia’s attendance much, some “diepoor attendance, and ‘the last girl at the hard” fans may make the drive for some dance’ in terms of MLB teams wanting home game outings, Pendegraft added. “I also think there is an opportuniVisalia to be their affiliate. “In the last 10 years, both the city ty for increased attendance due to our
opponents. For example, we will have 50 of our 70 home games [next year] played against the top prospects from California-based MLB teams - particularly more games against the Giants and Dodgers [Single-A teams], which have always been popular games to attend for local fans of those teams,” she said. Pendegraft sees a continued long future for the Rawhide in Visalia. “All-in-all, I’m optimistic about the change. I’m sad to see those teams go, but I like to focus on the positives,” she said. “I’m very aware that we will be seen as the ‘bottom of the totem pole’ in the league as far as attendance and revenues, but we are up for the challenge. Our facility might be small, but it’s well-kept and efficiently operated - both fans and players enjoy being here because we have created a great environment. “Our working relationships with the City of Visalia and the Diamondbacks are, in my opinion, the best in the league. As long as our relationships stay strong, and everyone upholds their end of the bargain, professional baseball will be in Visalia for many years to come.” The Rawhide winds up its 2016 regular season in San Jose on Monday, September 5. Postseason California League play begins Saturday, September 10. The 2017 season will open on April 6.