In light of the San Francisco Giants’ efforts to tighten control over its San Jose affiliate, it’s interesting to look at how they interact with their other minor league partners. The picture that comes from that survey shows that the Giants don’t play by the same rules based on location, especially when one travels further out from the Giants’ local sphere of control.
The most stable affiliates are in Fresno (AAA) and San Jose (High-A). Fresno was for years a Cal League city. With MLB’s expansion into Phoenix in 1998, the Giants’ long time AAA team, the Phoenix Firebirds, had to be relocated to Tucson, but only briefly before settling in Fresno. Chukchansi Park has done well reasonably well at the gate, though the recession may have claimed a large number of walk-up and advance sales in 2010. In all likelihood, the Grizzlies will once again ask the City of Fresno for rent concessions, citing operating losses. The big club hasn’t yet gotten involved in this saga. Should it drag on for another year or two, expect them to start making suggestions.
In San Jose, the Giants have been in place for 22 years, easily the longest continuous tenure of any one team in San Jose’s history. During that time, the team has won more Cal League titles than the parent club has won NL Division crowns. Yet there’s always a sense that the SJ Giants are this almost forgotten club in a lonely part of a large city, playing in a quaint but decrepit facility. Honestly, how can you define a place that is forced to empty out thirty minutes after the last out to allow for the players and coaches to have some breathing room anything but quaint? Even though the SJ team has always been a lackluster attendance performer (less than 200,000 per season), its owners have been able to make a small amount of money, and the strategic advantage of having a satellite so close for marketing and baseball operations (rehab stints) has surely been worth it. Now, the big club is considering spending more money on capital improvements on venerable San Jose Municipal Stadium, which sounds great, except that it’s not their normal M.O.
Augusta, GA is known most for The Masters golf tournament, one of the PGA’s majors held every April. Since 2005, it’s also the home to the Giants’ other Class A affiliate, the Augusta GreenJackets, who play at 15 year old Lake Olmstead Stadium. Even though the ballpark is only 15 years old, at this point it’s considered a temporary facility. Owner Ripken Baseball (yes, that Ripken) owns the team, but they and the Giants are holding the threat of moving over the city as of now, with a recently signed extension set to run only through 2012. The big idea now is a downtown ballpark, which would – wait for it – boost the local economy. Naturally, some local folks are skeptical. While the Giants have thrown a whopping $50K at a new laundry facility and weight room for the stadium, additional improvements are wanted, including a boost from the scant 500 on-site parking spaces.
Up I-95 in Richmond, the Giants just had their AA franchise move from Norwich, CT to The Diamond, which was vacated by the Braves’ AAA affiliate when the team bolted for suburban Gwinnett County, GA in 2009. The Diamond is considered a temporary facility, and it’s a given that a new ballpark will be necessary for the city to keep the franchise, now known as the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Again, the Giants are playing a factor here, as it’s quite possible that the team could be moved again if something doesn’t happen on the ballpark front (Richmond is the southernmost city in the Eastern League, and unlike Augusta is not guaranteed a minor league team).
Why would the Giants hold the threat of moving over two cities yet act with altruism with San Jose, a city with worse attendance and less interest among its citizens in a minor league team than Richmond and Augusta? It’s becoming more obvious with each passing day that the big club intends to use the little club as a wedge against the A’s, whether it’s politically or economically. The cash to buy the controlling interest (an additional 30%) was probably less than $3 million, based on the going rates for Class A franchises. $3 million for an ongoing PR effort against a city that clearly wants something else, vs. $50,000 for a new laundry room and weight room. Makes a ton of sense.
Note: I had promised something else today, but it’ll have to wait until next week. See y’all on the other side of GABF.
newballpark.org 
Q: Will a news paper call them out on this?
More importantly–will BS call them out on this?
Ballfans,
I think the East Bay would have a great showcase for its baseball team- even if they keep trading all their best players. A new A’s owner with the vision to built Mr. Grunwald’s ballpark would energize our Oakland community.
RMG
My question is simple: when the Bigs are in downtown San Jose, would the Lil Giants have to move? I mean, they’re so small (so to speak) in the big picture that them staying put at Muni shouldn’t make that much of a difference in terms of competition/competing for dollars. I’m good at whatever option comes their way: relocate, stay put (continued Giants aff.), stay put (become A’s aff.). In closing, don’t think the Lil Giants and the “parent” club investing in them/Muni will mean much when all is said and done.
I have no doubt Selig and MLB have a pretty good idea of what the Giants are trying to do. The issue of TR is already on the table and being discussed. If the Giants want to increase their ownership in the SJG, that is certainly within their rights. But they should do so understanding that there are no guarantees they will be handsomely compensated should the A’s move south. I’m surprised MLB didn’t ask the Giants to holdoff on their purchase…kind of just muddies the water.
@Dr. Greene–I agree 100% with you on this. I think it will be the coolest of all the new ballparks, and new ownership (and the city to get their act together) to make this huge commitmnet is a must. Lew is too deep into SJ at this point to change direction.
@fc–interesting that MLB didn’t have the Giants holdoff on their purchase of the mini Giants. . This whole thing is making my head spin.
MLB vote on territorial rights would have to take place no later than the November owners meetings to get a spring election in San Jose. I think the Giants are trying to get a little bit more money out of the deal if it indeed happens. That owners meeting is only a couple months from now.
FC,
See my post above. I think it provides an answer as to why MLB didn’t say or do anything about the SF Giants purchasing stakes in the SJ Giants.
Again, we’re talking single A ball being played in a decrepit ballpark seating 4k with no TV, no radio.
While 200k fans may not seem like a lot, they were second in the Cal League this year, drawing 201,123. Only Lake Elsinore had more, and Bakersfield, by contrast, drew 64,321.
http://ballparkdigest.com/201009113058/attendance/news/2010-affiliated-attendance-by-league
@ Dr. RG… Oakland has already dismissed Bryan Grunwald’s plan. How is that the A’s fault?
The Giants are trying to get more $$ out an A’s move to SJ and are hedging their bets as much as possible. It is actually smart and they see the impending “doom” coming up for them.
The fact they are “push polling” in San Jose and have setup grass roots groups to defeat a “supposed election” that has not happened yet tells you a lot about what they are thinking.
A have a buddy who has worked in Special Events for 5 years with the SF Giants. We grew up together in San Jose and he explained to me that the Giants in the off-season are having almost all of their ticket sales reps and marketing people work out in the Silicon Valley area strengthen their hold on the region in the past 2 years.
The Giants organization is on all fronts trying to defeat an A’s move to San Jose and he even told me “we hope the A’s rot in Oakland or leave entirely”.
Even he admits San Jose should have a team and being from there he would like to see it on a personal level but he has to be a “company man” and do what he has to do….I can understand that 100%.
At the end of the day the Giants know an election of some sort is going to take place in San Jose. Their strategy is two fold:
1. Use grass roots groups and push poll all day to sway vote. Send teams of PR, Sales, and Marketing people to sell more suites/tickets/events to Silicon Valley people and businesses.
2. If the vote passes, then have all their “ducks lined up in a row” so they can be compensated as much as possible for the A’s moving there.
Good moves by the Giants all around but I still say they are “haters” even though I have been a Giants fan since 1990.
@jesse – i don’t think holding the spring vote is contingent upon getting a green light on TR.
San Jose doesn’t need MLB’s permission to hold the vote. They agreed to delay at MLB’s request. If nothing comes out of MLB by November, SJ will still go forward with the vote (unless something else happens that derails the plans).
@steve, the cost of the Spring vote will be covered (at least partially) if TR’s are not in the way. Otherwise, San Jose will be footing a million bucks for a one issue election.