2008 Woodie Awards
Sliding out of town
Minor-league baseball team will play all road games in '08
By Caleb Pardick
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
It looked in October as if the Sliders would remain in Slippery Rock through at least 2008, but a deal to sell the franchise for $825,000 to a Holland, Michigan-based ownership group fell through, putting the league back at square one, Tahsler said.
The Holland investors planned to lease the team to Bencic's group and keep the Sliders in Slippery Rock for 2008 before moving the club to Holland for the start of the 2009 season, Bencic said.
After the Holland group's deal collapsed, Bencic was asked to provide the Frontier League, by Nov. 15, with a business proposal that would include plans for a permanent ballpark for the Sliders, which Bencic said he did.
Tahsler also said despite the fact the Sliders averaged just 713 fans per game-fewest in the league-corporate involvement was a problem for the franchise.
"Attendance was a little higher than we thought it would be, actually," said Tahsler, who has moved on to become the general manager of the Frontier League's Windy City (Ill.) ThunderBolts but will serve as a consultant for the Sliders in 2008. "The big thing that hurt us was the lack of corporate involvement and sponsorship.
"We knew we were coming in on relatively short notice, but we were hoping we would be able to tap into the Butler and New Castle businesses, but the only companies that supported us were those based in Slippery Rock."
Lueken also said he wonders if fielding a team with no place to call home will be difficult.
"I know how tough it was on the guys just having as few home games as they did last year," Lueken said. "But for the players on the travel-only team, I can't imagine what it's going to be like. You're going to have to really want to play baseball to play on this team."
Tahsler said about 10 players who finished the 2007 season with the Sliders are still under contract. Manager Greg Jelks and pitching coach Adam Shafer will stay on as the team's field staff.
One of those 10 is Phil Butch, who completed his senior season for the SRU baseball team before signing with the Sliders in early June. He led the Sliders in batting average (.299) and stolen bases (11) while playing in 76 games.
"It was better to be on the road last year anyway," Butch said. "Nothing against Slippery Rock, but it was great going out and seeing all those different cities all summer."
Butch also said he has just two worries about playing 96 games on the road.
"The two biggest concerns we have are food and laundry," he said. "A couple of the other guys I talked to think it's going to be a nightmare, but I think it'll be a blast."
As a result of the Sliders playing road games exclusively, each of the five other East Division teams will play 54 games, while each of the six West Division clubs will host 51 games. The 12-team Frontier League features franchises in seven states.
Frontier League officials could not be reached for comment.
The Holland investors planned to lease the team to Bencic's group and keep the Sliders in Slippery Rock for 2008 before moving the club to Holland for the start of the 2009 season, Bencic said.
After the Holland group's deal collapsed, Bencic was asked to provide the Frontier League, by Nov. 15, with a business proposal that would include plans for a permanent ballpark for the Sliders, which Bencic said he did.
Tahsler also said despite the fact the Sliders averaged just 713 fans per game-fewest in the league-corporate involvement was a problem for the franchise.
"Attendance was a little higher than we thought it would be, actually," said Tahsler, who has moved on to become the general manager of the Frontier League's Windy City (Ill.) ThunderBolts but will serve as a consultant for the Sliders in 2008. "The big thing that hurt us was the lack of corporate involvement and sponsorship.
"We knew we were coming in on relatively short notice, but we were hoping we would be able to tap into the Butler and New Castle businesses, but the only companies that supported us were those based in Slippery Rock."
Lueken also said he wonders if fielding a team with no place to call home will be difficult.
"I know how tough it was on the guys just having as few home games as they did last year," Lueken said. "But for the players on the travel-only team, I can't imagine what it's going to be like. You're going to have to really want to play baseball to play on this team."
Tahsler said about 10 players who finished the 2007 season with the Sliders are still under contract. Manager Greg Jelks and pitching coach Adam Shafer will stay on as the team's field staff.
One of those 10 is Phil Butch, who completed his senior season for the SRU baseball team before signing with the Sliders in early June. He led the Sliders in batting average (.299) and stolen bases (11) while playing in 76 games.
"It was better to be on the road last year anyway," Butch said. "Nothing against Slippery Rock, but it was great going out and seeing all those different cities all summer."
Butch also said he has just two worries about playing 96 games on the road.
"The two biggest concerns we have are food and laundry," he said. "A couple of the other guys I talked to think it's going to be a nightmare, but I think it'll be a blast."
As a result of the Sliders playing road games exclusively, each of the five other East Division teams will play 54 games, while each of the six West Division clubs will host 51 games. The 12-team Frontier League features franchises in seven states.
Frontier League officials could not be reached for comment.
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