Cubs agree to two-year deal with the Tennessee Smokies

[Jon]

KnoxNews.com[/url]"]The friendly confines of Smokies Park will be home to the Chicago Cubs’ Class AA minor leaguers next season.

 

The Tennessee Smokies and the National League team have agreed to a two-year player development contract. Official announcement will come today during a press conference scheduled for 2 p.m. at the stadium.

 

Oneri Fleita, Chicago’s director of player development and Latin American operations, handled the negotiations. He will represent Cubs president/CEO Andy MacPhail and Jim Hendry, Chciago’s vice president and general manager.

 

The Southern League team preferred a change after its two-year agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks ran out after the 2006 season. The Smokies finished 70-69 last season and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second year, but Arizona and Tennessee parted on friendly terms.

 

Arizona’s director of minor league operations A.J. Hinch wanted to re-sign with the Smokies, but Tennessee president Doug Kirchhofer and general manager Brian Cox felt the Cubs were a better long-term fit for the Smokies.

 

The Cubs have national appeal. Fans pack Wrigley Field, although they haven’t won a World Series since 1908 and have been to the playoffs only three times since divisional play began in 1969.

 

The Smokies also plan to capitalize on Cubs fans, who visit the area or pass their Sevierville ballpark on their way to other vacation destinations.

 

The Cubs also have a history of sending major league players — Sammy Sosa, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood to name a few — to their Class AA affiliate for major league rehabilitation assignments. Arizona never afforded the Smokies that luxury, which financially benefits the minor league team.

That would be 2 PM tomorrow for those keeping track.

 

And one more time, thanks for everything, Ron. It's been a pleasure. Good luck wherever your career takes you.

Edited September 21, 2006 by Jon

[CubinNY]

From an hour drive to an 8 hour drive to see the kids. :x

 

We should have taken the jobs at E. Tennessee State.

 

The area around Severville is georgeous though.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Anyone got the park factors there?

[UK1679666180]

The '04 BP handbook has it as a hitters' park.

 

FTR, the Cubs have been to playoffs 4 times since '69.

[Jon]

Anyone got the park factors there?

From 2003-2005 (weighted):

 

Runs - 1.02

Hits - .96

Doubles - .84

HR - 1.20

BB - .89

K - .88

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Well, the Smokies will still come play the Braves in Mississippi, so I'll get to see them all the same. I did think the Jaxx logo and colors were better though.

[Brian]

wow, Ribbie could kill this guy.

 

http://www.smokiesbaseball.com/images/picKidsClub.jpg

[Chris]

*sigh*

 

The only silver lining for me is that the team will still be within driving distance. FWIW I love going to Gatlinburg and this will give me more of an excuse to get to the mountains more often. However, the AA team is now 260 mile away instead of 60.

 

The Diamond Jaxx organization has been nothing short of fantastic for us here at NSBB and I am so appreciative for everything that the Jaxx have done with and for us over the years. I have gone to see the Jaxx and support the AA Cubs since 1998 and have loved every moment of it. My wife and I had dates there and continued going after getting married. It was awesome to get to take our baby to her first game at Pringles Park. I'm really sad to see what has happened but do understand that baseball is a business. I told Jeff a few weeks ago that I will do my part to help the organization in Jackson in 2007, even if they are not the AA affiliate of the Cubs.

 

Hopefully we will be able to build a relationship with the Smokies in the 2007 season. If we can build a relationship with the Smokies that is a fraction of the relationship that the site has with the Jaxx we will be in great shape. The Jaxx have a great staff and a great group of people and I wish nothing but the best for them.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Can we count on the Jaxx to give us a word of reccomendation to the Smokies?

 

So, are you going to change your SN, DJaxx?

[Chris]

Can we count on the Jaxx to give us a word of reccomendation to the Smokies?

 

I'm sure they will do what they can to help us out. The good thing is that the Cubs AA will remain in the Southern League North, which means that they will make multiple trips to West Tennessee as long as the Jaxx remain in the SL.

 

So, are you going to change your SN, DJaxx?

 

Great question!

[Outshined_One]

I really enjoyed going to Gatlinburg when I was a kid when my family would drive out to visit my grandparents in South Carolina. The mountains are gorgeous out there! I'm actually jealous of the guys who will be out there next season.

 

Still, it stinks that we're losing most of our connections in West Tenn. If anyone can put in a good word for us with the people over there, that'd be terrific.

[UMFan83]

Sad to see them go. Even more disapointed that I never got a chance to catch a game down there.

 

I feel the worst for DJaxx and everyone else that worked hard to build a strong relationship with the team. Ron, stop by anytime, you are more then welcome. You know some of our love for the Cubs rubbed off on you!

[NCCubFan]

I'm sorry we'll be losing the affiliation with West Tenn and the relationship we've worked to build with them. Fortunately I'll still be able to watch them play in Carolina; I'll just have to remember to look for the Tennessee series instead of West Tenn.

[Mephistopheles]

Meh, I was hoping the Cubs would take the vacant Missions spot in San Antonio. That'd be a 20 minute drive for myself when I am at school.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Aww. :(

[Hosak8]

*sigh*

 

The only silver lining for me is that the team will still be within driving distance. FWIW I love going to Gatlinburg and this will give me more of an excuse to get to the mountains more often. However, the AA team is now 260 mile away instead of 60.

 

The Diamond Jaxx organization has been nothing short of fantastic for us here at NSBB and I am so appreciative for everything that the Jaxx have done with and for us over the years. I have gone to see the Jaxx and support the AA Cubs since 1998 and have loved every moment of it. My wife and I had dates there and continued going after getting married. It was awesome to get to take our baby to her first game at Pringles Park. I'm really sad to see what has happened but do understand that baseball is a business. I told Jeff a few weeks ago that I will do my part to help the organization in Jackson in 2007, even if they are not the AA affiliate of the Cubs.

 

Hopefully we will be able to build a relationship with the Smokies in the 2007 season. If we can build a relationship with the Smokies that is a fraction of the relationship that the site has with the Jaxx we will be in great shape. The Jaxx have a great staff and a great group of people and I wish nothing but the best for them.

 

Well, if this helps at all, I am friends with Bill Haslam, majority owner of the Smokies. I'm sure I could mention this to him...

[Hosak8]

I really enjoyed going to Gatlinburg when I was a kid when my family would drive out to visit my grandparents in South Carolina. The mountains are gorgeous out there! I'm actually jealous of the guys who will be out there next season.

 

Still, it stinks that we're losing most of our connections in West Tenn. If anyone can put in a good word for us with the people over there, that'd be terrific.

 

Please give me a heads up for what we'd want from a relationship with the Smokies. I have spoken with Tom Hart, radio voice of the Smokies on several occasions, and I am friends with Bill Haslam, majority owner of the team. President Doug Kirchhofer is someone I have made little contact with, but is someone that I could be comfortable approaching if necessary. Bill would be my ticket in, I just need to know what we're looking for here.

[TruffleShuffle]

How well supported were the Smokies, locally? The Cubs do deserve a minor league affiliate that gets pretty good fan support, at least better than the club in Jackson got. For a AA affiliate of a major-city ballclub, it was pretty pathetic.

[Hosak8]

How well supported were the Smokies, locally? The Cubs do deserve a minor league affiliate that gets pretty good fan support, at least better than the club in Jackson got. For a AA affiliate of a major-city ballclub, it was pretty pathetic.

 

Our attendance far outpaced the DJaxx. Near the top in the SL every year for the past 4, iirc. Even in the past two years, when the Smokies were a Diamondbacks affiliate.

 

This is a town that supports its minor league ballclubs.

[Hosak8]

Can we count on the Jaxx to give us a word of reccomendation to the Smokies?

 

I'm sure they will do what they can to help us out. The good thing is that the Cubs AA will remain in the Southern League North, which means that they will make multiple trips to West Tennessee as long as the Jaxx remain in the SL.

 

So, are you going to change your SN, DJaxx?

 

Great question!

 

I've emailed Doug Kirchhofer, President of the Smokies, and I will mention this to Bill Haslam (team owner) next week.

[Hosak8]

For your information...

 

http://www.smokiesbaseball.com

[Brian]

http://www.smokiesbaseball.com/images/store/SupermanTee.jpg

[davecubsfan]

How well supported were the Smokies, locally? The Cubs do deserve a minor league affiliate that gets pretty good fan support, at least better than the club in Jackson got. For a AA affiliate of a major-city ballclub, it was pretty pathetic.

 

Even though we had the God-awful Diamondbacks franchise, we still drew a quarter of a million this year. The Smokies are well supported and were so well supported that we got two all star games in a row once Smokies park opened. The facilities are beautiful and the stadium is five minutes away from Sevierville, roughly ten minutes away from Pigeon Forge, and probably 30 minutes away from Gatlinburg.

 

I am very pleased about the decision but feel bad for all the Jackson folks. I knew this was a done deal in January from a friend of mine, but he told me to keep it hush hush.

[Hosak8]

Update: 9/21, 12:07 pm

 

I have received an email from Smokies president Doug Kirchhofer that sounds promising. In it, he states that one of the top priorities in an affiliate relationship is to build a strong connection to that team's fan base. He says that once things have settled a bit from the announcement, that he'd like to talk about this.

 

If there is anyone from nearby who will be at the announcement, he mentioned that he'd love to meet me. I cannot be there, so if anyone else can, you should stop by. He'd be happy to meet you, and it is a great chance to continue to put the name northsidebaseball into his ear.

[Jon]

According to Lozinak, the Cubs really wanted an affiliate that would allow them to have their players play in front of a lot of fans and media. The Jaxx really didn't offer either.