Travelerocity

Travs season tickets a bargain compared to new price levels on Razorback football games

The March 1 deadline is looming.

Are you going to "Answer the Call" to empty your wallet out to the Razorback Foundation for the privilege to then empty it out some more to buy season tickets to Arkansas Razorbacks football games?

The University or Arkansas athletic department has priced most of the state out of the market by issuing a drastic increase in required donation levels required to buy season tickets, and ironically the most likely effect will be to eventually reduce the number of season tickets sold.

Why would you double and in some cases triple the amount you spend on season tickets when the games are never sold out and you can easily find tickets for only the games you want to see without having to sit through Louisiana-Monroe? Even if you want to buy season tickets at a higher price, the economics of this will force many fans to take this route, and eventually they will realize it is a better option and never be interested in season tickets again.

Maybe the accounting wizard in the AD's office has it figured out that they can make more money off the nouveau riche of northwest Arkansas as the average fans have to give up desired seating, but other than as a misguided attempt to grab more of the almighty dollar, which has become much more important in college athletics than winning or doing the right thing, I don't see how this plan ever came to fruition.

There are other things out there that provide a better value for the entertainment dollar. In Central Arkansas, take, for instance, the Arkansas Travelers. (The NWA Naturals do not apply because they are not supported as well and have competition with Razorback baseball.)

If purchased as part of a three-year plan, season box seats for the Travs are $400, and season reserved seats, which are just as good as the box seats, are $300.

Meanwhile, for just the two Razorback games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, it costs $115 in required donation for a seat on the 5-yard line that then costs another $120 for the two-game season ticket. That's $235 for one seat at two games, and one of those games will be a lame rent-a-win.

Compared to five months of baseball, I have to question the value of spending $235 for two football games versus $300 for 70 baseball games throughout the summer.

And that's not even taking the Fayetteville games into consideration. At Reynolds Stadium (they have sold out so much I'm not sure you can even call it Razorback Stadium any more), the required donation ranges from $300 for midfield privileges to $50 for upper deck.

So let's take $200 as the donation for our example because that is a level for lower-level seats around the 10-yard line as well as some of the best upper deck seats. Add to that about a $60 per ticket, and you are spending a total of $500 for one season ticket to five Fayetteville games. Since you aren't going alone, add another ticket and that's $1,000.

Then when you consider gas and hotel costs since most people going to those games are driving a considerable distance from across the state, I have to ask -- exactly who does the UA think can afford this plan???

Even as a University of Arkansas graduate, I think I'll take a summer of baseball instead.

-- Travelerocity reporter

Future Traveler Trout called next Mickey Mantle by scout

Former Traveler Brandon Wood was labeled as the next Cal Ripken at one point during his Minor League career. Four years later, he is struggling to stay in the Majors, making the league minimum, and hoping 2011 is finally his breakthrough year.

So you never know.

But...

Mike Trout, a 19-year-old center fielder who is expected to start the season with the Travelers and is the No. 1 prospect in Minor League Baseball, could be different. And in a story that appeared in the Los Angeles Times, many in baseball are making the case that he will be.

Here are a few excerpts of the glowing praise lavished on this future Dickey-Stephens Park resident:

No, one scout had to take it a step further, telling Baseball America last summer that comparisons between Trout, a 19-year-old center fielder in the Angels' minor league system, and Mickey Mantle "are actually pretty good."

Should Angels fans be a little skeptical about Trout too? Not if reviews of the 6-foot-2, 217-pounder with blazing speed, excellent outfield instincts, advanced plate discipline, power potential and solid mental makeup are to be believed.

"I haven't talked to anyone who's seen Trout who hasn't raved about him," said Jim Callis, an editor at Baseball America, one of the sport's authorities on minor league prospects. "One scout I talked to said Trout was the favorite prospect he's ever scouted.

"Another told me he saw him hit a 400-foot home run, and in his next at-bat, he dropped a bunt and got to first in 3.65 seconds. Four seconds is top speed for a major leaguer."

Flores said Trout has a "very unique skill set," headed by explosive speed. Trout is graded an 80 runner on the 20-to-80 scale used by scouts.

"I think Mike is faster than Peter Bourjos," Flores said, referring to the Angels center fielder. "I'd really love to see that footrace, but if someone got hurt I'd die."

Cheap Miser DeWitt opens door for Pujols to head to the Angels -- and maybe then the Travs?

In 2004 I went to see "Fahrenheit 9/11," and when the name Bill DeWitt Jr. was mentioned in the movie, I knew from that point on that this Cincinnati oil man -- who rescued George W. Bush's failing oil company and merged it with Harken Energy, suspected of being involved in insider trading when Bush sold his stock, and then helped Bush buy the Texas Rangers, which went on to introduce Major League Baseball to the steroids era -- could not be trusted to do what was in the best interest of one of the golden franchises in all of sports, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Instead, he's done what's in the best interest of his wallet, constantly coming up with ways to lower payroll by signing players off the scrap heap to play second base or turn the focus to player development in a way so drastic it ran off one of the most successful general managers in the game, Walt Jocketty, who immediately turned around the Cincinnati Reds.

DeWitt has already proved to be one of the great misers in sports ownership, rivaling even the ways of our own Bill Valentine, famous for shutting off the stadium lights before the fans could even get out of their seats after the last out and never replacing a centuries-old urine trough.

Now DeWitt has pulled the ultimate Mr. Cheap Miser move in offering Albert Pujols, the best player in the game who has provided the Cardinals with a decade of premium services at a discount, a lowball contract that would make him the third-highest paid player in baseball -- at his position.

Short of an Egyptian protest situation developing in the Ballpark Village next to Busch Stadium, the Cardinals ownership has basically said no thanks to Pujols' services beyond 2011.

Some people in Little Rock are still smarting from what might have been in 2000 when Pujols was coming up in the Cardinals farm system. He started the year in low-A Potomac, played most of the season in high-A Peoria, and then skipped the Double-A Arkansas Travelers to finish the year at Triple-A Memphis.

What might have been? Pujols could have been perhaps the greatest "former Traveler" of all time. The Travs could still be handing out Pujols bobbleheads and whatever else to pack the house.

No matter how the Los Angeles Angels screw Central Arkansas on rehab assignments, they will never be able to top Jocketty's passing over the Travs on Pujols. Was it Ray Winder Field? Was it his relationship with Valentine? We will never know.

Now the irony: If St. Louis ownership pulls the worst sports blunder of the year and doesn't sign Pujols, the odds-on favorite to land him is -- the Los Angeles Angels.

Arte Moreno, if you pull this one off, you can right this decade-old wrong by sending us Pujols for a one-game rehab assignment. He doesn't even have to be injured.

-- Travelerocity reporter

Reagins: Mike Trout WILL start season with Arkansas Travelers

The debate is over before he has even reported to spring training: Mike Trout, the most electrifying player in Minor League Baseball and rated by most as the No. 1 overall prospect destined for superstardom in the Majors, will start the season with the Arkansas Travelers.

That's according to Tony Reagins, the Los Angeles Angels general manager who used to grace us with his appearance (and put up with Bill Valentine's roast-style introduction) at the Travs hot stove meeting back when he was the Angels' farm director.

Reagins was quoted by Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Shaikin as saying 19-year-old phenom Trout was slated for the Travs and would probably not make it to the Angels in 2011.

But Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who will have new Travs manager Bill Mosiello sending players to steal every base just as Bobby Magallanes was forced to, says Trout will be on the Angels depth chart late in the year and would not be surprised if he gets called up.

Will Trout be the next Brandon Wood? Odds are he is going to be on a much faster track to Los Angeles. Buy your baseball cards now, autograph hounds.

-- Travelerocity reporter

Angels have No. 8 farm talent, Cards at No. 17, says Fanhouse

The highly prestigious Fanhouse farm-system rankings are out from National MLB Analyst Frankie Piliere, and Travelers fans anxious to see some of the top talent in baseball come through will be happy to see that the Los Angeles Angels are ranked eighth out of all Major League Baseball teams.

Here's what renowned analyst Frankie Piliere had to say:

8. Los Angeles Angels | '10 Rank: 20 | Players in Top 100: 5
Some might say this is a little high for the Angels, but if you buy into their low-level talent like I do, it's just about right. It sure doesn't hurt to have baseball's No. 1 prospect, Mike Trout, in your system either. They racked up talent in the 2010 draft and have sleeper arms like Garrett Richards and Fabio Martinez who could break out in a big way in 2011.

Meanwhile, you fans of the St. Louis Cardinals will be happy to see that the Cards' farm system ranked a little lower. Here's what the insightful Frankie Piliere had to say about the team the vast majority of Arkansas baseball fans have followed throughout the annals of history:

17. St. Louis Cardinals | '10 Rank: 27 | Players in Top 100: 2
The Cardinals aren't known for taking high school pitchers, but it sure looks like they picked the right time to grab one in selecting Shelby Miller in the first round of the 2009 draft. St. Louis is building a solid amount of depth behind Miller and overall appears to have a system on the rise.

So the Angels are ranked No. 8 and are apparently sending the top Minor League player to Dickey-Stephens for at least part of this season. Sounds awesome. But which team of prospects would you really rather watch?

-- Travelerocity reporter

What do you think about the Travs' new pinstriped jerseys?

 

I was undecided about the new look or the need to change the jersey. What was wrong with the old one? Is this being done just to increase sales in the souvenir shop?

Then I read this quote from Travelers GM Pete Laven:

"We were thinking about red or blue when considering pinstripes so I walked down the ballpark concourse to the museum and was immediately drawn to the 1937 Travs team composite photo. That team wore navy-blue pinstripes, which I thought looked great. There's something about pinstripes that impart this classic old-time look. I consider the Travelers a classic baseball franchise and the pinstripes help add that feel to the uniforms."

Hard to argue with that.

What is not hard to argue with is throwing on a shoulder patch of "the famous Halo logo" of the Los Angeles Angels. Not classic or necessary.

A new road uniform will be debut next year. Will it dump "North" above "Little Rock" or return it to "Arkansas"?

-- Travelerocity reporter

Are you going to the Travelers' hot stove meeting on Tuesday?

Travelerocity is looking for reports from fans who attended Tuesday's night hot stove meeting. What was said? What did you think about it? Post your thoughts in the comments below or send them in an e-mail to travelerocity@gmail.com.

On a quick other note, congratulations to Travs radio voice Phil Elson, who will be calling eight University of Arkansas baseball games on the Razorback Sports Network in February and March until Razorback basketball season is mercifully over and Chuck Barrett and Rick Schaeffer can return to Hog baseball full time. Maybe now more people throughout the state can hear what a talent this guy is.

Bottoms up, food out! Travs may dump food at Ump's and turn it into bar-only service

Can't wait to order the Pooh Bear Challenge deep-fried hamburger, Triple Crown fried-bologna sandwich, or Reuben Sierra when the season starts?

It may be no soup for you!

The Ump's Pub & Grill restaurant at Dickey-Stephens Park, which closed during the offseason this year for the first time since the new stadium opened, may turn into a bar and serve only alcoholic beverages to the assortment of characters hanging out there when the ballpark reopens in April.

This info comes courtesy of Billy Stinnette, the Travs' director of food and beverage, who for some odd reason is quoted in a story about the Indianapolis Indians to make the case that their new ballpark restaurant will be a hit, while at the same time explaining that the Travs not only had to close their restaurant during the offseason but are now considering closing it altogether.

Stinnette says the restaurant didn't succeed in the offseason because diners had to park a "daunting 50 yards away," according to the story.

Has Ump's been doomed since it changed from Valentine's and no longer had the old GM running the place? I actually thought a sports bar made a lot more sense and probably had a lot less drama in the kitchen.

-- Travelerocity reporter

Breaking News: Hunter out, public in for hot stove meeting on Feb. 8

After trying to pull off a secret hot stove meeting on Feb. 1 for VIPs featuring an appearance by MLB star Torii Hunter only to be thwarted by the winter weather in Dallas -- and at the urging of Travelerocity -- the Arkansas Travelers have scrapped the closed-to-the-public hot stove meeting and are letting all fans in for the rescheduled event.

The annual hot stove meeting, a winter tradition for many long-time Travs fans (even those who don't have season tickets), is moving back to Little Rock for the first time since the team's exodus across the river. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at the old spot in the Holy Souls church in Hillcrest.

New Travs manager Bill Mosiello, former assistant coach at Hog-fan favorites Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Auburn, will be in attendance to discuss how he will be forced to send runners at all costs by Angels manager Mike Scioscia just as former manager Bobby Magallanes (now with the Birmingham Barons) was for the last four years to the frustration of many Travs fans.

Not in attendance will be Los Angeles Angels farm director Abe Flores, who last year told the crowd he would keep it short because he knew everyone had better things to do. What did he think we were there for?

Well, free Pig N'Chick, "ballpark beverages," door prizes, stories about interns, and the feeling that spring training is right around the corner are also good reasons to go.

-- Travelerocity reporter

Travs erase Facebook comments from fans asking about hot stove

Here's a sampling of the comments that have suddenly been wiped off the Arkansas Travelers' Facebook page. Who knows how many were deleted, but I saw at least one other inquiry not included here.

The top comment from the Travs is the only official word the organization ever gave about the hot stove meeting. There was never any announcement it was being held, so it is no wonder many were confused to see a cryptic announcement about its cancellation.

I guess those holding a golden ticket have been notified of the rescheduled date, but the average fan remains excluded unless you want to file a Freedom of Information request since the facility the Travs operate from was built on the back of North Little Rock taxpayers (who are not invited to the hot stove).

-- Travelerocity reporter

Travs' annual hot stove meeting lands star but shuts out fans

The annual winter warm-up known as the Arkansas Travelers hot stove meeting was canceled on a chilly Tuesday night because the star attraction -- Los Angeles Angels right fielder and Central Arkansas homeboy Torii Hunter -- was presumably stuck in Dallas thanks to the winter storm all the media people in town for the Super Bowl are constantly whining about.

Wait, what's that? You had no idea the anticipated hot stove meeting was scheduled for Tuesday? And you didn't know we were finally getting an appearance by an Angels player after all these years of nothing at the annual event???

Unless you were one of the special people included on a list of about 180 VIPs invited to this year's hot stove meeting, you are not alone in having no idea this was taking place.

That's right, the Travs finally land an actual MLB star and in-state favorite, and what do they do? Exclude the fans! 

Call me crazy, but ever since I started hearing Jim Elder talk up the annual hot stove meetings during his morning and afternoon sportscasts on KARN Newsradio 920, I got the impression that the idea was to generate interest among the fans as baseball nears its return to spring training and maybe sell a few season tickets as a result.

Why have they been giving away free hot dogs and beer to entice people to come otherwise?!?!

This blog began in January 2006 because this franchise was mostly in a state of neglect by the community, and I wanted Central Arkansas to wake the hell up to this overlooked gem in the city as if it has the Boston Red Sox in the backyard.

Several times since it has been suggested that the Angels, also neglecting this gem in its own way, give us some respect and bring a player once in a while like so many other Minor League teams across the country seem to get when the parent club hauls some kind of caravan into town, and when the Angels signed Hunter it was said here that this was the perfect marriage for a hot stove appearance.

So an Angel finally shows up, and on top of that it's Torii Hunter rather than some jobber Bill Valentine complained about on his way to the bigs, and what do the Travs do? They close the hot stove meeting to the public.

Other than their selected VIPs, none of the Travs' long-time fans were deemed worthy enough. Heck, I bet Arkansas Al Janssen didn't even get an invite!

Even the media seemed to be in the dark from the people I talked to. This was a golden moment to put the Travs in the media spotlight like no other time this year.

A tremendously missed opportunity -- unless they right this wrong when the hot stove meeting is rescheduled. If not, they will be hearing about this for years to come from resentful fans. If you thought the complaints about cold popcorn were virulent, you ain't heard nothing.

So if you aren't one of the exclusive people invited this year, in addition to missing Torii Hunter, I guess you will just have to miss Angels farm director Abe Flores's BS about winning being the first priority and Bill Valentine standing in the back making snide remarks while other people are talking -- which were the highlights last year.

Once again it's on.

-- Travelerocity reporter