Cal Ripken Saved Baseball, Should He Save His Hometown?
Let me get a few things out of the way before diving deep into this post. First, I grew up and still live in the hometown of Cal Ripken Jr., Aberdeen, MD (Please don’t get me started on their website. We don’t use Mosaic anymore). Second, I surpassed his single game strikeout record at our shared high school, striking out 18 batters in a single game. I just like to mention that 
. Sure, his was in a state championship game, and mine was just a junior varsity game against the little sisters of the poor. Third, I am a season ticket holder to his Aberdeen Ironbirds short-season minor league team. Finally, I’m not privy to all the details of the situation at hand, whether it’s the business end or the political scene here in town.
The Baltimore Sun featured a story on the front page this morning talking about how the city of Aberdeen, MD was looking for someone to buy Ripken Stadium because of a coming deficit. You see, the city struck a horrible deal for them when building the stadium five years ago. They charge the team $1 a year in rent, and the team gets to keep most of the revenue from it’s games. The city seemed to be putting all of their eggs in the basket of a shopping complex, anchored by a multiplex, adjacent to the stadium. Well guess what? The complex has not been completed, nor has the condos on the property which were supposed to bring in more revenue. Now they are having trouble paying back the bonds they took to fund their portion of the construction, and things will only get worse as they are responsible for capital maintenance.
So should Cal Ripken’s group bail the city out? After all, the city of Aberdeen didn’t have many entertainment options before Ripken brought a minor league team here. All the games sell-out, and there is a long waiting list for season tickets. What more does the city want from him? This is nothing more than poor planning by the city. They have had 5 years to adjust. There are many well-documented circumstances that have been out of their control, but in the business world, you are supposed to identify all risks before going through with a project this large. If this would be a sound business decision for Ripken’s group, or any other group for that matter, you can be damn sure they identify all risks up front.
Sunday, March 25th, 2007
March 8th, 2008 at 4:31 am
Cal has pretty much done the best he could, let the city do the rest. This is a perfect example of absence of planning.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Seems like Cal is caught in a conundrum. I’m sure he has a lot of strong feelings for Aberdeen but at what point do just pin the responsibility on the poor planning by the city? I sure hope he isn’t vilified if he chooses to not bail the city out.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:31 am
He has already done all possible… Now it is the time for the impossible, but I can’t see the rewards for trying the impossible as satisfactory.
June 30th, 2008 at 4:55 am
Kudos on your records! A record’s a record… don’t undermine that just because yours in a junior varsity game. Hehe.
I agree with the rest that Cal shouldn’t be held responsible for redeeming the city’s poor planning. At the end of the day, it’s all about the commercial side of matters, that’s probably outside his consideration as a professional player. Isn’t it?
Cheers,
E.Cee
July 20th, 2008 at 3:01 am
It seems that things are picking up a little now; I see that a hotel complex has opened at the Ripken Stadium. But I assume the financial picture hasn’t got much stronger for the city?
July 21st, 2008 at 1:05 am
How often do you yourself play basball and what position, or do you just write about it?
Can I ask though – how did you get this picked up and into google news?
Very impressive that this blog is syndicated through Google and is it something that is just up to Google or you actively created?
Obviously this is a popular blog with great data so well done on your seo success..
Baseball greats you should write about next!
July 24th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Cal was the best baseball player. He showed what had work dose for you.
August 12th, 2008 at 11:25 am
I don’t think he should bail them out. The city made the deal and it blew up in there faces.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I think Cal has done enough he is not responsible for the problems so why should he fix it. To much to put on one man’s shoulders
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August 30th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I agree to an extent.
Cal should not be held responsible for poor city planning.
But he is making money at a charge of nothing.
He shouldn’t have to save the city,
but I believe he should pay something to use the stadium.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I think that Cal has actually done the best he could!
September 26th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Personally, I don’t believe that Cal Ripken JR owes these people anything.
All he is just a professional athlete, nothing less and nothing more.
November 1st, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Cal Ripken does not owe his home town, he has helped them out when he played for them.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:14 am
That’s totally moronic of them to only charge the team a $1 for rent and use of the stadium. Who the hell OK’d that one? This is just another example of hour our leaders in this country from top to bottom are a bunch of inept boobs. Goes right along with the current crisis of ‘bailouts’ for companies that dug themselves into a greedy little hole.
December 10th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Cal was the best baseball player. He showed what had work dose for you.
December 14th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
There will never be another like him.
March 17th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Just wondering, Wow some pretty tough comments about us SEOs However I agree there is need for improvement within the Industry
March 27th, 2009 at 2:26 am
I’m sure he has a lot of strong feelings for Aberdeen but at what point do just pin the responsibility on the poor planning by the city?
April 6th, 2009 at 9:45 am
The city made the deal and it blew up in there faces.I agree with the rest that Cal shouldn’t be held responsible for redeeming the city’s poor planning.
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Regards
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April 23rd, 2009 at 2:13 am
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Regards
john
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:34 am
Third, I am a season ticket holder to his Aberdeen Ironbirds short-season minor league team. So should Cal Ripken’s group bail the city out? After all, the city of Aberdeen didn’t have many entertainment options before Ripken brought a minor league team here.
April 27th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
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Regards
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April 28th, 2009 at 6:50 am
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Regards
Mronae
May 5th, 2009 at 2:21 am
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Regards
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May 12th, 2009 at 6:41 am
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Regards
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Regards
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Regards
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Regards
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June 3rd, 2009 at 8:00 am
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July 30th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
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August 9th, 2009 at 2:07 am
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Regards
August 9th, 2009 at 2:07 am
ow often do you yourself play basball and what position, or do you just write about it?
Can I ask though – how did you get this picked up and into google news?
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
according to my opinion Everything will go better and he will be able to save his city.
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December 9th, 2009 at 8:07 am
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December 11th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
ooo yes I agree to an extent.
Cal should not be held responsible for poor city planning.
But he is making money at a charge of nothing.
He shouldn’t have to save the city,
but I believe he should pay something to use the stadium.
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January 28th, 2010 at 2:05 am
Cal just done his best for the city. But those revenue?The city has the obligation for it…This is obviously unfair to Cal.
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