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Dispatch

Contingent from Nationals tours Cooper Stadium
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Craig Merz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



The Columbus Clippers? courting of a new affiliate moved into high gear yesterday when a contingent from the Washington Nationals toured Cooper Stadium.
Nationals vice president-general manager Jim Bowden met with Clippers president Ken Schnacke and other members of the organization. Nationals president Stan Kasten and former Nationals president Tony Tavares were also reportedly present.
The Clippers are looking for a new partner following the severing of ties with the New York Yankees last week after 28 seasons. Scranton, Pa.; Norfolk, Va., and Columbus of the International League and New Orleans in the Pacific Coast League are the four eastern cities without affiliations but guaranteed teams next season.
The Times-Tribune in Scranton reported that New York Mets officials would visit Lackawanna County Stadium in Moosic, Pa., today. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons are the front-runners to align with the Yankees, but apparently no club is conceding anything in the competitive affiliation shuffle. A Mets official said Friday his club is also interested in Columbus.
The Nationals have been in a fierce battle with Baltimore to get into the Norfolk market since the minor-league franchises were allowed to woo the major-league clubs starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
"Within moments I was on the phone with one ? and then the other called," Norfolk Tides president Ken Young told The Virginian-Pilot.
Washington is interested in the Clippers in case the Orioles sign with Norfolk. If that happens, Columbus becomes even more attractive to the Nationals and Mets. Washington doesn?t want to return to New Orleans after just ending a two-year player-development contract there, and having an affiliate in the Pacific Coast League would be a hardship for any East Coast major-league team.
The Clippers appear to be in a good position to work a strong deal even though Schnacke has made it clear the club would only sign a two-year deal, knowing the affiliation agreements with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians expire after the 2008 season.
cmerz@dispatch.com