Take me back to the ballgame

Just like someone who’s lost once at love, the broken hearts of Sussex County baseball fans will be healed — and healed quickly. That’s because a new kid on the block is going to be playing professional baseball at Skylands Park this summer, meaning, of course, that the departure of the New Jersey Cardinals truly is a thing of the past now. Sussex Professional Baseball, an investor group owned and operated by Montclair-based Floyd Hall and his son Larry, announced last week that an independent Canadian-American League team will begin play late this spring at the ballpark on Ross’ Corner, which had served as the home of the Cardinals for the past 12 years (1994-2005). The organization, which is holding a contest to let fans pick the new team’s name, has made it clear that it wants a lengthy future in Sussex County. Toward that end, the team has signed a 20-year lease with Millennium Sports Management, the Skylands Park owner. “We’re looking forward to it,” stated Ben Wittkowski, who was named the team’s general manager last week. “It’s a good opportunity, and we’re looking for a creative venue, for families to come. That’s our ultimate goal — to put together something that’s good for the community. “We’re in this long-term,” continued Wittkowski, who was the general manager of the New Jersey Jackals last year, a Canadian-American league team also owned by Hall and based in Montclair. “It’s obviously nice to have a minor league team (here) because it’s going to create revenue and it’s going to create jobs. And that’s important because we want to be a part of that community.” The departed Cardinals, who were a Class A affiliate of the major league team in St. Louis, have moved to State College, Pa., where they will be called the Spikes. The incoming team, whose name is expected to be chosen next week, are part of a league that plays on a level comparable to Class AA, Wittkowski said. That means the local fan base can expect to see more of an emphasis on inter-league contention, since there is no higher organization to have to promote players to. Fans can also expect to see players who have already had previous professional experience, including former major leaguers. “What we have is a salary cap we have to stay within, and players who have to meet qualifications systems that we have,” Wittkowski said. The new G.M. went on to explain that each Can-Am team must have five rookies—who are defined as having no more than two years’ experience in pro ball. Players with five years under their belts in the pro ranks will be classified as veterans—including those who may have already played in the big leagues. “So there’s still a tremendous opportunity for players to move up,” Wittkowski said. The Cardinals, who cited declining attendance and stadium problems as main reasons for leaving the county, had promoted local minor league baseball as a relatively inexpensive alternative to the far higher costs of traveling to New York to see either the Yankees or Mets. The new Can-Am team should do much the same thing, but promises even more benefits for its fan base. “We’re going to cut ticket prices, we’re going to cut parking prices and we’re going to redo the entire concession stands,” promised Wittkowski, who also said fans could look forward to enjoying “a really good dinner” before games. “The owners of the stadium are doing a lot of cleanups, some renovations to the park—and as soon as everything’s set, we’re going to be at the park full-time.” Up through Friday, fans wishing to submit their choice for the team’s name can log onto sussexprofessionalbaseball.com, the organization’s temporary website. After the name is selected next week, the team has said it will design a logo and call a press conference with the announcement sometime soon. Other Can-Am teams the new Skylands tenants will face include the Brockton (Mass.) Rox, North Shore Spirit (Lynn, Mass.), the Worcester Tornadoes, Quebec City Capitales, New Haven (Conn.) Cutters, and the Jackals. “We’re just very excited about the opportunity and the new team coming in the stadium,” said former Cards assistant general manager Herm Sorcher, who will be involved with both the Jackals and the new Sussex team as director of corporate sales for Floyd Hall Enterprises. “And I think it’s going to be great for the fans and the community.” “Building a winner is important to our organization; however, it is much more important for us to become part of this community,” Wittkowski concluded separately on the team website. “We are excited about providing employment for residents, developing reading programs within the school systems and participating in local events with our players and mascot. We cannot wait to get the ball rolling.”