Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008 | 6:47 p.m.
Reno’s new Triple-A franchise announced its new name today – the Aces.
“Reno Aces stood out because of its obvious association to the area and the connection it will create with the fans from the beginning,” said Stuart Katzoff, the team’s managing partner said in a release announcing the name. “It has a nice ring to it.”
The team replaces the Tucson Sidewinders as the Arizona Diamondbacks top minor league team. It will be part of the Pacific Coast League’s Southern Division with the Fresno Grizzlies, Sacramento River Cats and the Las Vegas 51s.
The team’s Web site had some fun with the naming process, saying the team rejected Carbuncles, Ginger Snaps and Mud Puppies from the more than 3,500 entries submitted.
The name also ignores almost 50 years of minor league history in Reno. The Reno Silver Sox played in three different leagues (Class C Sunset and Far West and Single A California) from 1947 to 1992.
An independent team from Golden Baseball League took the name when it moved from Meza, Ariz., in 2006. It may take the Silver Sox name an hour south to Carson City next season when the Aces move into their new ballpark.
Ah, the park. The Aces are scheduled to open next season at a new, 10,000 seat ballpark. The park is expected to cost $40 million and is part of a $231 million sports and entertainment district that is expected to revitalize the old rail yards downtown.
Please don’t mention any of this to Las Vegas officials. The Dodgers pointed to the aging facilities at Cashman Field when they left town for the golden batting cages of Albuquerque.
51s general manager Don Logan, who scrambled to pick up affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays this week, must be happy to have a natural in-state rival.
But inside he must be wondering what he has to do to get a new stadium in Las Vegas. After all, Reno has a population of 211,000 – it's smaller than Henderson.
Editor's note: Earlier this blog reported that Reno has a population of 330,000.
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