Central Mass. Should Embrace New Worcester Baseball Team

PHOTO/COURTESY John Creedon Jr. and College of the Holy Cross President Rev. Philip J. Boroughs announce Worcester's entry into the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

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Baseball is a cornerstone of American culture. All summer long, games are played most every day, and interest piques in the chill of October as fans watch new heroes emerge in the battles to reach and win the World Series.

While Central Massachusetts is clearly in the heart of Red Sox Nation, it's been more than 125 years since Worcester had a major league club to call its own. A National League franchise, the Worcester Ruby Legs never finished above .500, and lasted just three years before it closed due to poor attendance. We don't think a major league team is coming through that door anytime soon, but a minor league effort can, and should, be able to succeed in New England's second-largest city.

Last month, Worcester businessman John Creedon Jr. struck a triumphant note for civic pride when he and local officials announced that the city would become home to the 10th franchise in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) next year, joining the Leominster-based Wachusett Dirt Dawgs in a 10-team league featuring current college-level talent looking to impress the professional scouts.

It's a step below a Class A franchise, the entry-level rung for professional players. But these are still college kids, and the level of play should be pretty solid. The announcement is a boost for Central Massachusetts, and especially Worcester, which suffered the ignominy of having lost its previous baseball franchise in the independent Canadian-American Association, the Worcester Tornadoes, after the 2012 season. That final campaign had started strong on the marketing side with the signing of former major league slugger Jose Canseco, but ended with financial troubles that closed the book on the franchise's 8-year run.

Now, after a one-year hiatus, games return to the city next June when the new franchise embarks on a 54-game schedule, with home games to take place at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field, on the College of the Holy Cross campus. The field underwent a significant upgrade to attract the Tornadoes franchise, and is well suited to fit the bill for an amateur baseball team.

"Sports, and baseball in particular, can bring a community together in ways few other activities can," Holy Cross President Rev. Philip J. Boroughs said when Creedon announced the awarding of the FCBL franchise.

Central Massachusetts — and Worcester, in particular, should embrace this second chance to host organized baseball. Even though it may not be a “professional-level” product, the rebirth of the sport here beyond the college and high-school levels provides another entertainment option for the region's baseball fans at a reasonable cost. Certainly the Cape Cod Baseball League, made up of top college players from around the country, has long enjoyed a stellar reputation and been a proving ground for many future major leaguers. Also, the cost structure for the team, given the college status of its players, will certainly be less than it was for the Tornadoes, helping the team's chances to balance the books. And ticket prices (ranging from $4 to $10) will certainly be affordable for the average family to take in a few games a year.

Well marketed, the team ought to contribute to keeping a few more dollars in Central Massachusetts and boosting many of the retail businesses in the Holy Cross neighborhood. The days of Jose Canseco and other former stars showing up in Worcester may be over, but this new alternative holds great promise.

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