Triple A readies for Plan B: Sac State could be temporary home

 

By Quwan Spears
Bee Staff Writer
(Published Aug. 5, 1999)

River City Baseball officials are scheduled to meet with Sacramento State administrators today to discuss using the university's baseball stadium as a temporary home for a Triple-A baseball team. The meeting will be the second between the university and ballclub this week. Warren Smith of River City Baseball met Monday with Sac State athletic director Debby Colberg, baseball coach John Smith and Edward Del Biaggio, vice president for administration and business affairs. During the two-hour meeting, officials discussed plans to expand Hornet Field from 250 seats to 3,000 or more, sources said.

Another option would have the Triple-A team playing on the road for several weeks, if it appears a proposed stadium in West Sacramento is nearing completion. River City Baseball owns the Vancouver Canadians, the Pacific Coast League club and Oakland A's affiliate that plans to make West Sacramento its home next season. The meeting with Sac State leaders follows a request by PCL president Branch Rickey Jr. that River City Baseball seek alternative sites for early next season.

The River City group has been trying for more than two years to build a baseball field south of the Tower Bridge in Yolo County. The project, called Thomas P. Raley Field, has been delayed by legal challenges, financing problems and land acquisition issues. River City Baseball president Art Savage couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday, but he said Tuesday that he was optimistic the West Sac park would be ready by April 2000, when the season starts.

 

 also see:

Sac State's Official Hornet Athletics Page - HornetSports.com