As if the Omaha Royals didn't have enough happening Thursday with the final scheduled baseball game at Rosenblatt Stadium, they also found time to renew their player development contract with the Kansas City Royals through 2014.
The four-year agreement, guaranteeing that Kansas City will send its Class AAA players to Omaha, is longer than the standard two-year PDC most organizations sign.
Omaha has been the Class AAA affiliate of Kansas City since 1969, the first year of existence for each franchise.
“Our working relationship with the Royals staff here in Omaha and throughout the Kansas City organization has been tremendous,” said Martie Cordaro, Omaha Royals vice president and general manager. “We are fortunate to continue our 42-year partnership in a new minor league baseball-specific facility in April 2011.”
When the Royals move to their new stadium in Sarpy County next season, it's likely that several high-level prospects from its Class AA Northwest Arkansas affiliate will be in uniform.
Kansas City has drawn raves this season for its ability to draft and sign some of the most talented prospects the past few years. The first wave of that group is third baseman Mike Moustakas, 21, who homered for the eighth time in eight games Thursday night.
“It's been exciting to watch the rapid improvement in the quality of players who (Kansas City General Manager) Dayton Moore, (scouting director) J.J. Picollo and (farm director) Scott Sharp have ushered through the Kansas City organization,” Omaha Royals President Alan Stein said. “We are excited to be a part of this winning attitude and look forward to being part of championships here in Omaha and in Kansas City for many years to come.”
Stars given last sendoff
In a pregame ceremony, several of the stadium's biggest names of the past were introduced, lining up along the third-base line for cheering fans.
Among the notables were:
• Frank White, a 1973 Omaha Royal who later became a five-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner.
• Willie Wilson, a 1977 O-Royal who became a two-time All-Star and American League batting champion.
• Paul Splittorff, a member of the first three Omaha Royals teams and Kansas City's career wins leader.
• Dennis Leonard, who pitched for Omaha in 1974, 1975 and 1982 and was a three-time 20-game winner for Kansas City.
• Mark Littell, the 1973 American Association pitcher of the year for Omaha.
• Mark Huismann, who won the same award for Omaha in 1985.
• And hometown stars Buddy Hunter of Omaha and Chris Hatcher of Council Bluffs: Hunter played for Omaha in 1974, while Hatcher was the Pacific Coast League most valuable player in 1998 when he had 46 homers and 106 RBIs.
Also introduced were former Omaha Cardinal Lee Tate, former Omaha Royals outfielder Roderick Myers, and Dick McCoy, who pitched in the first game played at Rosenblatt in 1948 and later pitched in the minor leagues.
Kansas City Royals executives Dayton Moore (general manager) and J.J. Picollo (scouting director) were also on hand.
Jirschele 'sad' to leave Rosenblatt
Mike Jirschele has spent a good portion of his professional career at Rosenblatt Stadium, including 11 seasons as the Royals' manager. He also played here for part of two seasons, as well as making trips to Omaha as a visiting player with Denver and Oklahoma City.
“It's going to be sad to see this place go,'' he said before Thursday's game.. “I've pretty much more or less seen this place revamped. They've improved it so much.
“When I was playing, this was not a stadium you really looked forward to coming to. It was a pit. But they've turned it into a real nice stadium.''
One that Jirschele wouldn't have minded seeing having its life extended by another round of renovations. Instead, Omaha decided to build a new ballpark downtown, where the College World Series will be played beginning next year. The Royals also will move to a new stadium in Sarpy County.
“The guys that will be coming back will really like the new place,'' he said. “The clubhouses will be all new, they'll be a new hitting cage. It's going to be real nice.''
Will Jirschele be back for a 12th season? He said he's uncertain, as he is in the final year of a two-year contract. He said he would like to return if he does not get a major league job.
“I like it here,'' he said.
Singer is a hit
Country singer Keith Anderson, who led the crowd in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch, warmed up by taking batting practice with the Royals.
Jirschele got on Anderson for not participating in the team in pre-batting practice stretching.
“You're late," the manager shouted as the singer hustled to join the group.. “That'll be a $100 fine."
PA man to move with team
Bill Jensen has served as the Royals' public address announcer since 1990. Before that, he served as the usher supervisor.
“This is a bittersweet night,'' he said. “I first started coming here in the 1950s with my uncle to watch the Omaha Cardinals play. I've worked here, and I'm sad to see this place go. In a way, a part of me wishes there could have been a way to stay here.''
Jensen also serves as the voice of the College World Series, and will make the move to Omaha's new downtown ballpark next season.
“I'm excited about the new stadium,'' he said. “At the same time, this place has created so many memories for so many people. I'll be like a lot of people. When the lights go out, it will hit me.''
It's not over (maybe)
Here's why it's still not possible to say Thursday was the last baseball game at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Even the Pacific Coast League isn't quite ready to say the Royals have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Memphis rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth Thursday to beat New Orleans 3-2 and move into a tie with Iowa atop the American Conference North at 80-60. Omaha is two games back at 78-62.
Omaha's only chance to reach the postseason would be to sweep its four-game series at Oklahoma City while Iowa and Memphis split their four-game set in Des Moines.
Three wins for either Iowa or Memphis would give that team 83 wins, more than Omaha can reach.
Should Omaha go 4-0 and the other teams split, there would be a three-way tie for the division title at 82-62.
The PCL's first tiebreaker in the event of a three-way tie is to compare records of the teams involved in the tie against one another. Omaha and Memphis would be 17-15 in those games, Iowa 14-18. What's unclear is if that means Iowa would be thrown out and Memphis and Omaha compared head-to-head: Memphis won that series 9-7. If that is how it plays out, then Omaha is already eliminated.
The next tiebreaker is record within the division, which Omaha would win with a mark of 25-23 (Memphis would be 24-24, Iowa 20-28).
Dwight Hall, the PCL's director of baseball operations, said late Thursday that the league wasn't quite ready to make a determination.
“In the unlikely chance that would occur, we want to make sure that we've distributed the right information before hand, rather than issuing a correction later,” said Hall, who was unable to reach league president Branch Rickey late Thursday. “We want to make sure we get it right. Before Omaha steps on the field (Friday), we'll know what the scenario would be.”
Dyson disruptive force for Omaha
A fly ball that settled into the glove of Omaha center fielder Jarrod Dyson was the final baseball play to take place at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Dyson didn't think too much about the implications of the souvenir that had landed in his hands.
“If I could do it all over again I would have kept it,” Dyson said. “I just threw it in.”
It was a big night for Dyson, who went 4 for 4 with a walk, stole two bases and scored two runs. He's hitting .293 and has 13 stolen bases in 42 games with Omaha, and Thursday showed him at his disruptive best.
The 26-year-old said the big crowd for Rosenblatt's final night didn't necessarily help him take his game to another level.
“I try not to let the crowd affect my game,” Dyson said. “I just tried to stay short (with his swing) and think up the middle and away. That's my approach. I got on base and caused some havoc and gave the next batter a chance to see more fastballs because they're so worried about me stealing. It's all about team and that's what I can do for the team.”
Royal Maddox watches postgame
Infielder Marc Maddox, who went 0 for 4 as the Royals' designated hitter, popped back into the dugout to catch the end of the post-game festivities. He watched as Stadium Superintendent Jesse Cuevas gave a short speech as home plate was being removed to be taken to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and then saw Steve Rosenblatt – the son of Johnny, for whom the park is named – hit a ceremonial last pitch.
“I just wanted to see what was going on,” Maddox said. “It's a special place and that was kind of cool to see.”
Maddox, who played college baseball at Southern Mississippi but never reached the College World Series, echoed the sentiments of several Royals about the part they played in the final game at the stadium.
“The stadium went out the right way,” Maddox said. “Fortunately we were able to get a win, and that's a big part of it.”
Stirring version of classic song
The biggest goosebumps of the night might have popped up as the crowd heartily sang an emotional, a capella version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” during the seventh-inning stretch.
Omaha General Manager Martie Cordaro, during the post-game ceremonies, offered one word to describe the atmosphere of the entire evening:
“Magical.”
— Rob White and Steve Pivovar
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• Video: See highlights from the Royals' last night at Rosenblatt:
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