By Greg Bates
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – There have been big changes this season for the Dodgers adult baseball team.
The club is no longer the De Pere Dodgers – dropping the city name because the team consists of players from all over northeastern Wisconsin.
Also, after playing three seasons at the West De Pere baseball field, the Dodgers Baseball Club has become the main tenants at Joannes Stadium in Green Bay.
Tony Freeman is hoping those big shifts in the organization equate to players enjoying themselves on the diamond and it helps create a close community feel.
“That’s what we’re trying to drive home,” said Freeman, who is the Dodgers’ organizational president. “Something a little bigger and better than adult league but something as close to pro ball as you can get without playing pro ball.”
The Dodgers, who got their start in 2016, have had a successful run and have become a good landing spot for local college players who are looking to play ball while home for the summer.
“We thought there was a need for a place for the kids to play,” Dodgers field and general manager Denny Ruh said. “There wasn’t any organized ball for kids 18 and older after they got out of Legion.”
The Dodgers, which are a nonprofit organization, found a home at the West De Pere baseball field, but there were a lot of things working against the team.
Beer couldn’t be sold on site because the field is on school grounds, and the concession stand and restrooms are located down the right-field line.
“I did not feel it was sustainable if we were still playing at West De Pere,” Freeman said. “We had to provide a more complete baseball experience in order to make that work.”
When the collegiate summer baseball team, the Green Bay Bullfrogs, changed its name to the Booyah and built the new Capital Credit Union Park, that left a vacancy at the 90-year-old Joannes Stadium.
When Freeman was helping line up the Dodgers’ move to Joannes, he was in touch with a community policing officer. He told Freeman: “I’m so glad something is going to be at Joannes this summer. We need it for the neighborhoods.”
Freeman said most people who live in the Joannes area don’t have the money to afford to attend a Booyah or Wisconsin Timber Rattlers game.
The goal for Freeman and his 10-person board of directors was to make the games affordable for families with kids, as well as individuals.
Tickets are $3 for adults, school-age kids 13-17 cost $1 and children 12 and under are free.
A season pass for the Dodgers is $25.
“We planned to keep the cost to come to a game extremely low so people in those neighborhoods can come,” Freeman said. “In many cases, we’re lower than the city at Bay Beach. At the end of the day, we don’t need to make a profit – we need to cover our costs.”
Freeman is hoping on average 200 fans go through the gates per home game.
Early in the season, about 70 fans are attending games.
“We’re not in it for money,” Ruh said. “We’re in it to provide wholesome entertainment at a low cost for people that want to see baseball.”
Another twist the club has announced for the 2020 season – the Dodgers will change their name to the Greater Green Bay Blue Ribbons.
The Blue Ribbons competed from 1970-’95, where Ruh helped jumpstart the team.
A good group in 2019
The Dodgers players didn’t have much time to practice early in the season, as they jumped right into games.
The team is off to a decent start, winning the Lakeshore Tournament in Manitowoc on June 2.
Through June 26, the Dodgers had an overall 12-7 record and were 5-6 in the Wisconsin State League.
The team plays 52 regular-season games – 30 of which are league games.
There are 25 players on the active roster and five on injured reserve.
Of the 25 active players, 18 have been with the team prior to this season.
All but three of the players on the team are 22 years of age and younger.
“There are a couple on here that I call veterans, although they’re seniors in college,” the 78-year-old Ruh said. “They take the reins and everybody follows them, or they have something to say.”
The older players on the Dodgers’ roster have some interesting pasts.
James Andersen, who is the city of Green Bay recreation superintendent, is the oldest player on the team at 36.
Luke Gajewski, a former Wisconsin State League player of the year, provides a good stick at 27.
Ruh really likes the makeup of his team.
“We have a lot of speed, and we haven’t really shown it yet because we haven’t stolen that many bases, but we are very quick,” Ruh said. “If our outfielders are all playing, our outfield is strong. They have good arms. I think defensively, and if our pitching comes through halfway decent, we will be in every ballgame.”
With a long season ahead of them, Ruh is hoping his guys are having a good time playing baseball.
“If you’re playing baseball at night and you’re working a job during the day, it takes a toll on you,” Ruh said. “They’re going to play against good competition, they might learn something we do here they didn’t do in school or they are working on things over the summer.”
Editor’s note: The Dodgers will host the Kenosha Kings this weekend at Joannes in four league games.
Saturday’s games will begin at 3 and 5:30 p.m., while Sunday’s two games will start at 1 and 3:30 p.m.