NOTEBOOK \ Scrappers vs. Jammers

Mini-controversy: The Jammers' new mascot "Bubba Grape the Baseball Ape" made his debut on Tuesday, along with the team's new colors (purple, white and green) and logo, which is a cluster of grapes holding a bat and wearing a batting helmet. (Since the grapes are supposed to represent grape jam -- i.e. Jammers -- this means that the new logo is, technically, an ingredient.) Jamestown's old logo was something resembling a Tasmanian Devil (which was an improvement over the team's original logo, which apparently looked like a large rat and scared children) and the old colors were red, white and black. Apparently, the new logo has sparked a mini-controversy in Jamestown. The northern part of Chautauqua County (where Jamestown is located) produces grapes. (It's the second-largest grape-producing area in the country.) The southern part doesn't. Since few people in the northern part of the county go to the games, the team is apparently trying to "regionalize" by appealing to the grape-growing community. This has irritated the team's core fans in the southern part of the county, prompting the assistant GM to ask fans "not to avoid the team just because they don't like the new grape logo." The stands were about two-thirds full for Tuesday's game (attendance was estimated at 2,200, although that was probably a bit optimistic) and it was unclear whether it was because of the grapes or indifference. Stay tuned.History lesson: Russell J. Diethrick Stadium opened in 1941, making it the second-oldest stadium in the New York-Penn League. Jamestown, which is about 45 minutes east of Erie, Pa., is affiliated with the Florida Marlins.Local connection: Jamestown has two native Ohioans on its roster and three that played collegiately in Ohio. Right-hander Ross Liersemann is from Mansfield and played at the University of Akron. Infielder Andrew Saylor is from Wadsworth and played at Kent State. Left-hander Graham Taylor played at Miami (Ohio). Scrappers right-hander Jason Schutt is from Jamestown. (Alas, it's Jamestown, N.D., not New York.)Back for more: Four of this year's Scrappers played for Mahoning Valley last season: Outfielders Cirilo Cumberbatch, Evandy DeLeon and Brent Thomas and infielder Andy Lytle.Next up: The Scrappers will play two more games in Jamestown, then start a three-game homestand against Williamsport on Friday at Eastwood Field.
Mini-controversy: The Jammers' new mascot "Bubba Grape the Baseball Ape" made his debut on Tuesday, along with the team's new colors (purple, white and green) and logo, which is a cluster of grapes holding a bat and wearing a batting helmet. (Since the grapes are supposed to represent grape jam -- i.e. Jammers -- this means that the new logo is, technically, an ingredient.) Jamestown's old logo was something resembling a Tasmanian Devil (which was an improvement over the team's original logo, which apparently looked like a large rat and scared children) and the old colors were red, white and black. Apparently, the new logo has sparked a mini-controversy in Jamestown. The northern part of Chautauqua County (where Jamestown is located) produces grapes. (It's the second-largest grape-producing area in the country.) The southern part doesn't. Since few people in the northern part of the county go to the games, the team is apparently trying to "regionalize" by appealing to the grape-growing community. This has irritated the team's core fans in the southern part of the county, prompting the assistant GM to ask fans "not to avoid the team just because they don't like the new grape logo." The stands were about two-thirds full for Tuesday's game (attendance was estimated at 2,200, although that was probably a bit optimistic) and it was unclear whether it was because of the grapes or indifference. Stay tuned.History lesson: Russell J. Diethrick Stadium opened in 1941, making it the second-oldest stadium in the New York-Penn League. Jamestown, which is about 45 minutes east of Erie, Pa., is affiliated with the Florida Marlins.Local connection: Jamestown has two native Ohioans on its roster and three that played collegiately in Ohio. Right-hander Ross Liersemann is from Mansfield and played at the University of Akron. Infielder Andrew Saylor is from Wadsworth and played at Kent State. Left-hander Graham Taylor played at Miami (Ohio). Scrappers right-hander Jason Schutt is from Jamestown. (Alas, it's Jamestown, N.D., not New York.)Back for more: Four of this year's Scrappers played for Mahoning Valley last season: Outfielders Cirilo Cumberbatch, Evandy DeLeon and Brent Thomas and infielder Andy Lytle.Next up: The Scrappers will play two more games in Jamestown, then start a three-game homestand against Williamsport on Friday at Eastwood Field.