"Dillas Inbox": GM speaks candidly about stadium lease and team
January 8, 2010 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Amarillo Dillas News Release
AMARILLO, TX - As part of their desire to give fans a forum to ask questions about their local professional baseball team, the Amarillo Dillas unveiled their new "Dillas Inbox" Q&A Session with General Manager Mark Lee, back in December. The format is very simple in that the gloves come off which allows fans to ask the questions that are closest to their mind with the opportunity to get an inside perspective. Fans were very inquisitive about several topics but discussion of the stadium lease and players proved to be the hottest topics.
Dana E. of El Paso, TX - Will the Dillas make a team baseball card set for 2010?
We would love to have baseball card sets made every year for our fans but given that Independent baseball can be extremely transient with players coming and going all the time, it wouldn't be fair to our fans to hand out player card set that aren't complete.
Bill W. of Amarillo, TX - Two-part question here, back in December Potter County Commissioners gave the Dillas a two-year stadium lease does this mean the future of baseball beyond 2011 in Amarillo is in jeopardy and why did the Dillas decide to not renovate the stadium?
The information reported in the newspaper can be a bit confusing but the fact of the matter is we were awarded a two-year lease with a renewal option for two additional years taking us through 2013. The county commissioners hold that option. We will continue to conduct business the next two years just as we have the last four years giving us confidence that the commissioners will exercise the extension, when the times comes. Providing affordable family entertainment has been our focus since 2006 and that will continue to be our purpose for years to come. The county's decision to accept annual rent over our ownership's plan to make multi-million dollar renovations to the stadium was not our intention. The Dilla Villa is a great place to take a family and given the chance to make improvements to stadium, as we proposed to the commissioners, would have made it just that much better, but we were never given that chance.
Steve H. of Dumas, TX - the Dillas have won championships two years in a row now and it seems like in professional sports that kind of success usually means players leave and go play for another team, do you expect to keep the same team from last year?
We did have a great run the last two years and we were very fortunate to provide our fans and the city with another championship of which we are very proud. The level of professional baseball in which we play often does have many face changes from year to year and at this point we do expect to see a lot of new faces but fans will see several of their favorites coming back this year to defend our title.
Jim T. of Amarillo, TX - Will the Dillas have better pitching this year?
Well, being a former pitcher this might be a tough question to answer objectively but I'll give it my best shot. All-in-all, I felt our pitching staff did a commendable job last year but there is always room for improvement. There are a lot of uncontrollable variables such as the quality umpiring which can determine a pitcher's success on any given night or season for that matter. There is a high-level of failure in baseball whether it's Little League, the big leagues, or Independent baseball. They say pitching and defense win championships, that statement is so true.
The Amarillo Dillas Baseball Club is a charter member of United League Baseball, a Professional Independent League, with six teams playing in Texas. ULB teams are located in Amarillo, Coastal Bend, Edinburg, Harlingen, Laredo, and San Angelo.
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United League Baseball Stories from January 8, 2010
- "Dillas Inbox": GM speaks candidly about stadium lease and team - Amarillo Dillas
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