Published: July 01, 2008 04:00 am         

O-Tigers are set to be sold

ONEONTA _ Oneonta's professional baseball future is about to change in a big way.

The Oneonta Tigers will announce today they've come to an agreement to sell the New York-Penn League team, sources close to the deal said Monday.

Suzanne Longo, the daughter of O-Tigers owner Sam Nader, invited The Daily Star and other media outlets to a 2 p.m. news conference today at the O-Tigers office at Damaschke Field. Longo said she invited the media on behalf of her father.

One source said details of the pending sale will be announced at the conference.

O-Tigers fans won't have to worry about the team bolting from the city for at least two years.

"The principle party has agreed to keep the Oneonta Tigers in Oneonta through the 2010 season and hopefully beyond," one source said.

Oneonta's affiliation contract with the Detroit Tigers and its lease for Damaschke Field with the city of Oneonta expire following the 2010 season.

Baseball and city officials have been notified of the sale, one source said.

Nader, 88, and Sid Levine, 95, are the only living members of the Oneonta Athletic Corporation, a group that started with 10 men who purchased the franchise for $10,000 in 1966. Nader serves as the president of the corporation, and Levine as the vice president and treasurer. Levine wouldn't comment on the possible sale Monday. Nader didn't return a message left on his home phone.

Sources said the deal between the OAC and the buyers is complete, but that the sale needs to be approved by the NY-Penn League, Major League Baseball and Minor League baseball.

The OAC has been steadfast in keeping professional baseball in Oneonta since purchasing the team. Offers to buy the team have come in previous years without success.

Nader said in early May the OAC has turned down other offers over the years. Nader also said the OAC has entertained more offers in recent years, citing his and Levine's ages.

During a 2001 Daily Star interview about the possible sale of the O-Tigers to AlliedSignal, Levine said the OAC rejected a $2.5 million offer in 1998 and would have turned down $5 million if it meant the Tigers would leave Oneonta.

Sources wouldn't reveal the buyers or a price. According to minorleaguebaseball.com, a short-season Single-A franchise is worth $1.8 million and up.

Oneonta is one of the smallest markets in the country to be affiliated with a major-league team. According to a story that ran in The Daily Star on May 6, 1998, Oneonta was the fourth smallest market in the U.S.

And the O-Tigers have regularly been one of the worst draws in the NY-Penn. This season, attendance at Damaschke Field ranks last in the 14-team league. Oneonta is averaging 683 fans through its first six home games. Batavia is the next lowest with an average of 1,216.

The past three seasons, the O-Tigers have ranked ahead of only Batavia in attendance. Oneonta averaged 1,403 fans last season, 1,162 in 2006 and 1,295 in 2005.

Oneonta is also believed to be the lone minor-league team in the country that does not sell beer at home games. Nader and Levine have made a point to keep a family atmosphere at the park.

Oneonta's first season in the NY-Penn League came in 1966 as an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Oneonta finished 65-59 that season, placing fourth in the league. The 65 victories is a franchise record.

Following that season, when the NY-Penn switched to a short-season Single-A league, Oneonta joined the New York Yankees family, a relationship that spanned 32 years. The O-Yankees won 15 division titles and 12 league championships over that time. Future stars such as Don Mattingly, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mike Lowell all played in Oneonta. Lowell earned World Series MVP honors with the Red Sox last season. Future National Football League Hall of Famer John Elway spent his only professional baseball season in Oneonta, hitting .318 in 1982.

After winning the NY-Penn championship in 1998, the Yankees left town for Staten Island. Detroit became the affiliate and the O-Tigers in 1999. Oneonta has won four Stedler Division titles since and reached the league championship series in 2002, the same season current Detroit center fielder Curtis Granderson won league MVP honors.

Several players have reached the major leagues since playing for the O-Tigers, including Clete Thomas, Jeff Larish, Michael Hollimon, Matt Joyce, Burke Badenhop and Jair Jurrjens.

Managers have experienced success as well.

Buck Showalter, who guided the Oneonta Yankees to the league championship in 1985 and a division title in 1986, managed the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.

Trey Hillman, who won the NY-Penn title in 1990 with the O-Yanks, is managing the Kansas City Royals this year. Mike Ferraro, who won the NY-Penn title in 1974 and spent two season in Oneonta, managed for parts of two seasons with the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City.

___

P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.