Sunday's Empire Yankees game shifted to Rochester after Pettitte announced as starter

That is disappointing but I understand why they did it. It would have been a nice treat for small town baseball fans to see a star play in their cozy little park.

I wouldn't trade my ticket in for Rochester though. I'll spend my time at Dwyer.

Mike I couldn't agree more! It is very disappointing for sure. I would have to think that the Batavia Muckdogs had no say in this matter. This was probably decided by the NY Yankees and Rochester had to change a lot of things to make it happen. The way I look at it is the Rochester Red Wings stepped in at the last minute to keep pro ball in Batavia and for that I will be forever grateful! When they announced continued operation for our Muckdogs in 2012 I couldn't of been happier. Then they announced we would have 7 Triple-A games as a Yankees home team this spring. This was fantastic bonus news for area baseball fans. Nobody at the time could have imagined that we might have a proven MLB Superstar re-habing and playing at one of our games. Rochester has been very good to Batavia and I undersand the move for Sunday's game. I also agree I would much rather spend my summer baseball time at Dwyer stadium. Thanks to everyone in our region for your continued support of Batavia pro ball since 1939. Looking forward to seeing you all down at Dwyer very soon when St. Louis Cardinals "boys of summer" draft picks come to town to start their journey to the "show".

oh well. I had tickets for Saturday not Sunday - when they FIRST said Pettitt would be here in Batavia - - $16 down the drain - not the end of the world. Hope everybody that GETS to go to Rochester and see him has a great time !!!!!!

If it has to do with the Yankees, you can be sure it has to do with money. Let's see.....Batavia?......Rochester?...cha-ching.....cha-ching..

They can use the extra money to fix Mariano Rivera's knee.

Very disappointed. Can't say I don't understand. Maybe if Batavians were more supportive of the Muck Dogs and could have at least sold out the Yankees games against the Tides...

Maybe it would be a different story.

Oh well, I'll see you Saturday!

Russ, I am not thinking that Naomi Silver's keeping baseball in Batavia for a few more years is going to look all that altruistic in the long term. The agreement she has to run the Muckdogs makes it in her best interest to sell this team. While she is losing money each year running the team, she will realize a windfall profit when the team sells. I don't think the terms of this management agreement ever encouraged Rochester Baseball to truly invest in Batavia. The change of venue for this game clearing demonstrates that the city of Batavia and the Muckdogs are of minimal concern to Rochester baseball. I am very interested to see how ticket exchanges are handled by the Red Wings. Will be getting comparable seats in Rochester? I am a season ticket holder for the Muckdogs and purchased the same seats for each of the triple A Yankee games. My seats are in the first row immediately behind the visitor's dugout. I would like to believe that the Red Wings will exchange my seats for comparable seats at Frontier Field. However, I am somewhat skeptical. All indications out of Rochester indicate that we are little more than a temporary annoyance to. Be tolerated until it becomes profitable to sell our team to the highest bidder.

Jim, good luck with getting the same seats. I called the Red Wings yesterday and they told me no you will not be able to get the same seats. the computer systems did not match up. This is just a money grab by the Red wings. they saw a chance at a big paid day and stole the game from The bataiva people pure and simple. I even suggested give the muckdawgs another game and got laughed at on the phone.

Jim - Can you blame Rochester's management? Batavia has the lowest average attendance in the NY Penn league, and couldn't even sell out for the first Yankees series two weekends ago. I know it rained Saturday-Monday, but it was 80 degrees on a Friday night for the opener...there's no excuse to not fill that ballpark. I LOVE going to Muckdogs games, and it's a great way for me to get my kids interested in baseball, but if Batavia's support (butts in the seats) don't improve drastically, of course they'll move the team.

I wish the NFL had farm teams

The Democrat and Chronical says in the artical about this is that the Yankees said if Pettite was to pitch it had to be in Rochester not Batavia. I think I will call this BULLSHIT, The Red Wings had to make the game up with Buffalo as a doubleheader on Saturday, so they had to call in a bunch of favors for this 1. No team wants to play doubleheaders any more, it messes up your pitching and cost money in the long run. No this was nothing but a money grab by Ms. Silver and her organization,they saw the chance for a sell out for them and not Batavia. Also wasn't it that Batavia was going to be responsible for all the games at Dwyer ? Well since I don't support the Reddogs anymore anyway and I am not planning on golfing this Sunday I am hoping for an all day rain right over Frontier Field.

Russ I think it is time for you to stop drinking the KOOL-AIDE coming from Rochester. They did not step in at the last minute to save baseball in Batavia, they stepped into an oppurtunity to make money in the long term. They will sell this franchise as soon as they can. She wasn't named minor leauge baseball exectutive of the year for nothing, this is a smart BUSINESS women and she saw a good business opening and pounced on it. It may take a few years before it is profitable for her to sell it but she knows that it is an investment that will be sold as soon as SHE wants to.

At this point any professional baseball played in Batavia is bonus baseball. If Rochester wants to keep all the big crumbs for their AAA organization can we really blame them? It's not like this community was overwhelming in its support for what it had.

One comment about the Yankees claiming Pettit had to pitch in Rochester.... is Dwyer's mound and field at the same level of playing quality as the field in Rochester? Andy Pettit is a huge draw for NY and a very well paid player for the Yankee organization. They may very well have wanted him on a better field to prevent further injury to their very well compensated asset. Food for thought anyway.....

It's wrong. It was advertised and marketed that AAA baseball is coming to Batavia, Ny. 1500 show up the first night, then snow cancelled a game. Next ,Andy Pettite is going to pitch. Lets move the games to Rochester, Ny, now that a World Series Pitcher is announced. If you wanted the games in Rochester, Ny you should have stated that in the beginning. The money and fans that are going into Rochester, Ny for this game should be played Batavia, Ny. as advertised. Oh yeah, when the all star pitcher and media are gone, we'll come back to use Dwyer Stadium in Batavia, ny And you wonder why the team is losing money or empty seats. When The Muckdogs Management gets an opportunity to sell seats, bring in media, they bail, then have the audacity to complain or threaten to move the team. When It's the managements fault in the first place. Open your bloodshot eyes Batavians, outsiders just love to use Batavia, Ny as long as it benefits anyone except Batavia, Ny,. this proves it.

There were 1500 fans!

I don't like it but I understand Mrs. Silver taking the game away from Batavia. That is just the way business is done. However if the seats I get at Frontier Field are not comparable to my seats at Dwyer, then it will be the last time I ever attend a ballgame in Rochester. Adding insult to injury is not the way to get people to feel warm and fuzzy about the Red Wings. It could be a very interesting reception for Naomi when she takes the field on opening day for the Muckdogs. She was never the Savior of baseball in Batavia...closer to a carpet bagger in my humble and ever so insignificant opinion.

I went down and traded my box seats in from Dwyer and got premium seats for the game in Rochester. It's a shame the game won't be played in Batavia as it would've been great for the city, but I understand the business decision. I'm just glad he's pitching in WNY and we all get to enjoy a future hall of famer in action.

Just to correct things.... it's not up to the Redwings, or Naomi Silver to sell the team. The team is owned by the Genesee County Baseball Club (GCBC) which is a group of 24 people (directors) who will ultimately make the decision to sell the team. They are also the people who made the decision to get into the contract with the Redwings to keep baseball here in Batavia. Yes, the Redwings do have some monetary interest in the sale of the team, however, the GCBC is solely responsible for handling the sale, and for the decision of the the sale of the team.

Here's a thought for those grousing about how "poorly" the Red Wings organization is running the Muckdogs. Put together a consortium of investors and buy the team. That way you can run the business as you see fit. Had the Red Wings not stepped forward several years ago would there even be a baseball team in Batavia now?

Frontier Field has a seating capacity of almost 11,000 seats. The game on Sunday has already sold-out, except for standing-room only tickets. It is believed come game time there will be roughly 14,000 fans in the stadium, which will be a record. Dan Mason's decision to move the game was a no-brainer once he was advised Pettitte would be pitching. To do otherwise would have been fool-hardy.