WINNIPEG GOLDEYES DAILY CLIPPINGS WEDNESDAY, JULY 8th , 2020 - City Fishes for New Lease Deal With Goldeyes—Winnipeg Free Press (Joyanne Pursaga), 7/8/20 - Goldeyes Manager Stressing Patience During Unique Season—Winnipeg Sun, 7/8/20 - Hilton Sets Tone in “Home” Opener—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Steve Schuster), 7/7/20 - Winnipeg Wins Home Opener...In Fargo—Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, 7/7/20 - Goldeyes Win Home Opener Against RedHawks (Video Link)—KVRR Fargo (Nick Couzin), 7/7/20 - A Mini Miracle—Winnipeg Sun, 7/5/20 - Baseball is Back, and Goldeyes Open With 9-5 Win—Winnipeg Sun, 7/4/20 - Kelly ‘Super Thankful’ to be Playing Baseball as RedHawks Open Season Against Rival Winnipeg—INFORUM (Eric Peterson), 7/4/20 - Goldeyes Get Set for Some Game Action—Winnipeg Free Press (Hayden Goethe), 7/3/20 - Goldeyes Holding Out Hope of Playing Some Games in Winnipeg in 2020—Winnipeg Sun (Ted Wyman), 7/3/20 - RedHawks Games at Newman Expected to Feel Different for Fans This Summer Due to COVID-19—INFORUM (Eric Peterson), 7/3/20 - Fishing Around in Fargo—Winnipeg Free Press (Hayden Goethe), 7/2/20 - ‘It’s a Breath of Fresh Air:’ New Goldeyes Just Happy to be Back on the Diamond—Winnipeg Sun (Ted Wyman), 7/2/20 - Mitchell Lambson Interview (Audio Link)—680 CJOB (Christian Aumell), 7/2/20 - Goldeyes Manager Forney ‘More Than Happy’ to Play in Fargo—INFORUM (Eric Peterson), 6/27/20 - Fish Take to Field in Fargo—Winnipeg Free Press (Taylor Allen), 6/26/20 - ‘We’re Just All Thankful to Have Some Baseball’—Winnipeg Free Press (Mike McIntyre), 6/25/20 - ‘It All Doesn’t Seem Real’: Goldeyes Rick Forney Deals With Tragedy, Pandemic, as Camp Opens—Winnipeg Sun (Paul Friesen), 6/25/20 - Goldeyes Pitcher, Wife Kept Apart by a Closed Canada-U.S. Border During Pandemic—Winnipeg Sun (Ted Wyman), 6/18/20 - Goldeyes Players Ready to Play Ball in What Promises to be ‘Extremely Competitive’ Season—Winnipeg Sun (Ted Wyman), 6/17/20 CITY FISHES FOR NEW SHAW PARK LEASE DEAL WITH GOLDEYES JOYANNE PURSAGA – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 th A NEW stadium lease could soon be struck with the Winnipeg Goldeyes — if the baseball team and city council approve it. In a new report, city staff propose a 15-year lease agreement for Shaw Park to replace the Goldeyes’ current $1-per-year lease. Instead, the team would pay an annual rent of $75,000 in Years 1 to 5, $85,000 in Years 6 to 10, and $95,000 in Years 11 to 15. The current lease for Shaw Park is set to expire July 27, 2023. City staff also propose to offer the independent league team annual grants that equal the amount of entertainment tax the club pays each year ($325,000 in 2019), as well as the municipal portion of property taxes on the ballpark itself ($43,100 in 2019). Those grants would last until Nov. 14, 2029, when a similar deal with Winnipeg Jets/Manitoba Moose owner True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd. expires. Coun. Cindy Gilroy, chairwoman of council’s property and development committee, said little about the proposal Tuesday, other than to note it would require millions of dollars of taxpayer support over its term. "The proposed agreement represents a multimillion-dollar subsidy for a professional sports team, so I will be scrutinizing it thoroughly throughout the committee process," Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) said in a brief emailed statement. Meanwhile, Goldeyes president/owner Sam Katz said he’s concerned the report overlooks the team’s $13-million investment in its $20-million ballpark’s original price. Shaw Park opened in 1999. Katz, a former Winnipeg mayor, said that investment helped spark the initial $1-per-year lease and should be acknowledged within any new deal. "We think we’ve paid our fair share." He also called the proposed tax grant "pretty standard," noting the same benefit is provided to the Jets of the NHL and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. However, he expressed concern about the clause that specifies those grants would last only until 2029. "If that expires, the Goldeyes would expire as well. The business model doesn’t work that way," said Katz. The baseball team is also concerned the lease proposal includes a parking lot at 41 Westbrook Ave. for its initial 15-year term, but not necessarily during two optional five-year extensions. Katz said the team wants to keep its current home but must ensure a viable business model, especially after COVID-19 is forcing it to play all American Association of Independent Professional Baseball games in the United States this season. "There’s no secret what we’re going through right now. We’ll have zero revenue for 20 months… That’s hard to overcome, let alone survive," he said. Gord Chappell, a real estate administrator for the city, said the new rent amount was chosen based on an appraisal. Chappell said the city also wants to keep its options open for some parts of the downtown stadium site, such as potentially redeveloping the Westbrook parking lot after the initial lease ends. "We want to maintain that right to potentially redevelop that lot if it becomes available. Otherwise, it very well might be included in a future option to extend (the lease)," he said Tuesday. Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), a former Winnipeg property and development chairman, said he believes the lease proposal offers a fair deal for the city, and plans to support the deal. "For the next 20 years or so, this is the best use for the land, and it’s a good amenity for downtown," said Mayes. "You have people saying we shouldn’t subsidize this. Well, we subsidize the Jets a whole lot more." Council’s property and development committee will vote on the report July 13. GOLDEYES MANAGER STRESSING PATIENCE DURING UNIQUE SEASON WINNIPEG SUN – WEDNESDAY, JULY 7 th All things considered, the American Association’s opening weekend was a success. The Goldeyes won two of three from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, and came within three outs of sweeping the series. All six clubs participating in this unique season earned at least one victory, including the first in the managerial careers of Milwaukee’s Anthony Barone and Fargo-Moorhead’s Chris Coste. Sunday presented a brief setback when a positive COVID-19 test resulted in the postponement of a game between the Milwaukee Milkmen and Chicago Dogs. However, those same two teams returned to action Tuesday during Chicago’s home opener at Impact Field. Still, the league is only four games into an abbreviated 60-game schedule, and Goldeyes manager Rick Forney is fully aware of the need to stay vigilant over the long haul. “You don’t know what to expect, because you just don’t know how much the players are ready for it physically or mentally,” Forney said. “You have to respect the process and let them go out there and play, but protect their health at the same time. Both their baseball health and doing the best you can to fight the COVID situation as well.” One of the unique aspects of the American Association is a burning desire to compete and win up and down the hierarchies of each organization. That competitive spirit is no more evident in the field managers. Given everything that had to break right just for the league to make last weekend a reality, Forney admits expectations have to be managed somewhat, at least in the short term. “This isn’t easy on these guys,” said Forney. “They’re basically getting out of bed, coming up here, and playing. You can’t be impatient with them. There are so many unknowns this year, and it’s going to be a different feeling for everybody.” One of the reasons Forney is stressing patience is the understanding that early-season games weren’t the only development tool players missed out on. With gyms and baseball facilities unavailable during the peak of the lockdown, even the most dedicated of players had a difficult time maintaining a consistent routine. “I built my own home gym in my basement to stay in shape,” Goldeyes pitcher Kevin McGovern said. “I would long toss alone to build my arm up. Friends from home that I played ball with also agreed to stand in and catch me whenever I needed it. I wouldn’t be as close to ready without them.” Winnipeg scored 31 runs in the three-game series against Fargo, but its team defence may have been most impressive. In normal years, it could take anywhere from two to three weeks for a collective defence to catch up to game speed. However, the Goldeyes committed just one error and turned eight double plays, two of which would have led to the RedHawks immediately winning Sunday’s game had they not been turned. Upon their arrival in Fargo two weeks ago, Forney has observed a very tangible desire in his players. And even with expectations tempered for the moment, Forney’s goal each night is the same as it has been since he took over as manager in 2006. “For me, if we’re at the ball park to play a real game, and they’re keeping score, then we want to win,” Forney concluded. HILTON SETS TONE IN “HOME” OPENER STEVE SCHUSTER – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – TUESDAY, JULY 7 th FARGO, ND – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (3-1) beat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 7-1 at Newman Outdoor Field on Tuesday night. The Goldeyes served as the home team.