Bob Lutz: Wichita is close to losing its big-league connection

Fourteen names are all that remain from Wichita’s long connection with major-league baseball.

Fourteen names: Jeremy Affeldt, Mike Aviles, Carlos Beltran, Billy Butler, Endy Chavez, David DeJesus, Jorge De La Rosa, Mark Ellis, Irving Falu, Alex Gordon, Zack Greinke, Luke Hochevar, J.P. Howell and Donnie Murphy.

All played minor-league baseball in Wichita during their development years. And all played in the big leagues this season.

Soon, though, that Wichita connection with MLB will be severed. Outside of a stray player from the Wichita Wingnuts independent club that might get an opportunity in the majors, there are no channels since the Kansas City Royals moved its Double-A franchise from Wichita to Northwest Arkansas after the 2007 season.

Just eight years ago, the Wichita Wranglers put a fascinating team on the field. They led the Texas League in hitting, couldn’t pitch a lick, and rode that offense to the league championship series before losing to Corpus Christi.

That Wranglers team, which finished 77-62 in the regular season, included current Royals Billy Butler and Alex Gordon as up-and-coming stars. Butler batted .331 with 15 homers and 96 RBIs; Gordon batted .325 with 29 homers and 101 RBIs.

And they had help from the likes of Dee Brown (.307-16-78), Mitch Maier (.306-14-92) and young Chris Lubanski (.282-15-70), another hotshot prospect who never panned out.

The pitching staff, weak as it was, did have young right-hander Zack Greinke for just more than half of the season. In 17 starts, Greinke was 8-3 with a 4.34 ERA.

Before the 2007 season started, though, it was announced that Bob and Mindy Rich, owners of the Wranglers, were taking the team, with the Royals’ blessing, to Springdale, Ark. Attendance in Wichita was lagging and the Rich family believed Northwest Arkansas was a burgeoning hotbed of sports and culture. The Royals’ Double-A team has been there since.

Less than 2,000 per game came out for the lame-duck 2007 season; the Wranglers drew almost 3,000 in 2006. But for whatever reason or more likely a combination of many, affiliated minor-league baseball just never seemed to appease the masses in Wichita.

Nearly 800 players went from Wichita’s minor-league ranks to the majors during Wichita’s 76-year affiliation with the major leagues that started in 1887. That affiliation has been off and on, so there’s no doubt in my mind that affiliated baseball will make a return at some point.

It’s just too bad it left in the first place.

Wichita’s minor-league baseball fans – I know you’re out there – were elated when the Royals announced a working agreement with the Wranglers before the 1995 season. Wichita’s previous affiliations had been with the Chicago Cubs (1932, 1972-80), St. Louis Browns (1950, 1953), Cleveland Indians (1951-52, 1970-71), Baltimore Orioles (1954-55), Milwaukee Braves (1956-58), Texas Rangers (1981), Montreal Expos (1982-83), Cincinnati Reds (1984) and San Diego Padres (1987-94).

Becoming the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Royals, everyone thought, would drum up a lot more interest.

For the most part, though, it didn’t. After some promising early attendance numbers, crowds started to dwindle as the big-league Royals struggled to win.

Some outstanding players passed through Wichita over the years, including Hall of Famers Arky Vaughan (1931 Aviators) and Roberto Alomar (1987 Pilots). And so many great players on opposing teams played here, including pitchers Red Faber, Dazzy Vance, Jesse Haines, Carl Hubbell, Dizzy Dean, Jim Bunning and Bob Gibson, as well as position players Jake Beckley, Heine Manush, Tony Lazzeri, Orlando Cepeda, Andre Dawson, Roger Maris, Ryne Sandberg, Gary Sheffield, Harmon Killebrew and George Brett.

Of course, none were household baseball names when they played in Wichita, but all went on to have memorable, and in some cases legendary, major-league careers.

But future big leaguers, for the most part, stopped passing through town seven years ago. Take nothing away from the Wingnuts, who have been in contention in the American Association in all but a couple of their seven seasons and won a league championship last month, but it’s not the same.

We can argue all day about whether it’s better or worse, but it’s definitely not the same.

The case for better: A more stable roster with players who are interested in winning and player development is not the top priority. They develop ties in the community and have a manager, Kevin Hooper, with ties to Wichita State and lives in the area year around.

The case for worse: The Wingnuts’ roster is made up of players whose careers have stalled and whose chances to reach the majors are slim. Most players are former prospects, still as talented as many playing affiliated baseball, but usually too old to be viable.

I miss affiliated baseball and Wichita’s connection to the big leagues. We’re at 14 names and counting – backwards.

This story was originally published October 8, 2014 at 4:28 PM with the headline "Bob Lutz: Wichita is close to losing its big-league connection."