Play Ball!

The hamburgers were tasty, the grass freshly cut, the enthusiasm contagious last weekend as professional baseball came to Mission Viejo. And if the team’s beginning was less than auspicious, well, the hamburgers were tasty and the grass looked great.

The Mission Viejo Vigilantes drew more than 3,000 spectators to the Saddleback College field. The entertainment outside the foul lines was fine: Frisbee-catching dogs were a hit, as always. The fireworks lit up the night, though they started a bit late in the evening. The team lost 12-5, but hey, it’s a long season and there will be plenty more chances for victory.

We wish the team well and applaud the proclamations by at least some players that they intend to be fan-friendly. That means signing autographs, answering children’s questions and displaying sportsmanship, to use a word long out of vogue among too many highly paid and highly spoiled players in the major leagues of all sports.

Minor league baseball should be a hit in Orange County, giving families a chance to enjoy an entertaining day or evening together. When the Vigilantes played in Long Beach, the club kept fans happy with the Frisbee-catching canines, between-innings races around the bases for children, $5 haircuts in the stands behind home plate, and shoulder and neck massages for fans. All contributed to the fun.

Unfortunately, matters in the counting house were less entertaining, and that’s the aspect that Mission Viejo officials will have to watch closely.

The city is discussing spending $6 million to build a new 4,500-seat stadium for the baseball team. That will not be money well spent if the Vigilantes pull up stakes again. The team played the first two years of its existence in Long Beach, but left because the owners got a better financial deal from Mission Viejo. The team’s first owner had financial problems, and minor league baseball can be a risky business, especially for a team like the Vigilantes, which is not affiliated with a major league club.

Still, everyone can benefit if the team is successful and continues to draw good crowds. The game and associated events are fun and south Orange County would benefit from a new source of entertainment marked by the crack of the bat and the cheers of fans.