Fat Cats hope playoff run leads to stadium deal

The owners of Ottawa's semi-pro baseball team are hoping added interest in the team's playoff run will convince the City of Ottawa to take another chance on baseball and give them a longer stadium lease.

The Ottawa Fat Cats jumped out to a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-seven Intercounty Baseball League semifinal playoffs series over the top-seeded Barrie Baycats after a win in Barrie Sunday.

The success is a big leap for a team that finished the regular season in sixth place and finished dead last in the eight-team league last year.

Fat Cats general manager Duncan MacDonald said fans are catching on to what the team is offering, with the team averaging about 2,100 fans a game — up 52 per cent from last year.

The team's owners, Ottawa Stadium Group, have been seeking a long-term lease on the stadium, but thus far the city has only approved year-to-year leases. 

"Is that the best way to go? No," said MacDonald. "We weren't thrilled to have a one plus one year lease."

MacDonald said for baseball to ultimately thrive in Ottawa, the organization needs to attract a professional team to the city, and to do that, they need a long-term stadium deal. The city, however, isn't so sure the stadium fits into their long-term plans.

Ottawa's former Triple-A team, the Lynx, graced the diamond for 15 years until moving to Pennsylvania in 2008. Another pro team, the Ottawa Rapidz, played one year in 2008 before folding.

The Fat Cats are a long-way from triple-A baseball, but its been a good opportunity for a few local players to get some exposure in front of the home crowds.

Pitcher Josh Soffer, a Kanata native, has made the most of the opportunity.

"I've never had so much fun playing on a team," said Soffer.

"The crowds are great, the amount of fans we get here is at least double what they get in any other ballpark in this league.  I don't want baseball to die in Ottawa," said Soffer.

MacDonald says the addition of a pro team wouldn't spell the end of the Fat Cats. Instead, both teams could exist because the Fat Cats play fewer than 20 home games during the season.

Games three and four of the series are at Ottawa Stadium 7 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday.

The series winner will advance to the finals and play the winner of the other semifinal series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brantford Red Sox.