State doesn't swing at pitch from SIBG

The possibility of Minor League baseball in Southern Illinois is on hold -- at least until November writes Becky Malkovich, because no money was allotted for the project in the State budget.

The Herrin-based Southern Illinois Baseball Group has asked the state for about 7.5 million to bring a Class A minor league baseball team (the Class A team from Battle Creek, Michigan) to the area -- probably near Marion. Local investors have pledged several million dollars for that purpose, but it is not enough to buy the team, the land, and build the stadium.

A spokesman for the governor's office, said he liked the proposal, but a decision was being delayed until November, since the leaders of the legislature have decided to push back discussing capital projects until the fall veto session. "It sounds like it could be a good economic development project for Southern Illinois," he said.

Since two other cities (which ones?), SIBG is concerned that the Battle Creek team will be sold before then.

Designated speaker Dennis Poshard said the group had hoped to be playing ball by April 2006. Now it looks like extra-innings.

The way this budget process is going, Governor Blagojevich's "Opportunity Returns" speech at the SIU Student Center ballroom last Fall was a bunch of bull . . . and yet, this blog has news for G-Rod:

Opportunity Never Left!