FredNats stadium nears completion; MiLB will make call to return players to field

The national lockdown has been a bittersweet event for the Fredericksburg Nationals.

On the one hand, the team’s front office staff and the players — who have been locked in their homes with the rest of us — are excited about returning to the field for what is going to be the inaugural season for the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

The team was supposed to play its first home game in a brand new $35 million stadium at the Celebrate Virginia complex in Fredericksburg on April 23. The early 14 of the 70 games of the season were scheduled as away games to give the team some extra time to get the finishing touches on the stadium, on which construction started last fall.

“Construction has been deemed an essential activity the state, so we’ve been very fortunate for that,” said Nick Hall, Fredericksburg Nationals General Manager in an interview with Potomac Local News.

Much of the state, if not the world, has come to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. On March 13, 2020, Minor Leauge Baseball announced it would delay the start of the 2020 season, giving the FredNats more time to work on the stadium.

Here’s the MiLB’s statement made last month:

“In light of the current coronavirus outbreak, and after consultation with medical professionals and our partners at Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball will delay the start of the 2020 Championship Season. We will continue to monitor the developments and will announce additional information about the 2020 season at a later date. We will work with Major League Baseball and our community partners to resume play as soon as it is safe to do so. The health and safety of Minor League Baseball fans, players and executives is our top priority, and our thoughts are with those around the world who have been affected by this outbreak.”

In the meantime, the stadium seats have been installed, and the field’s artificial turf has is rolled out.

“Sitting in the stadium now, you wouldn’t even know it isn’t completely finished yet,” said Hall.

The stadium will, however, be ready to play ball on April 23, said Hall. When Minor Leauge Baseball gives the green light, it could mean only the players take the field without fans in the stadium, which is what is happening in South Korea after the number of reported coronavirus cases appears to be in decline.

It could be May, or later in the summer before fans can visit Fredericksburg’s new stadium for the first time.

“We’re looking at some scenarios where were playing games in May, and some that have us not playing games until as late as August,” said Hall. “It’s all speculation right now, so I don’t have a definitive answer as to when we’ll be back.”

To keep fans and players safe, the team will follow social distancing guidelines set forth by the CDC or WHO, said Hall.

In the meantime, the FredNats have been busy working to promote the new team in the community. A new mascot, “Gus,” is a colorful, fury guy who represents George Washington’s childhood imaginary friend who, incidentally, says Hall, is a big fan of baseball.

“If you’ve been hoping to see baseball in Fredericksburg for years, just imagine how long Gus has been waiting,” quipped Hall.

The team is also developing a new beer with 6 Bears and a Goat Brewing Company in Stafford County, which is now the official brewery for the minor league team. Hall was tight-lipped on the type of beer that is it will be — light or dark brew — and said an announcement about the new draft brew would be forthcoming.

Just before coronavirus lockdown in late February, the team in February held auditions for on-field and press box announcers at the University of Mary Washington. The team has yet to decide who made the cut.

The team also planned to hold auditions for singers who would perform the National Anthem on the field before games were set to be held in early March at the university but were postponed due to the coronavirus spread. Hall says the team is still accepting video submissions for singers who would like to perform at the stadium.

The coronavirus has also sidelined players in the Major Leagues. Not since the players’ strike of 1994 have so many baseball diamonds been silent.

“Here’s the difference between today and the strike in 1994, at least back then, they were still playing ball in the Minor Leauge,” said Hall.