A look at Aberdeen's 2016 promotions and one reader's take on the Orioles

The Orioles' short-season Single-A affiliate, the Aberdeen IronBirds, announced their 2016 promotional schedule a few days ago. It will feature 14 postgame fireworks shows on Friday and Saturday nights and 19 themed promotional nights.

The 2016 campaign marks Aberdeen's 15th season and the home opener is set for Wednesday, June 22 at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. The IronBirds begin the new season on June 17 at Hudson Valley.

The IronBirds have added seven new promotions to the upcoming season's lineup, including game show night (June 25), Olympics night (Aug. 4), celebrate Hollywood (Aug. 5), ladies night (Aug. 9), wrestling night (Aug. 20), and outdoorsman night (Sept. 2). In addition to celebrating beloved team mascot Ferrous' birthday on Sept. 4, the IronBirds are paying homage to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in honor of the iconic film's 30th anniversary.

"We've got a different fanbase than some of the other minor league teams I've been involved with and watched," IronBirds general manager Joe Harrington said. "We've got a strong group that is very interested in the players on the field. But we also have people that come out and want to be entertained. So you have to find a balance there."

Harrington is about to begin his third season with Aberdeen after five years with the Lakewood BlueClaws, Philadelphia's Single-A South Atlantic League affiliate. Aberdeen saw an attendance increase in 2015 and finished fourth in the New York-Penn League, averaging 4,216 fans per game. On the field, the team went 40-36 and finished 1 1/2 games out of first place.

The IronBirds have a famous name and franchise, thanks in part to their famous owners, Cal Ripken Jr. and Bill Ripken, and a stadium with that famous family name.

"It is a tremendous asset we have, Cal and Bill and the history of Cal Sr.," Harrington said. "We've used the numbers of three, seven and eight appropriately in different spots. It definitely broadens our appeal and people want to come to the park because of Cal and what he did as a player. He's an ambassador for the game. It will be interesting to see how his new position with Major League Baseball impacts his schedule."

On Dec. 7, Ripken was named the new senior advisor to the commissioner on youth programs and outreach.

Aberdeen is one of four O's farm teams in the state of Maryland, along with the Double-A Bowie Baysox, Single-A Frederick Keys and Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. In a sense, those teams might be competing for the fan dollar, but for the most part, each has its own local and distinct fanbase. For Aberdeen, a lot of the fans come from Harford County.

"A large amount does. But we also find fans from northern Baltimore County and because of the Orioles, it comes from farther than that. And that broadens our reach," Harrington said.

For further information on the team, go to IronBirdsbaseball.com. For more on the 2016 promotions, click here.

Well thought-out response: Friday's blog featured nearly 500 reader responses. Some were well-reasoned, some filled with emotion, some made their usual and daily criticisms, some seemed way off base, some just wanted to vent.

Here was what grumpyinwv wrote:

"Perfectly summarized and although I get more nervous by the day I will not judge the FO until the Opening Day roster is set. If on that day we have not signed, traded for or reacquired relevant, common sense replacements for those lost and especially a SP or RF as THEY stated we needed, then I will judge the off season to have fallen well short of expectations and likely a harbinger of a poor season. The good thing is there still will be games to play and even then I will not count them out until mathematically eliminated. My fear is that it may occur in August."

As I said, some were very well-reasoned. No ripping of anyone, lashing at anyone, or venting at or about anyone. All of which is fine to do and few responses here are ever changed in any way. But grumpy seemed to write a fair response on Friday, one that wants to hold the front office accountable, but also give the same group the chance to do their jobs and then give them the chance to see what the roster they put together can do on the field. Seemed like a fair fan response to me.