It’s time for baseball fans to start humming, “Take me out to the ball game.”

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks will be on the menu when the Richmond Flying Squirrels open their home season April 9 at The Diamond.

The Eastern League Class AA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants is coming off a powerful season, both on the field and at the box office.

Richmond was 74-64 overall in 2023 and made the playoffs.

At the gate, the Squirrels drew 428,541 fans (6,160 per opening), tops in all of Class AA baseball.

Dennis Pelfrey will return for his second season to manage the young prospects.

There will be a change in the front office, however.

Liberty University alumnus Ben Rothrock has moved into the vice president/chief operating officer chair, succeeding the colorful Todd “Parney” Parnell.

Richmond’s most visible Squirrel since the franchise moved here in 2010 is stepping down to become senior advisor.

Parnell, often in his signature fancy pants, likely was the first person many fans met while entering the Diamond, and the last they shook hands with on departure.

The Squirrels boast of being “fan-friendly” and no one has been more friendly to fans than “Parney.”

Parnell, whose creative promotions had much to do with the attendance boom, said he hopes to stay involved at least until the new stadium opens in, hopefully, 2026. The new facility will be constructed adjacent to The Diamond on N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard.

The Squirrels will have three games on their record when they make their Richmond debut April 9. The team will open on the road, April 5-7, at Somerset, N.J., the New York Yankees’ affiliate.