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Archives: Oct. 1-7, 2007

Royals hold groundbreaking for Kauffman Stadium renovations
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The Kansas City Royals held a bash yesterday to formally mark the beginning of renovations at Kauffman Stadium, which will run through the start of the 2009 season. The centerpiece of this 2007-2008 renovations: a new scoreboard from Daktronics that officials say will be the largest in any sporting venue -- the color display will be 106 feet by 85 feet and a new crown will be larger than the current crown scoreboard. (To see how the current crown scoreboard looks, see the account of our most recent visit to Kauffman Stadium.) Other changes slated for this offseason include more premium seating behind the plate and near the dugouts; the removal of circular ramps, and better access to the field-level concourse with cutouts in the stands. The total cost of the renovation is $250 million; the Royals are paying $25 million and are responsible for any cost overruns. More from the Kansas City Star.

Ypsilanti ballpark moves closer to reality
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A group of Ypsilanti (Mich.) residents eyeing the stalled Water Street Project for a minor-league ballpark are taking steps to see the idea turn into reality. A committee has created a rough sketch of the plan for a privately financed ballpark and a surrounding community. Using about 16 acres, the stadium would seat 6,000 to 7,500 people and would feature an outdoor market in front of the entrance. Light residential and commercial use would be located north of the ballpark, with storefronts along Michigan Avenue and loft apartments overlooking the ballpark. A proposed hotel would be located to the south of the ballpark, again featuring rooms with a view of the ball game.

Taxpayers footing bill for Yankees' lavish spending, group says
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The New York Yankees submitted lavish expenses to the city as planning costs for their new ballpark, a watchdog group said. The group, Good Jobs New York, accused Yankees officials of turning in to the city's Department of Parks and Recreation receipts for 2005 for expenses including crystal baseballs, post-season bar tabs, wool baseball caps and gifts for corporate clients. The group's project director, Bettina Damiani, called on the city comptroller to conduct an audit to make sure Yankees officials weren't submitting receipts unrelated to planning for the new ballpark. Under the original deal, the Yankees were allowed to deduct up to $5 million a year on planning costs for the new ballpark for five years for rent payments to the city. Yankees spokeswoman Alice McGillion said Wednesday that invoices to which Good Jobs referred were never for rent credits. A more acerbic take comes from the New York Post.
    RELATED STORIES: Sponsorships available -- inside the ballpark, that is; Approach of winter a big factor in NYC ballpark race; Finales set for Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium; Progress report: New York's new ballparks; The stadium chase; Yankees, Mets won't sell seat licenses; ballpark funds in place; Whole new ballgame; Yankees, Mets bond sales set, both teams rated junk; Bronx group goes to court vs. new Yankee Stadium; New York City receives IRS approval on ballpark bonds; New York Agency approves ballpark financing for Yankees, Mets; MTA pressed to create shortcut to Shea; Is Steinbrenner house, which Ruth built, poor?; NY City Council easily passes Yankees, Mets ballpark bonding bills; Squeeze play on Mets ballpark; Mets: Forget about naming new park after Jackie Robinson; New Mets ballpark deal is stalled; Squeeze play on the Mets; Strike one for new Mets ballpark; Mets park's name will fetch millions; Mets unveil plans for new ballpark; Yankees, Mets closer to new ballparks; City goes to bat for Yankees, Mets ballparks; State agency approves plans for Yankees, Mets ballparks

Sounds' suit says bank wrongly took funds
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The Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) franchise is suing First Tennessee Bank, claiming the bank had no right to yank more than $200,000 from its account in a dispute over the team's failed bid for a downtown ballpark. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Davidson County Circuit Court, asks that the team be awarded at least $1 million in punitive damages and at least $250,000 in compensatory damages. The Sounds claim the bank wrongfully took $212,000 from the team's First Tennessee checking account July 5. The bank had been hired as an adviser to help obtain financing for a new baseball stadium on the downtown riverfront, and it was demanding legal fees and a fee for putting together financing, the complaint said. Meanwhile, we continue to hear that suburban Franklin is interested in hosting a new Sounds ballpark.
    RELATED STORIES: Nashville mayoral candidates support downtown ballpark; Sounds ballpark enters mayoral debate; Architectural firm sues Sounds; Bank pulls money from Sounds' account to pay legal, other fees; Metro halts funds to Sounds; Could Sounds leave Nashville?; Sounds GM Yaeger criticizes Struever Bros. as "wrong partner"; Struever, Sounds now have until 4 p.m. tomorrow to seal ballpark deal; Struever, Sounds now have until 4 p.m. tomorrow to seal ballpark deal; Struever would build Sounds ballpark; Sounds, Struever keep swinging for a ballpark solution; Nashville ballpark plan may be losing its luster; Metro concerned about progress of Nashville ballpark deal; Sounds must make decisions regarding downtown ballpark; Struever says Sounds ballpark will be built; Amid ballpark questions, plan for two hotels unveiled; Sounds delay ballpark opening until 2009; Ballpark financing lag worries Sounds; Sounds fail to file lease legislation; Council approves lease extension for Nashville ballpark development; Sounds unveil ballpark plans; Metro agrees to deadline extension on Sounds project; Sounds' project team huddles to nail down a deal; Sounds get jump-start on ticket sales for new ballpark; Sounds ballpark developer needs to score soon; Ballpark financing not set as deadline approaches; Struever mulling ballpark-area changes in Nashville; Sounds unveil ballpark plans; PCL president applauds Nashville ballpark deal; Yaeger calls stadium plan flexible and fan-friendly; Sounds settle on 2008 opening date for new ballpark; Ballpark opening date up in air, Sounds say; Nashville Metro Council approves new Sounds ballpark; Company says Sounds deal sets stage for Frank project; Sounds send commitment letter to Council; Caucus continues pressure for minorities' role in stadium; Nashville Council Black Caucus wants more minority work on ballpark; Sounds are rounding third; Sounds remain at bargaining table; Nashville Sounds one vote away from new ballpark; Council should give Nashville ballpark their support; Sounds woo minority business owners for ballpark project; Sounds ballpark vote delayed; Museum, dining wanted at new Sounds ballpark; Sounds move ahead with ballpark design; Sounds weak; Sounds ballpark proposal passes first test on Council; Opposition to Nashville ballpark gears up on council; Many good questions raised over Sounds deal; Chamber of Commerce backs Sounds ballpark plan; Downtown merchants rally for Sounds; Board seeks information on Sounds ballpark deal; Neighbors of Nashville ballpark expect project to spark development; Sounds, Nashville sign agreement for new ballpark; Sides close on Sounds ballpark plan; Sounds ballpark plan nearly triples in size; New Sounds ballpark proposal in doubt; Nashville ballpark bill may have to wait until fall; Sounds deal stalls, but still in play; City bobbling save on Sounds’ perfect plan; Sounds ballpark negotiations slow; Will ballpark make SoBro soar?; Sounds swing deal to get new ballpark; Sounds win city approval for new ballpark

Jocketty steps down as Cardinals GM
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Bill DeWitt Jr., chairman of the board and general partner of the St. Louis Cardinals, announced that the team is parting ways with senior vice president and general manager Walt Jocketty. "Walt will be remembered as the Cardinals' GM during one of the most successful and memorable periods in team history, and we will always be extremely grateful for his contributions to our many triumphs over the past 13 seasons," DeWitt said. "It is now time to move forward with an undivided vision and purpose that is consistent with the St. Louis Cardinals philosophy of building and operating the best top-to-bottom organization in baseball." DeWitt today named John Mozeliak as interim general manager. Mozeliak recently completed his fifth season as the Cardinals assistant general manager. The Cards say they'll be interviewing candidates for the position. What will be interesting is if Tony LaRussa sticks around as well. Rumors have him -- and possibly Jocketty -- heading to the Pacific Northwest to run the Seattle Mariners.

Cracker-Cats, Vipers ponder shift to GBL
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The independent Northern League opens meetings today in Minneapolis amid rumors its two Alberta franchises want out. The Edmonton Cracker-Cats and Calgary Vipers are seriously considering a jump to the California-based Golden League for next season, according to the Edmonton Sun. Vipers ownership expressed an interest in making the move at the end of the season, and Cracker-Cats owner Dan Orlich is apparently willing to follow suit. "I would be shocked and he (Orlich) would be making the mistake of his life," said Northern League Commissioner Clark Griffith. "But are we going to operate a league where people threaten us all the time? Absolutely not. Let's see what he does. I'll see him in the morning." We're not quite sure what the two Alberta leagues would gain by a switch, past a change in scenery: their $50,000/year travel stipend was waived by the league earlier this year, and it's not as though northern California is that much closer than Winnipeg or Fargo-Moorhead, unless the Canadian owners think the GBL is likely to expand in the future into Oregon, Washington State or British Columbia.

Renovation work on Duncan Park Stadium to begin
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Spartanburg School District 7 and city leaders will have a memorandum of understanding finalized soon that will allow work to begin on the field at historic Duncan Park Stadium so student athletes can use it next spring. The district and city will likely share the estimated $3 million it will cost to completely renovate the ballpark. The city will use hospitality taxes to finance its portion. Some fundraising to finance the renovations would be done, as well. Architect Donnie Love, who specializes in historic preservation for McMillan Smith and Partners, plans to preserve the historic characteristics of the ballpark while bringing it back to top condition. The stadium will have to be completely renovated, with extensive work planned for the plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems, and heating and air conditioning. Also planned are new siding, new locker rooms and shower facilities, reconstructing the dugouts and changes to the building code. That the venerable old facility -- which opened in 1926 and was the longtime home of minor-league baseball in Spartanburg -- will be rebuilt is a tribute to the many volunteers who refused to let an old ballpark die.

Price not set for likely shuttle from RFK
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Washington Nationals fans likely will be able to park near RFK Stadium and take a shuttle to the team's new ballpark next year, but it's still unclear how much they will be charged. The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, which has oversight of the RFK Stadium lots, will allow fans to park near RFK Stadium but has asked the team to pay as much as $5 a spot for the rights on game days. The sports commission has offered to provide 1,000 spaces for free, while charging the team $5 a space for 2,500 additional spaces. The team, however, has argued against the $5 a space charge because it likely already will incur costs by operating the shuttle service. The Nationals and the city have been scrambling to identify thousands of parking spaces in anticipation of Opening Day.
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Proposed sale a great opportunity for Jaxx
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The local newspaper says the sale of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League) is a great opportunity for Jackson, Tenn. to retain baseball. We agree that it's a great opportunity, but it will be a great opportunity for whatever city lands the Diamond Jaxx in 2009 or beyond, because we're convinced the team will be on the move. As well it should be: the team is well-run and did all the right things this past season and still suffered at the box office. You can do all the right things and fail; that seems to be what happened at Pringles Park.
    RELATED STORIES: West Tenn Diamond Jaxx sold

Aviators grounded?
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The future of the Coastal Bend Aviators (independent; American Association) under the current ownership looks bleak, though no formal announcement has been made as to whether the team will play at Robstown's Fairgrounds Field next season. Nueces County still is trying to collect $20,000 from the American Association baseball team for rent this past season. The club has laid off employees, and the main Aviators phone number was disconnected Wednesday. Calls to General Manager Bob Flanagan's cell phone went to a message that it was not receiving calls. The team's manager, John Harris, said he has not been told anything about the club's future. According to league commissioner Miles Wolff, owner Horn Chen is deciding whether to field a team next season -- but the phone disconnection certainly is a sign of where he's headed.

Under new owner, the Bowie Baysox pull them in
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The Bowie Baysox (Class AA; Eastern League) may not have had the most successful of seasons on the field, but an eclectic variety of promotions -- including a bad breath competition -- drew more than a quarter-million fans to Prince George’s Stadium this year. The Baysox, despite finishing fourth in the Eastern League’s Southern Division with a record of 72-68, drew 287,000 fans this season, up almost 2,000 from 2006, meeting expectations for the Class AA team.

Despite bank sale, Patriots park name likely to remain same
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The name is expected to remain the same at Commerce Bank Ballpark, home of the Somerset Patriots (independent; Atlantic League), as ownership said its Bridgewater ballpark will keep its identity for the foreseeable future, even though Commerce Bank was sold Tuesday to Toronto-based TD Bank Financial Group. Commerce Bank agreed to pay the team $3.55 million within the next 15 years for the right to display its name and brand on the 6,100-seat ballpark.

Playoffs launch; TBS officials should be pleased
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This is the first season where TBS is broadcasting postseason games, and officials there should be pleased as punch with the launch of the playoffs last night, especially when it came to the markets represented. Going by 2006 Census figures, five of the six largest U.S. cities have teams in the playoffs; going by TV DMAs all eight teams are in the top 18 markets, with the top five spots directly represented. If TBS can't make ratings hay out of those kinds of numbers there's something seriously wrong with baseball and the type of fans attracted to the game. One thing we didn't see a lot of on yesterday's TBS broadcasts: the "superfans" who bring color and life to the ballpark. This Christian Science Monitor article details superfans Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers (Wrigley Field), Freddy Schuman (Yankee Stadium), Charlie Gifford (Fenway Park) and John Adams (Jacobs Field), drummer extraordinaire, who will be throwing out the first pitch at the Indians/Yankees matchup. Can't say we were altogether thrilled with the TBS broadcasts in general: it would have been nice to see more baseball people in general (and no, we don't count Dick Stockton as a baseball person) and heard some more stories about the players and the game.

Oxford agrees to $200K annually for Ole Miss ballpark expansion
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The city of Oxford has agreed to provide $200,000 annually to the University of Mississippi to help with renovations at the Rebels' ballpark. The city has been making payments on a 1988 bond issue that financed work at Oxford-University Stadium. That money came from the city's 2 percent food and beverage tax approved by the Legislature. Oxford will make the final payment on the bond issue this year. The city had previously agreed to continue the support for the baseball park. However, Ole Miss Athletic Director Pete Boone recently asked the city to consider borrowing $3 million in a lump sum so the university could get the money sooner.

Schools vote for override of NCAA baseball rules
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Thirty NCAA Division I schools have submitted votes requesting an override of a portion of the recent legislation affecting college baseball, the total necessary to force the Division I Board of Directors to review the rule, according to The NCAA News. The override campaign has been championed by Mississippi State coach Ron Polk. A longtime critic of the NCAA, Polk mailed an 18-page letter to 1,421 influential people last month with the hope of educating them about the impact of the new rules. At the Board of Directors’ Nov. 1 meeting, the board can do one of three things: accept the override and rescind the legislation; take no additional action; or revise the proposal. We covered the rule changes earlier this year.

Lexington scraps plan for VBL team
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Jim Crothers was so close to putting a Valley Baseball League team in Lexington that he gave his unborn squad a name and a Web site. But Crothers’ dream and the VBL’s plan of adding a 12th team will have to wait at least another year because the field the franchise hoped to use won’t have lights this summer. Crothers, who would have been president of the Rockbridge Rapids, said Wednesday that he and his ownership group this month withdrew a proposal to join the VBL because Washington & Lee University decided not to install lights at Captain Smith Field. VBL officials and owners say they've been hearing requests from Major League Baseball, which helps fund the VBL, to add more teams so scouts could watch more players in a concentrated area.

Ballpark Notes
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Melissa McCants, a native Charlestonian who possesses 13 years of professional baseball administrative experience – all with Charleston clubs – has been promoted to Director of Special Events for the Charleston RiverDogs (Low Class A; Sally League). She previously served as the RiverDogs’ assistant director of special events while operating a multi-city, web-based company that consolidates deals, events and classifieds. McCants replaces Mimi Wilborn who, with her husband, is moving to Augusta, Ga.....

Rays to unveil new name, logo, unis next month
Posted Oct. 3, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will announce their new name (Tampa Bay Rays, though this has been a foregone conclusion for some months now, as we first reported earlier this year), colors (predominantly blue), logo (see above) and uniforms (see below) at Straub Park in downtown St. Petersburg on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m. Rays players and manager Joe Maddon will be joined by former players Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff and Dave Martinez to model the new uniforms and there will be live entertainment, a fireworks show, and activities for fans of all ages. As you'll recall, the new ownership of the Devil Rays undertook a review of the team name and look last year after taking control of the team. We were never fans of the original D-Rays look, especially the funky logo; it was not distinct enough and hard to read from a distance. The new Rays look addresses that shortcoming with greatly simplified graphics; as you can see from the uniforms below the Rays logo dominates in a uni with more of a classic look. We're not sure we like the new cap logo: it's simplified to the point of being bland, and perhaps a more classic look (like the intertwined logo used by San Diego or St. Louis) would have made the new cap design stand out more. Still, the new look is an improvement over the existing design. UPDATE: Yeah, we know the same guy who did the San Diego uniform design is working with the Rays (as well as designs for some minor-league teams), but that doesn't mean he hit a homer with this design. And we do like the blue.

Big-name players check Augusta ballpark potential
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Jim Jacoby, the visionary and president of the Atlantic Station development in Atlanta, and former Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening, seen as a pioneer in "smart growth" land planning, met with members of the committee planning a new downtown ballpark for the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) and other leaders Tuesday. Both are potential investors and advisers in the ballpark project, which would be funded by a public-private venture with Ripken Baseball, owners of the team. The current proposal calls for a $20 million to $25 million mixed-use ballpark to be built on a 17-acre site between 11th and 13th streets on the Savannah River. The 5,000- to 6,000-seat ballpark would replace 12-year-old Lake Olmstead Stadium, but the proposal is in its preliminary stages.
    RELATED STORIES: Augusta developer wants contributions for new ballpark study; Augusta ballpark study might start soon

Wolff 'hopeful,' if not optimistic about 2008 Ottawa team
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Can-Am Association Commissioner Miles Wolff didn't sound too optimistic about landing a lease at Lynx Stadium next season after meeting with Ottawa city officials, including Mayor Larry O'Brien. The big issue, according to Wolff: the ownership of the Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League), moving out of town to play next season in Allentown, Pa., is suing the city over lost parking; the city, meanwhile, says the team has a lease to play in Ottawa through 2009. Until that lawsuit is resolved, the city doesn't want to make a commitment to another team. Further complicating matters is a proposal to dome the ballpark. Given all this uncertainty, it will be difficult to plan out the 2008 season for the independent circuit: still up in the air is the status of the Nashua Pride as well. More from the Ottawa Sun.
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MLB "shatters" attendance record
Posted Oct. 3, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Yesterday Major League Baseball issued a press release announcing its attendance record had been shattered and made this stunning (and totally unverifiable) claim: "The large increase in attendance can be attributed to increased competitive balance throughout Major League Baseball brought on by the economic reforms of the last decade." The claim was picked up and amplified by sycophantic sites, pushing the meme that this is baseball's Golden Age. Compare that, though, with the claims by more than one franchise that they're losing money and can't afford to keep their free agents or build new ballparks. (Yes, Carl, we mean you.) So which is it? MLB press releases touting attendance have an instant lack of credibility because what's being pushed are tickets sold, not actual turnstile counts, and too many times we've been at the ballpark when the announced crowd is 10,000 and the actual crowd is under 1,000. (Yes, Jeffrey, we mean you.) At some point or another Bud Selig needs to decide whether it really is baseball's Golden Age or whether the game is in financial trouble: the negotiating table for a new Florida Marlins ballpark would be an excellent place to begin.

How Arte Moreno packed Angel Stadium NEW!
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Shortly after buying the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from Walt Disney in 2003, Arte Moreno did the unthinkable: He cut ticket and beer prices -- and then he spent $145 million to sign four of baseball's hottest free agents and fortify an already formidable team. Today the Angels' $102 million payroll is among Major League Baseball's heftiest, and ticket prices are in the middle of the pack. Yet the gamble seems to have paid off. Moreno routinely fills Angel Stadium to near capacity, has tripled ad revenues, and says the Angels will earn $11 million-plus this year after years of losses. Last year a family of four spent less on an Angels game than all but four of the major league's 30 other teams, according to Team Marketing Report. Not bad for a team that just won its third division title in four years. Winning helps; so does a cut-rate $6 Angels cap that Moreno figures will turn kids into walking advertisements. He also has reached out to Hispanics, signing the likes of slugger Vladimir Guerrero -- even though doing so busted the budget in 2004. The Angels begin the divisional playoffs at Boston's Fenway Park and then return to Angel Stadium; the worry is that Angels fans will sell their tickets to Red Sox Nation and partially damage the home-field advantage.

Back the 'Pigs, see playoff game
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Boy, talk about leveraging your parent team: Under an arrangement between the Philadelphia Phillies and the the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League), access to Phillies regular-season and playoff tickets before they go on sale to the public is a perk for suite owners, club-seat season-ticket holders and front-row seat holders at Coca-Cola Park. That gave them first access to Phillies playoff tickets -- a hot commodity, to be sure.

That's Cub$ with a $
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Cubs fans will turn Chicago into a field of green -- spending up to $100 million on postseason-related merchandise and activities as the club makes a World Series run, sports business analysts say. The partying began Friday, when the team cinched the Major League Baseball Central Division. It begins postseason play tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the first round alone, fans will drop at least $10 million, said Tim Mahon, principal and director of Anderson Economic Group's Chicago office. Of course, all the playoff teams are experiencing a spiff; here's an account of how businesses near Fenway Park are pleased as punch.

Norwich ballpark fence to stay put
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Dodd Stadium will get a new playing field for the 2008 season, but the Connecticut Defenders (Class AA; Eastern League) and visiting teams still might be frustrated at deep fly balls caught at the warning track. The City Council added a resolution to the agenda late Monday and authorized the Stadium Authority to hire Sports Turf Specialties of Plainville, Mass., for up to $231,476 to replace the playing field at Dodd Stadium. But the council also voted 5-2 to remove language from the resolution that would have spent another $60,000 to relocate the outfield warning track and move the fences in to generate more home runs and offense.

Aging Grayson getting $5 million makeover
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Part of the history and unique charm of Savannah's Grayson Stadium is found in the jagged bricks where the grandstand suddenly ends on the third-base side -- a casualty of World War II. Before exposed brick became trendy for interior designers, this was major reconstruction in 1941 interrupted by war and left unfinished to this day. The brickwork serves as a reminder of the war, the disastrous 1940 hurricane that tore up the former Municipal Stadium, and the man who helped lead the charge to rebuild it, General William L. Grayson. While construction workers won't be touching those bricks today or tomorrow, renovations to the ballpark -- originally built in 1926 and one of the oldest active minor-league facilities in the country -- are ongoing this off-season.

Ballpark Notes
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Michael Wood has been named general manager of the Corpus Christi Hooks (Class AA; Texas League). Wood, 38, who assumes day-to-day operational leadership of the club, is one of four original Hooks employees. J.J. Gottsch, Vice President Ken Schrom and Director of Community Relations Elisa Macias are the others. Wood began his career as clubhouse manager for the Arkansas Travelers in 1992. After 11 years in ticket operations with the Texas Rangers, he moved to Corpus Christi in January of 2004 and directed the original season ticket assignment process at Whataburger Field....Bob Shinn is the new head groundskeeper at Waterfront Park, home of the Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League). Shinn served as Assistant Groundskeeper for the Trenton Thunder from 2005-2007. He is a 2006 graduate of Delaware Valley College with a degree in Turf Management. Shinn did a Graduate Internship with the Philadelphia Eagles, working at Lincoln Financial Field and the fields at Eagles training camp in Lehigh, PA. Shinn is a Burlington, NJ native who currently resides in Burlington.

West Tenn Diamond Jaxx sold
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The West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League) have been sold to a group headed by Reese Smith III, a minority partner in the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Jaxx drew 113,351 fans last season, worst in the 10-team Southern League and far short of the 200,000-person draw that the team says it needs to break even. No surprise: Owner Bob Lozinak has had the team on the market for several years, and a deal last year to sell the team to an Orlando group fell through after Orlando officials decided not to pursue a new downtown ballpark. The D-Jaxx are committed to one more season at Pringles Park, but after that it's open to speculation. One scenario that was floated last month (the sale of the team has been an open secret in minor-league circles) has the Sounds moving because they can't procure a new ballpark and Greer Stadium doesn't meet MLB Class AAA facility guidelines, with the Diamond Jaxx moving to Greer Stadium. (If you're the new mayor of Nashville, you can see the appeal to this plan: you get to keep credit for keeping baseball in the city without springing for a new ballpark.) In this article from The Tennessean, Sounds GM Glenn Yaeger dismisses that possibility, and we're guessing PCL President Branch Rickey III would fight to keep a good market like Nashville in his circuit, but stranger things have happened. As always, the purchase must be approved by the Southern League, MiLB and MLB. More from the Jackson Sun.

Rosenblatt group sends petitions to NCAA
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The Save Rosenblatt Committee mailed its appeal to the NCAA Monday along with the signatures of more than 14,000 people who want the College World Series to stay at Rosenblatt Stadium. Jason Smith, the group's chairman, said the NCAA is negotiating with the city on a new ballpark "because it is the only option that has been presented," but many wonder whether the NCAA would consider staying at a renovated 'Blatt if it were an option. The Save Rosenblatt Committee is working with an architect on a renovation plan for Rosenblatt Stadium that would meet the needs of the NCAA. It will be a tall order. Rosenblatt Stadium is an older ballpark with a traditional setup; i.e., no wraparound concourse and concessions located under the grandstand. It's also landlocked, and we're guessing larger neighbors -- like the local zoo -- won't contemplate a move to free up more land.
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Goals unmet on ballpark construction jobs for D.C. workers
Posted Oct. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
D.C. residents have worked about one-third of the total hours of skilled labor needed to build the new Washington Nationals ballpark, despite an agreement between the city government and labor unions that half of the hours would go to city workers. The data, provided by the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, which is overseeing the construction, show that city residents have worked 32 percent of the nearly 650,000 hours worked by journeymen, which include those in trades such as ironwork, electrical, roofing and plumbing. Officials at Clark/Hunt/Smoot, the three-company conglomerate that is building the stadium, said that the subcontractors have had trouble finding enough skilled laborers and that the unions have failed to provide them.
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Bears have a sunny outlook
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The management of the Yakima Bears (short season; Northwest League) are pretty happy about how their 2007 season went. "There was more of a buzz during the summer," Bears general manager K.L. Wombacher said during a recent interview. "People seemed more interested in the team and eager to come to the ballpark. They seemed to actually care." Yakima's official season attendance was 70,117, its highest since 1999. It represented the third consecutive increase, and was 18,573 -- or 36 percent -- more than watched the Bears in 2004. Still, it's a far cry from 1993, when Yakima's official attendance was 86,822, or an average of 2,285 for the 2,654-seat ballpark.

Can-Am talks with city can't go into extra innings
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Can-Am Association officials say they need to decide by next Monday if Ottawa is to field a team in the independent circuit next season and are pressing city officials to make a decision regarding a lease at Lynx Stadium. We're not so sure the deadline is all that firm -- the league gave the owners of the Nashua Pride until Oct. 24 to decide whether the team would be playing next season -- but it should cause Ottawa officials to decide whether to leave Lynx Stadium basically the way it is and feature indy ball or to move ahead with a $40-million plan to dome the facility. There are a lot of moving parts at play here -- the owners of the Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League) are still suing the city and are under lease, and the team's equipment may be sold if a deal is not struck. Get three lawyers in a room and a deal become complicated very quickly.
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Groups benefit from Revs
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Every professional baseball team does charity work of some sort, but the amount raised by the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League) is noteworthy. Fundraisers through the Revolution home games garnered more than $184,000 for local nonprofits and organizations during the season, with the York City School District getting the most. The district received $64,170 from the proceeds of parking at Small Field next to the stadium, according to a news release from the baseball team. During the season, 21,390 cars parked there during games, it said.

Ballpark Notes
Posted Oct. 2, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Orem Owlz (rookie; Pioneer League) announced that Aaron Wells is the team's new general manager. Wells just completed the 2007 Pioneer League championship season as the Owlz athletic trainer. Wells' previous experience includes working for the University of Nebraska football and baseball teams, the Lincoln Saltdogs (independent; American Association) and the Arkansas Travelers (Class AA; Texas League)....The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) announced that Steve Rudenstein has been named the team's new director of broadcasting. Rudenstein was the broadcasting and media-relations assistant for the Thunder during the last two seasons. He was also the broadcast intern for the Thunder during the 2003 and 2004 seasons....The independent South Coast League announced the winner of the 2007 Salesman of the Year Award is Charlotte County Redfish General Manager Steven Tricarico. In addition to the award, the SCL has promoted Tricarico to Vice President of Sales and Marketing effective immediately....Jim Leyland signed a two-year extension to his contract as manager of the Detroit Tigers....The Duluth Huskies (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) announced that Field Manager Adam Stahl will return for his second season leading the Huskies. Stahl led the Huskies into the Northwoods League playoffs for the third time in franchise history in 2007 by winning the North Division’s Second Half Title and accumulating the best overall record in the North Division with a 41-27 mark....Todd Marlin is the new general manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish (independent; Atlantic League). Marlin began his baseball career in 1998 as an intern with the Nashua Pride in the Atlantic League's inaugural year. In 2003, he was named General Manager of the Pride and in 2005 Marlin was named Atlantic League Executive of the Year.

O'Conner nominated as MiLB president
Posted Oct. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Minor League Baseball's board of trustees nominated Pat O'Conner to replace Mike Moore as MiLB president. Four sought the position, which was open after Moore announced his retirement: interviewed by a nominating committee were Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) president and general manager Dave Chase, Red Sox executive Jeremy Kapstein and former NBA D-League President Phil Evans. O'Conner was a safe and obvious choice: he's been a key part of the success of Minor League Baseball over the last several years while serving as MiLB COO, and there wasn't a compelling reason to deny him a turn in the president's chair. The nomination is expected to be easily ratified as baseball's Winter Meetings in early December.

Omaha and the CWS: City bids for 20-year deal
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The College World Series in an oddity in the NCAA world: instead of rotating the championship around the United States (and, not so incidentally, setting up bidding wars between cities), the sports giant settled on Omaha as a permanent home decades ago. But the NCAA is a business, and even though the College World Series reached the level of institution decades ago (mostly thanks to Omaha's generous support), the folks at the NCAA want more -- hence Omaha's frantic efforts to come up with a new, fancy ballpark to replace Rosenblatt Stadium. On the NCAA's wish list for a new facility: The Omaha World-Herald says the NCAA has asked for a 25,000-seat ballpark with open concourses with views of the field, skyboxes, fan festival areas and improved locker rooms. Removable seats in the outfield -- and, possibly, along the foul lines -- would allow the seating to be substantially cut back at other times if a new park becomes home to the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), the Creighton Bluejays or both. One big issue will the level of the NCAA's commitment: NCAA officials say they're willing to sign a 10-year lease, but Omaha wants 20 years. 
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Triple-A baseball OK'd for Reno
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No surprise, really: Washoe County signed an agreement with the city of Reno to allow the proceeds of a countywide car-rental tax to be used for building a Triple A ballpark in downtown Reno. SK Baseball managing partner Stuart Katzoff said site work likely will begin in December for the ballpark, which will have room for up to 10,000 spectators for a first-game opener in April 2009. It will house the relocated Tucson Sidewinders (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), which SK Baseball already owns. There was a slight urgency to the proceedings: a rental-car tax used to help pay for the ballpark would have expired over the weekend if the project had not been approved Friday.
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Fremont not ready to declare proposed A's 'baseball village' utopia
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The Oakland A's announced last fall that they wanted to build a 145-acre "baseball village" on vacant land adjacent to the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge west of the Nimitz Freeway. But the team has yet to submit an application to the city, and meanwhile officials, city staff and environmentalists are finding problems -- especially with the idea of bringing thousands more cars to a city that's already choked with traffic on two freeways, Interstates 680 and 880. "It's definitely not a done deal," said City Councilwoman Anu Natarajan. "I'm cautiously optimistic, but we still have major, major concerns." This is the most pessimistic coverage we've yet seen on the new-ballpark proposal.
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Frontier League still on tap in suburban Detroit
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Investors in suburban Detroit are still working on bringing an independent Frontier League team to Oakland County's Waterford Township. Summit Place, plagued by high vacancy rates, is being targeted for demolition, and an ownership group led by Tim Nick, a local restaurant owner, is arguing for a ballpark in its place. Detroit is one of the few large urban areas where there's not an affiliated or independent team in the area; the Detroit helped kill a ballpark proposal in Troy in recent years, but it's hard to say whether the Tigers have that much pull in Waterford Township.

Expert coming to see proposal
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Former Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening, regarded as a pioneer in "smart growth" land planning, will be in Augusta on Tuesday to look at the Garden City's proposed downtown ballpark project. Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver and baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., part of the group that owns the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League), are urging construction of a new ballpark on Georgia Golf Hall of Fame property along the Savannah River. The proposed ballpark, which could serve many uses, would seat 5,000 to 6,000 people and cost about $20 million to $25 million. It would be funded through a private-public venture with Ripken Baseball, and Richmond County voters ultimately would have the final say.
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Sponsorships available -- inside the ballpark, that is
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Many in baseball were a little surprised when the New York Yankees decided to keep the Yankee Stadium moniker for their new ballpark. We weren't: that ballpark name is one of the most powerful marketing tools for the Yankees, and while there would have been a short-term financial benefit to selling naming rights, it could have resulted in a longer-term branding erosion. Besides, the Yankees will do pretty well with the sale of suites and sponsorship rights for every visible square inch inside the ballpark. They'll have a powerful ally, as Creative Artists Agency (CAA) was signed by the team to push sponsorships. Speaking of suites: the Yankees have opened a showroom in Rockefeller Center to promote suite sales. In other Yankees news, Harold (Hal) Steinbrenner was named chairman of Yankee Global Enterprises LLC.
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Pride announces season-ticket drive; Hobson's future in doubt
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The Nashua Pride (independent; Can-Am Association) is asking the local community and businesses to purchase 830 season tickets before an Oct. 24 deadline imposed by the Can-Am Association. "During a meeting with Mayor Streeter and a group of local businessmen, I have informed the mayor that the Pride is no longer economically viable in Nashua," said Pride owner, John Stabile. "The Pride franchise needs a renewed commitment from the residents of the Nashua area and its business community prior to the league’s extended deadline on October 24th. This commitment needs to come in the form of 830 new season ticket holders. Without this level of support, it will not be financially feasible for us to continue operating in Nashua for the 2008 season." Presumably the pitch for season tickets is in conjunction with a plan to sell $800,000 in limited partnerships in the Pride. Meanwhile, manager Butch Hobson -- the face of the Pride the last few years -- is fielding offers from independent American Association and Atlantic League teams.

Atlanta Braves mark end of an era with TBS
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It was pretty amazing when a crappy Atlanta Braves franchise became America's Team thanks to national broadcasts on Superstation TBS, but that era is now done as yesterday's TBS broadcast was the last for the Braves. Ted Turner certainly caused some friction with his fellow owners when he pushed the Braves on TBS, and new MLB television agreements led to the demise of the relationship. It also marks the end of Skip Caray, one of our favorite announcers, as a national figure.

Auditor: Tax bills take hit due to ballpark
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The downtown ballpark for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) has put a burden on Manchester taxpayers, but residents may get their money back over time, according to Manchester's independent city auditor. Payments from the minor-league ballclub and neighboring developers have covered all of the city's costs to date on the $27.5 million ballpark project, auditor Kevin M. Buckley found. That money, however, has not rolled in quickly enough to keep the project from driving up the tax rate, he said. The impact on the city tax rate could still be wiped clean, Buckley said, if riverfront developers keep moving forward with their plans to build luxury condos near the ballpark. That work has been slow, and success is not guaranteed. Not taken into account: the proceeds from the sale of land near the ballpark and the taxes generated by fans and visiting players.

Baseball owner loves his ballpark
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When Frank Burke first purchased the Chattanooga Lookouts (Class AA; Southern League) 13 years ago, the team played at Engel Stadium on the outskirts of downtown Chattanooga. As Burke put it, the ballpark, built in 1929, was a “a great place to play baseball and an awful place to operate a minor league baseball stadium.” So in 2000 he left behind the cavernous park -- 471 feet to straightaway center field -- with its roaming camels donning Lookouts caps and built his own ballpark. BellSouth Park (now AT&T Field) cost $10.2 million to construct; Burke and his two partners put up every penny.

Few will benefit from Harrison Square
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An associate professor of labor studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne comes down hard against Harrison Square, the downtown Fort Wayne development that includes a hotel, condos and a new ballpark for the Fort Wayne Wizards (Low Class A; Midwest League). The argument here is that there's plenty of empty storefronts in the area so there's no need for new downtown retail, and the presence of an existing ballpark makes the new ballpark redundant. If every city thought this way there'd be no new buildings and stagnation everywhere.

Hall of Fame makes bad call
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Barry Bonds says Marc Ecko is an "idiot" for heeding the results of an Internet poll calling him to place an asterisk on the ball Bonds hit for his 756th career home run before donating it to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ecko paid for the ball and is welcome to do what he wants with it, but we're a little disappointed to Hall of Fame officials eager to accept a defaced baseball. "Our responsibility as a history museum is to present every story in proper context," Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey said, "and this ball allows us to do that." We've not been thrilled with how Bonds has conducted his career, but he's right: Ecko is an idiot and we're disappointed in Hall of Fame officials for their decision as well.

Webster ballpark project derailed
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The nonprofit group building a ballpark at Empire Park for the Webster Yankees (summer collegiate; NYCBL) will have to restore the more than half-acre of wetlands it illegally filled during construction and find a new site for its project. An engineer working for the Webster Yankee Stadium Corp. is drawing up a permit, which Supervisor Ronald Nesbitt said he would file with the state Department of Environmental Conservation soon in order to repair the six-tenths of an acre of wetlands. The field, which was going to have the dimensions of the Yankee Stadium field, would have been home to the amateur Webster Yankees.

Fans gather for 50th anniversary of Giants' last home game in New York
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Lost in the commotion over the move of the Brooklyn Dodgers 50 years ago was the accompanying move of the New York Giants as well. Perhaps it's because the Giants never really had the mythical fan following the Bums did, or maybe it's because New York City actively pushed the Giants out by virtually eliminating parking at the Polo Grounds, making the Giants a cinch to move -- and the only issue was whether Horace Stoneham would move the team to Minneapolis/St. Paul -- where a new ballpark awaited and Stoneham already had business interests -- or San Francisco. More on the move of the Giants. More on the move of the Dodgers.

Ballpark Notes
Posted Oct. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Laredo Broncos (independent; Frontier League) announced that field manager Angel “Papo” Davila's contract will not be renewed. Davila led the Broncos to a 41-54 record in 2007 and missed the playoffs.  “Papo did a very good job in assembling a very good team but for some reason, nothing ever clicked during the season. I felt a change is in place to be able to bring back a championship to Laredo.” General Manager Jose Melendez said. The Broncos had a very successful run in 2006 as they were eliminated in the championship round by the Edinburg Coyotes, led by former Broncos field manager Dan Schwan....The Florida Marlins announced the extension of the contracts of four baseball executives through the 2015 season: Larry Beinfest, who was named President, Baseball Operations; Michael Hill, who was named Vice President, General Manager; Dan Jennings, who was named Vice President, Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager; and Jim Fleming, Vice President, Player Development and Scouting and Assistant General Manager....The St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) have named Jack Weatherman the club’s Director of Corporate Sales. Weatherman, 28, began his baseball career with the Saints in 2004 as an Account Representative. In 2005 he was the Corporate Sales Manager handling both tickets and sponsorship. At the end of the 2005 season Weatherman took over as Director of Promotions.....The Batavia Regional Recreation Corporation announced Friday that David Wellenzohn has been named as the general manager of the Batavia Muckdogs (short season; NY-Penn League) effective immediately. Wellenzohn's extensive sports experience includes stints with the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League), the Wichita Wranglers (Class AA; Texas League), and General Manager of the Jamestown Jammers (short season; NY-Penn League)....Good news: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) General Manager North Johnson returned to BB&T Coastal Field on Thursday, fully recovered from a bout with mononucleosis that sidelined the four-time Executive of the Year since mid-August....MiLB.com named "Billy Donovan Night," a promotion from the Fort Myers Miracle (High Class A; Florida State League), as the best of the season as determined by an online fan poll. Any fan purchasing a ticket could negotiate their way out of the deal after consulting with a lawyer....The Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express will host the 31st annual Minor League Baseball Promotional Seminar next year in Texas. The seminar will take place from September 30-October 3, 2008, at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in the capital city of the Lone Star State.....