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Archives: June 3-9, 2007

Ballpark Teaser: Security Service Field, Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Posted June 9, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Heading up I-25 on the way into Colorado Springs, you move from one world to another in any number of ways; from the JFK Highway in Pueblo County to the Ronald Reagan Highway in El Paso County; and this spring you repeatedly run into thunder clouds, downpours, sleet and heavy winds as you head into Colorado’s second city. Not exactly upbeat, that’s for sure.
    You wonder if you will ever get to a Sky Sox game, and it can put you in a surly mood. This frame of mind isn’t really fair when it comes time to check out a game at Security Service Field. Frankly, your first impression isn’t likely to be inspiring. On the eastern edge of the city, you have limited views of the mountains and the stadium faces away from the good views; not at like the Albuquerque ballpark down the road.
    Give it a chance. The place has some wonderfully subtle touches, and people are really wonderful at the Sky Sox home. Ushers wipe off wet seats for you -- even if that really isn’t your seat. The place has come a long ways in a short period of time -- thanks to $8 million in renovations since 2004. Given the scope of the modifications, you would have had to wonder how the place qualified for AAA play previously.
    The Pacific Coast League is Triple A. The hitters are for sure. The pitchers -- on June 7th in Colorado Springs –- well, not so much. Sky Sox starter Ubaldo Jimenez probably felt pretty good about giving up only eight earned runs. After all, the Rainiers starter, Jake Woods, gave up 10 earned runs. Woods could feel good because everyone who followed him in relief for Tacoma pitched considerably worse. Juan Sandoval probably figured on lowering his 11.67 ERA; it went to 30.38 (six earned in a third of an inning).
    You get the idea.
    As you will see when we file the report, Security Service Field is an intimate and enjoyable place to watch baseball. Probably a little too intimate for pitchers; and certainly not enjoyable. --Jim Robins
    Ballpark teases are short summaries of ballparks as we prepare longer accounts of our visits.

Nothing quite like the high sky on a cool evening in the mountain air -- that’s exactly what hitters for the Sky Sox and Rainiers had to be thinking on their way to bashing out 10 taters and 34 runs on June 7^th.

Tiger Stadium outta here by '08
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Tiger Stadium has moved one step closer to its final date with the wrecking ball. A plan approved by city economic development officials on calls for the famous but moldering ballpark at Michigan and Trumbull to be razed by September 2008, with most of the historic baseball diamond preserved. Seats and other stadium memorabilia will be sold off. The plan, approved Wednesday, gives a nonprofit group called The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy until late July to find a feasible approach -- complete with financing -- to preserve part of the stadium. The nonprofit is trying to find a way to save Tiger Stadium's main entrance behind home plate. Tiger Stadium is high on on our list of Endangered Ballparks, which we've updated today. This story was sent in by a reader. To submit a story or information of interest to the baseball community, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.
    RELATED STORIES: Time running out for Tiger Stadium; Dave Wright: Time to let Tiger Stadium go; Razing memories of 95-year-old Tiger Stadium before demolition work begins; Final farewell planned for Tiger Stadium; Old house is hard to forget; Once a baseball cathedral, Tiger Stadium now sits in disrepair; Memories of Tiger Stadium; Tiger Stadium demolition delayed; Progress is in the ballpark; Developers didn't stand a chance with Tiger Stadium; Artifacts from Tiger Stadium to be auctioned off under city plan; Tiger Stadium to be razed: condos, retail to be built on historic site; Detroit should sell Tiger Stadium as is; Historical marker at Tiger Stadium stolen; Tiger Stadium would make fine vacation destination; 8 innings of words get us no closer to a Tiger Stadium fix; Documentary makes case for saving Tiger Stadium; Plenty of options for Tiger Stadium; Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick wants Tiger Stadium razed; Hope fades for Tiger Stadium; Detroit ignores calls to save Tiger Stadium; Save Tiger Stadium as scaled-down ballpark; City should tear down Tiger Stadium; Is it the final out for Tiger Stadium?

Spencer Abraham buys interest in three minor-league teams
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Former U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Thursday he has purchased ownership interest in three professional minor-league baseball franchises as head of a Michigan-based investor group. Michigan Baseball Ventures, LLC has bought ownership interest in the Altoona Curve (Class A; Eastern League), the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) and the State College Spikes (short season; NY-Penn League). We're not quite sure to what extent the ownership investment is. The three franchises are currently owned by a group headed by Pittsburgh lawyer Chuck Greenberg that includes former Steeler Jerome Bettis and Penguins owner Mario Lemieux. UPDATE: The investment is very limited: the management of the teams will not change, and the Greenberg group will continue to control operations.

NBC deal in the works
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Wichita is in the final stages of a deal to buy the National Baseball Congress, with the intent of selling it in the future.
The city is in the process of buying it from Rich Baseball, which owns the Wichita Wranglers (Class AA; Texas League) and the NBC. The Wranglers are moving to Springdale, Ark. next season, leaving Lawrence-Dumont Stadium without a tenant. Keeping the NBC in town was a crucial part of Wichita's bargaining with Rich Baseball. The NBC World Series has been played in Wichita since 1935. The city released an RFP for a baseball franchise to move to Wichita and for proposals for the operations/ownership of the NBC. As we've been reporting for several months, the city is quite clear about one thing: whoever bids for the lease for Lawrence-Dumont Stadium must also be willing to take on the National Baseball Congress -- and those aren't necessarily businesses that mix very well these days. The bidding process -- overseen by a Florida consulting firm -- is expected to draw interest from five independent leagues: the American Association, the United League, the Golden League, the Northern League and the Continental League. We're also expecting a dark horse or two in the mix.
    RELATED STORIES: Wichita to court baseball leagues; Ballpark bids under estimates; New for 2008: The Northwest Arkansas Naturals; Officials dig baseball; Springdale ballpark construction budget approved; Springdale City Council approves ballpark design; Springdale commission approves new ballpark; Wranglers GM has new challenges; City hires consultant to assist on Lawrence-Dumont lease; Wranglers owner says team was Wichita's third baseball option; Council looks at ballpark design; Commissioners begin planning improvements around ballpark site; Wranglers' move big hit with Royals owner Glass; League approval slow but expected for move of Wranglers; Springdale approves Wranglers lease; Texas League executives scrutinize proposed Springdale lease; Springdale officials present Wranglers lease to public; Rich Baseball, Springdale reach agreement on move of Wranglers; City told only voters decide ballpark's user; Springdale aldermen to hear United League pitch for ballpark; What's new in Wichita?; Wranglers president says move is nearly official; Wranglers agreement down to one item; City negotiating terms with Wranglers; Springdale awaits word on getting Wichita's team; Wichita expects to negotiate for Wranglers; Wranglers to move in 2008

Designers unveil 'groundbreaking' design for Goodyear ballpark
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Designers for Goodyear's planned spring-training ballpark for the Cleveland Indians have borrowed elements from major league ballparks in hopes of creating an urban feel around the ballpark. Erik Judson, a principal with developer JMI Sports, described the design as "groundbreaking stuff" in a presentation to the Goodyear City Council. Plans calls for offices and hotels -- private businesses developed separately from the ballpark -- to be built close enough to grant line-of-sight access into the 8,000-seat ballpark, much like at Chicago's Wrigley Field or Petco Park in San Diego. The buildings would be built with views into the playing field, making the park a focal point and fostering an "urban energy" around the ballpark, Judson told the council. JMI Sports and HOK Sport are working on the design. More from the West Valley View.
    RELATED STORIES: Indians, Goodyear reach agreement on spring-training home; Goodyear approves ballpark design contract; Cactus League aims to reclaim fan base; Goodyear inks deal on spring-training facility; Goodyear eyes noted ballpark designer; Indians fan thrilled by new facility plans; $80 mil for baseball taps out sports authority; White Sox to delay Phoenix move?; Arizona commission to fund both proposed spring-training facilities; Glendale offers spring-training plan; Parties expect Dodgers, Sox deal to pan out; Leaving Tucson will be tricky for White Sox; County not eager to match baseball largess; State panel shouldn't fund White Sox move from Tucson; Goodyear ballpark plan hits funding snag; Pima County trying to avert loss of White Sox for spring training; Dodgers, White Sox reach deal with Glendale; A new Glendale ballpark -- in Phoenix; Goodyear prepares to make its pitch for ballpark funds; What could the future hold for Dodgertown?; Glendale wants to bring Dodgers' spring training to Valley; Goodyear sees spring-training complex as path to development; Goodyear finds support for spring-training plan; It's official: Indians agree to Grapefruit League move; Indians, Dodgers close to deal to move spring training to Arizona; Clock ticks on Disney-Indians deal; Cleveland says no to Cape Coral's springtime offer; Arizona move still a possibility

A home run for downtown
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Hardball Capital released some renderings and plans for a new downtown ballpark for the Fort Wayne Wizards (Low Class A; Midwest League). The reason from the News-Sentinel's Reggie Wayne was enthusiastic, to say the least: "What I’ll say today is that the proposed stadium’s concept looks awfully inviting for a baseball fan. For those who have opposed the stadium -- and in some cases have vowed not to set foot in it -- it’s going to be tough resisting temptation. A year ago, I wrote a column about what I’d like to see in a new stadium, based on what I’d experienced at one of my minor-league favorites, Victory Field in Indianapolis. This latest rendition comes close to capturing my dream scene." We hope to have renderings and a walkthough later today. More from Journal Gazette.
    RELATED STORIES: City ready to deal with developers; 6-3 vote favors new Wizards ballpark; City offers details of Harrison Square deal; Fort Wayne ballpark deal needs more private money; Ballpark deadline looming in Fort Wayne; Fort Wayne City Council divided on downtown ballpark; Cheaper seats offered for new Fort Wayne ballpark; Wizards' owner steps up to bat for Harrison Square; 'A few more pros than cons'; Downtown Fort Wayne ballpark: pro and con; Developer submits proposal for downtown Fort Wayne hotel; Fort Wayne ballpark just a start in renewal endeavor; Ballpark's future subject to study; Poll backs downtown development, not new ballpark; Some on council aren't buying Fort Wayne ballpark plan; Ballpark's future is far from certain; Building the public square; Mayor calls ballpark plan opportunity of lifetime; Fort Wayne unveils ballpark plans; Top of the ninth in Fort Wayne; Poll: Tax-funded downtown Fort Wayne ballpark is unpopular; Wizards set 2008 ballpark goal; Enjoy downtown for what it is, not what you remember; Downtown Fort Wayne needs a full plan, including a ballpark; Playing ball downtown; We need to build ballpark downtown; Study supports downtown Fort Wayne ballpark; Can downtown Fort Wayne ballpark be a boon?; Learning by example from Dayton; Fort Wayne looks at improvements to Memorial Stadium; A new(er) ballpark in Fort Wayne?; Ballpark panel sees one diamond in future; New owners bring fresh ideas to Fort Wayne; Fort Wayne's baseball future may be downtown; A new downtown castle?; Memorial Stadium far from obsolete; Fort Wayne Wizards sold; Fort Wayne ballpark has 50 years of usability left, says architect; Debate begins on proposed downtown Fort Wayne ballpark

Bombers set for home opener
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Brazos Valley Bombers (summer collegiate; Texas Collegiate League) co-owner Uri Geva Geva and his staff were busy Thursday putting the finishing touches on revamped Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark for Friday night's home opener against the Duncanville Deputies. Geva said it would have been a great victory, but less than 24 hours later, he was taking about setting a Texas Collegiate League attendance record and giving fans an enjoyable 3-4 hours of entertainment Friday at the ballpark formerly known as Travis Park. As of Thursday afternoon, the Bombers had sold and distributed 993 tickets through sponsors, host families, media partners and advance sales. Geva says he is hopeful a good walk-up crowd will give the first-year franchise the record, but if not, Friday night will serve as a step toward getting there.

Castle Rock to proceed with baseball planning
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Castle Rock (Col.) city councilman Hank Lacey reports that the Denver suburb is moving forward with planning on a new ballpark for an independent American Association team. So far it sounds like there's very little specifics: reps say the ballpark would cost between $8 and $15 million, but nothing else is in place. Everyone loves the idea of a ballpark until they try to figure out to pay for it.
    RELATED STORIES: Minor-league baseball for Castle Rock, Col.?

Contractors dashing to get ballpark ready for opening day
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
In a few hours yesterday, the field of York City's Sovereign Bank Stadium went from dry sand to a 30,000-square-foot patch of green in left field. Contractors are moving fast to get the stadium ready for opening day just a week away. As machines guided by lasers graded the field and heavy equipment unrolled one-ton strips of sod, painters put another coat of green on the outfield wall and equipment buzzed in and around the stadium concourse. The opening of the home of the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League) is slated to open in a week.

Sally League announces Hall of Fame Class of 2007
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
John Henry Moss, president of the Low Class A South Atlantic (Sally) League, has announced the members of the Class of 2007 for the SAL Hall of Fame. The six new honorees will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during a luncheon prior to the 48th Annual SAL All-Star Game, scheduled to be played on June 19, 2007, at State Mutual Stadium in Rome, Ga.
    This year’s class includes three major league players and three former franchise owners in the Western Carolinas League and SAL. Larry “Chipper” Jones, currently of the Atlanta Braves, will be the first active player inducted in the SAL Hall of Fame. Jones will be joined by former National League batting champion Al Oliver and former catcher Jack Hiatt, who is currently in his 16th season as the San Francisco Giants’ director of player development.
    That trio will be recognized along with Verner Ross, former owner of the Greenville franchise, and Leo Hughes and R.E. Littlejohn, former owners of the Spartanburg Peaches and Phillies. Ross, Hughes and Littlejohn are being inducted posthumously into the SAL Hall of Fame.
    Jones has been a fixture in the Atlanta lineup since the 1995 season. The first overall pick in the 1990 draft, Jones played his first full professional campaign in the SAL as a member of the Macon Braves in 1991. Named the league’s most outstanding prospect that year, Jones also participated in the SAL All-Star Game in Savannah. He concluded the season tied for first in the league with 104 runs, ranked second with 11 triples, 98 RBIs and 154 hits, and placed third with 245 total bases and a .326 batting average. The third baseman entered the 2007 slate as the only switch-hitter in major league history to own a .300 career average and hit at least 300 home runs. Jones also was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1999 when he hit .319 with 45 home runs and 110 RBIs.
    A key component of the perennial powerhouse Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1970s, Oliver hit .309 and led the Western Carolinas League with 159 hits as a member of the Gastonia Pirates in 1965. He also contributed 77 runs, 19 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 13 stolen bases and 71 RBIs to the Gastonia cause.
    Hiatt made his professional debut in the Western Carolinas League with Statesville during the 1961 season. In 96 games as a member of the Owls, the catcher batted .325 with 108 hits, 20 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 69 RBIs, also playing in the league’s All-Star Game. He proceeded to play nine seasons (1964-72) in the majors as a .251 career hitter.
    Ross, Hughes and Littlejohn exhibited a love for the game that helped several franchises. Prior to the 1965 season, Ross, owner of a successful tire dealership, spearheaded the chore of keeping professional baseball in Greenville, S.C., overseeing three affiliations from 1965 to 1972 until a fire at Meadowbrook Park forced him to move the team to Orangeburg, S.C. in 1973.
    Successful businessmen in Spartanburg, S.C., Hughes and Littlejohn owned the city’s Peaches in the Tri-State League from 1946 to 1955 and the Phillies in the Western Carolinas League from 1963 to 1971. Hughes, locally known as "Captain Leo," was a philanthropist who added much to the Spartanburg community. The same can be said of Littlejohn, known as "Mr. R.E.," who earned a reputation for his generosity, his concern for his fellow man and his Christian beliefs.

ValleyCats break ground on new picnic pavilion
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The Tri-City ValleyCats (short season; NY-Penn League) broke ground today on a new picnic pavilion down the right field concourse at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The privately funded pavilion will be constructed by Fazio Construction of Latham and will serve as the primary location for all-you-can-eat picnics at "The Joe." The ValleyCats have made several other significant additions around the ballpark that fans can enjoy this season. The enhanced kid’s area down the left field concourse will introduce all-new carnival-themed games along with a new inflatable. Underneath the first and third base stairwells will be the Brown’s Baseline Brewery and the Hot Corner Pizza and Fried Dough operating as new concession points. In addition, along side the new pavilion will feature the new Barbeque Pit which will grill Chicken Spiedies, jumbo hot dogs, half pound Angus burgers, corn on the cob, salt potatoes and baked beans all game long.

Baseball golden in Tri-Valley
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Golden Baseball League opens its third season June 7, an independent upstart league striving to get in on a $500-million industry. The six-team minor league startup, based in Dublin, is hoping to run a profit this year, cashing in on a unique business model for professional sports and lessons learned in its first two seasons -- namely, how to cut and control costs. The league has moved beyond its initial strategy of centralized ownership, however, and sold two of its franchises: its new St. George, Utah, club and its Fullerton team.

Today's video: Japanese baseball
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Not many of us have attended a Japanese baseball game, but today's video shows how the game overseas differs from the American game. The game from April 2007 features the Yomiuri Giants vs Chunichi Dragons at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. We've already heard from several teams and vendors about our call for videos, so we'll continue bringing them to you. If you want to share your videos with the baseball community, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.

Spring training brought millions, but there's still room for improvement
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Most attendees of Surprise springing training games are Valley residents, but it's the out-of-towners that bring the economic boost the city is looking for. Surprise serves as the spring training home for the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers. During the recent Cactus League season in March, out-of-town visitors spent an estimated $18.7 million for an overall economic impact of $33.2 million, the Surprise Community & Recreation Services Department reports. The numbers are based on information from the Cactus League Baseball Association, which recently released its out-of-town visitors tracking survey.

McMahon fired as Gators baseball coach
Posted June 8, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
We don't cover college baseball hirings and firings much here, but this one seems to be very indicative of where the game is going. Pat McMahon was fired as coach of the Florida Gators baseball team yesterday. In six years McMahon compiled a .617 winning percentage, four NCAA tournament appearances and a trip to the 2005 College World Series championship round. But his record the last two seasons hovered around .500, and he was criticized for not defeating weaker teams. But baseball is now a game of parity -- as Oregon State proved last season and Michigan is this season -- and the criticism may be out of line. The new rules adopted by the NCAA will level the playing field even more.

Top price for ducats at new Nats ballpark: $400
Posted June 7, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Tickets for the top seats at the Washington Nationals' new ballpark will cost as much as $400 per game, among the highest prices in Major League Baseball, the team announced yesterday. Fans will pay at least $150 per game to sit in the 1,800 most desirable locations in the ballpark, the team said. The most expensive seat this season at RFK Stadium is $140. The new ballpark is being built with $611 million in public funds along the Anacostia River in Southeast Washington and is scheduled to open next spring. Tickets farthest away from the action, in the outfield and upper deck, will cost between $5 and $20, the team said. But the premium-seat prices are as expensive as seats to watch baseball's elite franchises. And that does not include prices for the new stadium's 66 luxury suites between first and third base, considered the best vantage point. Pricing for those starts at $150,000 a season. To say this is major sticker shock is an understatement; we're guessing some current season-ticket holders will be outraged by the prices for their new seats. Here's the relocation and seat guide from the Nats. This story was sent in by a reader. To submit a story or information of interest to the baseball community, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.
    RELATED STORIES: Nationals' transition extends off field; National crisis: Capital franchise in turmoil; Ballpark brings hope but no guarantee; Nationals ballpark 'on time, on budget' for 2008 opening; Future distinctly on rise for Nationals; District not over park cap; New Nats ballpark to feature cherry blossoms beyond left-field fence; As ballpark rises, battles over land continue; For Nats' home, a rapid ascent; Nats ballpark cost tops cap, council members say; Nats owners to pay $20 million for ballpark upgrades; With new Nats ballpark, name of the game is money; D.C. Council approves ballpark parking garages; The D.C. ballpark parking debate; Severe penalties await city if parking garages aren't provided, Gandhi warns; Ballpark garages proposal rejected; Fenty promotes aboveground parking to end fight over new Nats ballpark; New Nats ballpark construction on schedule for 2008 opening; Cropp pushes for decision on parking at DC ballpark; Mayor proposes lifting cap for DC ballpark parking; DC ballpark to be first LEED-certified ballpark in country; Legislation would revive condo and garage development at new DC ballpark; New focus at D.C. ballpark: parking; D.C. parking issue threatens budget; Development plan near new Nats ballpark falls flat; Garage plan at new D.C. ballpark at risk

McHenry County College, Frontier League close to agreement for new ballpark
Posted June 7, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
An agreement between McHenry County College and a private investment group could bring an independent Frontier League team to a new 6,500-seat ballpark for at least the next two decades. McHenry County College has just a few more approvals to gain before the licensing agreement with McHenry/Lake Professional Baseball Group LLC to operate a Frontier League team at the college’s planned ballpark would take affect. Under the pact, the baseball group agrees to pay at least $250,000 in annual licensing fees to the college for use of a 30-acre parcel including the ballpark, parking lots and picnic areas planned for land north of the Route 14 campus. The college also will collect 10 percent of gross revenue from ticket sales, suites, advertising and broadcasting, and other revenue sources, according to the agreement.
    RELATED STORIES: McHenry County pulls off a double play; MCC ballpark for Frontier League gets OK; McHenry to vote on new ballpark; private group looks at area facility; Plans for minor league team 'moving in right direction'

Ballpark bleachers are no longer a heckler's paradise, especially at Safeco
Posted June 7, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Last summer, Andy Wattula and two friends settled into their outfield seats at Safeco Field to watch the Mariners play the Boston Red Sox. The warm, sunny Saturday afternoon was perfect for a ball game and was rendered even more ideal when the Sox opened up a big lead, to the delight of Wattula, who had just moved from Cambridge, Mass. As they stockpiled empty beer cups, Wattula and his friends -- one a fellow Sox fan, the other a die-hard Mariners fan -- bantered and joked with one another. Near the end of the game, a seating host (Safeco's term for "usher") appeared, holding a red slip of paper. She presented it to Wattula and his friends and informed them that they needed to leave. "You violated the code of conduct," she said.

Today's video: Reward your employees
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Today's video comes from the Clearwater Threshers (High Class A; Florida State League); it's a commercial/promo for the team created by Plan B. Branding. Speaking of videos: we are adding them to the site, and we'd love to post yours as well. We've already heard from several teams and vendors about our call for videos, so we'll continue bringing them to you. If you want to share your videos with the baseball community, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.

Maui to host Winter League games
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After a 10-year absence, the Hawaii Winter Baseball League will return to Maehara Stadium in October, league president Hervy Kurisu confirmed on Tuesday. While the league, which currently has four Oahu-based teams, is set to play at least five games in Wailuku in early October, the Maui Stingrays may be just one season away from returning to their former home field -- and it could be sooner than that, Kurisu said. Discussions with the Maui County Mayor’s office on the availability of the baseball stadium in the War Memorial Complex have been ongoing for approximately three months.

Ballpark allows you to feel at home
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Chris Clapinski, who played parts of two seasons for the Florida Marlins, discusses ballparks from the viewpoint of the players. We sometimes get so wrapped up in things like luxury seating and ballpark food that we forget one prime reason for ballparks to exist: providing a playing environment for the teams. He doesn't like Dolphin Stadium as a ballpark -- no surprise, as no one else seems to, either -- and speaks well of his two favorites, Philadelphia's Citizen Bank Ballpark and Boston's Fenway Park.

FCSL set to place team in Clermont
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Florida Collegiate Summer League Vice President Rob Sitz said Wednesday that a Clermont group headed by local businessmen Tim Dye, Dan Decker and Matt Modica will be awarded a team next season if an adequate facility to play in can be found. Dye said he has been speaking with Sitz for "about three months." He said his group already has secured the estimated $45,000 needed to fund an FCSL team for a season and he plans to speak to the Clermont City Council about renovating and providing Clarence Bishop Field to the team. The lighting at the nearly 40-year-old ballpark may have to be upgraded, Dye said. He said the field also would need to be resodded, and concessions and restrooms would have to be upgraded. More on the Florida Collegiate Summer League.

Ballpark Notes
Posted June 7, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The first episode of Northwoods Baseball Weekly on ESPNU debuts tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern/8:00 p.m. Central. The new show will feature unprecedented behind-the-scenes access of what it’s like to be a player, coach, or other personnel with a Northwoods League franchise. Tonight’s episode is the first of 11 original shows that will air on Thursday nights throughout the summer. Two production teams from Filter One Productions of La Crosse, Wisconsin are spending their summer traveling around the Northwoods League with each episode based in a different NWL city. Tonight’s show was filmed in Madison, Wisconsin during the first two days of the season and focuses on the popular Madison Mallards.... Speaking of the Northwoods League: baseball returned to C.O. Brown Stadium in the form of the Battle Creek Bombers. You can check out all the details at our sister site, NWLfan.com...Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) games will have a regional audience in four games scheduled to be broadcast on Comcast Sports Southeast later this year. The 'Birds will broadcast two games in June, one in July and one in August to a regional audience on Comcast's air waves. Memphis will host Nashville on Tuesday, June 12 and Round Rock on Friday, June 29. Comcast Sports West will also pick up the game between Sacramento and the Redbirds on Friday, July 27. The final game of the regional schedule will be Friday, August 10 against Omaha. The Redbirds still have four games remaining on the local schedule. Two games against Albuquerque on July 6 and July 8 will be broadcast locally. The TV schedule will conclude with games on July 17 against Oklahoma and August 28 against Iowa....Triple-A Baseball announced today that Albuquerque Isotopes broadcaster Robert Portnoy will be joined by long-time Syracuse Chiefs broadcaster Bob McElligott to call the action for the 20th annual Triple-A All-Star Game scheduled for July 11th at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Coverage of this year’s contest will be broadcast live on the Westwood One Radio Network with the pre-game show starting at 7:00 pm EDT and first pitch slated for 7:35 pm EDT....Some in the baseball world are responding to the tragic injuries suffered by Rai Henniger of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), who was extensively hurt in a pyrotechnics accident before a Sky Sox game. (After spending much time in critical condition, he's now been upgraded to fair condition and faces a long road of treatment.) The Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League) announced plans to hold a charitable auction to support Henniger through a memorabilia auction on Father’s Day, June 17, 2007 at Municipal Stadium during the Suns game versus the Lexington Legends. The Suns will donate pieces of sports memorabilia to the auction including game-used uniforms, equipment, autographs and Suns collectables. The Suns are requesting support for the auction from Suns fans in the local community. Donations of suitable auction items will be accepted today through Friday, June 15th. Details of the type of auction including a list of memorabilia will available before the auction occurs.

Omaha wants at least 10-year CWS extension before ballpark work
Posted June 6, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Before Omaha builds a new ballpark or does a major renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series for 57 years, the NCAA must agree to a contract extension of at least 10 years, an official said Tuesday. CWS Inc., the local organizing committee for Division I baseball's national championship, and the city have submitted to the NCAA plans for either a $25-million Rosenblatt Stadium face-lift or a $50-million downtown downtown. Omaha's current contract with the NCAA keeps the College World Series there through 2010. The issue: the NCAA has never committed to more than five years at a time. It does not sound like the team is spending a lot of time factoring in the needs of the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), however.
    RELATED STORIES: Mayor: NCAA shows interest in new Omaha ballpark; Omaha floats new ballpark for CWS, O-Royals

Morgan Stanley buys stake in stadium finance firm
Posted June 6, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Investment bank Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday it acquired a majority stake in Stadium Capital Associates, which has a method for allowing sports teams and symphony orchestras to raise capital without issuing debt. Morgan Stanley Principal Investments, which has $2.5 billion to invest, did not disclose how much it paid for the Chicago-based start-up. Stadium Capital Financing Group, the name of the newly formed venture, will also seek to provide financial advisory services, upfront purchaser financing packages, sports marketing, tax analysis and a proprietary, secondary market ticket exchange program for underlying tickets. Both Morgan Stanley and Stadium Capital Associates termed the firm a start-up, but that's not strictly true: the firm first surfaced in the baseball world in 2004 when founder Lou Weisbach worked to bring the Montreal Expos to Las Vegas using -- we presume -- some of the ideas embodied here, which seem to involve some sort of enhanced personal seat license owned in perpetuity and promoted as equity within the facility and perhaps the team.

Mets fans detour to Shea as new ballpark takes parking space
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Speaking of Shea Stadium: As Citi Field rises beyond Shea Stadium's outfield fence in what used to be a parking lot, it's eating up 2,100 of the 8,500 spots that once put fans a short walk from Shea Stadium's entrances. Until Shea Stadium is torn down, after Citi Field's completion in 2009, fans arriving late for games must leave their cars at off- site lots, such as Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and take a shuttle bus. Speaking of Citi Field: Aramark signed a 30-year contract to provide food, beverage, and retail merchandise services for the ballpark.

Wichita to court baseball leagues
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As we've been telling you many, many times over last six months, the Wichita City Council will set up a bid process to determine who has the next shot at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, the current home of the Wichita Wranglers (Class AA; Texas League) that will be vacated at the end of the season. Discussions with the Wranglers ownership are expected to be wrapped up shortly, with the National Baseball Congress expected to stay. The bidding process -- overseen by a Florida consulting firm -- is expected to draw interest from five independent leagues: the American Association, the United League, the Golden League, the Northern League and the Continental League. For those expecting some sort of backroom deal: you can forget it.
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Today's video: A real ballgame
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Today's video is an unusual one: it's a commercial for Rolling Rock Beer that was rejected for various reasons. It's not obscene, but it's intense (especially if you're a guy), and while it's safe for work, you may want to turn down the volume on your computer if you're in the office. Speaking of videos: we are adding them to the site, and we'd love to post yours as well. We know a lot of teams are creating commercials and promotional videos; if you want to share them with the baseball community, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.

Jack Russell Stadium may fall, but memories remain
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As the Clearwater City Council comes nearer a final decision to tear down Jack Russell Stadium, the former spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies and the former home of the Clearwater Phillies (High Class A; Florida State League), fans in the area are reminiscing about the old facility. In 60 days, many memories generated at Jack Russell Stadium will come down in a cloud of dust. City Council members said they are ready to demolish the 52-year-old ballpark. A final vote will be taken at Thursday's council meeting.

In York, construction crunch time
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It's no longer a question of when. The York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League) are scheduled to play the franchise home opener June 15 at Sovereign Bank Stadium, even though key components of the ballpark will not be complete. Last week, Nace confirmed a number of stadium amenities would not be complete by the home opener. The skyboxes, second-floor function rooms, third-base concessions, picnic concessions, outfield concessions, outfield restrooms, team clubhouses and team offices will not be ready. The issue of parking permits in the area near the ballpark is apparently a contentious one.

Spinners buy old Yankee Stadium base
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The Lowell Spinners (short season; NY-Penn League) don't even have a first baseman yet, but they have already acquired a fairly famous first base. The of the Boston Red Sox announced yesterday it has purchased on the memorabilia market -- and plans to use for the upcoming New York-Penn League season -- the first base that was used at Yankee Stadium for Game 6 of the 2004 AL Championship Series. In the game, New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez was called for interference after slapping the ball away from Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo in a crucial play at first. Boston went on to win the series in seven games and swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to end an 86-year championship drought.

Cain remains able
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Another day, another ownership group for Jack Cain, an advisor with the Portland Beavers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Cain owned the Portland Rockies of the Northwest League, and when that team was displaced by the Beavers, he retired for a short time before being brought back by Portland Family Entertainment. Since then he's seen three more ownership groups set up shop at PGE Park -- he and Chris Metz have been the constants through the various proceedings -- but throughout we're guessing Jack hasn't changed at all.

In county race, grass offers a great platform
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The condition of Alliance Bank Stadium is a huge issue for Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League) fans, and announcements buy officials that the tattered artificial turf will be replaced by FieldTurf hasn't been met with much enthusiasm. The condition of the ballpark is being made a factor among local county races by the Post-Standard.

Fans fill the park when the Miners take the ballfield
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So far so good: Officially opened just eight days ago, Rent One Park and the Southern Illinois Miners (independent; Frontier League) have already proven to be quite the attraction in Marion. In their first six home games, the Miners averaged 4,833 fans, and have never played in front of a crowd smaller than 4,000. The 29,000 fans to appear at a Miners game are tops in the Frontier League, as is that average of 4,833. Southern Illinois' smallest home crowd this season, 4,050 fans, is still higher than the average crowds of nine of the Frontier League's 12 teams.

On payday, Dice-K, should thank pioneering O'Doul
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Lefty O'Doul was a pioneer on many, many levels during his playing and managing days in the majors and the Pacific Coast League, but in this particular instance he's being remembered for his pioneering trips to Japan to sell the game of baseball there. While other barnstorming teams toured Japan -- Babe Ruth did so on one famous occasion -- O'Doul cultivated relations with the Japanese and offered this assessment in 1933: "I will venture to say that there are at least 20 players in Japan who are good enough in fielding to play in the Major Leagues today."

Go LBALACUSNAIBA this
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As David St. Hubbins famously proclaimed in This is Spinal Tap, it's such a fine line between stupid and clever. You decide which side of the line this falls on. The Long Beach Armada (independent; Golden Baseball League) announced that it has changed its official name. The new name will be the Long Beach Armada of Los Angeles of California of the United States of North America Including Barrow, Alaska. The name will be the longest of any professional sports team in the world. "In order to better reach the larger Armada Nation, we felt compelled to lengthen the name to incorporate all our fans stretching from the warm beaches of Los Angeles to the frigid beaches of the artic circle," Golden Baseball League CEO Dave Kaval stated. "Our inspiration was Arte Moreno’s brilliant marketing gambit of positioning the Anaheim Angeles as an LA team. Being a real Los Angeles county team, we too wanted to extend our reach as far north as possible." The team will carry an abbreviation of LBALACUSNAIBA. This story was sent in by a reader. To submit a story or information of interest to the baseball community, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.

Reds' attendance last in league
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The 86-year-old man reading the newspaper in Section 114 says sometimes that is the most exciting thing at Ed Smith Stadium, the home of the Sarasota Reds (High Class A; Florida State League). Irv Newman loves baseball, but he would like to see a livelier crowd at Ed Smith, where empty seats frequently outnumber fans 15 to one. "Baseball is a very social game," said Newman, the lone spectator in his section and one of 416 fans in the 7,500-seat ballpark on a recent weeknight. "The action is 10 minutes. The rest is the ballpark, the ambience." Reds executives, desperate to draw more fans into Ed Smith Stadium while they await the fate of a planned new stadium, hear Newman's plea.

Baseball team saw potential in site
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Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) GM Glenn Yaeger sounds a little wistful when he describes what he and other team officials saw in a waterfront site where the team proposed a new ballpark: "Although the attraction to bring people downtown will always draw us to the Thermal site, the absence of the assumptions inherent in the city's plan to privately finance the ballpark make the Thermal site more appropriate for other development. As we painfully learned, Struever Bros. was unable to find the necessary investors to create a $200 million development around the ballpark. Perhaps a smaller development, a better capitalized developer and public funding of an amphitheater will be more feasible for the Thermal site, now that it appears the city is willing to relax the no-cost and no-risk requirements of the site." It will be interesting what happens next with the Sounds; Greer Stadium in its present state certainly isn't the future for the franchise.

MLBAM backs off threat to sue Sling Media
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Major League Baseball remains steadfast in its belief that technology company Sling Media doesn't have the legal right to transmit its baseball games via the Internet for fans, but the president of the league's interactive media and Internet unit suggested he doesn't think going to court is the best way to resolve the dispute. For the past year, MLB Advanced Media LP and Sling have been battling over a piece of hardware that channels television content from a single cable box or satellite-TV receiver. A Sling box allows you to receive the program and then send it via the Internet to wherever you are. It's similar to a TiVo or a DVR, but adds the ability to transmit programming over the Internet to a single user. Bob Bowman says: "The way to win this is with good content and good technology, not with lawyers." It also avoids what could be a terribly uncomfortable discussion of baseball's broadcast-territory rules.

More than 1,680 guitarists join to play a single tune
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More than 1,680 guitar players turned out, tuned up and took part in what organizers say was a world record rendition of a song that was the first many of them ever learned. The pickers, ranging from kindergartners to folks who were playing music long before a Cleveland disc jockey coined term "rock and roll" in 1951, played Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" a little after noon Sunday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, the home of the Kansas City T-Bones (independent; Northern League). Some came from as far away as California and Germany to take part in a Kansas City radio station's effort to break a Guinness world record for the most people playing the same song simultaneously. The record had been 1,323 people playing a song in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994.

What is spring training worth to Vero Beach?
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Ray McNulty asks a very simple question, as Vero Beach and Indian River County officials decide how to proceed when the Los Angeles Dodgers leave Dodgertown after spring 2008. Though Cincinnati officials have raised the possibility of looking at Dodgertown should efforts to build a new complex in Sarasota fall through, no one expects the Reds to go in and just begin play at Holman Stadium: the facility will basically need to be rebuilt.
    RELATED STORIES: Reds: We're interested in Vero Beach

Nashua Millionaire photos spark baseball memories
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Here's a look at the Nashua Millionaires of the old New England League; the team was a pretty popular pastime in blue-collar, workaday Nashua, but weren’t terribly successful in the finance department, according to Telegraph reports of the time. They came and went for several years, debuting in 1926, and playing in 1927, 1929, 1930 and 1933 before moving to Brockton, Mass.

Pohlad should give as well as he receives
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The basic premise in this article is a good one: Twins owner Carl Pohlad should sign veterans like Torii Hunter to long-term contracts to ensure they are playing in the Twins' new ballpark in 2011. Not a bad idea. But his grasp on the facts is pretty tenuous: he makes the argument that since Pohlad is a billionaire, he should spend it all on the ballpark. In fact, Souhan argues, "The new ballpark, with the county contributing $392 million and the team $130 million, will increase the value of the franchise to perhaps, say, $900 million." Say what? The Twins will be worth more than the Cubs, the Mets, the Red Sox, and the Dodgers? This is a case of Souhan pulling facts out of his butt to make an argument.
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Wellman throws memorable tantrum at Braves game
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Here's a video that's been making the rounds on the interwebs over the weekend: Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League) manager Phillip Wellman throwing a memorable tantrum during a game this weekend. It's not really newsworthy and it's not great video, but it is entertaining as all heck. (The video is embedded in this Web page but served elsewhere; click on the triangle at the bottom of the window to launch the video.) UPDATE: Wellman was suspended for three games by the Braves for his actions. Probably worth it.

Investors pitch baseball idea for The Ranch
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Larimer County and the independent American Association are scouting each other with an eye toward locating a new independent franchise at The Ranch, the county's fairgrounds and events complex in Loveland. The county has what a new team needs -- land. On May 15, county commissioners signed a memorandum of understanding with National Sports Services, a sports consulting firm with offices in Colorado, Kansas and Tennessee. NSS is working for interested investors who want to own one or two franchises in Colorado. Architect Andy Barnard, whose Denver firm has designed several sports facilities, said a baseball stadium would need 3,500 to 5,000 seats and about eight acres, excluding parking. The county has 240 acres at The Ranch. Construction would require a minimum of $8 million, Perry said, but building costs to accommodate rodeo events are difficult to forecast. Mixing rodeo and baseball is going to be extremely difficult: the needs of a rodeo event (pens, dressing rooms, dirt vs. turf) are totally different than those from a baseball team, and the mix would be awkward, to say the least.
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Once Games end, ballpark will be razed to become mall
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In western Beijing, workers are busily constructing a gleaming 12,000-seat ballpark for the Olympics next year. When they're finished, the ballpark will be used sporadically for a year or two -- and then be demolished to make room for a shopping mall. That's the current official plan, unless Beijing can be persuaded to change its mind. The gloomy fate of the Olympic diamond is a symbol of baseball's poor prospects in the world's most populous country. A high-level delegation from Major League Baseball arrived in Beijing this week, hoping to salvage the stadium and plant some seeds for the sport's future in China. They put up a brave face, but they know their task will be exceedingly difficult.

AppleSox will honor Chiefs' 70th anniversary
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Melding the baseball history of North Central Washington with the ever-expanding future of summer college baseball, the Wenatchee AppleSox (WCCL) will give a nod to their area predecessors by wearing home uniforms this season modeled on those of the Wenatchee Chiefs (Northwest League). The 2007 AppleSox season marks the 70th anniversary of the Chiefs first season in Wenatchee. The former farm club played in Recreation Park from 1937 to 1965. As an homáge to the Chiefs, the AppleSox will wear home white uniforms with Wenatchee emblazoned across the chest in blue lettering. There will also be blue piping around the sleeves. Also, a large black patch with the original Chiefs logo will be on the left sleeve of the jerseys. Pictured is Mike Miller, who is graduating from Cashmere High School this week, will play for the AppleSox this summer, then will head to Oregon State this fall to play ball for the Beavers. (Photo courtesy of the Wenatchee AppleSox.)

Yankees' new home won't be a House
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The premise here is that the new Yankee Stadium won't be as historic as the current Yankee Stadium. We're among the many who don't really consider the current Yankee Stadium to be the same as the original Yankee Stadium: the "renovation" in the 1970s was more of a teardown, with little of the original House that Ruth Built retained.

New ballpark violates law
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The nonprofit group building a new ballpark at Empire Park for the Webster Yankees (summer collegiate; NYCBL) broke a federal law by filling in more than a half-acre of a wetland during site preparation, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Work stopped on the project in the second week of May after representatives of the Corps and the state Department of Environmental Conservation visited the site at 2130 Empire Blvd. Gunther K. Buerman, a volunteer representative for the Webster Yankees Stadium Corp., a nonprofit group created to build the ballpark, said about six-tenths of an acre of the wetland were filled. He said Webster Stadium Corp. officials and workers at the site did not realize they were filling in a wetland.

Bisbee baseball fans excited for new season, intimacy of old ballpark
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There's always one great reason to take in a summer-collegiate Bisbee Copper Kings game: Warren Ballpark, one of the oldest ballparks still in use, dating back to 1909. (There's some debate as to what's the oldest; we're not going to settle that argument here.) About 350 folks were on hand for the Copper Kings season opener Friday night.

Ballpark Notes
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The Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low Class A; Sally League) entered Sunday afternoon's game needing just 4,084 fans to reach the most significant milestone to date in First Horizon Park's young history. Craig Hunter of Mount Airy was recorded as the 1,000,000th fan to enter the ballpark since it opened its gates April 9, 2005, 162 games ago. Hunter was greeted by Grasshoppers personnel and a plethora of items including a Hoppers jersey, team autographed bat and ball, gift certificates and two Continental Airline round-trip tickets to anywhere in the continental United States....The Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) announced that their home game on June 10, 2007 against the Frederick Keys has been sold out. Sunday, June 10, is United States Postal Service Employee Appreciation Day and will draw postal service employees and their families from throughout the Greater Washington area. The Postal Service has purchased thousands of tickets to this game to show their appreciation and support for their dedicated and hard working employees....The Salt Lake Bees (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) KJZZ Television and Fox Sports Net Utah (FSN Utah) announced today that the three have partnered to televise 10 home games during the 2007 season. Initially, the games will air live on KJZZ beginning Friday, June 8 (7:05 p.m. MDT) and Sunday, June 10 (2:05 p.m. MDT) when the Salt Lake Bees take on the Portland Beavers. The remaining eight will also air live on June 23, June 24, July 7, July 8, July 28, July 29, August 11 and August 12. The games will then be rebroadcast on FSN Utah which serves viewers in Utah and parts of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. Steve Klauke, Bees radio play-by-play announcer, will broadcast the games on television with David James and Pat Kinahan providing color commentary....