Recent
Visits |
Al Lang Field, Tampa Bay
Rays
St.
Pete's Al Lang Field has been in the news a lot
lately, but for the wrong reasons: the Tampa Bay
Rays will train there one last time in 2008 before
shifting spring operations to Charlotte County in
2009, and the old ballpark is slated to be torn
down to make way for a new waterfront home of the
Rays. Now, Al Lang Field isn't the same venue it
was in the 1940s and 1950s when it was a landmark
in spring training, but it's still a great place
to catch a spring-training game. We hope the Rays
catch the spirit of the original Al Lang in their
designs for a new ballpark, For the rest of us, a
trip to Al Lang Field will be a mandatory event in
Spring Training 2008.
Trustmark Park, Mississippi
Braves
There's
nothing wrong with Trustmark Park, the home of the
Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League).
The wraparound concourse, luxury
boxes, big scoreboard and varied concessions are
all standard issue for a new minor-league ballpark
these days. So why aren't we more excited about
the two-year-old ballpark? Because there's nothing
unique about it: except for a few Southern menu
items at the concessions, there's nothing to link
the ballpark to its surroundings. At a Mississippi
Braves game, you could be watching a game anywhere
-- and going local is one of the great joys of the
minor leagues. Dustin Mattison reports.
Alliance Bank Stadium,
Syracuse Chiefs
The
biggest news at Alliance Bank Stadium, the home of
the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International
League): the current artificial turf will be
replaced by real grass. That's good news for
Syracuse baseball fans in terms of aesthetics, as
well as players who need to field on an old,
sometimes unpredictable surface. Otherwise,
Alliance Bank Stadium is a perfectly serviceable
ballpark: the Chiefs front office does things the
old-fashioned way (i.e., not much in terms of
between-innings shenanigans), but the ballpark is
a comfortable place to watch a game, and the food
is pretty good. Steve Kapsinow reports.
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The
Fine Print |
Obligatory legal information:
This site is copyright 1998-2007 Kevin Reichard/August
Publications. All rights
reserved. My wife is a lawyer, so she will come and chop off
your hand in a legal fashion if you rip off this site
in any form. All logos are the property of their respective
owners. |
Broadcasts |
Virtually every MiLB team now streams broadcasts over the
Internet, which makes it easy to follow your favorite team when
you're on the road. In addition, you can catch MLB game broadcasts at
MLB.com or via XM Radio.
More
on Internet radio and TV broadcasts here! |
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Archives: Sept.
2-8, 2007
Spirit gives up ghost in
Lynn
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Yesterday
we alluded to this happening, and now it's almost
official: owner Nick Lopardo will shut down the
North Shore Spirit (independent; Can-Am
Association) at the end of the season (the team is
still in the Can-Am playoffs). Lopardo almost shut
things down at the end of last season -- even
announcing that was his plan -- but he was
persuaded to hang in there one more year. Lopardo
did things the right way in Lynn: he put millions
into Fraser
Field and set up a very respectable business.
But after five year he
apparently decided enough was enough: attendance
once again hovered at 2,300 fans per game this
season and, given the additional financial burdens
of indy ball (player salaries, workers' comp), it
wasn't enough. Can-Am Association President Miles
Wolff says he expects the team to be folded, not
relocated. This puts the league lineup at nine
teams, but that includes the Grays traveling team
and the Nashua Pride, whose owner, John Stabile,
has hinted he may fold operations as well. With
Ottawa a huge question mark for 2008, the most
likely outcome is that the league goes with eight
teams next season unless Wolff can find someone to
set up operations in Lynn or another market -- but
there's not exactly a lot of open markets in the
Can-Am Association footprint.
Tonight's the last night for
Cobb Field
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The
Billings Mustangs (rookie; Pioneer League) have
always prided themselves on offering no-frills,
no-gimmicks baseball, and they plan to stick with
that formula for their final night at
Cobb Field
tonight. "We're going to go about our business as
usual," Mustangs General Manager Gary Roller said
Thursday. "We've given them baseball for the last
55 years, and that's what we'll give them at the
last game." Thursday night's game was rained out,
forcing a doubleheader against the Great Falls
White Sox today, starting at 4:05 p.m. There will
be a few low-key events for the second game, which
is expected to begin around 7 p.m. Les Barnes, who
played on the first Mustangs team, will go to home
plate to present a lineup card to the current
manager, Ronnie Ortegan, and a color guard will
take down the flag at the end of the game. The
flag will be framed and displayed at
the new
ballpark, which is slated to open next season.
Cobb Field was
always one of our favorite ballparks in the
minors: it was a window to a world of baseball
that's largely disappeared, and it's a shame to
lose such a classic. Let's hope the new ballpark
has some of the personality we experienced for
years at
Cobb Field.
Local fans sound as regretful as we are.
More from Mike Scherting.
RELATED STORIES:
An extra inning to raise funds for new Billings
ballpark;
Billings looks at cutbacks to new ballpark;
Tight schedule for Billings' new ballpark;
Council awards ballpark contracts;
City looks to cut cost
of ballpark;
Ballpark bids throw curve to officials;
City OKs ballpark bond bids;
Park plans head for home;
City, Mustangs watching ballpark plans;
Old-time ballplayers join groundbreaking for new
Billings ballpark;
Billings ballpark design allows future amenities;
Plan for new baseball park has sunken, realigned
field;
Planning for new Cobb Field gets on fast track;
Cobb Field planning kicks into high gear;
Billings voters approve new Mustangs ballpark;
Donors pitch $210K more toward new ballpark;
Join local teams in support for new ballpark;
Three groups, family pledge $200K for maintenance
of new Cobb Field;
New vote on an old park;
Two more pitch in on new Cobb Field;
Musburger urges support for Cobb Field replacement;
Baseball fan boosts Billings ballpark campaign;
Gaming operator donates $1 million toward Billings
ballpark;
Cobb backers unveil campaign;
Lots to learn about new plan for Cobb Field;
Bond issue for Cobb Field replacement on ballot;
Burns backs federal aid for Cobb Field;
Potential gift could pare price of Cobb Field;
Funding dominates Cobb discussion;
Billings needs ballpark to be proud of, not field
of dreams;
Panel details ways to cut Billings ballpark costs;
Cobb Field panel pursues closer look at costs;
Billings panel asks for Cobb Field tax measure;
Forums planned on Cobb Field proposal;
Poll finds support for bonds for Cobb Field;
Council vote sets stage for Cobb debate;
Cobb Field replacement could cost $12 million;
HNTB selected for Cobb Field renovation;
Cobb proposals narrowed to 2;
Six proposals vie to study Cobb Field
Littlefield
fired as Pirates GM
Posted Sept. 7, 2007 (feedback)
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The
Pittsburgh Pirates announced that General Manager
Dave Littlefield has been relieved of his duties
effective immediately. Pirates Senior Director of
Player Development Brian Graham will serve as
interim General Manager until a permanent
replacement is found. Pirates Chairman of the
Board, Bob Nutting, announced his decision today
after a thorough review of the organization since
taking control of the organization in January.
"After eight months of listening and analyzing the situation,
it has become clear that this decision was
necessary to move our organization forward," said
Nutting. "While there are many bright spots for us
to build from, I am not satisfied with the overall
performance and progress that has been made. I'm
committed to building a successful organization
and this is an important step in that process."
This move will not impact the timing of the search process
for the Pirates new president, according to
Nutting.
Littlefield, 47, was named the club's General Manager on July
13, 2001, thus becoming the 11th General Manager
in the history of the Pirates.
Bulls announce
Goodmon Field
Posted Sept. 7, 2007 (feedback)
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Last
night the Durham Bulls (Class AAA; International
League) unveiled the new Goodmon Field sign in
center field at
Durham
Bulls Athletic Park. Durham Mayor Bill Bell
read a resolution explaining the decision to name
the field after Durham Bulls owner and
President/CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Company Jim
Goodmon saying, "Mr. Goodmon has been at the
forefront of improving the Durham community as a
business leader, community advocate and caring
individual." Goodmon was a driving force for
construction of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park
that was built in 1995 and expanded for Triple-A
baseball in 1998. Today, Capitol Broadcasting is
developing the surrounding American Tobacco
Campus.
Indian River County still in
talks with team to replace Dodgers
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Indian
River County administrator Joe Baird confirmed he
is still in negotiations with a major league
baseball team that could replace the Los Angeles
Dodgers for spring training in Vero Beach's
Dodgertown. The Dodgers are expected to soon break
ground on a two-team facility with the Chicago
White Sox in Glendale, Ariz., and will likely end
their 60-year stay in Vero Beach after the 2008
spring training. Baird says he is getting close to
an agreement with "a team," though he cannot name
the team because of an agreement he signed.
Oriole Park crews get raise
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Under
pressure to raise wages for part-time janitorial
workers at
Oriole Park at
Camden Yards, the
Maryland Stadium Authority voted yesterday to pay
them the state's new $11.30-an-hour "living wage,"
starting next spring. The 5-2 decision came after
the men and women who clean the state-owned
Orioles ballpark on game days postponed a hunger
strike this week to give the agency time to come
up with a binding living-wage agreement. The
hunger strike, which was to have started Monday,
was called off yesterday.
RELATED STORIES:
Ballpark cleanup workers postpone hunger strike
Panel delays vote on center,
ballpark
Posted Sept. 7, 2007 (feedback)
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Members
of the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission
raised concerns about traffic around McHenry
County College before again delaying a vote early
Thursday on a proposed college expansion that
would include a 6,500-seat ballpark for an
independent Frontier League team. Traffic, of
course, is always a big complaint when a new
ballpark proposed, but we're guessing the issue
can be finessed so the mean streets of Crystal
Lake aren't impacted too much.
RELATED STORIES:
Ballpark cleanup workers postpone hunger strike
Ballpark Notes
Posted Sept. 7, 2007 (feedback)
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The
Greensboro Grasshoppers announced the
selection of President and General Manager
Donald Moore as the 2007 South Atlantic League
General Manager of the Year. Under Moore's
direction, the Hoppers have consistently ranked
among the top 25 teams in Minor League Baseball
for attendance. More notably, the Hoppers recently
earned the distinguished honor of becoming the
first Class A team in the history of Minor League
Baseball to draw over 400,000 fans and grow its
attendance for three straight years in a new
ballpark....For the sixth year in a row, the
Brockton Rox’s Campanelli Stadium has been
named the best playing field in a vote of the
independent Can-Am Association's ten field
managers and media representatives. The Rox led
the Can-Am in attendance again as 169,999 fans in
51 openings came through the turnstiles at the
six-year facility, an average of 3,333 per
game....
Three more enter race for
MiLB president
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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There's
now a full slate of candidates for the
Presidential Search Committee to interview as
Minor League Baseball begins the process of
ordaining a replacement for Mike Moore, who is
retiring as president. Pat O'Connor, currently
MiLB vice president and COO, threw his hat in the
ring early. He's now joined by Memphis Redbirds
(Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) president and
general manager Dave Chase, who has long expressed
interest in the post. Also scheduled to be
considered: Phil Evans and Jeremy Kapstein. Evans
was
formerly president of the NBA Developmental League
(2001-2007) after spending time with the
Continental Basketball League and currently heads
Evans Sports Group in Greenville, S.C. The
D-League has not been a huge success, so that
experience may not translate into MiLB. Kapstein
is a former agent now working for the Boston Red
Sox. With these announcements, there will surely
be some tongues wagging. O'Connor probably
wouldn't shake up things too much -- he certainly
has had a strong hand in how MiLB has been run in
recent years, and many owners speak respectfully
of him -- but the energetic Chase would probably
be more likely to propose change, looking at core
issues like league alignments. With the weighted
voting system, Class AAA owners have an important
say in who is selected. We've heard there was talk
between Chase and MiLB officials on him overseeing
a proposed new minor-league museum in Durham; his
entering the race presumably means these
discussions didn't lead to an agreement.
New for 2008: Arvest
Ballpark
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The
Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Class AA; Texas
League) will be playing next season in Arvest
Ballpark, as the team sold naming rights to Arvest
Bank Group. Terms of the 10-year deal (with an
option for another decade) were not announced
(under their lease, the Naturals retain all
revenue from naming rights and are not forced to
disclose the terms), but
we're guessing the bank is paying a minimum of
$100,000 a year. Arvest Bank Group is a regional
chain with ties to Bentonville-based Wal-Mart. The deal also includes a suite
for Arvest, signage and advertising, as well as
exclusive right to place ATMs in the new ballpark.
More from the Morning News.
More on how the team is being received in
Springdale, Ark.
RELATED STORIES:
Northwest Arkansas Naturals' new ballpark
progressing rapidly;
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
Marlins about to bring
ballpark deal in from the bullpen
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Here's
a commentary discussing a potential new ballpark
for the Florida Marlins at the Orange Bowl site.
Some of the objections are just silly -- there's
no doubt the Marlins would draw better at a
retractable-roof baseball-only ballpark, no matter
where it's located -- but there are some solid
objections as well. For example, we just don't
think it's likely you can build a retractable-roof
hurricane-ready ballpark for only $422 million;
the city and Miami-Dade County would be wise to
get an updated cost estimate before proceeding
with any deal.
There's a lot of doubt whether a new ballpark
would raise property values in the Orange Bowl area,
but so far that's not used as a big selling point
to the public.
RELATED STORIES:
Selig receptive to Orange Bowl site for new
Marlins ballpark;
UM exit from Orange Bowl paves way for new Marlins
ballpark;
Selig: Relocation an option if ballpark issue not
settled;
University of Miami might leave Orange Bowl by '08;
Is there room for Marlins in South Florida?;
Moss to seek changes in Marlins' name, spring
training;
Marlins' reaction to no state funding of ballpark:
muted;
State funding for Marlins ballpark dies when
session ends;
Senate leader: no deal with slots, Marlins
ballpark;
Slots, Marlins ballpark financing in tax-bill mix;
Vote on Marlins ballpark financing again comes
late in legislative session;
New Marlins ballpark
bill likely to strike out;
State House endorses $60 million for Marlins
ballpark in Miami;
Marlins' pitch for ballpark cash apt to fall short;
Dade lawmaker unsure about Marlins subsidy;
Miami officials offended at Loria's insistence on
downtown ballpark;
Loria is pining for a downtown ballpark;
Marlins ballpark funding decision has ways to go;
Door closed on use of Miami CRA funds for ballpark;
Marlins
ballpark funding bills advance;
Regalado: CRA money shouldn't be dangled in
Marlins ballpark talks;
New Marlins ballpark in a squeeze play;
Miami backs county on plan for new Marlins park at
Orange Bowl;
Orange Bowl reemerges as site of Marlins ballpark;
County unveils
Marlins financing plan;
Marlins ballpark funding at first base;
Charlie Crist's just not batting 1.000;
Florida legislative leaders back tax help for
sports;
Governor boosts ballpark funding formula;
CRA board members: Look somewhere else for
ballpark funds;
Marlins ballpark plan only latest of projects
seeking CRA funds;
Glitzy plans often pushed with funds for renewal;
Agency head says city hasn't sought permission for
ballpark deal;
Crist backs state funding of new Marlins ballpark;
Officials optimistic of finalizing Marlins
ballpark deal in downtown Miami;
DuPuy: Progress being made on new downtown Miami
ballpark;
Dade leaders pitch 'urban' ballpark for Marlins;
New downtown Miami site explored for proposed
Marlins ballpark;
MLB official hopes Crist can pave way for new
Marlins ballpark;
Focus in Miami turns to new ballpark for Marlins;
Marlins ballpark chances at Pompano considered a
long shot;
Pompano Park pitched as location for new Marlins
ballpark;
Marlins, Loria at crossroads with uncertain future;
Orange County commissioner pushing for Marlins;
Miami Arena owner sues to stop sale;
Buyers sue Miami Arena owner;
Deadline looms over proposal for Marlins ballpark
in downtown Miami;
Marlins officials tight-lipped on downtown Miami
ballpark proposal;
MLB ready to move on downtown Miami ballpark;
Delay in solving cloud over Marlins' future has to
end;
Selig: Marlins need a new ballpark;
DuPuy, local officials discuss new Marlins
ballpark again;
Marlins ballpark suffers setback;
DuPuy meets with Marlins officials about new
ballpark;
Hialeah ballpark plan hinges on financial
feasibility;
Marlins to San Antonio: No thanks;
Hialeah mayor upbeat on prospects of new Marlins
ballpark;
San Antonio, Marlins end courtship for now;
Tough times for Marlins and their fans;
Marlins players adjust to the empty seats
Nashville mayoral candidates
support downtown ballpark
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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Good
news for the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific
Coast League) as they continue their quest for a
new ballpark: both mayoral candidates, Bob Clement
and Karl Dean, generally support a new downtown
ballpark for the team. Of course, the devil's
always in the details, and it's not unlike a
politician to pander six days before an election.
Still, given that the Sounds almost put together a
deal despite the opposition from the
soon-to-be-former-mayor, support from both
candidates is certainly encouraging.
RELATED STORIES:
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
When it comes to salaries, UO swinging a big bat
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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If
you want a solid sign that the game of college
baseball has changed forever, check out the
contract signed by George Horton to relaunch the
baseball program at the University of Oregon: the
minimum he'll make is $400,000 annually, with a
base salary of $150,000 and another $250,000 in
television and radio money and a contract with
Nike. With incentives, Horton could earn another
$285,000 a year. The incentives include $50,000
for a College World Series appearance, $20,000 for
a Pacific-10 Conference title and other rewards
for graduating players, producing All-Americans or
winning coach of the year honors. That makes him
the highest-paid coach in the Pac-10. Horton has a
clear track record -- he's won consistently at Cal
State-Fullerton -- and the team will need to
attract fans to generate revenue. Athletic
Director Pat Kilkenny said he'd had preliminary talks
with the Eugene Emeralds (short season; Northwest
League) about sharing a 5,000-seat ballpark
complete with luxury suites and other amenities to
maximize revenue. (That, of course, would mostly
likely lead historic Civic Stadium to be consigned
to the dustbin of history;
we've
added it to our list of endangered ballparks).
Life, liberty and your
preferred bat? Maybe not
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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Here's
a follow-up to the recent court case upholding the
New York City Council's decision to mandate the
use of wood bats in the NYC public schools.
Basically, the court held the council could do
whatever it wanted and did not need to prove metal
bats were less safe that wood bats; no one has the
right to use a metal bat. We expect the decision
to be upheld should it be appealed; the courts
traditionally side with schools when it comes to
students guidelines. We do prefer to see wood
bats, but our objections to metal bats are based
on aesthetics: we're not sure metal bats are less
safe (safety objections seem to be based on
anecdotes, not any statistical studies), but
baseball with a ping just isn't the same. As we're
not reliant on advertising from bat manufacturers
-- like other baseball publications are, in a big
way -- we can express that opinion openly.
RELATED STORIES:
Metal bats strike out in court;
Baseball returns to its roots;
Group sues New York City over ban on metal bats;
New York City passes ban on metal bats;
A swing toward wooden bats;
USA Baseball: Metal
bats are as safe as wooden bats;
New York City moves
toward ban on metal high-school bats
CL panel, MCC burn midnight
oil
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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The
final decision on a new ballpark for an
independent Frontier League team at McHenry
Community College has been pushed back to Sept.
19, although the delay isn't expected to impact a
planned Memorial Day 2009 opening for the
facility. After hours of questions and debate
dragged on until about 1 a.m. today, the Crystal
Lake Planning and Zoning Commission again ran out
of time as it examined a controversial expansion
proposal from McHenry County College. Local
residents fear the expansion of McHenry Community
College could negatively impact the local
environment.
RELATED STORIES:
Crystal Lake wants outside opinion on ballpark;
Crystal Lake bats around ballpark;
Major boom for minor-league ball;
McHenry County College, Frontier League close to
agreement for new ballpark;
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'
Ottawa to land Nashua Pride?
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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This
could end up being a rough offseason for the
independent Can-Am Association. For starters, it
sounds like Nashua Pride owner John Stabile is
ready to throw in the towel and either sell the
team or move it, though he's had no discussions
with Ottawa officials about Lynx Stadium. There
are the usual rumblings about the North Shore
Spirit folding up shop or being sold: owner Nick
Lopardo almost shut things down at the end of last
season and, although attendance this season was up
by 8,000, an average of 2,299 per game may not be
enough to sustain a team, especially with the
added costs of independent ball (player salaries,
workers' comp). The league's interest in expanding
north of the border makes a lot of sense given the
recent strength of the Canadian economy and the
loonie, but owners may be forced to spring for new
ballparks in Ottawa and Montreal.
More on the loss of the Ottawa Lynx (Class
AAA; International League).
Ballpark Notes
Posted Sept. 6, 2007 (feedback)
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The
Pacific Coast League is again celebrating a
new attendance milestone, eclipsing the
7.4-million fan mark for the second
consecutive season during the recently completed
2007 regular season. The PCL averaged over 6,600
fans per game for the third straight year,
accumulating a total of 7,420,095 fans in 1,120
openings, surpassing the previous attendance
record of 7,413,505 fans set during the 2006
regular season. For the eighth season in a row,
Sacramento paced the PCL and all of Minor League
Baseball with a total season attendance of
710,235. They were followed closely in League
standings by Round Rock who took over the second
position this year with 662,575 fans, while
Memphis claimed the PCL's third-highest count at
677,706. Meanwhile, Iowa and Albuquerque rounded
out the top-5 as they did a year ago. They, along
with Oklahoma and Fresno, surpassed 500,000 total
fans. In addition to topping the 500,000 mark
Fresno also boasted the highest increase in
per-game average from last season, as nearly 400
more Grizzlies fans filled Chukchansi Park each
game in 2007. Colorado Springs experienced a
league-best percentage increase of 8.4 percent
while Tacoma followed with a 7-percent
increase....The Chicago White Sox have
hired creative agency Energy BBDO (Chicago)
to serve as the organization's advertising agency
of record. Energy BBDO handles numerous brands for
clients including Bayer, Beam Global Spirits &
Wines, Inc., Dial and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., among
others....For the seventh consecutive season, the
Lakewood BlueClaws have drawn more fans to
their ballpark than any other professional team in
the South Atlantic League and the state of
New Jersey. On the strength of 6,900 fans for the
season-ending Labor Day matinee, and a season-high
9,104 on Sunday night, the BlueClaws finished the
year with a final attendance of 442,256 in
2007....The Spokane Indians (short season;
Northwest League) may have finished the season
with a 6-3 loss to the Yakima Bears but they were
definitely winners at the gate, pulling 5,864 fans
to break their average attendance record and
short-season total attendance franchise record.
The total number of fans that passed through the
gates of Avista Stadium this year was 192,021
which sets the Indians' record for total
short-season attendance. That also works out to
5,053 fans per game, the highest season average in
Spokane's 104-year history.... The Houston
Astros have begun their interviews as they
seek a new general manager. Interviewed yesterday
were Jim Beattie (former GM of the Montreal
Expos and Baltimore Orioles), Ed Wade
(former Phillies GM) and Muzzy Jackson
(former assistant GM for the Reds). Ruben Amaro
Jr., Dave Gottfried, Ricky Bennett
and Bob Watson are also scheduled to be
interviewed. To share a story or press release with the baseball community, send an email to
editors@augustpublications.com.
Portland to
keep Beavers moniker
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The
Portland Beavers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League)
announced that the team will not change its
historic nickname. In recent months, the Beavers
began a formal exploration into the possibility of
a name change in an effort to create a stronger
identity. The team conducted an extensive series
of polls and surveys, ultimately presenting fans
with a list of name-change options for input. In
the end, the majority of fans expressed opinions
in favor of keeping the familiar Beavers moniker.
"We said from the beginning this was a decision
that couldn’t be made without the input of the
community and our fans," said Merritt Paulson,
owner of the Beavers. "There's no question that
there is a great deal of history with the Beavers'
name, and we are embracing that history.
"We were not going to change the name just for the sake of
change. It's clear that there are strong feelings
about the Beavers' name, and that's a great thing.
However, we still need to explore changes we can
make to enhance the team's identity."
Among those changes, the team has plans to develop a new
logo, color scheme and on-field identity system.
Further details regarding these changes will be
announced at a later date.
This week's podcast: Oh,
Canada!; bye, bye, Billings; and men in blue
Posted Sept. 5, 2007 (feedback)
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Dave
Wright discusses the hot topics in the baseball
and ballpark worlds in the weekly Ballpark Digest
podcast. This week's topics:
Oh, Canada!; Billings prepares for the end of Cobb
Field; and Jeff Nelson makes a triumphant comeback
to the diamond. To directly
subscribe to the feed using Firefox or Internet
Explorer,
go to this page and click on the "Subscribe Now"
button. You
can listen directly to the podcast
via this link
(it's a standard MP3 file), or
you can subscribe
via iTunes, Feedburner or your personalized Google
home
page. (We're finding out from the stats that
subscribing via Google is proving to be a very
popular option.)
Comments are welcome.
More information on Ballpark Digest podcasts here.
Planners endorse Holland
Township ballpark
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SunCoast
Baseball LLC received approval from Holland
Township planners for a proposed 5,300-capacity
ballpark at the former Hart & Cooley plant site on
Eighth Street, tentatively slated open in 2009
with an independent Frontier League team as a
tenant. Holland is located on the west side of
Michigan, about an hour from Kalamazoo and a
half-hour from Grand Rapids. According to SunCoast
Baseball Chief Operating Officer Dobb Mayo, Third
Coast Development Partners would build the $6.5
million stadium under a 25-year lease with
SunCoast Baseball. If the Frontier League stays as
it is now, it would place two teams within an hour
of each other -- however, the Kalamazoo Kings
didn't draw well in 2007, attracting just 1,169
fans a game, and their continued presence at Homer
Stryker Field will surely be a point of discussion
in coming months -- and the West Michigan
Whitecaps (Low Class A; Midwest League), who will
play a half-hour away, draw well.
Swing announces
six finalists for new team name
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The
Swing of the Quad Cities (Low Class A; Midwest
League) revealed the six finalists in the ongoing
"ReName the Team" contest on Tuesday: Channel
Cats, Current, River Bandits, River Eagles, Swing
and Talons. River Bandits is the former name of
the team: it has a lot of name recognition in the
market and was one of the more unique marks in
baseball. The finalists were drawn from a
collection of hundreds of nominations, as Quad
Cities residents showed an overwhelming amount of
interest in helping to pick the team’s new
moniker. The name suggestions ran the gamut,
ranging from the Quad City Aces to the Quad City
Zippers. Quad Cities baseball fans can begin
voting on which name they want to come out on top.
The next phase of voting will take place online,
and fans can vote for their favorite option on
the Swing
website.
More from the Quad Cities Times.
RELATED STORIES:
River Bandits back in Quad Cities?
Cubs sale a slow deal
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Actually,
it's not. Five months after Tribune Co. announced
plans to sell the Chicago Cubs, the first-place
ballclub is making much more noise on the field
than its corporate owners have been about the
slow-moving sale process. But whether the Cubs
make the playoffs or even manage to capture their
first World Series in 99 years, an emerging lineup
of deep-pocketed bidders has put Tribune in strong
position to net a record sale price for the
franchise. Tribune put the team and historic
Wrigley Field on the block in April, saying it
would sell the team after the season and intended
to do so by the end of the year. But its bankers
have yet to send out detailed financial
information to prospective bidders and are not
expected to do so until mid-September,
jeopardizing that timetable. There's a very good
reason for the delay: the move by Sam Zell to take
Tribune Co. private
has been stalled as rumblings in the equity market
and revenue challenges in newspapers have slowed
down that deal, which should be completed in
the fourth quarter -- although changes in that
deal could further delay the sale of the Cubs.
Norwich approves funding for
ballpark
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The
Norwich City Council unanimously approved a $610,000
ordinance tonight for numerous capital
improvements to the Thomas J. Dodd Stadium, some
of which are required in the city’s lease with the
Connecticut Defenders (Class AA; Eastern League).
Aldermen said they were pleased with last week’s
agreement between the Baseball Stadium Authority
and the Defenders to settle questions over back
rent the team owes and the amount of credit the
team should receive for equipment purchases and
improvements already paid for by the team. The
$610,000 includes an estimated $190,000 to replace
the playing field, about $100,000 to move the
outfield fences in to encourage more home runs,
another $100,000 to upgrade public bathrooms and
other funding to replace carpeting in the skyboxes
and make improvements to the visiting team’s
dugout and clubhouse. Work should be completed
before the beginning of the 2008 season.
RELATED STORIES:
Defenders, city reach deal on debt;
Norwich Council seeking answers on Dodd proposal;
Defenders, city meet over rent bill
Orioles defy all business
models
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The
question here is what sort of business the
Baltimore Orioles would be compared to public
corporations. A little unfair perhaps; an MLB team
does have an identifiable business plan even if it
doesn't make sense to outsiders. But the bigger
issue raised here certainly is true: the O's seem
to have lost touch with their once-passionate fan
base -- coasting on the charms of
Oriole Park at
Camden Yards for years now -- and it will take
a lot of work from Andy MacPhail and crew to
reestablish that relationship. This article was
contributed by a reader. To share a story with the
baseball community, send an email to
editors@augustpublications.com.
Shuttle off to Lynx Stadium?
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More
on the new future of Lynx Stadium, the soon-to-be
former home of the Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA;
International League). The issue is whether it
stays as a baseball facility -- the independent
Can-Am Association says it's ready to assume the
final two years of the Lynx's lease -- or whether
it's leased to a local entrepreneur who would
convert it to a sports and entertainment venue.
Leaving it be as a ballpark would be a safe route,
although the Lynx ownership has sued the city for
$11 million, saying changes to the parking
situation at the ballpark depressed attendance in
violation of the lease. Meanwhile,
local citizens are circulating a petition asking
city leaders to leave Lynx Stadium as a
baseball-only facility, but we're guessing
less than 3,000 signatures won't really sway many
heads in City Hall.
RELATED STORIES:
Another one bites the dust;
Lynx rack up thousandth win;
Wolff: Don't close down Lynx Stadium
Pro sports flirting with
burbs
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More
on the potential ballparks for independent
American Association teams in Brighton and Castle
Rock, Col. Both proposals call for a raise in the
local sales-tax rate, which will require approval
from the voters. Assuming voters assume both, the
Brighton ballpark could open in 2009 and the
Castle Rock ballpark in 2010.
RELATED STORIES:
Residents will be asked to help fund minor-league
ballpark;
Brighton, Castle Rock join in baseball team search;
Baseball cost: fair or foul?;
Investors pitch baseball idea for The Ranch;
Commissioners back study of ballpark at The Ranch;
Another baseball contender in Fort Collins: the
American Association;
Ballpark battle beginning in Fort Collins?;
Foxes still seeking location for their new 'Den';
Minor-league baseball for Castle Rock, Col.?
Historic stadium has
uncertain future
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The
ongoing saga surrounding Paterson's Hinchliffe
Stadium continues. The historic New Jersey stadium
was once home to the New York Black Yankees of the
Negro Leagues, but today's it's crumbing as its
owner, the local school district, doesn't have a
renovation plan in the works. Paterson officials
say they'd oversee a renovation, but the school
district won't give up control.
Hinchliffe Stadium is a prominent member of our
Endangered Ballparks list. This article was
contributed by a reader. To share a story with the
baseball community, send an email to
editors@augustpublications.com.
Texas Tech to
install FieldTurf at ballpark
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Texas
Tech is installing FieldTurf at Dan Law Field. The
new surface is expected to be in place in time for
the 2008 season. The turf upgrade will further
cement Dan Law's standing. The facility has hosted
several NCAA regional and conference tournaments.
In a continuing effort to elevate Dan Law to even
greater heights, recent renovations have included
an ultra-modern lighting system, a new clubhouse,
major league-style bullpens and a new
state-of-the-art scoreboard with a modern video
screen.
Ballpark Notes
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The
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A;
Carolina League) witnessed a dramatic increase in
attendance during their first year of the “New
Era.” Spurred by a series of privately funded
capital improvements and renovations to the
ballpark totaling more than $2 million, the
Pelicans welcomed 215,059 fans through the gates
during the 2008 season. The summer at BB&T
Coastal Field brought in the third-largest
attendance in franchise history and the largest
since the 2000 season. An average of 3,117 fans
per night jumped the attendance by nearly 8
percent from a year ago....Minor League
Baseball has established a new attendance
record for an unprecedented fourth consecutive
year. As of games through Labor Day, the 175 Minor
League Baseball clubs that charge admission had
attracted 42,636,123 fans, over 900,000 more than
the industry drew in 2006. The 2007 record
total will increase as the Northwest, New
York-Penn and Pioneer leagues have not yet
concluded regular season play. The Northwest
League ends tonight, while the New York-Penn and
Pioneer circuits wrap up their regular seasons on
Friday....The Los Angeles Dodgers have
informed the Great Lakes Loons (Low Class
A; Midwest League) that manager Lance Parrish,
who led the team in its inaugural 2007 season,
will not return to the Dodgers’ organization next
year....The New Britain Rock Cats (Class
AA; Eastern League) set franchise attendance
records for season total and per-game average. The
season total of 341,816 surpassed the previous
best, 337,687 in 2005. The average per game was
5,341, a sizeable jump from last year's franchise
record of 5,052....Rob Rabenecker, who has
managed Roger Dean Stadium for the past 10
years, is stepping down to become an owner and
operator of a Chick-Fil-A franchise restaurant at
The Mall at Wellington Green. He plans to remain
at Roger Dean until Sept. 14...The Toledo Mud
Hens (Class AAA; International League) set a
single-season attendance record for the third
consecutive year. The Mud Hens drew 590,159 at
Fifth Third Field in 2007, surpassing last
year's total of 559,330....To share a story
with the baseball community, send an email to
editors@augustpublications.com.
Another one bites the dust
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The
Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League)
played their last game at Lynx Stadium, attracting
7,468 fans to an 8-5 loss to the Syracuse Chiefs.
The team is slated to move to Allentown, Pa., next
season. It was an interesting 15-year run for the
Lynx: the team came strong out of the gate and led
the International League in attendance early on,
but bit by bit fans lost interest in professional
baseball in the Canadian capital even when the
amateur game seems to be thriving. The future of
Lynx Stadium is in doubt: the independent Can-Am
Association wants to bring a team there as early
as next season, but there's a proposal to turn it
into a soccer and entertainment complex.
Indeed, the plan presented by David Butler is
pretty ambitious: he want to drop baseball and
spend millions of dollars to turn Lynx Stadium
into a multi-service entertainment and sports
complex within perhaps 20 months. Frank D'Angelo,
the owner and president of Steelback Brewery, has
a written agreement with Butler to be the lead
sponsor of a renamed Steelback Centre of Ottawa.
The ballpark would be converted to a concert and
soccer facility, without any provisions for
baseball. The plan would also see money flowing
into city coffers; by contrast, a move by the
Can-Am Association would be revenue-neutral. City
officials aren't saying a lot: they say they have
a binding lease with the Lynx through 2009, but
the Lynx are suing the city for $11 million
Canadian, and the most logical outcome would be a
settling of the lease and the claim. Independent
ball, with its shorter seasons and ability to sign
local players, seems to be the future in Canada:
the Vancouver Canadians (short season; Northwest
League) are the only affiliated team left north of
the border, but indy ball does well in Winnipeg
and Quebec City. Let's hope the Lynx staff lands
on their feet; they've done a pretty good job this
season under some trying circumstances.
This Canadian Press article may be a tad dramatic:
it's been a long, long time since Triple-A
baseball left Winnipeg and Montreal.
Don Brennan holds out hope the Lynx could return.
More from the National Post and
the Ottawa Citizen.
RELATED STORIES:
Lynx rack up thousandth win;
Wolff: Don't close down Lynx Stadium
Landowners make settlement
offer in Twins ballpark dispute
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The
owners of 10.5 downtown acres where the
new Minnesota Twins ballpark
is being built have
offered to drop the asking price to $33.18 million
to avoid a court fight over land condemnation. The
offer was sent to Hennepin County officials Friday
by Land Partners II, a limited-liability
corporation with about 80 investors, and
Houston-based developer partner Hines Interests.
If the offer is legitimate and doesn't have any
conditions not reported here (like having Hennepin
County pay extra for legal costs incurred by the
landowners), then it's something Hennepin County
should seriously consider. A three-member panel of
arbitrators said the land was worth $23.8 million,
but a dissident member of the panel pegged the
value at $33 million. Both valuations are vastly
less than what the owners were asking: $65.375
million. The landowners already pledged an appeal,
but this is an attempt at negotiations before what
would sure to be a lengthy court battle.
More from the Star Tribune.
RELATED STORIES:
Twins finally hold groundbreaking for new ballpark;
Landowners to appeal valuation of Twins ballpark
parcel;
A new dispute on ballpark
land figures;
Twins ballpark site worth $23.8 million, says
condemnation panel;
Greed circles the plate at Twins ballpark site;
Hennepin County, land owners remain far apart on
value of ballpark site;
Taxpayers' costs
for Twins ballpark may be going up;
Ballpark land was low-balled;
Ballpark designers seek green label, but say
effort alone counts;
Twins ballpark parcel worth $65.375 million, say
owners;
Twins ballpark
draws development interest;
Pohlads lining up land near ballpark;
Hennepin
County takes control of ballpark land, reaches agreement with railroad;
Twins, Hennepin
County sign ballpark agreement; now the fun begins;
County: Twins' extra donation for ballpark is
confidential;
Twins
unveil ballpark plans;
Hennepin County, Twins reach land agreement; vote
slated for today;
Twins ballpark meeting is delayed;
Ballpark impasse solution may be near on Twins
ballpark;
Twins moving ahead
with ballpark plans;
Pohlads step up to plate to help county save deal;
Possible fix for Twins ballpark impasse arises;
Are Twins working to end ballpark impasse?;
Building a ballpark may hinge on having the Twins
pay more;
County officials, landowners of Twins ballpark
site remain in a holding pattern;
County looking at two new sites for Twins ballpark;
Official says changing site of Twins ballpark
would mean delays;
A great ballpark divide;
Twins postpone ballpark unveiling;
Hennepin County, Twins say they'll look for a new
ballpark site;
Draft environmental review for Twins ballpark
unveiled;
Judge rules Twins ballpark has public purpose;
sides still apart on price;
Community leaders eager to see Twins ballpark
design;
Twins ballpark likely to sport modern look;
Ballpark site owners put squeeze on Twins;
New year brings new ballpark tax for Hennepin
County shoppers;
Ballpark players ironing out use, development
agreements;
Twins release more details on new ballpark;
New Twins ballpark bypasses standard reviews;
Ballpark's link to downtown Minneapolis
inadequate, group says;
Ballpark should be held to high standards;
Twins formally announce design team for new
ballpark;
Firms lined up early for stadium work;
Eminent-domain effort begins for Twins ballpark
land;
Designing the experience around the Twins ballpark;
Ideas for Twins ballpark, some from left field;
A freeze frame for Twins;
Experts blow hot, cold on ways to heat new Twins
ballpark;
Appraisal delay puts Twins new ballpark off
schedule;
Twins pick ballpark designers;
As Twins chase playoffs, ballpark preparations
push on;
Twins ballpark on track to open in 2010;
Hennepin County Board approves ballpark sales tax;
It's official: Twins to switch broadcast rights to
KSTP-AM;
Twins to switch broadcast partner after 46 seasons;
Twins seek partners for naming rights,
sponsorships;
Twins searching for trademark ballpark design;
Hennepin County OKs spending plan for Twins
ballpark;
Naming rights options scary;
More than a ballpark in Minneapolis
An
extra inning to raise funds for new Billings
ballpark
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The
city of Billings is asking citizens to contribute
funds for
the new home of
the Billings Mustangs (rookie; Pioneer League),
replacing venerable
Cobb Field.
There isn't enough money in the budget to pay for
"alternates" not in the base bid. Those are the
items that Brewer and Hahn are working to cover.
Topping the list is landscaping, including trees
and shrubs to beautify the perimeter of the park
and parking areas. The call to action here is for
citizens to contribute funds for the new ballpark
to fill a $565,000 gap: there's already been $2.11
million pledged, and the city is selling
commemorative bricks as an inducement to
contributing.
RELATED STORIES:
Billings looks at cutbacks to new ballpark;
Tight schedule for Billings' new ballpark;
Council awards ballpark contracts;
City looks to cut cost
of ballpark;
Ballpark bids throw curve to officials;
City OKs ballpark bond bids;
Park plans head for home;
City, Mustangs watching ballpark plans;
Old-time ballplayers join groundbreaking for new
Billings ballpark;
Billings ballpark design allows future amenities;
Plan for new baseball park has sunken, realigned
field;
Planning for new Cobb Field gets on fast track;
Cobb Field planning kicks into high gear;
Billings voters approve new Mustangs ballpark;
Donors pitch $210K more toward new ballpark;
Join local teams in support for new ballpark;
Three groups, family pledge $200K for maintenance
of new Cobb Field;
New vote on an old park;
Two more pitch in on new Cobb Field;
Musburger urges support for Cobb Field replacement;
Baseball fan boosts Billings ballpark campaign;
Gaming operator donates $1 million toward Billings
ballpark;
Cobb backers unveil campaign;
Lots to learn about new plan for Cobb Field;
Bond issue for Cobb Field replacement on ballot;
Burns backs federal aid for Cobb Field;
Potential gift could pare price of Cobb Field;
Funding dominates Cobb discussion;
Billings needs ballpark to be proud of, not field
of dreams;
Panel details ways to cut Billings ballpark costs;
Cobb Field panel pursues closer look at costs;
Billings panel asks for Cobb Field tax measure;
Forums planned on Cobb Field proposal;
Poll finds support for bonds for Cobb Field;
Council vote sets stage for Cobb debate;
Cobb Field replacement could cost $12 million;
HNTB selected for Cobb Field renovation;
Cobb proposals narrowed to 2;
Six proposals vie to study Cobb Field
Defenders, city reach deal
on debt
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City
officials and the Connecticut Defenders (Class AA;
Eastern League) have reached an agreement on
overdue lease payments owed to the city and
credits the minor league baseball team should
receive. The agreement resolves key financial
issues as the City Council is set to vote Tuesday
for capital improvements to the Thomas J. Dodd
Memorial Stadium. Aldermen delayed action Aug. 20
on an ordinance to authorize $610,000 for several
upgrades to the city-owned Dodd Stadium, saying
they wanted a report on the financial status of
the team's lease payments by the Sept. 4 council
meeting.
RELATED STORIES:
Norwich Council seeking answers on Dodd proposal;
Defenders, city meet over rent bill
River
Bandits back in Quad Cities?
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The
Swing of the Quad Cities (Low Class A; Midwest
League) are holding a name-the-team contest and
will announce the six finalists at a press
conference this afternoon. We're guessing of the
names on the list will be the Quad Cities River
Bandits, the team's former moniker. We're hoping
so: River Bandits is a great name, and the logo
was always one of the better marks in minor-league
baseball. There are other potential merchandising
spinoffs -- especially where kids are concerned --
with the River Bandits name.
More from the Quad-Cities Times.
Astrodome in danger?
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It
looks as though plans to renovate the Astrodome,
the longtime home of the Houston Astros, are on
hold, leading to some local officials to ask why
Harris County is spending millions of dollars
keeping the facility open for a handful of local
events. "The dome is old and it's falling apart,"
said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. "It's time as
they say to fish or cut bait." The Astrodome
opened as the first domed stadium in the major
leagues, hosting the Astros as well as the NFL's
Houston Oilers.
We've
placed the Astrodome back on our list of
endangered ballparks. Speaking of endangered
ballparks:
Slate
magazine says Tiger Stadium must go.
Goodyear to hold
groundbreaking later this month
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Goodyear
will break ground on a new spring-training complex
for the Cleveland Indians later this month,
highlighted by an appearance from former Indians
great Bob Feller. Construction on the complex is
scheduled to be finished by February 2009 and is
expected to be ready for the Indians' spring
training season that year.
Stockton hasn't given up on
ballpark naming rights
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It
has been more than two years since a consultant
told Stockton the city could make millions of
dollars by selling the right to name
Banner Island
Ballpark, the home of the Stockton Ports (High
Class A; California League), but still no
corporate name has come. After the consultant,
Cleveland-based The Superlative Group, failed to
sell the name the city will soon try again, City
Manager Gordon Palmer said last week, and will
likely issuing a request for proposals from
companies that might test the market once more.
Original estimates pegged naming rights for the
ballpark at $2 million.
Nationals
choose Centerplate to manage concessions at new
ballpark
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The
Washington Nationals have named Centerplate as the
food and merchandising concessionaire at Nationals
Park, slated to open next season.
"The concessionaire's reputation for fine cuisine
and service is widely recognized throughout the
industry," commented Washington Nationals
President Stan Kasten. "We are looking forward to
having Centerplate as part of our team as we are
committed to providing our guests with the best
and most enjoyable fan experience at the new
Nationals Park."
Golden Baseball League looks
to add two teams for '08
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The
independent Golden Baseball League is looking to
add two more teams for the 2008 season, up from
the six fielded this season. One potential area is
Vacaville, though the talk has been to tear down
Travis Credit Union Park. Though the books haven't
yet been closed on the season, officials of the
independent minor league say it will turn a profit
this year, a year earlier than expected according
to their business plan. In reality, we're guessing
the league really needs to come up with three new
market: we'd be surprised to see the Reno team
still playing when the Pacific Coast League begins
operations in a new ballpark in 2009.
Ballpark cleanup workers
postpone hunger strike
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Preaching
the importance of respect, dignity and justice for
low-wage workers at a Labor Day prayer service and
rally, the men and women who clean
Oriole Park at
Camden Yards called off a planned hunger
strike to give the Maryland Stadium
Authority a few more days to sign a binding
"living wage" agreement that the workers have
demanded. Organizers with the United Workers
Association, a human rights group founded by
homeless day laborers in Baltimore, said they were
encouraged by public remarks Friday from Gov.
Martin O'Malley and Frederick W. Puddester,
chairman of the stadium authority. Both expressed
support for a living wage for the part-time
workers who clean the state-owned
Oriole Park at
Camden Yards on game days.
Today's video:
Brawl at the ballpark
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There
were fireworks in the recent Greensboro
Grasshoppers/Kannapolis Intimidators (Low Class A;
Sally League) series, but the wrong kind.
Basically, you had several cases of retaliation
and perceived retaliation, with so many
players tossed the outcome of the game was in
doubt. (Sally League President John Henry Moss
ultimately reinstated the tossed players so the
game could go on.)
You can read a blow-by-blow account of the brawl
here. Keep
those suggestions for videos coming in -- you can
email us videos and links at
editors@augustpublications.com.
UPDATE: The
original video was pulled from YouTube.
Never fear: you can view a higher-res version here,
as well as a video of the second night of the
brawl.
Pelicans unveil
2008 Cal-Car All-Star Game logo
Posted Sept. 4, 2007 (feedback)
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The
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina
League) unveiled the official logo for the 2008
California League-Carolina League All-Star Game,
which will be played on June 24, 2008 at BB&T
Coastal Field. "First of all, we are beyond
excited to bring the All-Star Game here to Myrtle
Beach," said Pelicans President & Managing Partner
Chuck Greenberg. "The All-Star logo certainly ties
in the fun beach feel of this dynamic community
with our new logo, which is one of the freshest
and most vibrant in professional sports." The
All-Star game logo features a sparkling star
outlined with the same dock rope prominently
featured in the Pelicans’ primary logo. A large
Palmetto tree, the state tree of South Carolina,
emerges out of the bottom right corner of the
star, giving the logo a distinct local appeal. The
colors used in the logo derive from the Pelicans
current logo, featuring Pelicans Blue, Midnight
Blue, and Sun Gold, with a touch of white.
Paulson seeks some big hits
for Beavers
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New
owner Merritt Paulson certainly has taken a
hands-on approach to the Portland Beavers (Class
AAA; Pacific Coast League), infusing some new life
into the venerable franchise. Some of the moves
have been great, like attracting the 2009 Triple-A
All-Star Game, and others have been a little less
successful, like the proposal to rename the team.
And we're not entirely sure Paulson is in as good
position to bring MLB to Portland as some think --
there's a lot more separation between MLB and MiLB
than outsiders assume, and MLB tends not to like
to involve minor-league owners when teams hit the
market.
Dragons have grand slam
season
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Ken
Stickney, managing director of the Dayton Dragon
(Low Class A; Midwest League) ownership, said the
Dragons are wrapping up their most financially
successful season to date and business across the
board is up 10 percent. At the end of the
2007 season, the team will finish at 564
consecutive sellouts at
Fifth Third Field,
though seats still sit vacant if season ticket
holders do not attend. Last year's regular season
total attendance of 582,903 was slightly higher
than the 2005 attendance, but lower than in 2003
and 2004, when the team had its highest attendance
with 593,663.
Jaxx end summer of growth
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After
a shaky offseason that saw the team almost sold to
an Orlando investment group, the West Tenn Diamond
Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League) saw paid
attendance this season increase by 16,929, to
finish at 113,351 -- a 17.6 percent increase over
last season's 96,422 paid attendance. Jaxx General
Manager Jeff Parker credited season-ticket
holders, a steadfast fan base and increased
activities for children as several reasons for the
increase.
Cats to scratch back
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After
rumors floating around this past season of the
future of the baseball club, the management of the
Edmonton Cracker-Cats (independent; Northern
League) say they will be back at Telus Field next
season for a fourth campaign. "This team isn't
going anywhere. Our ballpark is a triple-A-caliber
facility and somebody needs to fill it," said
Cracker-Cats general manager Al Coates. "The onus
at some point needs to fall on us and we haven't
had a winning team here in three years. We feel if
we can build a winning ball club, the fans will
come."
Southern Illinois proud of
'boys of summer'
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Another
article on the amazing success enjoyed this
inaugural season by the Southern Illinois Miners
(independent; Frontier League). The team set a
Frontier League attendance record and truly
capture the imaginations of the local community.
Plus, Rent One Park has proven to be a comfortable
place to view a game. (We'll have our look at the
ballpark tomorrow.) It will be interesting to see
how the Miners follow up next season.
Pitchers' speed thrills, but
smoking-gun theories abound
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Fans
love to see public displays of the pitch
velocities collected by radar guns, but it's not
exactly the most reliable measure of how fast a
pitcher throws. Though it's not easy to manipulate
the actual speed gun, fans assume they're juiced
in some ballparks. The bigger issue is how the
speed gun is set up: it will register faster
speeds if it's aimed toward the pitching mound.
Some minor-league coaches we've talked with would
do away with them completely; youngsters worry too
much about their speeds and less about learning
how to pitch.
Baseball team does right by
tribe
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The
Spokane Indians (short season; Northwest League)
play minor-league baseball in a quaint ballpark
built in 1958 on the east side of this former
timber town. But the Indians have made major news
by accomplishing a cultural feat that has been
lost on the Cleveland Indians, the Washington
Redskins and the University of Illinois. The
Spokane Tribe of Indians helped create the new
team logo. A pair of eagle feathers circle a
baseball. The tribe told the ballclub that the
soaring eagle is the most honored form of
representation. The Indians red game cap has an
"S" with an eagle feather accent. T-shirts say
"Spokane Indians Baseball Club," written in Salish,
the tribe's language.
In memoriam: Gary Jones
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Longtime
GM Gary Jones died at 64 after a long illness at
his home in Bloomington, Ind. Jones, a 1961
Central graduate and longtime Evansville resident,
served as business manager of the Triple-A
Evansville Triplets in 1972 and '73 and was
general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies'
Double-A affiliate in Reading, Pa., from 1974 to
'76. He returned to Evansville to become the
Triplets' GM in 1977. He was principal owner of
the Springfield Capitals when they won Frontier
League titles in 1996 and '98. He was vice
president and director of baseball operations for
the Evansville Otters (independent; Frontier
League) for two years.
Ballpark Notes
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With
most affiliated leagues ending their seasons yesterday, it's no surprise we have
a slew of attendance news today. The Binghamton Mets (Class AA; Eastern
League) saw attendance at NYSEG Stadium climb to its highest mark in 15
years. In 66 home dates, the B-Mets drew a total of 230,053 fans, an increase of
14,717 over the 2006 total. The average attendance of 3,486 increased 8 percent
over the 3,214 per opening average last year. The all-time attendance record for
the ballclub was established in the inaugural season, 1992, when paid attendance
totaled 259,183. The team followed up with 225,467 patrons in 1993. That
figure now ranks third best in team history....The New Hampshire Fisher Cats
(Class AA; Eastern League) announced that a franchise-record 371,710 fans
attended games at Merchantsauto.com Stadium in 2007, a 23 percent
increase from last season. New Hampshire’s total attendance ranked fourth
overall in the Eastern League, another all-time club record. This season’s
attendance mark shattered the previous high of 300,049 fans drawn in 2006 and
caps a season in which every franchise attendance mark was broken. The Fisher
Cats finished the season with 17 standing-room-only crowds, including seven
consecutive standing-room-only crowds between June 15 and June 25....The
Tri-City ValleyCats (short season; NY-Penn
League) have broken their single-season attendance
record for the fourth consecutive year with Sunday
night's crowd of 4,326 against the Oneonta Tigers.
The total attendance for the 2007 season is now at
130,823, with still one game remaining. The
ValleyCats, who are now in their sixth season in
the Capital Region, have set attendance records in
2004 (110,497), 2005 (116,674), 2006 (129,126) and
again in 2007. Each of the six seasons the 'Cats
have totaled over 100,000 fans at Joseph L.
Bruno Stadium....With a
final-day crowd of 3,800 on Monday, the Peoria Chiefs (Low Class A;
Midwest League) surpassed the franchise record for attendance in a season, which
had been set during the 2005 season. The new total of 259,784 breaks the record
of 256,612 set two seasons ago when the Chiefs rejoined the Cubs organization.
The 2007 season also saw the highest average attendance for the month of July in
franchise history with an average crowd of 4,814 during 12 home July games. The
2007 season at O’Brien Field featured rehab appearances by several Chicago Cubs
through out the year....The Salem Avalanche (High Class A; Carolina
League) surpassed their all-time franchise attendance record of 255,225 on
Saturday with a crowd of 5,769. With Sunday's attendance of 3,057, the new
record sits at 258,469. The team finished the season with an average attendance
of 3,916 -- up from 3,602 in 2006 (+8.7 percent) and up from 3,753 in the prior
record-setting season of 2005 (+4.2 percent). In 2006 and 2007, the Avalanche
hosted 66 home games; in 2005, the Avalanche played 68 at home....Chris
"Butter" Ball repeated as groundskeeper of the year in the High Class A
Carolina League. He oversees things at BB&T Coastal Field, home of
the Myrtle Beach Pelicans....The Low Class A Midwest League has
named the Great Lakes Loons’ Dow Diamond
Grounds Crew as the top Grounds Crew in the
Midwest League for the 2007 season. The crew is
headed by Matt McQuaid, Head Groundskeeper for the
Great Lakes Loons. The league’s managers selected
Dow Diamond’s crew for the award. A statement
released by Midwest League President George
Spelius said the Loons' Grounds Crew "demonstrated
a commitment and dedication to providing a
first-rate playing surface, making them a
respected leader in the Sports Turf industry."
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