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Archives: May 13-19, 2007

Faithful say Reds spring-training deal still alive
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
While a whole lot of top city officials, elected and appointed, were declaring the Cincinnati Reds' $54-million spring-training-facility project "on life support," if not DOA two weeks ago, the man heading up the effort is still swinging for the fences. City Sports Facilities Director Pat Calhoon was as confident as ever this week "We're going to get this thing done," he said without hesitation. "We've been up and down, but we're still keeping our eye on the prize." All of the breathless deadlines have passed or soon will, but Calhoon said there's room for delay while city officials wait to see what kind of raid on local treasuries the state Legislature will make in its June special session.
    RELATED STORIES: New Reds spring-complex deal on life support; Delaying puts Reds spring complex in jeopardy; Task force confident in Reds ballpark deal; Finance plan for Reds spring-training facility in place -- maybe; Looking at a Plan B for new Reds spring complex; Sarasota looking to cut spring-training complex cost; Fair officials respond with new spring-training plan; New Reds training facility in some doubt; Florida finalizes five spring-training grants; Pirates to get 30-year lease, lights at McKechnie Field; Florida makes preliminary decision on state spring-training grants; Bush signs bill funding spring-training complexes; Reds sign 30-year lease to train in Sarasota; Sarasota, county OK Reds ballpark pact; Deal for new Reds spring-training facility close; Sarasota ballpark hopes for home run; Sarasota sends ballpark pacts to state; Sarasota County agrees to tax increase to fund new Reds spring facility; County tees up for baseball hearing; Sarasota ballpark plan stirs resistance; Now the real hard part begins on new Reds ballpark; For new Reds ballpark, cash crisis on deck; Reds swing and miss; New Reds' spring-training ballpark still $16M short; Price for new Reds training facility: $54 million to $62 million; Spring training ballpark, tourism compete for Sarasota bed tax revenue; Plan for a new Reds spring-training complex in Sarasota move forward; Details emerge on Sarasota County, city plan for stadium, event center, ballfields; Sarasota eyes ambitious plan to convert arena site to keep Reds; Reds, Pirates team up to seek better facilities

This summer's ballpark music tour: Counting Crows
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Every summer a big-name artist arranges a tour centering on minor-league venues, and this summer Counting Crows is hitting the road in July, with LIVE and Collective Soul opening. Here's the tour: July 22, Frawley Stadium, home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks (High Class A; Carolina League); July 24, Classic Park, Eastlake, home of the Lake County Captains (Low Class A; Sally League); July 25, CONSOL Energy Park, home of the Washington Wild Things (independent; Frontier League); July 27, Fifth Third Field, home of the Dayton Dragons (Low Class A; Midwest League); July 28, Fifth Third Ballpark, home of the West Michigan Whitecaps (Low Class A; Midwest League); July 31, Jerry Uht Park, home of the Erie Seawolves (Class AA; Eastern League); August 1, Dunn Tire Park, home of the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League); August 3, Louisville Slugger Field, home of the Louisville Bats (Class AAA; International League); August 4, Victory Field, home of the Indianapolis Indians (Class AAA; International League); August 7, GCS Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies (independent; Frontier League); August 8, Drillers Stadium, home of the Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League); August 11, Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League); August 14, Ripken Stadium, home of the Aberdeen Ironbirds (short season; NY-Penn League); August 15, Harry Grove Stadium, home of the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League); August 17, Merchantsauto.com Stadium, home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League); August 18, New Britain Stadium, home of the New Britain Rock Cats (Class AA; Eastern League); August 21, Blair County Ballpark, home of the Altoona Curve (Class AA; Eastern League); First Energy Park, home of the Lakewood BlueClaws (Low Class A; Sally League); August 24, McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox (Class AAA; International League); August 25, Dutchess Stadium, home of the Hudson Valley Renegades (short season; NY-Penn League); August 30, Memorial Stadium, home of the Ft. Wayne Wizards (Low Class A; Midwest League); September 1, Midway Stadium, home of the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association); September 2, Newman Outdoor Field, home of the Fargo Redhawks (independent; Northern League). Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster; you can read more, including ticket availability, at the Counting Crows website.

Fans pack Central City Park for baseball's return to Macon
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Macon Music (independent; South Coast League) may only be one game old, but the team may have achieved something no other pro sports team in the city has ever done -- turn people away from the gate. Traffic was backed up in Central City Park and some people didn't get a ticket until the second inning. And by then, the crowd was standing room only. Luther Williams Field holds about 3,500, but there were 5,033 people at the game. The remaining teams in the new independent circuit open their seasons tonight; here's a preview of the Anderson Joes.

Selig: No change in playoffs
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Commissioner Bud Selig yesterday said baseball was not considering an expansion of the first round from best-of-five to best-of-seven. At times, Selig has said baseball would consider changing the first-round schedule to make it more difficult for wild-card teams, who currently are home for Games 3 and 4. "We continue to talk about that," he said. Also, owners approved baseball's new seven-year "Extra Innings" out-of-market television contracts with DirecTV and In Demand, deals that guarantee the clubs an average of $80 million annually. Owners also approved the launch of the MLB Network, which Selig said will be available to at least 47 million homes when it starts broadcasting on Jan. 1, 2009. More on the MLB Network here.

Fund set up for Henniger family
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Here's the latest on Rai Henniger, the senior vice president of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), who was seriously injured in a pyrotechnic accident while setting up for a recent Sky Sox baseball game: "His condition is serious. He sustained major facial and head injuries that will require many months of medical care, restorative surgeries and therapy. He is aware of his surroundings and able to communicate by squeezing the hand of his family and caretakers."  His wife, Heather (Mooney), is now living in a Denver hotel while her parents are caring for their children. The Henniger children, Grace, 10; Emma, 7; and Benjamin, 5, are shuttling back and forth between Denver and Colorado Springs to see their mother. Mom and children plan to relocate to a small apartment in Denver for the duration of his treatments, which could be up to several months. The "Rai Henniger Family Fund" has been established at Security Service Federal Credit Union. Donations can be dropped off at any Security Service location in Colorado Springs, Pueblo or Denver or mailed to: The Rai Henniger Family Fund, 1485 Kelly Johnson Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
    RELATED STORIES: Injured Sky Sox personality "a treasure"; Sky Sox worker seriously hurt in accident

CBC to air limited number of Blue Jays games
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The CBC is expected to announce today that it is back in the baseball business after a five-year absence. This isn't headline news since the network will have a huge hole in its schedule next season after the CFL moves to TSN. A small package of games this year -- presumably called by former Jays voice Jim Hughson -- will get the CBC's publicly funded foot in the door for a bigger deal next year.

Sale of Harrisburg franchise raises questions about Yanks
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Harrisburg’s ability to sell a Double-A baseball franchise for $13.25 million has some observers asking why Lackawanna County isn’t seeking more for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League). "We can’t move our franchise, which reduced the value," Lackawanna County Commissioner Chairman Robert C. Cordaro said Thursday. "That’s the difference." That, of course, is wrong; the Sens signed a 29-year lease to stay in Harrisburg. Under a purchase option approved last month by the majority commissioners and the Multi-Purpose Stadium Authority, SWB Yankees LLC -- a partnership between Mandalay Baseball Properties and the New York Yankees -- would have the right to buy the local franchise for between $13 million and $16.4 million, depending on how soon it looks to buy. If it decides to buy, SWB Yankees would have to sign a 20-year lease, hence Cordaro’s reference to the franchise not being movable.
    RELATED STORIES: Luzerne County officials finally out of the bullpen; County rejects Triple-A agreement; Potential sale of SWB Yankees approved; Luzerne County explores options on baseball deals; Blaum wants 1986 ballpark contract honored; Potential sale of the SWB Yankees approved; Lackawanna County minority commissioner wants stadium authority to pay off county; Yanks filling seats in Moosic; Once again, it’s all about the Yankees; New for 2007: PNC Field; Work on Lackawanna County Stadium progresses; New for 2007: the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees; End of Astroturf at Lackawanna County Stadium; Here to stay, keep baseball fifty-fifty; Red Barons will stay, Mandalay vows; Moosic councilman presses county on amusement tax; New grass field, fixing leaks are ballpark priorities; Hard-nosed Mandalay known for investments in minor-league teams; Will Moosic get a new ballpark?; Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, California management firm heading to Moosic; Mets representatives expected to tour Lackawanna County Stadium today; Proposal would combine front offices of Barons and Pens; It's official: Yankees leaving Columbus; move to Scranton a done deal?; Authority will consider giving Cordaro power; Yankees to SWB?

D-Rays finish Disney series strong
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
In the end, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays didn't draw any more fans to  The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports for a midweek series than they normally do at Tropicana Field. The final game of the three-game series drew 9,635 for a total of 26,917, a number that attendees say wasn't inflated by freebies. Tampa Bay management wasn't saying whether the team would return to the land of the mouse for a series next year.
    RELATED STORIES: Devil Rays fail to steal home base at Disney; D-Rays draw 8,443 to Disney World game; Teams will have to wait and see on the Ballpark's impact; This time, Disney games will count

New turf, seats for Murakami Stadium
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The University of Hawai'i announced yesterday that the $2 million released by Gov. Linda Lingle will be used to replace the 13-year-old artificial turf with a surface to be determined. The remaining money will be used to refurbish as many seats possible. Seams in the ballpark's turf are visible from the upper level and a number seats from the 23-year-old ballpark are discolored and some are loose. Hawai'i athletics director Herman Frazier said ballpark improvements will be done in phases, with the turf being first and the seats later. Frazier said UH is awaiting bids from prospective vendors. He said the preference is for FieldTurf. The ballpark also hosts games in the Hawaii winter league.

Ballpark Notes
Posted May 18, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League), along with NEWSRADIO 910 WSBA, has announced that long-time WSBA radio personality Gary Sutton will join "Voice of the Revolution" Darrell Henry for all Revolution game broadcasts in York, as well as selected games in Lancaster this season, beginning with the first-ever "War of the Roses" series in Lancaster this Friday-Sunday. In addition to hosting his “Main Street of America” talk show every weekday morning on WSBA, Sutton is an award-winning color analyst for state high school athletics on the Pennsylvania Cable Network. He has over 16 years of experience as a radio talk-show host, all at WSBA. Sutton has been part of the York community for over 40 years....The Toronto Blue Jays have reached three-year contract extensions for the 2008, 2009 & 2010 seasons with Head Trainer George Poulis, Assistant Trainer Dave Abraham and Strength & Conditioning Coach Donovan Santas....

Dodd Stadium repairs on hold as team's bills left unpaid
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
More than $400,000 in improvements at Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium are on hold while Norwich officials push the Connecticut Defenders (Class AA; Eastern League) to pay more than $200,000 in overdue rent, utilities and other costs. The lease requires the Defendersto pay $150,000 in rent last year and $200,000 this year. The team paid $20,000 on overdue rent and remained current for a while on 2007 payments, but installments have stopped coming in, city financial officials said. Team attorney Glenn Carberry said the issues are more complex, and that the amount owed is lower than $200,000 because the Defenders are paying for some upgrades in lieu of rent. The team isn't drawing very well, averaging 1,868 fans per game, though April and early May are always slow months in Norwich.

Braves sale approved by owners
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
No surprise: the sale of the Atlanta Braves and other properties by Time Warner to Liberty Media was unanimously approved by owners at meetings yesterday afternoon, allowing the two sides to culminate a purchase agreement before tax laws changed at midnight. Liberty exchanged 68.5 million shares of Time Warner stock for the Braves, the Leisure Arts Inc. group of craft publications and $960 million of cash. As part of the deal, Liberty Media agreed to keep payroll at a $90-million level, leave in place the current Braves management team, led by Terry McGuirk, keep the Turner Field name, and divest itself of a gambling Web site. In an official statement, Commissioner Bud Selig welcomed the deal: "I am pleased to welcome Liberty Media as the owner of the Atlanta Braves," Selig said. "I am also excited that Terry McGuirk will remain in his role with the club, along with John Schuerholz, Mike Plant, Derek Schiller, Bobby Cox and others. They have made the Braves a model of consistency. I also want to thank Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner for their years of successfully owning the club." Selig also says Henry Aaron will play an expanded role with the franchise. One issue will be the future of the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League), the Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League) and the Rome Braves (Low Class A; Sally League). Many in baseball expect Liberty Media to at least explore a sale of the three teams once the purchase is completed -- at least that's what many potential buyers have been told -- but the word for now is that nothing will change.
    RELATED STORIES: Braves' ties will stay intact -- for now; Liberty, Time Warner close to sale of Braves; Status quo endures at The Diamond; On Braves sale, baseball throws a change-up; Braves' sale could bring Turner back into mix; Malone: Liberty Media is interested on Braves purchase; Go local, Braves bidder pleads; Braves talks are strictly business; Progress is made on Braves sale; Blank breaks off negotiations to buy Braves; Blank gains on Braves purchase

Major League Baseball to send delegation to China
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Major League Baseball will send a high-level delegation to China this month to inspect stadiums ahead of a possible trip there for exhibition games next year. Bob DuPuy, MLB's chief operating officer, will head the group, which also will include San Diego Padres chief executive officer Sandy Alderson, Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino and Pittsburgh Pirates CEO Kevin McClatchy. MLB has discussed the possibility of playing exhibition games in China next March. DuPuy said it also was possible those games could be tied to opening the regular season in Tokyo.

T-Bones ballpark owners make payment on taxes
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Their tax case is winding through the appeals process, but the Kansas City T-Bones (independent; Northern League) ballpark owners have paid $170,900 in property taxes to state tax officials. The T-Bones and ballpark owner Ehlert Development Corp. have protested the $1.5-million tax amount that Wyandotte County’s Unified Government says is owed on the CommunityAmerica Ballpark, located in the Village West shopping and entertainment district in Kansas City, Kan. The owners are not required to pay the tax bill until the valuation appeals process is finished, but the case has taken longer than usual to settle because of the case’s complexity.
    RELATED STORIES: County, T-Bones in dispute over back taxes; T-Bones refuse to pay $1.5 million tax bill

Devil Rays fail to steal home base at Disney
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Another crowd under 9,000 -- announced as 8,839 -- was on hand to see the Tampa Bay Devil Rays take on the Texas Rangers at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports. The goal of the series was to market the young, up-and-coming Devil Rays to the good folks in Orlando, and while game broadcasts of D-Rays games in Orlando have increased and drawn more viewers, it's hard to say whether the series was a success or not. More from the New York Times.
    RELATED STORIES: D-Rays draw 8,443 to Disney World game; Teams will have to wait and see on the Ballpark's impact; This time, Disney games will count

Brisk ticket sales trumpet excitement about Macon Music opener
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Middle Georgians will have the chance to hear something tonight that they haven't heard in four years at Luther Williams Field -- the sound of a baseball smacking leather and the crack of a bat. But unlike when the Macon Peaches fizzled after one season in 2003, there seems to be a strong sense of anticipation for the brand-new Macon Music (independent; South Coast League). GM Ric Sisler anticipates a sellout for tonight's opener against the Bradenton Juice. He said all of the box seats have been sold, and the general admission tickets were selling fast.

Milwaukee Brewers' record start stokes sales at bars
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Milwaukee's patience is paying off. After 15 years of dwindling population, iconic brewery closings and losing baseball seasons, Milwaukee Brewers fans finally have reason to cheer: The team leads the National League's Central Division. Ticket sales for the Brewers games at Miller Park are 25 percent ahead of last year at the box office and the team already has five sellouts, compared with nine for last year's entire season. Attendance is averaging 29,369, a six-year high. Fans are overflowing sports bars, and state officials say the team is even drawing tourists from nearby states. Its 25-15 record is second only to the New York Mets in Major League Baseball's National League after last night's games.

Everything (almost) for sale in minor leagues
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Gordie Jones decries some of the marketing deals in place in the minor leagues, particularly criticizing the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) for selling a sponsorship of a rehab assignment. Jones is right that it seems like everything in the minors comes attached with a sponsor, but he's a little unfair: everything has a sponsor these days. Listen to a radio broadcast: in addition to the advertising, you'll hear product placement from the companies buying naming rights to the studios. Marketing is a pervasive force in our economy. This story was submitted by a reader. To share a story or ballpark news, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.

Questions abound off field
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The independent Northern League is entering a season filled with intrigue, as the future of the circuit will probably depend on how well commissioner Clark Griffith is at moving into new markets. Saskatoon has been floated as a possibility, but that raises a whole set of issues in terms of travel and dealing with Canada: the Canadian swing for a U.S. team could end up taking two weeks with trips to Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton with some reasonable travel time. Making a bid for Wichita, too, will be important. More on Edmonton's opener here, Schaumburg's opener here.

Atlantic League says schedule quirk was necessary
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Because of a traveling team and the need to schedule the York Revolution on the road for a month because the team's ballpark is unfinished, the independent Atlantic League has seen some awkward scheduling so far this season. For instance, the Somerset Patriots and Long Island Ducks are in the midst of six consecutive head-to-head games split into home-and-home, three-game series. The teams move from Citibank Park -- where they will play a doubleheader beginning to 6:05 Thursday night after Wednesday's rainout -- to Commerce Bank Ballpark for the Friday through Sunday matchups.

The homegrown talent of the IBL
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
As the inaugural season of the Israel Baseball League draws near, a slew of foreign players, both Jewish and non-Jewish, will be making their way to Israel. However, a select group of Israeli players are welcoming the IBL as a chance to play the sport they love professionally. Amit Kurz, Ophir Katz, Orr Gottlieb, Dan Rothem, and Daniel Maddy-Weitzman are among the handful of Israelis who will take the field for the IBL. All five have been brought up through the Israel Association of Baseball's youth leagues. Due to the relatively low number of Israeli baseball players, all five have also competed against each other regularly.

Ballpark Notes
Posted May 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Waterloo Bucks (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) announced today that Tim Harwood will return as the club's radio broadcaster in 2007. This summer will mark the third season Harwood has covered the Bucks on the airwaves. Over the past two winters, Harwood has also worked for the Waterloo Black Hawks hockey team. Last season, he covered the Hawks Anderson Cup regular season championship, the team's run through the Clark Cup playoffs, and the USHL All-Star game in Waterloo....Calling games for the St. Cloud River Bats (summer collegiate; Northwoods League): Jim Nelson, a junior at Southwest Minnesota State. He's an offensive lineman on college football team, so he'll be replaced by Joe Nelson (no relation) when practices start....

Harrisburg Senators sold for a record $13.25 million
Posted May 16, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Harrisburg Senators (Class AA; Eastern League) have been sold to Senators Partners, LLC, an entity controlled by Michael Reinsdorf (shown below), for an Eastern League-record $13.25 million. As part of the deal, Senators Partners signed a 29-year lease for Commerce Bank Park. Here's the word on the sale of the Senators directly from the mayor's office: "The user fee for use of Commerce Bank Park on City Island will be $372,000 per year. When combined with parking fees, naming rights revenue, admission tax and mercantile revenues, it will net the city over $500,000 per year. The minimum initial term of the agreement is for 29 years, with unlimited renewal terms of five years each thereafter....Closing and change of ownership on the transaction will occur on or before September 13. Senators Partners, LLC will own and operate the franchise....Reed said the use of the sales proceeds would be used almost entirely to eliminate city debt: $2,134,188 would be used to retire the remainder of the bonds issued by the city over 10 years ago that provided the money to purchase the franchise; $848,532 was scheduled by City Council as part of the city’s 2007 operating revenue and will be paid to the city’s General Fund; the bonds issued four years ago to finance the city’s share of upgrading the stadium were issued in two series, Series A-1 and A-2. $8,815,000 will be used to wipe-out the Series A-1 bonds and the remaining proceeds, $1,202,280 will be applied against the Series A-2 bonds." As part of the deal, Reinsdorf's firm, IFG, will be managing Commerce Bank Park's $18.5 million renovation for what could be a 5 percent fee depending on the final state funding.
    RELATED STORIES: Reinsdorf close to purchase of H-Sens; Talks continue between Reinsdorf, city over Sens deal; Mayor: Harrisburg negotiating with one firm for sale of Senators; City still in talks to sell Senators

Braves sale expected to be approved tonight
Posted May 16, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The sale of the Atlanta Braves from Time Warner to Liberty Media is expected to be approved tonight by MLB owners, as all sides are rushing to finish the tax-free deal before changes in the tax code go into effect at midnight. The specifics of the deal: the Braves franchise and its accompanying minor-league teams, a group of Leisure Arts craft publications and about $1 billion in cash will go from Time Warner to Liberty Media; in return for a huge block of Time Warner stock long held by Liberty will go back to Time Warner. We've already reported on some of the conditions put by MLB officials on the deal: Terry McGuirk will remain as president of the team (a point particularly demanded by Commissioner Bud Selig), and player payroll will remain at least as high as in the past three seasons (about $80 million). The deal puts a value on the Braves at $450 million. Liberty Media will need to hang onto the Braves for several seasons, but we're not sure the firm won't sell its three minor-league franchises: the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League), the Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League) and the Rome Braves (Low Class A; Sally League). Many in baseball expect Liberty Media to at least explore a sale of the three teams once the purchase is completed -- at least that's what many potential buyers have been told. More on the meeting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This story was submitted by a reader. To share a story or ballpark news, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.
    RELATED STORIES: Braves' ties will stay intact -- for now; Liberty, Time Warner close to sale of Braves; Status quo endures at The Diamond; On Braves sale, baseball throws a change-up; Braves' sale could bring Turner back into mix; Malone: Liberty Media is interested on Braves purchase; Go local, Braves bidder pleads; Braves talks are strictly business; Progress is made on Braves sale; Blank breaks off negotiations to buy Braves; Blank gains on Braves purchase

Whew! Dodger Dogs to stay
Posted May 16, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
What a relief. The Los Angeles Dodgers affirmed they were sticking with Dodger Dogs, despite allegations from the Animal Legal Defense Fund that Dodger Dog manufacturer Farmer John (a division of Hormel) were made from hogs raised under inhumane circumstances. (To their credit, the Dodgers did seem to take the allegations seriously and sent along a brief statement saying they would stand by Farmer John. A Farmer John statement said the company meets "all of the standards for animal welfare." Which actually isn't saying a whole lot; spend some time at a feedlot and you'll never eat another hot dog again.) Dodger Dogs are a staple at Dodger Stadium. Speaking of Dodger Stadium and Farmer John, the Wall Street Journal did a piece on the all-you-can-gorge plan offered by the team in the right-field pavilion. They concluded the views were bad and the eats worse. Not quite sure what the Wall Street Journal was expecting from an all-you-can-gorge plan at a ballpark. Part of this story was submitted by a reader. To share a story or ballpark news, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.
    RELATED STORIES: Dodger Dogs out at the plate?

Washoe County approves PCL ballpark
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A Class AAA Pacific Coast League franchise for the Reno area, on the back burner for six years, moved to the front burner Tuesday when Washoe County commissioners approved a pre-development and finance agreement with SK Baseball and Nevada Land for the design and construction of a ballpark. A New York City father and son, Jerry and Stuart Katzoff, and their partner, major mall owner Herb Simon, have a preliminary agreement to buy a Triple-A franchise and move it to Reno for the 2009 season, pending approval from the Pacific Coast League and minor league and Major League Baseball. The Sparks Marina site, originally pitched as a home for the ballpark, still is a possible location but five or six sites are under consideration. The Katzoffs and Simon, a long-time co-owner of the Indiana Pacers (NBA), are planning a ballpark with 6,500 seats that would have a total capacity of 10,000, including a combination of sky boxes, party units, club seats, general admission seats and family seating on grass berms. The name of the PCL team hasn't been released, but speculation is centering on the Tucson Sidewinders.
    RELATED STORIES: Reno is closer to Triple-A baseball; Guinn OKs bonds for marina; State tourism panel aids Sparks marina project; Sparks Council OKs proposal for 92 acres of marina project; Officials still hold hope for Triple-A franchise in Reno; Sparks still in hunt for Triple-A team

Mayor: NCAA shows interest in new Omaha ballpark
Posted May 16, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey served up a fat pitch Tuesday to NCAA officials, letting them decide whether to take a swing at a new $50 million downtown ballpark as the future home for the College World Series. Of course the NCAA officials showed interest -- if the city wants to build a new ballpark and throw the NCAA some more cash, who is the NCAA to object? Fahey said he hopes the NCAA expresses a preference either during the CWS, which starts June 15, or during a return visit in August. A new ballpark would also serve as the home of the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the Creighton University baseball team. The plan calls for an intimate 8,000- to 9,000-seat ballpark that would be expanded to 24,000 seats for the College World Series, according to the city plan.
    RELATED STORIES: Omaha floats new ballpark for CWS, O-Royals

D-Rays draw 8,443 to Disney World game
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A crowd of 8,443 -- smaller than anticipated -- was on hand at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports to see the first-ever regular-season MLB game in central Florida, as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays defeated the Texas Rangers, 4-3, in 10 innings. The crowd was small, and the ballpark -- the spring home of the Atlanta Braves, which holds more than 10,000 fans when berm seating is fully utilized -- was far from crammed. The St. Pete Times calls the game a monumental mistake. Mike Bianchi doesn't think the game was that bad, though. More from the Los Angeles Times, Florida Today and the Lakeland Ledger.
    RELATED STORIES: Teams will have to wait and see on the Ballpark's impact; This time, Disney games will count

Moss to seek changes in Marlins' name, spring training
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The Florida Marlins would be required to change their name and move their spring training to Homestead to attract the support of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dennis Moss for construction of a new retractable-roof ballpark. Moss is to ask fellow commissioners at a meeting of the Airport and Tourism Committee tomorrow to support clauses to change the team's name to the Miami Marlins and require the franchise to move their March preseason games from Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter to the Homestead Sports Complex as part of a deal for a $490 million retractable-roof ballpark. The 6,500-seat baseball stadium in Homestead was built in 1991 to be the spring-training home for the Cleveland Indians, but Hurricane Andrew thwarted those plans. The ballpark has been used primarily by college baseball teams.
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New for 2007: Road Ranger Stadium
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Road Ranger LLC, a Midwest convenience-store chain, and the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) announced the sale of naming rights to the RiverHawks ballpark, which will be known as Road Ranger Stadium. The naming rights agreement is for an initial term of five years. Financial and specific terms were not released. "We are thrilled to welcome Road Ranger to our growing team of commercial partners," said Kurt Carlson, team chairman and co-owner. "This further strengthens our ability to provide affordable family entertainment to the region."

A's Wolff sees new ballpark as super site
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Lew Wolff, the managing owner of the Oakland Athletics, aims to change how ballparks are built. The 69-year-old magnate is now focused on a bold plan that would have a profound impact on the Athletics with a ripple effect that would spread throughout baseball. His goal is to build a 32,000-seat, privately financed stadium in Fremont, Calif., as part of a 226-acre complex that will include 2,900 townhomes, 550,000 square feet of retail space and a hotel. And while the individual components of the project might not be new, they've never been put together in quite this way.
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Dueling minor-league baseball plans could cause trouble
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The prospects of two independent American Association teams in the Denver suburbs appears to be unlikely, as plans for a Brighton ballpark -- with a deal signed -- could interfere with plans for a Commerce City ballpark. It would appear that the Brighton group won the race: a year ago National Sports Services announced plans for a Commerce City ballpark, but nothing became of it and no financing plan was ever submitted to the league. Money would also be an issue: Commerce City spent millions on a new MLS stadium and doesn't appear to want to put public money into a ballpark.
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Commissioners back study of ballpark at The Ranch
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The Larimer County commissioners agreed today to take a swing at building a baseball stadium at The Ranch, the county fairgrounds complex in Loveland. Col. The commissioners unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and National Sports Services to develop plans for a stadium that would be home to a minor-league team. The nonbinding agreement has an eight-month lifespan, at which time the company and county will decide whether to continue pursuing the ballpark idea or drop it, officials said. The stadium would have 3,500 to 5,000 seats and could be used for multiple types of outdoor events, including rodeos and concerts. Securing a minor-league franchise is likely to cost between $1 million and $2 million, said Donald “Deke” Karras, a potential owner from Denver.
    RELATED STORIES: Another baseball contender in Fort Collins: the American Association; Ballpark battle beginning in Fort Collins?;  Foxes still seeking location for their new 'Den'

Augmented pigmentation
Posted May 16, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Construction on Coca-Cola Park, the future home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League), is proceeding on schedule and on budget despite some unexpected complications, including the need for 60,000 tons of crushed stone to replace sub-standard fill excavated from the site that was to be used elsewhere on the project. The bowl and grandstand infrastructure are completed: Under what will become the first-base stands, a concrete tunnel connects the visitor's dugout to what will be the visitor's locker room behind home plate. The mason-block wall that will eventually be padded and form the outfield fence is in place, and in left-center field the foundations are in place for the massive video scoreboard that will tower over the grass berm seating area. This story was submitted by a reader. To share a story or ballpark news, drop us a line at editors@augustpublications.com.
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Singin' the 'Baseball Blackout Blues'
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At the MLB owners' meetings this week, MLB officials will ask teams to review their broadcast territories and, where necessary, revise them. Baseball's territorial map was drawn for the rabbit-ears era in the 1970s. Its boundaries were set according to the reach of over-the-air broadcast signals, emanating from teams' flagship stations and affiliates. Today, games are mainly carried on regional sports networks (RSNs), which mostly are carried on cable systems. It's a "pay" TV distribution system that doesn't hew to the old territorial patterns of "free" TV.

County seeks representation in baseball legal dispute
Posted May 16, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Luzerne County Solicitor Jim Blaum is reviewing the qualifications of applicants interested in legal work on the ongoing dispute about the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA: International League). Luzerne County commissioners claim a Lackawanna County agreement that could lead to the sale of the Triple-A baseball franchise is invalid because it ignores Luzerne County’s ownership stake.
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Where it's knit, knit, knit at the old ballgame
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"Stitch and Pitch" games, sponsored by the National NeedleArts Association, bring knitters to Major League Baseball games -- 23 of them this season. The events are designed to promote knitting, but they also have a profound effect on conversation in the grandstands. In most of RFK Stadium, the talk Monday night was of the Nats finally sweeping a series this season. But up in section 518, among stitchers, the conversation was . . . different.

League committee to discuss Swing sale next week
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Prospective owners of the Swing of the Quad Cities and the Low Class A Midwest League’s five-member transfer and expansion committee will meet next Tuesday in suburban Chicago to discuss the proposed sale of the Swing franchise. League president George Spelius described the committee’s face-to-face meeting with David Heller and Bob Herrfeldt as "standard protocol"’ before the committee makes its recommendation to the 14 league directors on whether or not the sale of the club should be approved.

Panel sees possibility on trip to Greenville
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Members of Augusta's Downtown Stadium Exploratory Committee visited Greenville, S.C., on Monday and saw what effect the city's new ballpark, West End Field, has had on the downtown area. The committee toured the area of Greenville where the 1-year-old stadium is located. Members also spoke to city officials, including Greenville Drive (Low Class A; Sally League) owner Craig Brown and city manager Jim Bourey. If Augusta needs a model for a Lake Olmstead Stadium downtown replacement, West End Field is a perfect model: it's one of the best in the minors.

Ticket sales boom for S.I. Yanks; now parking's a concern
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First the good news: Ticket sales for the Staten Island Yankees (short season; NY-Penn League) are surging. Now the bad: Like everybody else who does business in St. George, the minor-league baseball team is worried about parking. Twenty-one of the 38 games scheduled to be played at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark are "close" to being sold out, said Borough President James P. Molinaro, who met recently with officials with Mandalay Baseball Properties, the team's new owners.

Revs play before small crowd in 'home' opener
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With a home ballpark delayed for a month while construction goes on, the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League) played their "home" opener at Campbell's Field in Camden. When last night's game was getting ready to start, Chris Hoiles looked around the stadium and entertained the thought that team officials forgot to unlock the gates to let all the fans in. The crowd of 45 people was the smallest audience the York Revolution manager could remember at any game in his long career, and he even joked that the crowds at his Little League games during his youth were probably bigger. The evening started without a national anthem, and casual conversations between the few fans in attendance carried throughout the ballpark.

Ten ways to improve Alliance Bank Stadium
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The Syracuse newspaper lists 10 ways Alliance Bank Stadium, the home of the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League), can be improved. Some are no-brainers that have already been seriously considered by the county and the team, including tearing out the artificial turf and putting in grass. Others are iffy, like changing the pants the players wear (!). Still, the bigger point here is that the ballpark should be overhauled to give it more personality and a sense of history (and there's a rich history of Syracuse baseball), which is a good idea.

Saints believe there's room for two baseball teams in the Twin Cities
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Despite all the recent coverage of a new Minnesota Twins ballpark and the inevitable buzz, the owners of the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) say they're not worried about losing too many fans when the new outdoor ballpark opens in 2010. Mike Veeck is absolutely right: the Minneapolis-St. Paul is large enough for corporate MLB baseball and lower-priced independent baseball. (Indeed, we would have loved to been at Midway Stadium to chat about this with Mike, but team officials haven't been organized well enough to issue press credentials yet.) This article isn't purely accurate about what's going on with a new ballpark: we hear team officials continue to talk with the University of Minnesota about a new ballpark, and the possibility of waterfront ballpark continues to be raised in political circles by a developer.

Royle has a plan for Bullfrogs' success
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There are two new teams in the summer-collegiate Northwoods League this season, with Jeff Royle buying in as the owner of the Green Bay Bullfrogs.  Royle's inspiration is the Madison Mallards franchise, who came to Warner Park after several Midwest League and Northern League teams failed, and quickly caught on as the most successful team in the league. Royle hopes will put his team on track to draw 40,000 fans this season -- an average of a little less than 1,200 for 34 home dates. We'd be very surprised if he doesn't exceed that.

New players, same Outlaws
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The Chico Outlaws (independent; Golden Baseball League) are storming into summer, bringing along team veterans and some fresh new faces in an attempt to add to their winning record. But it's not just about baseball. The Outlaws bring a full show to home games that goes beyond the ball game, said Rory Miller, the team's director of public relations and media and the voice of the Outlaws. "We describe the Outlaws as a fully contained entertainment package that just happens to feature a baseball game," Miller said. "We have some good, quality professional baseball. But we surround that with all sorts of things that families and casual fans would enjoy."

Ballpark Notes
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The Yuma Scorpions (independent; Golden Baseball League) announced that manager Mike Marshall has been named as their new president. Marshall will continue his duties as field manager of the Scorpions for the next two seasons while also running the team’s day-to-day business operations in his new role. Almost 30 years to the date of Atlanta Braves President Ted Turner taking the field as Manager, which only lasted for one game, Marshall is believed to be the first professional Team President/Manager since Connie Mack ended his onfield career with the Philadelphia Athletics after the 1950 season. Outlining initial plans for improving the franchise, Marshall went on to say, “In addition to great baseball, family entertainment, and current promotions and events we also plan to announce a Yuma Scorpions Baseball Academy for youth players, a Hispanic outreach program that will include at least two Noches de Beisbol at the ballpark and acceptance of pesos at all Scorpion games, a local Yuma Scorpions Board of Directors along with local team ownership possibilities, increased support of the Yuma Scorpions Booster Club, facilities improvements at Desert Sun Stadium, and much greater activity in the community by the Scorpion’s players with the schools, hospital, and other charitable organizations....The Long Beach Armada (independent; Golden Baseball League) announced that Steven Bash is the team's new Chairman and President. Bash, 34, was the managing partner of the Long Beach Ice Dogs professional hockey team. The Ice Dogs announced they would be suspending play in Long Beach for the upcoming hockey season. Bash is also a member of Bash Entertainment, LLC, a sports and entertainment company representing professional athletes with an emphasis on the business of professional boxing....The Pittsburgh Pirates are joining the list of MLB teams offering paperless ticketing via cell phone....

Twins ballpark construction begins Monday
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Things move fast in the big city, as construction on a new Minnesota Twins ballpark is slated to begin next Monday, as the Twins and members of the ballpark authority laid out a timeline for construction at a press conference this morning. For many in the area, the most immediate inconvenience will be the closing of Third Avenue south of Washington Avenue, with crews descending on the Rapid Park site to begin tearing up concrete and laying the prep work for the ballpark's bowl. The new ballpark is slated to open in 2010.
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Charlotte approves Knights ballpark deal
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The Charlotte City Council voted 8-3 Monday night for a land swap as part of Mecklenburg County's plan to bring new parks, affordable housing and a ballpark to uptown Charlotte. The county is assembling various properties to build two new parks and secure a stadium for the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA: International League), who now play in Fort Mill, S.C. To make the deal work, the county needed agreements with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and the city, both of which own some of the properties. The school board approved its agreement last week. Next up: Mecklenburg County must work out on a deal with developers on the housing portion of the plan; the Knights are working on a financing plan for theirs. Charlotte attorney Jerry Reese, who is seeking to bring MLB to Charlotte and sees the minor-league ballpark as an impediment to his plans, remains a presence; he's already filed suit against the school district to contest their part of the land swap, but it's not known if he's contemplating any other lawsuits designed to derail the deal.
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Teams will have to wait and see on the Ballpark's impact
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As assistant general manager of the Atlanta Braves -- who spend their springs training at Disney World -- Frank Wren has seen as many major-league exhibitions at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports as anyone. But even Wren doesn't know how the ballpark will play for major-league regular-season games in mid May, and that's an issue as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays prepare to host the Texas Rangers there tonight in the start of a three-game series. If the experiences of the Orlando Rays (Class AA; Southern League), who formerly played at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports, holds true, you can expect to see a pretty straightforward experience -- the ball will carry OK, but the wind will be the wild card. More on the work involved in moving a regular-season game to a neutral site. More from the Orlando Sentinel. The Devil Rays say the trip to Orlando is not a prelude to a move.
    RELATED STORIES: This time, Disney games will count

Academic reforms for baseball may be overturned
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Emergency legislation adopted last month by the NCAA Board of Directors to improve college baseball's academic record is facing opposition from member schools who might force an override of the reforms. Key elements in the legislation (effective in 2008-09) require players to be academically eligible in the fall in order to compete in the spring and eliminates the one-time transfer exemption. What has drawn broad criticism from coaches is requiring scholarships to be divided into nothing smaller than 33% and capping the players on scholarship at 27.

Local fans anxious to see Revolution take the field
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After more than a decade of talk about bringing baseball back, York has its own professional team in the form of the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League). Hours before the players loaded a bus bound for Bridgeport, Conn., for their first game, they were giving autographs to fans in the loft of Cobblestone's Restaurant and Sports Emporium in York City. Most of the players have spent just a day or two in York, but they say they've gotten a warm reception, including honks from passing cars as they walk through town in uniform. The Revolution open at home on June 15.

Dodger Dogs out at the plate?
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The Dodger Dog long has been a delicacy for many Los Angeles baseball fans at Dodger Stadium, but a group of animal rights activists can't stomach them any longer. In a letter sent Monday to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, the team was urged to end its ties "with Farmer John and its cruelly produced pork products." The plea came from Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a Sonoma County- based nonprofit organization that is the lead plaintiff in a pending lawsuit against Farmer John and Corcpork, one of its suppliers, based in Corcoran, Calif. Camille Johnston, a Dodgers spokeswoman, said late Monday she couldn't comment on the letter from the animal rights group. She said she was told of the letter late in the day and was not able to reach Farmer John officials.

Injured Sky Sox personality "a treasure"
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The man behind the fun at Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) games, the enthusiastic personality who launches T-shirts with a slingshot and shakes his booty with the team mascot, is hurting. Rai Henniger, 47, the Sky Sox's vice president of marketing and promotions, was placing a commercial-grade fireworks shell in a cylinder about 3 p.m. Saturday -- two hours before game time -- when the mortar exploded, said Colorado Springs Fire Lt. Julie Stone. The husband and father of three children is in serious condition with facial injuries at Denver Health Medical Center. Stone said investigators were trying to talk to the fireworks manufacturer, and it would be at least until the end of the week before officials know what went wrong.
    RELATED STORIES: Sky Sox worker seriously hurt in accident

South Korea's first domed stadium to be built near Seoul by 2012
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South Korea's first domed ballpark for baseball will be built in a city near Seoul by 2012, the national governing body of baseball and city officials said Tuesday. Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., one of the country's leading construction companies, is to break ground early next year for the stadium, while Hyundai Securities Co. will raise funds for it. The ballpark will have a retractable roof and natural grass. A department store, hotel or shopping mall will be built in the stadium to facilitate fund raising. Details of its plan and design, such as the number of seats and size, are to be decided later this year. The ballpark is envisioned as the home of the defunct Hyundai Unicorns and possible World Baseball Classic games.

Astros offer downloadable data, video/audio at ballpark
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It's not the first attempt to offer downloadable data at the ballpark -- the San Francisco Giants offered something similar for Palm Pilot users at AT&T Park years ago, and soccer's Arsenal does so currently at its stadium -- but this is definitely something we'll see other teams do in the future. The Houston Astros are offering video and audio clips, game information, ticket offers and other goodies to fans at Minute Maid Park, using their Bluetooth-enabled cellphones to download the data from specially marked Bluetooth.

Pelicans to host 2008 Carolina/Cal All-Star Game
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The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) announced that the club will host the 2008 California League vs. Carolina League All-Star Game. The mid-summer classic will be held June 24, 2008, at Coastal Federal Field. "On behalf of the entire Pelicans family, we are excited to have the opportunity to bring the All-Star Game to Myrtle Beach," said Pelicans President and Managing Partner Chuck Greenberg. "It’s a great honor for any franchise and we are looking forward to making this a once-in-a-lifetime memory and experience for the community and all of the participants." The format for the All-Star Game features the best players from the Carolina League against the top players in the California League.

'Topes to honor Dodgers, Dukes at Triple-A All-Star Game
Posted May 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The majority of the infield that made Major League Baseball history by staying intact for 11 years will reunite in Albuquerque for the Triple-A All-Star Fan Fest at the Albuquerque Convention Center on July 7 and July 8. Los Angeles Dodgers legends Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell, who also spent time in Albuquerque as members of the Dukes (the Pacific Coast League predecessor to the Isotopes), headline a long list of former players in attendance as the Isotopes pay homage to the great tradition of the Dukes and Dodgers. Garvey, Cey, and Russell will join other former Dodgers and Dukes such as outfielder Mike Marshall, Jerry Royster, Jack Perconte, and Terry McDermott, among others, who will all be present at the Fan Fest signing autographs for free to the public.
    Fan Fest, presented by Lovelace Health System and the City of Albuquerque, is part of the five days worth of festivities surrounding the Triple-A All-Star Fiesta. The autograph session is but one element of Fan Fest, which is packed with activities spread out over 50,000 square feet. Fans will be able to peruse exhibits outlining the history of baseball in Albuquerque as well as the history of the Triple-A All-Star Game, while kids can take part in a host of interactive games, including a speed pitch, batting cage, base-stealing challenge, and a wiffle-ball stadium made to look like Isotopes Park. The Fan Fest will also feature live entertainment by local musical groups as well as a collector’s showcase where local vendors will set-up booths displaying baseball cards, memorabilia, and other rare collectibles.

AT&T Park's power drain
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While we're not the biggest boosters of Barry Bonds, you've got to admit one thing: steroids or not, he's hit a lot of homers at AT&T Park, where the high right-field wall and the winds coming in off the bay serve to frustrate most left-handed sluggers. Since 2000, the San Francisco Giant has hit 151 home runs at AT&T Park and 149 on the road. And for seven seasons before 2000, Bonds played at Candlestick Park -- a cold, windy, inhospitable place that served to dampen more homers.

Petco winds are stifling the sluggers
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Speaking of ballparks that don't reward power hitters: Petco Park is still a difficult place to hit a homer -- and it may be getting worse. In spring training, General Manager Kevin Towers speculated that because of the offseason construction of high-rise buildings in downtown San Diego, balls might carry better at Petco Park this year. It doesn't appear that is the case. In fact, Padres right fielder Brian Giles reported yesterday that winds are swirling behind him in right field, resisting drives, rather than boosting them.

Miracle to light sky with lasers
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Here's one way to react to the drought and wildfires plaguing Florida: the Fort Myers Miracle (High Class A; Florida State League) are replacing fireworks with a laser light show for their May 26 and June 9 games. Southwest Florida and other parts of the state have been plagued with a rash of brush fires for several weeks because of dry conditions.

At Drillers Stadium, there's also baseball
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The Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League) offers free haircuts at afternoon games, but haircuts aren't all you get during weekday afternoon games at the minor league ballpark. There are free shoe shines, massages and blood pressure screenings. And there's also baseball. The Drillers' approach of offering more than baseball at their games has helped them average more than 300,000 fans per season for the past 15 years. Tulsa was the first Texas League franchise to surpass 300,000 fans for 10 consecutive seasons.

JackHammers' business is booming
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The opening game for the Joliet JackHammers (independent; Northern League) Thursday ushers in a season of baseball bingo, bobblehead giveaways and a circuslike assortment of promotions that have become as customary to Silver Cross Field as minor league baseball itself. The promotions and corporate sponsorship team has been busy through the offseason, lining up more than 125 business partners who put their names on such things as Harris Bank Opening Night, which is Thursday, and the State Farm Insurance Cinco de Junio Celebration on June 5. With baseball just two days away, there's still plenty of time to link up with the JackHammers for promotions this year, said Victoria Loughrey, director of corporate sales.

Webster ballpark work is halted
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Work has been stopped on a new ballpark at Empire Park because the project may have impinged on a wetland. Gunther K. Buerman, a volunteer with the Webster Yankee Stadium Corp., a nonprofit group created to lease a portion of the park from the town and build the ballpark, said the project was halted after representatives of the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers visited the site on May 7. The new field will be home to the Webster Yankees (summer collegiate; NYCBL). The Webster Yankees amateur baseball team issued a news release Monday saying the field would not be ready for any games this summer because of construction delays caused by late winter weather. Home games this season will be played at Thomas High School in Webster, at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford and at Monroe Community College in Brighton.

Ballpark Notes
Posted May 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League) and Rogers Television 22 are proud to announce their broadcast schedule for the 2007 season. Twenty-five Lynx home games will air this season, including three games in May, six games in June, seven games in July, six in August and all three Lynx games in September. The schedule starts this Friday, May 18th as the Lynx host the Buffalo Bisons at 6:00 p.m. "We are looking forward to another terrific season of Lynx Baseball on Rogers Television 22," said Lynx General Manager Kyle Bostwick. "Rogers Television continues to provide great coverage of the Lynx and all of local sports in Ottawa, we're exciting to be working together for our 15th Anniversary season."... Otis Elevator Company, a unit of United Technologies Corp., won a $5 million contract to supply and install its environmentally friendly and energy-efficient Gen2 elevators for Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets, scheduled to open in 2009....

Lee: No FL/NL discussions underway
Posted May 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Independent Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee contacted us over the weekend to announce there are no merger discussions between his league and the independent Northern League, despite some published reports to the contrary late last week: "We did have discussions as to how we can work together to show more unity between the Leagues and how we can work to improve the entire industry of Independent Professional Baseball together. We discussed possible marketing efforts and because of the proximity of some of our clubs, the benefits of playing exhibition games. That is all. Perhaps this is the feeling of one of our minority owners, but it is not the feeling of the Board of Directors or myself.
    "The Northern League and the Frontier League are the two oldest Independent Leagues and are both great Leagues. We both have a niche for players and markets. I can only speak on behalf of the Frontier League, but our clubs and Board of Directors are very happy with where we have come. We respect the Northern League and have a good relationship with them." Last week Rockford RiverHawks owner Dave Ciarrachi was quoted in the Rockford paper about merger discussions and his hope that they would be fruitful. Traverse City Beach Bums co-owner Leslye Wuerfel played down any talks of a merger, saying there were some economic differences (salary cap) and age issues (the maximum age in the Frontier League is 27, and we know of at least two Northern League owners who would be unwilling to budge on this issue) between the two leagues.
    RELATED STORIES: Frontier, Northern League merger talks underway?

Reno is closer to Triple-A baseball
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The Washoe County Board of Commissioners will discuss Tuesday a recommendation to enter into a pre-development and finance agreement with an investment group to build a ballpark, county assistant manager John Berkich said Friday. The group is headed by Jerry and Stuart Katzoff, a father and son from New York, and Indiana Pacers co-owner Herb Simon; the trio say they have entered into a purchase agreement to buy a Class AAA Pacific Coast League team. Interestingly, this group is working independently of RED Development, which has worked for more than a year to bring a Class AAA team to a new ballpark in Sparks as part of a larger development, although the new group is counting on accessing ballpark funds dedicated from the proceeds of a local rental-car tax. PCL President Branch Rickey III declined to name the team that would possibly move, but the Tucson Sidewinders would be the obvious contender.
    RELATED STORIES: Guinn OKs bonds for marina; State tourism panel aids Sparks marina project; Sparks Council OKs proposal for 92 acres of marina project; Officials still hold hope for Triple-A franchise in Reno; Sparks still in hunt for Triple-A team

Knights in talks on financing new ballpark
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The Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) have begun talks with Wachovia Corp. and Bank of America Corp. for financing to cover construction costs for a proposed $35-million ballpark and an additional $8 million in related infrastructure improvements, team officials say. The latter amount, under a deal proposed by the county, would be repaid through annual tax rebates of $700,000 for 20 years. County leaders say the revamped infrastructure plan was crafted to remove the sale of Spirit Square from the complicated land swap. Supporters say the notion of using part of the taxes generated by the Knights' privately funded ballpark to repay the team for infrastructure ensures additional revenue by getting the team uptown. A study by UNC Charlotte economist John Connaughton previously projected the Knights' ballpark would generate $1 million or more in new tax revenue. Critics say the economic grant represents an investment of tax dollars in the ballpark -- a funding source that supporters on the county board vowed to avoid. A key vote on the complicated land swap needed to procure land for the ballpark is slated for tonight. Meanwhile, Charlotte attorney Jerry Reese has gone to court to block part of the land swap. Reese says the local school board should have opened their part of the land swap for bids; he's the same guy who promised to bring Major League Baseball to Charlotte.
    RELATED STORIES: Schools agree to role in land swap for baseball; County moves forward on Knights ballpark plan; A new season for Knights, but same old battles; More time wanted for Charlotte baseball deal; Officials: Arts sale not about sports; Ballpark land swap still in play for reshaping Charlotte; Could new Charlotte ballpark be delayed by lawsuit?; Land deal for Charlotte ballpark advances; Diehl plans fight over Charlotte ballpark; Mecklenburg County set for baseball deal role; Charlotte Council seeks answers on baseball; Uptown park for Knights makes sense; Charlotte council gets update on baseball plan; Chamber: poll shows overwhelming support for Knights ballpark; Backers urge: Make noise for Charlotte ballpark; A slow curve in Charlotte; Charlotte ballpark land swap seen as feasible; Charlotte Knights select Barton Malow to oversee ballpark construction; Hard days for Knights; Knights see more fans, but lag league; Knights select Odell Associates, HOK to design new ballpark; Knights meet with potential architects; Competing plans for baseball parks in Charlotte; The big pitch for uptown baseball in Charlotte; Charlotte turns to funding plans for ballpark; Will Charlotte ballpark be magnet for growth?; Third Ward residents object to new Knights ballpark; Uptown baseball in Charlotte may cost city $5 million; Charlotte ballpark plan now turns to question of real estate; Arts package heads the agenda for city funding, but baseball is now up to bat with a new plan; Uptown ballpark plan has some rally-killers; Deal in works for uptown Charlotte ballpark

This time, Disney games will count
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A little baseball history will be written when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays play the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports this week. Three games, scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:10 p.m., will mark the first time regular-season Major League games are played in a ballpark used regularly for spring training. The 9,500-seat Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports is the spring home of the Atlanta Braves. But it is the Devil Rays, who have been struggling on the field and at the gate, who came up with the idea. Ticket sales for the series have been lower than anticipated; we're not sure the wildfires raging in Florida will help things any.

Bombers set to 'play ball' in Bennington
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Jack Appelman, owner and president of the Bennington Bombers (summer collegiate; New York Collegiate Baseball League), and Karen Gross, president of Southern Vermont College, signed an agreement that will allow the team to play at the college. Appelman had planned to build his own ballpark, but the high cost of cleaning up his preferred ballpark site put those plans on hold. By next week, renovations overseen by James Secor of the Bennington firm, MacDonald-Secor Associates, should be under way at the field at Southern Vermont College, off Monument Avenue Extension. According to Appelman, changes are expected to include the addition of bleachers to seat about 500, dugouts, a press box and a scoreboard. It's currently a one-year deal.
    RELATED STORIES: Bennington ballpark stalls; Bennington ballpark gets positive feedback; Bennington board to review proposal for ballpark; Town reviews ballpark plans

Midweek Series start could leave Fox, baseball in the cold
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Major League Baseball and Fox will make it official Monday: the World Series on Fox this fall will start on a Wednesday -- not the usual Saturday. And for the first time, a potential Series game will be scheduled for November. We just can't wait to be at the new Minnesota Twins ballpark in the first week of November 2011, watching a grizzled Torri Hunter trying to keep his hands warm when the temperature at gametime is a balmy 20. The season is already too long; extending it into November and serious football weather seems suicidal.

Sky Sox worker seriously hurt in accident
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Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) Sky Sox Senior Vice President of Marketing and Promotions suffered a serious accident before Saturday's game that has him and his family working through a very difficult time. Before the game, the 47 year-old Henniger was setting up the pyrotechnics for that evening’s baseball game when a sudden accident occurred. It left Henniger with serious injuries to his face and he was rushed to the hospital. Henniger has been a member of the Colorado Springs community and the Sky Sox family for over 17 years, now serving as the team’s on-field emcee and directing the team's between-inning events. To send a card to Henninger and his family, address it to Care of "The Henniger Family," 4385 Tutt Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80922.

More teams curtail beer in clubhouses
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Four MLB teams now decline to offer beer in visitors' clubhouses, and more teams are expected to do so. With 12 of the 30 MLB teams now banning beer in the home clubhouse, there will be discussions among the remaining teams about continuing the practice. You won't see it totally disappear -- the Brewers will offer free beer from Miller Brewing because it would counter the image set forth in the naming-rights deal for Miller Park -- but after the death of Josh Hancock after driving drunk teams are much more aware of image and consequences.
    RELATED STORIES: Cops: Hancock drunk at time of accident; Drinking starts in the clubhouse; In memoriam: Josh Hancock

Some Ports followers live up to 'fanatic' title
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In the ever-evolving world of minor-league baseball, they are the constants. The players change, the managers and coaches change and even the front-office officials change. But the superfans remain. They are fans that attend almost every game and follow the team religiously all season, and the Stockton Ports (High Class A; California League) have many of them. Their faces are as familiar in Stockton Ballpark as the players. Most of them have been with the Ports since the days of Billy Hebert Field, so they are driving a bandwagon that's gotten pretty full the past three seasons. Patrick Berg wears an authentic Ports jersey to every game and listens to Zack Bayrouty's play-by-play call via headphones during the game. He has been attending Ports games since 1981 and the team selected him as one of the fans to throw out a first pitch during Memorial Day weekend in 2005.

A's have familiar blueprint for boosting attendance
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Thanks to Oakland A's owner Lew Wolff, the San Francisco Giants finally have something to worry about in their attendance war with their cross-bay adversary -- and they can blame themselves for providing the inspiration. The Giants' model for success has been as much their downtown ballpark as Barry Bonds. Ever since the ballpark-by-the-bay opened in 2000, they have joined elite baseball franchises by attracting more than 3 million paying customers annually. While they have played in their jewel box, the A's have been as successful afield, but their football-friendly ballpark, McAfee Coliseum, is often referred to as the "Mausoleum." Instead of using clever sayings to mock the Giants -- "They build ballparks; we build champions" comes to mind -- Wolff would rather fight them at their own game. In this case, it's a proposed 32,000-seat ballpark in nearby Fremont.
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Reds score with amenities, attendance, media fees
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The ownership rule of Bob Castellini has not only improved the Cincinnati Reds' on-field performance, it's improved the financial results, too. The Reds were the seventh-most profitable team in Major League Baseball last year, despite playing in one of its smaller markets. The club netted $22.4 million in operating income last year, according to Forbes magazine's annual estimate of Major League Baseball teams' financial results. That's up 22 percent from last year's $18 million figure and is just $1 million shy of the highest level since at least 1998, Forbes said.

High cost delays Ole Miss ballpark
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Ole Miss' plan to kick off the 2008 baseball season in an expanded and renovated ballpark will not become a reality. After meeting with university representatives and architects late last week, Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone said it's clear the original timeframe for the project will not be met. The snag came last month when Ole Miss received bids from construction companies interested in renovating and expanding the ballpark. Instead of the $10 to $12 million estimated by the Jackson-based architecture firm Cooke Douglass Farr Lemons, construction companies placed bids for $18 million. Boone and the architects will spend the next few months to find ways to drive down the cost.

Ballpark Notes
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The Sioux Falls Canaries (independent; American Association) will honor their former public address announcer, Dan Christopherson, with a fundraiser in his memory to assist the Megan’s Fund for Children’s Books on Thursday, May 31. The Canaries will team up with local businesses to create a fan-a-thon for the evening. For each fan in attendance at the May 31 game, the Canaries and local partners will donate money to the Megan’s Fund for Children’s Books. With two and a half weeks to go in fundraising efforts, the Canaries have already raised $2.50 per fan. Local businesses can contact the Canaries to make their pledge. The team will accept both per fan pledges, as well as, traditional donations.

Ballpark referendum passes in Grand Prairie
Posted May 13, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Voters approved a proposition late Saturday which would allow the city to levy a one-eighth-cent sales tax to pay for a ballpark for an independent American Association team that could cost $16 million. With all precincts reporting, 54 percent of the vote was for Proposition 2; 46 percent was against it, according to unofficial results. The Texas Rangers oppose the 6,000-seat ballpark, which is to be built between Lone Star Park and Nokia Theatre, about seven miles east of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. A petition signed by more than 5,000 people opposing the proposed ballpark was presented to the City Council this month. We're not entirely sure the Rangers were necessarily interested in protecting Rangers Ballpark in Arlington so much as a potential Class AAA ballpark in downtown Dallas; we've reported on the past that the owners of the Tacoma Rainiers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), Schlegel Sports -- who have deep Texas roots and some ties to the Rangers -- have looked at a downtown Dallas ballpark. In fact, the group has consulted about selling the Rainiers, buying another PCL team (probably the Tucson Sidewinders) and then setting up shop in a new downtown Dallas ballpark, all done in conjunction with the Rangers as part of a larger real-estate venture. The Rangers ownership has a history of doing this sort of thing -- witness the Frisco RoughRiders (Class AA; Texas League).
    RELATED STORIES: Minor-league ballpark debate continues in Grand Prairie; In Grand Prairie election, it's what's outside that matters; Rangers donate to anti-ballpark group; Tax plan to fund Grand Prairie ballpark is debated; Rangers oppose Grand Prairie ballpark; Grand Prairie to hold "name the team" contest; Plans for new Grand Prairie ballpark unveiled; American Association expands to Grand Prairie

Another baseball contender in Fort Collins: the American Association
Posted May 13, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
We have a third contender seeking to bring baseball to Fort Collins, Col.: the independent American Association in the form of National Sports Services (NSS), who wants to bring a team to Larimer County's fairgrounds complex -- known as the Ranch -- by 2009. Larimer County commissioners are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding Tuesday with NSS that would allow both parties to explore building a ballpark on the fairgrounds complex. The Budweiser Events Center at the fairgrounds already hosts CHL hockey and AFL2 arena football. At first glance, this doesn't seem like a good fit: county officials are upfront about wanting to host rodeo at the venue, and apart from the ballpark that hosts the occasional rodeo (like CONSOL Enegy Park), there's no venue consistently holding both kinds of events, and you'd need to have a ballpark with rock-hard artificial turf and movable bleachers. NSS has been working on a Commerce City ballpark as well, but so far nothing has been submitted to league officials.
    RELATED STORIES: Ballpark battle beginning in Fort Collins?;  Foxes still seeking location for their new 'Den'