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Archives: May 6-12, 2007

Yankees, Mets won't sell seat licenses; ballpark funds in place
Posted May 11, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
New York's two Major League Baseball teams won't sell licenses to fans who want to buy season tickets at their new ballparks because they have already secured financing and don't want the fan backlash. Yankees President Randy Levine and Mets Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon said in separate interviews that their clubs won't join at least 17 other major U.S. sports franchises in selling personal seat licenses when their new ballparks open in 2009. The licenses require fans to pay a one-time fee for the right to buy season tickets. The two New York teams raised a combined $1.6 billion in taxable and tax-free municipal bonds that will be repaid with ballpark revenue. This is a smart move by both teams: they're already being criticized by fans anticipating hikes in ticket prices, and adding a PSL fee to the mix would surely alienate a large part of both team's fan base. Here's a look at the new Yankee Stadium; here's a look at Citi Field.
    RELATED STORIES: Whole new ballgame; Willets Point's last man standing defiantly; Naming rights are all about the money; Boro buzzes with talk of new Mets ballpark; Mets break ground on new ballpark; New Mets ballpark to be called CitiField; Yankees, Mets bond sales set, both teams rated junk; Bronx group goes to court vs. new Yankee Stadium; New York City receives IRS approval on ballpark bonds; New York Agency approves ballpark financing for Yankees, Mets; MTA pressed to create shortcut to Shea; Is Steinbrenner house, which Ruth built, poor?; NY City Council easily passes Yankees, Mets ballpark bonding bills; Squeeze play on Mets ballpark; Mets: Forget about naming new park after Jackie Robinson; New Mets ballpark deal is stalled; Squeeze play on the Mets; Strike one for new Mets ballpark; Mets park's name will fetch millions; Mets unveil plans for new ballpark; Yankees, Mets closer to new ballparks; City goes to bat for Yankees, Mets ballparks; State agency approves plans for Yankees, Mets ballparks; Ebbets' echoes in Queens; At Mets' park, you'll think you're in...Pittsburgh?; State agency approves plans for Yankees, Mets ballparks; Mets to go old school in new park

Frontier, Northern League merger talks underway?
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According to Rockford RiverHawks owner Dave Ciarrachi, the independent Northern and Frontier leagues have had preliminary discussions about merging and he hopes some action could be taken in the next 12 to 24 months. Northern League Commissioner Clark Griffith and Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee didn't comment for the Rockford Register Star story, which extensively looked at what each league would need to do in order to merge (the Frontier League would probably raise the maximum age of a player; the Northern League may have to make some concessions with travel money). A merger also doesn't address one of the big issues with the Northern League: the Fargo-Moorhead, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary franchises would still be located quite a ways from the nearest team in the league -- Kansas City is some 600 miles from Fargo.

In a blink, hitter's eye examined at Busch Stadium
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Darryl Hamilton walked around the field Wednesday taking snapshots. Major League Baseball's senior specialist of on-field operations wasn't picturing a change in MLB's stance on instant replay, but said there will be adjustments to the hitter's background at Busch Stadium. The black hitter's eye in center field doubles as a high-tech electronic billboard that switches to ads between innings. Problem is, you can see the white writing of "Edward Jones" through the black during at-bats, akin to house blinds allowing a sliver of sunshine.

A's sign contracts for land in Fremont to build new ballpark
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The Oakland A's have signed contracts to buy a crucial swath of land for a proposed ballpark and retail, housing and hotel development in Fremont, the team said Thursday. Lew Wolff, the A's managing partner, called the deal a "critical milestone'' in the team's plan to migrate 25 miles down the Nimitz Freeway. With the land in hand, he said, he will soon submit an application to the city for a roughly 32,000-seat ballpark, surrounded by housing and high-end commercial development. Once Wolff does that, Fremont can start a permit approval process that the A's hope ends with a new ballpark being opened within five years. Wolff did not disclose the purchase price for the land, 181 acres on two parcels west of Interstate 880 off Auto Mall Parkway. In all, the A's now control 226 acres in Fremont, the Bay Area's fourth-most-populous city with 210,000 people. More from the Tri-Valley Herald.
    RELATED STORIES: Entitlements key in funding Cisco Field; Study: A's ballpark worth $109 million to economy; Toxic hazard creates bump in road to new A's ballpark; A's tout Cisco Field in ticket mailer; Will global warming swamp AT&T Park, new A's ballpark?; A's owner not sweating lack of BART at Fremont ballpark site; A's owner raises more questions than answers; Wolff seeks tax rebate for new ballpark village; Oakland A's owner buys office park near proposed Fremont ballpark; Fremont, A's continue talks for new ballpark; If Selig's coming, A's must be going; Wolff ready to go public on ballpark; Cisco blending tech and baseball; Records show evolving talks between A's, Fremont; Are the A's worth it to Fremont's neighbors?; More meetings with A's slated after new year; Fremont kicks off negotiations with the A's; A's detail Fremont plans down to the letter; San Jose still ponders illusory ballpark; Transit teams try to solve Cisco Field 'challenges'; A's Fremont ballpark must field host of hurdles; A's plan $400 million to $500 million ballpark village in Fremont; New A's ballpark would boast heavy Cisco tech; The next big thing: the San Jose A's?; A's ready to pull trigger on new Fremont ballpark; Oakland City Council grants A's extension; A's could move away; A's owner Wolff buys prospective ballpark land in Fremont; Fremont looking more and more like future home of Oakland A's; A's not ready to slide out of Oakland yet; A's pass on longer lease for McAfee Coliseum; Owner gives up on moving A's to San Jose; A's to decide ballpark fate by end of season; Fremont's attempt to lure A's running into obstacles; 'Let's plan for A's move,' Coliseum agency told; San Jose voters jeer ballpark plan; Wolff wants to keep A's in Bay Area; A's, Fremont near deal; A's must stay, Oakland mayor candidates say; A's close to deal for Fremont ballpark, officials say; Rumors trail A's search for new ballpark; A's owner in Fremont for meetings; Wolff says there's land for new A's ballpark in Fremont; A's officials confirm interest in new Fremont ballpark; A's take long look at Fremont ballpark site; The San Jose A's of Fremont?; San Jose will buy land for A's ballpark; Will smaller mean better for the A's?; A's committed to intimate 34,000 park in '06; A's owner's new plan for ballpark; Talks for new A's ballpark sputter; Soccer stadium throws curve at San Jose baseball plan; A's ownership group wants to buy MLS expansion team for San Jose; Athletics denied 3-year Coliseum lease extension; A's ballpark: 'Baseball Village' in the vision stage; Planning ahead to get A's to San Jose; San Jose buys first parcel of land for ballpark; Land acquisition for San Jose ballpark may cost $100 million; San Jose goes to bat for ballpark property; Fremont will consider a pitch for A's; Wolff on the hunt for more A's fans, new ballpark; Oakland ballpark village plan designed to win allies, public funds; Wolff's vision of ballpark raises questions; Wolff unveils plans for 35,000-seat ballpark near Coliseum; A's owner to offer specific ballpark plan to keep team in Oakland; Have A's settled on new ballpark site?; Smallball suits Lew Wolff just fine; A's think small with stadium plans; Fremont politicians make a pitch for A's; A's say Coliseum lot isn't feasible; Athletics announce committee to plan new Oakland ballpark; Another San Jose site eyed for baseball; The time has come for new A's ballpark; No specifics on new Oakland ballpark, but plans in the works; San Jose quits discussions on cannery; Wolff about to take over; Going to bat for A's is big opportunity for San Jose mayor; Wolff: A's ballpark already in works; Deal near for San Jose cannery site; For A's, way to San Jose paved with uncertainty; San Jose baseball crusader makes his pitch; A's sale could happen quickly; Sale of A's to heighten San Jose intrigue; BART to the ballpark, what a vision; Another San Jose pitch for baseball; San Jose mayor makes his pitch; Q&A with A's new owner Lew Wolff

Miami Stadium: Field of broken dreams
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Cuban millionaire José Manuel Alemán believed that building a new ballpark in 1950s Miami would lure major-league baseball to the city. And he was willing to stake his personal fortune on it. Alemán was dead wrong. Billed as the most ''significant ballpark built since Yankee Stadium,'' Miami Stadium never lived up to its hype following Opening Day in 1949. Today, 60 years since the original plan for the state-of-the-art ballpark was unveiled, the tragic history of the ballpark and its father-and-son owners is being revived in a documentary, White Elephant: What's There to Save?. It premieres Saturday night at Little Havana's Tower Theater in Miami.

Union rejects Mitchell's request for medical records
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The baseball players' union rebuffed a request from Sen. George Mitchell's staff to submit anonymous medical records to his steroids probe, according to several lawyers familiar with the negotiations. Mitchell's staff, which has been investigating steroids in baseball for more than a year, has been seeking medical records for several months. The union has not agreed to a request for anonymous records because players fear Mitchell's staff would use information in them -- such as age, height, weight and blood type -- to connect the records to specific players, the lawyers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the talks. Meanwhile, there's other disturbing news on the drug front: major league baseball players are continuing to pop amphetamines and other banned stimulants despite the introduction of testing last year, according to a report from the World Anti-Doping Agency.
    RELATED STORIES: Sosa and Palmeiro cited in steroid investigation

Dragons stay in touch with fans on waiting list
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In February 2000, as Fifth Third Field was nearing its completion on First Street and the Dayton Dragons (Low Class A; Midwest League) seemed more a reality than ever, the team sold its final season ticket package. Then one day, the Dragons employee assigned in the makeshift office across from the ballpark to take ticket orders suggested establishing a waiting list for season tickets. That list goes strong today. But because about 95 percent of their 5,000 season-ticket accounts renew each season, not many extra fans or businesses can purchase tickets each year. The logjam of interest -- there are 6,634 names on the waiting list -- has created a very desirable problem for the Dragons, who have sold out 514 straight home games.

Latin food at Yankee Stadium. Now, how about that!
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In our Complete Guide to Big League Ballparks we noted the relative lack of Latin food offerings at Yankee Stadium, a curious omission for a New York City team. That shortcoming has been addressed this season, as the normal concession items -- hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken fingers, fries, pork fried rice, peanuts and even sushi and baked ziti -- has some spicy new additions. They read like the day’s specials at a Washington Heights restaurant: ground beef or cheese empanadas; chicken in salsa with sweet plantains, rice and beans; Cuban sandwiches with plantain chips; and papas rellenas, or fried stuffed potatoes.

Minor-league ballpark debate continues in Grand Prairie
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Opposition to a proposed minor-league ballpark in Grand Prairie, Texas got a little more vocal recently, when a group against the park gave the city council a 5,000-name petition as a show of strength. But ballpark proponents think the petition is misleading and have mounted a phone bank counter-offensive. Katy Hubener, the spokesperson for “Citizens Against the Ballpark and For Property Tax Relief,” brought the stack of petitions to the city council on May 1. She told the council that her group planned to collect more leading up to election day and later confirmed that it had sent out a mail flier with a petition component. Tomorrow voters will to go to the polls to vote on a proposal to fund a new ballpark for an independent American Association team via a one-eight-cent sales tax.
    RELATED STORIES: 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

Act of patriotism? Fans forced to stand still during anthem at Yankee Stadium
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Lots of Yankees news today. The most patriotic moments at Yankee Stadium can also be the most confining. Seconds before "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" are played, police officers, security guards and ushers turn their backs to the American flag in center field, stare at fans moving through the stands and ask them to stop. Across the ballpark's lower section, ushers stand every 20 feet to block the main aisle with chains. Some say the move is unduly restrictive and that the Yankees should stop the practice, but we're unlikely to see anything more than complaints unless a fan is actually arrested or detained for moving around.

Stingers to fly away from Spartanburg to Forest City after this summer season
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Fifty-six more games -- and the Spartanburg Stingers (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League) will be no more. The Stingers next year will find a permanent home in Forest City, N.C., complete with a new name, a new ballpark and new faces filling the stands. It's a loss to Spartanburg's 80-year-old Duncan Park Stadium, which has seen all levels of baseball grace its diamond over time. The Stingers played there for four years. But with the stadium now closed, the team will play the 2007 season at Wofford College, including 28 home games and 28 away. The Stingers, city leaders and the college were able to broker a one-year lease to make that happen. Forest City is planning up to $2 million in renovations to its American Legion field -- which, from now on, will be known as the McNair Municipal Stadium, as much of the funding for the renovation came from a gift from Bob McNair, owner of the Houston Texans (NFL). A return of the Stingers was seen as part of the potential Duncan Park Stadium renovations, but a group working toward its renovation says it's been in contact with other leagues, and we're guessing they've received some encouragement from the independent South Coast League.

Pro ball returns to city
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The independent Northern League finally dug its cleats into Saskatoon Thursday after years of whispered talk and sidelong glances. The preseason clash between the Calgary Vipers and Edmonton Cracker-Cats, which finished with a 5-5 tie, drew a crowd in the 2,500 to 3,000 range. Cracker-Cats' general manager Al Coates surveyed the scene and an old ballpark he said wasn't as bad as he'd thought, and proclaimed himself ready to return next season. The Cracker-Cats are being kicked out of their park for two weeks next season when the world junior baseball championships hit Edmonton in late July. Coates said there's a good chance they'll make Saskatoon their home base during that span.
    RELATED STORIES: Pitching in to sell pro ball

Nationals' transition extends off field
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Last July, when Major League Baseball was officially turning over the Washington Nationals to the family of Bethesda real estate giant Theodore N. Lerner, the incoming president of the club, Stan Kasten, was going over the plan he thought would best serve the building of the team. It involved slashing payroll in the upcoming offseason, stripping the roster before it was completely restructured. He wanted his new owners to understand the public's most likely reaction. As the Lerners approach the 10-month anniversary of their official takeover, the adjustments are ongoing both on and off the field. The Lerners have gone from owning businesses whose operations were essentially out of the public spotlight to taking on a franchise that Ted Lerner's son Mark -- one of the Nationals' four principal owners -- called "a public trust."

Saints on your speed dial?
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Can't make Mascot Mania day at the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) baseball game next week? Just whip out your BlackBerry and you'll be transported to Midway Stadium. The minor-league Saints, known for some of the zaniest promotions in sports, now hope to be on the leading edge of technology by partnering with B2 Networks to sign up fans to view games online or via their cell phones for $6.95 a month. The Saints plan to webcast the complete Midway experience, pig included. But how many people care enough about the game to pay $6.95 a month to watch it out of the park? The move comes after the Saints drastically scaled back their TV broadcasts this season. Then again, maybe there are a lot of fans ready to pay for game broadcasts. The Boise Hawks (short season; Northwest League) are offering the chance to listen to game broadcasts via cell phone for $5 for a game.

Pelicans at play
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Speaking of the American Association: the circuit began its season last night. We noted a crowd of over 3,000 for the Pensacola Pelicans season opener -- a pretty good crowd for that market and venue. The team gets some good support from the local newspaper; here a columnist describes the many reasons why fans should go to a Pelicans game -- free stuff is great, but we're not sure about the Chicken Dance.

The way it was in ’43 at the old ballparks
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Here's a first-person account of hawking beer and hot dogs at Municipal Stadium for Cleveland Indians games in 1943. The author, Arnold Miller, was 12 at the time, and even though hawkers were supposed to be 18 years old to sell beer, wartime meant there was a shortage of young men available, so even the 12-year-olds got a shot at beer sales. With a good crowd a hawker could make $15 a game -- which was pretty good money in those days.

Entitlements key in funding Cisco Field
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Land entitlements and tax increment financing will be key in paying for Cisco Field, the proposed  and its massive surrounding development, Lew Wolff said the day after releasing an economic report on the proposed ballpark village. Entitlements from the city of Fremont -- such as making the industrial land by the Pacific Commons shopping center more valuable by rezoning it to housing and commercial uses -- "can be a type of currency," Wolff said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters.  When reached for comment Wednesday, several city officials said they were still studying the report, which was not released to them until after 7 p.m. Tuesday. Really, all of this is a trial balloon; the city and the A's can't even begin real negotiations until a development application or formal plan is presented to officials, and that's a few months away at the earliest, according to Wolff.
    RELATED STORIES: Study: A's ballpark worth $109 million to economy; Toxic hazard creates bump in road to new A's ballpark; A's tout Cisco Field in ticket mailer; Will global warming swamp AT&T Park, new A's ballpark?; A's owner not sweating lack of BART at Fremont ballpark site; A's owner raises more questions than answers; Wolff seeks tax rebate for new ballpark village; Oakland A's owner buys office park near proposed Fremont ballpark; Fremont, A's continue talks for new ballpark; If Selig's coming, A's must be going; Wolff ready to go public on ballpark; Cisco blending tech and baseball; Records show evolving talks between A's, Fremont; Are the A's worth it to Fremont's neighbors?; More meetings with A's slated after new year; Fremont kicks off negotiations with the A's; A's detail Fremont plans down to the letter; San Jose still ponders illusory ballpark; Transit teams try to solve Cisco Field 'challenges'; A's Fremont ballpark must field host of hurdles; A's plan $400 million to $500 million ballpark village in Fremont; New A's ballpark would boast heavy Cisco tech; The next big thing: the San Jose A's?; A's ready to pull trigger on new Fremont ballpark; Oakland City Council grants A's extension; A's could move away; A's owner Wolff buys prospective ballpark land in Fremont; Fremont looking more and more like future home of Oakland A's; A's not ready to slide out of Oakland yet; A's pass on longer lease for McAfee Coliseum; Owner gives up on moving A's to San Jose; A's to decide ballpark fate by end of season; Fremont's attempt to lure A's running into obstacles; 'Let's plan for A's move,' Coliseum agency told; San Jose voters jeer ballpark plan; Wolff wants to keep A's in Bay Area; A's, Fremont near deal; A's must stay, Oakland mayor candidates say; A's close to deal for Fremont ballpark, officials say; Rumors trail A's search for new ballpark; A's owner in Fremont for meetings; Wolff says there's land for new A's ballpark in Fremont; A's officials confirm interest in new Fremont ballpark; A's take long look at Fremont ballpark site; The San Jose A's of Fremont?; San Jose will buy land for A's ballpark; Will smaller mean better for the A's?; A's committed to intimate 34,000 park in '06; A's owner's new plan for ballpark; Talks for new A's ballpark sputter; Soccer stadium throws curve at San Jose baseball plan; A's ownership group wants to buy MLS expansion team for San Jose; Athletics denied 3-year Coliseum lease extension; A's ballpark: 'Baseball Village' in the vision stage; Planning ahead to get A's to San Jose; San Jose buys first parcel of land for ballpark; Land acquisition for San Jose ballpark may cost $100 million; San Jose goes to bat for ballpark property; Fremont will consider a pitch for A's; Wolff on the hunt for more A's fans, new ballpark; Oakland ballpark village plan designed to win allies, public funds; Wolff's vision of ballpark raises questions; Wolff unveils plans for 35,000-seat ballpark near Coliseum; A's owner to offer specific ballpark plan to keep team in Oakland; Have A's settled on new ballpark site?; Smallball suits Lew Wolff just fine; A's think small with stadium plans; Fremont politicians make a pitch for A's; A's say Coliseum lot isn't feasible; Athletics announce committee to plan new Oakland ballpark; Another San Jose site eyed for baseball; The time has come for new A's ballpark; No specifics on new Oakland ballpark, but plans in the works; San Jose quits discussions on cannery; Wolff about to take over; Going to bat for A's is big opportunity for San Jose mayor; Wolff: A's ballpark already in works; Deal near for San Jose cannery site; For A's, way to San Jose paved with uncertainty; San Jose baseball crusader makes his pitch; A's sale could happen quickly; Sale of A's to heighten San Jose intrigue; BART to the ballpark, what a vision; Another San Jose pitch for baseball; San Jose mayor makes his pitch; Q&A with A's new owner Lew Wolff

Ballpark battle beginning in Fort Collins?
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No wonder Kurt Colicchio, the owner of the Fort Collins Foxes (summer collegiate; Mountain Collegiate Baseball League), was in a hurry to announce a new ballpark: there's a competing plan for a downtown $3-million, 4,000-seat ballpark that could conceivably bring minor-league baseball (in the form of the independent American Association, we suspect) to the city. Mike Jensen, a former first baseman for the U.S. national team, is now a downtown developer, and he's pushing the notion of a downtown ballpark. Both Colicchio and Jensen say there's room in the market for one ballpark, and whoever gets a plan in place first will likely freeze out the competition. A Fort Collins team wouldn't be located in the smallest city in the American Association -- that honor would still belong to the St. Joe Blacksnakes -- and it would make a good travel partner with a new Brighton ballpark in the works.
    RELATED STORIES: Foxes still seeking location for their new 'Den'

Let's play fantasy ballpark in Tampa Bay
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Now that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays ownership has raised the issue of a new ballpark, it's time for the media to take that issue and run with it. This article addresses the issue of a new ballpark and under what circumstances would necessary before voters approved any sort of funding or financing: the D-Rays would need to come to the table with a reasonable financial request, continue working toward a winning team (which is happening) and request a suitable location. We'd add another condition: that the team continue its record of good customer service, evidenced in recent years with a cleaning and upgrading of Tropicana Field as well as little things like free parking. In terms of location: downtown St. Pete nearer the waterfront would be a great location -- say, on the current Al Lang Field site -- but Hillsborough County may also be a possibility. Still, the likelihood of something happening is small: the city still owed over $100 million on the ballpark, and the D-Rays have a firm lease running though 2027. Owner Stuart Sternberg is giving some mixed signals about whether the team needs a ballpark, however.
    RELATED STORIES: Talk of a new D-Rays ballpark begins

Manatees fire media director
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In late November, Scott Pinner came to the Brevard County Manatees (High Class A; Florida State League) with talent, experience and an ambition to thrive as the team's director of media relations. Less than six months later, he departed at the insistence of his employer. The North Merritt Island resident was fired on Wednesday morning in what Manatees president Charlie Baumann said was professionally "one of the most difficult things I've had to do."

Brewers won't enact clubhouse beer ban
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Several teams are considering a ban on beer in the clubhouse, but the Milwaukee Brewers won't be joining them. The Brewers said Wednesday they will continue to allow beer in their Miller Park clubhouse during home and away games. Pitcher Chris Capuano, the Brewers' representative to the players association, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that the decision was consistent with the way the club treats its players. Also undoubtedly a factor: Miller Brewing supplies the beer for free to the clubhouse and is a major sponsor of the team. The White Sox say they won't ban beer, either.

New statue outside Wrigley? Take it to the Banks
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Few people would argue Ernie Banks remains the Chicago Cubs' most renowned living legend, viewed nationally as an ardent ambassador for the Cubs and Major League Baseball in general. A movement is afoot to have the Cubs organization erect a statue of the affable Hall of Famer, who is 76. Cubs President John McDonough says  plans are in the works for a Banks statue outside Wrigley Field, though no formal timetable is in place -- it will probably have to wait until the sale of the team is completed.

In Grand Prairie election, it's what's outside that matters
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Voters in Grand Prairie, Texas will go to the polls Saturday to vote on whether to use the proceeds of a one-eighth-cent sales tax to fund a new ballpark for an independent American Association team. O.K. Carter says voter turnout is expected to be pretty high, with expectations growing every day. One factor: some locals aren't pleased that the Texas Rangers are lobbying against the public funding.
    RELATED STORIES: 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

Diamondbacks' new marketing strategy: Less is more money
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Three years ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks organization was in a slump. The team lost 111 games and still was nursing a financial hangover from the pricey veteran roster that delivered a World Series victory in 2001. Since then, they've revamped their plans both on and off the field. Faced with flat sponsorship revenue, the team has stepped up efforts to recruit and retain corporate sponsors through such means as dressing up the ballpark and schmoozing with company executives. That new approach was on display Friday at the team's inaugural business-to-business summit that allowed chief executives and other corporate decision-makers to mingle with team executives and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who delivered a keynote speech.

Sports team investing 101
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Whether a baseball team is a good investment is up to the people buying and running the teams, but there's no doubt the profit margins can be pretty good. Still, this article from Esquire makes it sound like you can just walk up and buy the team of your choice -- and we all know that's not true.

Pirates stick to business blueprint
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Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting says the team will stick with the current payroll level -- around $38.6 million, which does not included bonuses, deferred payments, buyouts and such -- even though $50 million is budgeted. The Pirates are already losing ground in their division, nine games behind the Brewers. Now, you can look at this several ways. The Pirates are trying to win by building a system, the same way the Brewers, Indians and the Diamondbacks did. Buying talent is always a crapshoot, and generally speaking it's very hard to build a team around bought talent unless you're the Mets or the Red Sox. Meanwhile, Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner says the team will break the bank open to sign free agents when the team moves into a new ballpark next season.

The battle for Harlingen Field
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The Harlingen school district and the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings (independent; United League Baseball) are battling over control of the Harlingen Field. Both sides scheduled games at the same time tonight and Saturday. The Hawks need the ballpark for Game 1 and, possibly, Game 3 of their area-round playoff series against Sharyland. Meanwhile, the Wings need the field for the final game of their three-game series versus Amarillo and when they host Alexandria. Neither side sounds like they're backing down, and their leases with the city don't give either any preferential treatment.

Home of the Braves?
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The Boston Phoenix asks the brave question: did the right team leave town when the National League's Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee? Oldtimers in Boston who remember the Braves say so, but we're not so sure: the Red Sox have emerged as the darling of New England, and the Braves were pretty successful playing in Milwaukee. (Indeed, with a better management, the team probably could have done well enough in County Stadium to survive.) The Braves aren't as forgotten as this article would indicate; both the Brewers and the Atlanta Braves pay homage to the Boston Braves/Bees in their current ballparks.

Ballpark Notes
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KWKH (1130 AM) will be the new radio home for the Shreveport Sports (independent; American Association) in 2007. Starting with the Thursday night season opener at Fort Worth, KWKH will air 80 Shreveport Sports games this season. Games not carried on KWKH will be aired on the internet at shreveportsports.com. For the fifth consecutive year, Dave Nitz will be calling the play-by-play of Sports baseball. Nitz, who also broadcast for Louisiana Tech, is in his 19th year of broadcasting baseball in Shreveport, starting with the Captains in 1986....

Talk of a new D-Rays ballpark begins
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There was a time, D-Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said, when talk of a new ballpark for his Tampa Bay Devil Rays was not permitted at Tropicana Field. Of all the items on his to-do list -- and there were many -- a replacement for Tropicana Field was at the bottom when Sternberg took control of the franchise in October 2005. Since then Sternberg pumped nearly $18 million in stadium renovations, signed off on the relocation of the team's spring training site to Port Charlotte and approved moving next week's three-game series with the Texas Rangers from Tropicana Field to The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Now, it's OK to talk about a new ballpark around Sternberg, as he and the front office has concluded Tropicana Field has a shelf life of only five more years. To say the D-Rays have put a ton of work into improving Tropicana Field is an understatement -- for what it is, it's not bad -- but surely the team would draw better in a new state-of-the-art retractable-roof ballpark. More from the St. Petersburg Times and The New York Times.

Sosa and Palmeiro cited in steroid investigation
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The New York Times is reporting that the medical records of Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro have been requested by investigators working with George Mitchell on his look at possible steroid abuse in Major League Baseball. The investigators in the inquiry have also asked the Baltimore Orioles to send medical files to Jason Grimsley, David Segui and Fernando Tatis, a baseball official said. The players will then be asked to authorize their release to Mitchell, although they are believed to be unlikely to do so. Other players under Mitchell’s scrutiny have not been publicly identified, although people who have been briefed on the development said that the full list included players expected and unexpected, and that it excluded some players who might have been expected to be on the list of steroid suspects.

Stars' owner: Attendance a concern
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Despite small crowds, owner Miles Prentice says he has no plans to move the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League). Only 918 fans were at Joe Davis Stadium on Tuesday night for the Huntsville Stars-Mobile BayBears game. Sprinkled among them were four members of the team's ownership group, including Prentice. The meager numbers -- nine of the 17 home dates have had triple-digit attendance figures -- are "absolutely" a concern for Prentice, who bought the club in the fall of 2001 from a group of local owners. Rumors about the availability of the Stars have been swirling for at least two years, and attendance figures like these certainly won't quiet them down.

Study: A's ballpark worth $109 million to economy
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Oakland A's managing owner Lew Wolff released the first projections Tuesday night on the economic value of his proposed Cisco Field and adjoining ballpark village, saying the development would "generate very significant incremental benefits to the city of Fremont and Alameda County." The study commissioned by the A's and produced by San Francisco-based Economics Research Associates concludes the ballpark and associated development would inject $109 million annually countywide into the economy. The total "economic output," which also calculates the value of dollars as they recirculate in the economy, would be $191 million. The report, hand-delivered at a Fremont City Council meeting, did not break out figures for Fremont alone. It's in the southwest part of the city that Wolff wants to build a 32,000-seat ballpark, 2,900 townhomes, a 100-room hotel and 550,000 square feet of new retail space. More from the Oakland Tribune.
    RELATED STORIES: Toxic hazard creates bump in road to new A's ballpark; A's tout Cisco Field in ticket mailer; Will global warming swamp AT&T Park, new A's ballpark?; A's owner not sweating lack of BART at Fremont ballpark site; A's owner raises more questions than answers; Wolff seeks tax rebate for new ballpark village; Oakland A's owner buys office park near proposed Fremont ballpark; Fremont, A's continue talks for new ballpark; If Selig's coming, A's must be going; Wolff ready to go public on ballpark; Cisco blending tech and baseball; Records show evolving talks between A's, Fremont; Are the A's worth it to Fremont's neighbors?; More meetings with A's slated after new year; Fremont kicks off negotiations with the A's; A's detail Fremont plans down to the letter; San Jose still ponders illusory ballpark; Transit teams try to solve Cisco Field 'challenges'; A's Fremont ballpark must field host of hurdles; A's plan $400 million to $500 million ballpark village in Fremont; New A's ballpark would boast heavy Cisco tech; The next big thing: the San Jose A's?; A's ready to pull trigger on new Fremont ballpark; Oakland City Council grants A's extension; A's could move away; A's owner Wolff buys prospective ballpark land in Fremont; Fremont looking more and more like future home of Oakland A's; A's not ready to slide out of Oakland yet; A's pass on longer lease for McAfee Coliseum; Owner gives up on moving A's to San Jose; A's to decide ballpark fate by end of season; Fremont's attempt to lure A's running into obstacles; 'Let's plan for A's move,' Coliseum agency told; San Jose voters jeer ballpark plan; Wolff wants to keep A's in Bay Area; A's, Fremont near deal; A's must stay, Oakland mayor candidates say; A's close to deal for Fremont ballpark, officials say; Rumors trail A's search for new ballpark; A's owner in Fremont for meetings; Wolff says there's land for new A's ballpark in Fremont; A's officials confirm interest in new Fremont ballpark; A's take long look at Fremont ballpark site; The San Jose A's of Fremont?; San Jose will buy land for A's ballpark; Will smaller mean better for the A's?; A's committed to intimate 34,000 park in '06; A's owner's new plan for ballpark; Talks for new A's ballpark sputter; Soccer stadium throws curve at San Jose baseball plan; A's ownership group wants to buy MLS expansion team for San Jose; Athletics denied 3-year Coliseum lease extension; A's ballpark: 'Baseball Village' in the vision stage; Planning ahead to get A's to San Jose; San Jose buys first parcel of land for ballpark; Land acquisition for San Jose ballpark may cost $100 million; San Jose goes to bat for ballpark property; Fremont will consider a pitch for A's; Wolff on the hunt for more A's fans, new ballpark; Oakland ballpark village plan designed to win allies, public funds; Wolff's vision of ballpark raises questions; Wolff unveils plans for 35,000-seat ballpark near Coliseum; A's owner to offer specific ballpark plan to keep team in Oakland; Have A's settled on new ballpark site?; Smallball suits Lew Wolff just fine; A's think small with stadium plans; Fremont politicians make a pitch for A's; A's say Coliseum lot isn't feasible; Athletics announce committee to plan new Oakland ballpark; Another San Jose site eyed for baseball; The time has come for new A's ballpark; No specifics on new Oakland ballpark, but plans in the works; San Jose quits discussions on cannery; Wolff about to take over; Going to bat for A's is big opportunity for San Jose mayor; Wolff: A's ballpark already in works; Deal near for San Jose cannery site; For A's, way to San Jose paved with uncertainty; San Jose baseball crusader makes his pitch; A's sale could happen quickly; Sale of A's to heighten San Jose intrigue; BART to the ballpark, what a vision; Another San Jose pitch for baseball; San Jose mayor makes his pitch; Q&A with A's new owner Lew Wolff

Schools agree to role in land swap for baseball
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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board Tuesday approved its part of a land swap that enable a new ballpark for the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) uptown and boost development in the Second Ward area. The board voted 6-3 to give up the district's headquarters in Second Ward in exchange for offices in the nearby Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center and $13.8 million to acquire additional space. The board's three Republicans, Kaye McGarry, Ken Gjertsen and Larry Gauvreau, opposed the deal, all giving different reasons. The land swap eventually will lead to the Knights building a privately financed ballpark, if all goes right.
    RELATED STORIES: 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

Milwaukee kicks ass on, off the field
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The Milwaukee Brewers lead the way in unusual promotions this season, as the team offered free prostate examinations before last night's game at Miller Park. The offer: fans signing up for the exam received two free tickets to a future Brewers game. Now, we all know how important a healthy prostate is, and we commend the team for this promotion (made all the sweeter with a 6-4 win over the hapless Washington Nationals). Still, you can all insert your own jokes about this combo -- you really do need to suffer a little to be a Brewers fan, etc.

Plans for ballpark in Grand Prairie
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More on the proposal to use a one-eighth sales tax to fund a new ballpark for an independent American Association team. The matter will be before voters this weekend. Proponents say cheaper family-oriented entertainment will be welcome in the Dallas suburb; opponents say the 6,000-seat ballpark is a waste of money. It does seem like a pretty sweetheart deal, with the sales tax funding all ballpark construction.
    RELATED STORIES: 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

Foxes still seeking location for their new 'Den'
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Kurt Colicchio, owner of the Fort Collins Foxes (summer collegiate; Mountain Collegiate Baseball League), has financing and a builder in place for a new ballpark for his team. Now, all he needs is a site. Colicchio said Tuesday at a news conference to announce plans for a new ballpark that, while he wants to have a ballpark in place for the 2008 season, he has yet to secure land necessary for the project. The ballpark will have a seating capacity of 2,000, with 750 of those bleacher seats and the remaining on grassy areas for beach chairs and blankets. Colicchio said the cost of the ballpark alone would be about $120,000. He estimated the cost of the land would be $60,000 and up.

Oakland now offers tickets via cell
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The Oakland A's are the latest team to offer paperless tickets via cellphone in conjunction with MLB AM's ticket service, tickets.com. When the ticket is purchased, it's then sent via multimedia text message. Team officials say it could cut down on lines at the ticket office -- and whether that's a problem at McAfee Coliseum is up for some debate -- but it also takes the paper out of the equation, and you can't scalp a paperless ticket.

Baseball in Brighton or anyone for the Bright 'n Shinies?
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Amid choruses of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," bags of peanuts and the Brighton High School baseball team, city leaders announced plans last week to bring an independent American Association team to the area by 2009. The city is teaming up with Venture Sports and Fran Zeuli, a Denver resident and cable television executive who wants to own the team, to form an independent squad of professional baseball players. No one at Wednesday’s unveiling attached a cost to the project. American Association Commissioner Miles Wolff said similar ballparks in other parts of the country cost between $15 million and $20 million. It sounds like Zeuli and crew will have the Denver suburbs to themselves; there apparently has been little work done on a proposed Commerce City ballpark in recent months.
    RELATED STORIES: Baseball may be hit in Brighton by '09

Pitching in to sell pro ball
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In a less lucid moment, Calgary Vipers ( independent; Northern League) pitcher Phil Sobkow pictured himself as a baseball magnate in Saskatoon -- running an independent Northern League team, in a beautiful new ballpark. But Sobkow, who starts on the mound Thursday during an Northern League exhibition game against the Edmonton Cracker-Cats at Saskatoon's Cairns Field, quickly adds he's not the man destined to bring pro baseball back into Saskatchewan. Saskatoon and the Northern League are making tentative first steps toward what may or may not be a long-term relationship with Thursday's date, which starts at 7:05 p.m. Organizers expect a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000.

Beer and baseball have a long history together
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The death of Josh Hancock last week while driving under the influence has caused MLB to reevaluate their policies regarding beer in the clubhouse -- the Yankees and the Cubs have now stopped the practice, while the D-Backs are re-evaluating it -- and it sounds like MLB will open the issue with the players' association. It's probably a good idea to drop the practice entirely, although with the number of teams already banning beer (the Padres did so 20 years ago, the Marlins two years ago), it may be a moot point by the end of the season.
    RELATED STORIES: Cops: Hancock drunk at time of accident; Drinking starts in the clubhouse; In memoriam: Josh Hancock

New food options a hit
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The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) are serving up a major-league menu at Mercer Waterfront Park with a lineup that expands each year. The team's combination of traditional foods, healthy choices and local favorites means a selection that is not typical ballpark food and is tops among minor-league ballparks, says Thunder spokesman Dan Loney. Those options include Thunder concession stands that sell fruit cups, Caesar and chef salads, hot dogs, fries, roast beef or chicken sandwiches and nachos. A "Kidcession" stand lets kids buy popcorn, a hot dog, juice, soda, milk or a soft pretzel for $1 per item. Familiar local eateries also have set up shop at the ballpark, giving the menu even more of a regional flavor. Those include crab fries from Chickie's & Pete's, a Philadelphia ballpark tradition that has an outlet in Bordentown.

Free statues for alderman called a foul
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This seems like overkill. North Little Rock’s mayor and aldermen can’t keep $160 crystal statuettes bought with public money to commemorate the city’s new ballpark unless the city is repaid, a city attorney’s opinion states. Mayor Patrick Hays used $3,817.50 from a $25,000 contingency fund within the mayor’s budget to buy the gifts as mementos of the April 12 opening of the $40.4 million Dickey-Stephens Park on Broadway.

Ballpark Notes
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Mike Wagenheim will be the voice of the Battle Creek Bombers (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) on WBFN Sports Radio 1400 AM during the team's inaugural season in 2007. Wagenheim, who previously served as the director of broadcasting and radio play-by-play for the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (Low Class A; Midwest League) the past two seasons, will call all sixty-eight Bombers regular season games on WBFN, The Fan. The Bombers begin their first season of play on May 31 at Brainerd, with the home opener slated for June 6....The Charlotte County Redfish (independent; South Coast League) and Clear Channel Radio Punta Gorda have signed a radio deal that will broadcast all 90 games of the 2007 Inaugural Season of Redfish Baseball on WKII 1070 AM. Every broadcast will begin with a pre-game show starting 15 minutes before the first pitch. The first pitch will be thrown out at 7:05 p.m. every night except on Sundays, when game time is set for 6:05 p.m.

Saints looking at new ballpark sites in St. Paul
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That the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) are looking at replacement sites for Midway Stadium isn't news; the team has been on such a quest for years. Now, however, there's been some movement on the issue, with multiple plans in the mix. First, a developer has been talking with the team about a new ballpark on the Mississippi River waterfront between the High Bridge (Smith Avenue) and downtown St. Paul, as part of a mixed-use development where a ballpark would replace apartments in the mix. (The apartment occupancy rate in St. Paul doesn't exactly lend itself to new units at this time, apparently.) The front office is also working on a pitch to the University of Minnesota for a shared ballpark on the St. Paul campus; team officials sound like they prefer this plan, but we've heard from University of Minnesota sources that they're not particularly eager to move a ballpark to the St. Paul campus (the farm school, as we locals like to call it; it houses the U's agricultural programs) when there's already a rough plan for a new ballpark on the Minneapolis campus near the Gophers' current home, Siebert Field. Out of the mix is talk of a new downtown St. Paul ballpark for the Saints; apparently discussions with architects and planners over a new stadium for the Minnesota Thunder soccer team have progressed to the point where the city is comfortable in moving forward with that plan, perhaps on the old Gillette site. Neither Saints plan would involve city dollars.

Group sues New York City over ban on metal bats
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"Don't Take My Bat Away," a newly formed group representing bat makers, baseball groups, coaches and parents, is suing the City of New York to halt a ban on the use of metal and non-wood composite bats in city high schools. The New York City council overrode Mayor Michael Bloomberg's veto of the ban two
weeks ago, and the group is filing suit in the U.S. Southern District in Manhattan, seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction preventing enforcement of the ban, saying "there is no fair, just or reasonable connection between the Bat Ordinance and the health and welfare of New York City high-school baseball players." The suit also says the law is "unconstitutional and unlawful" and that it "arbitrarily and unjustifiably prohibits the use of bats that are preferred by the vast majority of high school players, coaches and teams." We're not quite sure where the right to use a metal bat is enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, which is why we suspect this lawsuit will go nowhere. There has been a move toward wood bats; North Dakota has moved to requiring high schools use them (with some coaches loving the results), five Illinois conferences are testing their use for possible statewide adoption (and coaches sound pleased with those results), some Massachusetts conferences have adopted their use (with the Boston Globe calling for a total ban on metal bats) and New Jersey is looking at a similar ban on metal bats. Really, this is a business story, not a safety story. Because of patents and the high cost of production, there are only a handful of metal-bat producers and no others are likely to enter the field. But all it takes is a wood supply and a lathe to enter the wood-bat field, negating the market advantages enjoyed by the likes of Easton. Yes, metal-bat manufacturers have done a lot to make their products safer in recent years, but they're fighting a multilayered fight: in the end, most fans would rather hear the crack of the wood rather than the ping of the metal, and fighting that aesthetic fight will be much more difficult. We're had the chance to discuss this with college and high-school officials over the last month, and there's a lot more support for wood bats than you'd think. More from Newsday.
    RELATED STORIES: 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

New Glendale spring-training park delayed
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An architect is on deck, but Glendale (Az.) still must slam home numerous agreements before breaking ground on a spring-training complex this summer. The city still needs to sign agreements with the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, which plan to train here in 2009. While the deal with the Dodgers is a lock, a deal with the White Sox is more complicated; with the team unwilling to buy out of its current contract to train at Tucson Electric Park, it could be several years before the White Sox actually make the move north. The city also needs a financial agreement with the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, which has tentatively earmarked up to two-thirds of funding for the $80.7 million project, and HKS, the architecture firm slated to design the facility. Despite these delays, officials say they're on schedule to open in spring 2009.

Fan sues Mets for broken back sustained at Shea Stadium
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A New York Mets fan has filed suit, contending a drunken, 300-pound man fell on her during the home opener at Shea Stadium and broke her back. Ellen Massey, a 58-year-old Manhattan lawyer, sued the team, ballpark concessionaire Aramark, the union that represents the security guards at the ballpark and "John Doe," the unidentified man who toppled on her. Massey had surgery for spinal injuries and was hospitalized for about two weeks, said her lawyer, Stephen Kaufman. Doctors put rods and screws in her back and will have to operate on her again, he said.

Minor League Baseball sets April attendance record
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Minor League Baseball teams drew 5,905,069 fans during the month of April, the highest total in the 106-year history of the industry. The total represented an increase of 121,928 fans (2.1 percent) over the 2006 total, when the Minor Leagues set their all-time record season total of 41,710,357.
    The record April total was achieved despite unseasonable snow storms in the Northeast and Midwest during the opening weekend. The snowy conditions were offset by good weather in the West, where the Pacific Coast and California Leagues showed healthy increases, and somewhat drier weather than usual in the South. Also, the season opened one day earlier in April this season, giving many teams one more playing date.
    The PCL recorded the highest increase, drawing 134,832 more fans than last year, a boost of 14.4 percent. The California League was up 19.4 percent with 47,619 higher attendance. Other domestic leagues reporting increases were the Florida State and South Atlantic. The Mexican League, which began play in late March, was up by 131,542 fans or 12.8 percent.
    The leagues hardest hit by weather were those geographically in the northern tier of states-the International, Eastern and Midwest. Collectively, they lost 82 playing dates through postponements.
    Among individual teams, the top-draws were the Monterrey Sultans (Mexican) with an average of 10,687; followed by the Round Rock Express (PCL) at 9,050 and the Sacramento River Cats (PCL) with 8,582. The Frisco Rough Riders (Texas) led all Double-A teams with an average of 7,782, while the Dayton Dragons (Midwest) paced the Single-A teams with 8,222.

Rangers donate to anti-ballpark group
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A week after Texas Rangers president Jeff Cogen spoke out against a plan to fund a new ballpark in Grand Prairie with a one-eighth-cent sales tax, the baseball club put its money where its mouth is. Financial records for a political action committee formed to oppose the ballpark proposition show a $15,000 donation from Hicks Sports Group. The funds paid for consulting fees and a direct-mail piece sent to Grand Prairie households by the PAC, called Citizens Against the Ballpark and For Property Tax Relief. The referendum, scheduled for next week, calls for a new ballpark for an independent American Association team.
    RELATED STORIES: 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

Modesto's incomplete treasure
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Ten years after its opening, the renovated John Thurman Field, home of the Modesto Nuts (High Class A; California League), is still a work in progress. This year's additions include a new scoreboard, the resurfacing and laser-leveling of the infield, the installation of the new outfield fence and the moving of the visitors' bullpen to the warning track down the left-field line. Coming next year will be a meeting center, likely to be constructed where the visitors' bullpen used to be. Plans are for a fully equipped hall that would accommodate meetings and banquets of up to 200 people, with windows that provide a view of the field and outdoor porch seating for game-night gatherings. In addition, team ownership would like additional VIP boxes, but first needs to determine what to do with all the video production equipment that currently dominates -- and crowds -- the existing press box. There is no work space for visiting print media in the current press box configuration.

The sounds of Music
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The gates leading into Luther Williams Field were unlocked, and the sprinklers on the field were in full watering mode. The ballpark hasn't been home to a professional baseball team since the summer of 2003. But it's been cleaned and painted, and it was filled with baseball players once again Monday afternoon. The Macon Music (independent; South Coast League), which has been inhabiting office space at the stadium for almost a year now, opened camp Monday with morning and afternoon practice sessions in preparation for opening day -- in fact, May 17 is the opening day for the entire league, and we'll be there.

New baseball era recalls a storied past
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Today the Anderson Joes (independent; South Coast League) start their inaugural spring training in earnest. Yesterday was a day for administrative tasks, but as you read this more than 25 young men will begin pitching, catching and preparing for a summer of professional baseball with the Electric City serving as home base. This article covers the history of baseball in Anderson, beginning with teams in the Negro Textile Mills organization and later both the Carolina Colored League and Negro Business League, followed some time later by a team in the Tri-State and Sally Leagues.

New team to play at Sal Maglie
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Cal Kern, general manager of the newly formed Niagara Power (summer collegiate; New York Collegiate Baseball League, thinks his team will provide plenty during its inaugural season, both in and above Sal Maglie Stadium. The team, which opens its regular-season schedule May 8 against the Webster Yankees, will follow the contest with a fireworks display, but with an unproven pitching staff and some big bats in the lineup, Kern hopes the team can put up big numbers.

Big crowds at Hohokam mean big revenue for Mesa
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Official figures released Monday by Mesa confirm the 175,891 fans who jammed Hohokam Park this year was the fourth highest attendance in Cactus League and Grapefruit League history. The Cubs drew an average of 10,993 to 16 home games this spring at Hohokam, with half of them sellouts. The stadium seats about 12,600 fans, but several games exceeded that, including the March 29 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks that drew 12,917 fans. The big crowds translated into big money, with total revenues hitting nearly $5.6 million, a 1.1 million boost from 2006, when the Cubs played 14 home games because of a rainout and a shorter home schedule. The city's share was $973,140, the Mesa HoHoKams' share was $890,890 and the Cubs' share was $2,445,982.

New league needs good sales pitch
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The Mohawk Valley needed a good reason to get excited about a new professional baseball league playing at Donovan Stadium this summer, and now they have it: Native Utican Dave Cash, three-time Major League all-star, will manage the Utica team. That can be a good draw. Cash was a standout athlete at Thomas R. Proctor High School and went on to enjoy a successful professional baseball career. But team operators shouldn't make the same mistake their predecessors made when it comes to filling -- or not filling -- the ballpark. They won't turn Cash into cash without a good marketing plan. The plan (having four teams share the same ballpark) is an interesting experiment; we're eager to see how it turns out.

Omaha floats new ballpark for CWS, O-Royals
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Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey is actively pursuing the option of building a $50-million-plus ballpark in the so-called NoDo area between the Creighton University campus and the Qwest Center Omaha in the northern side of downtown Omaha, replacing Rosenblatt Stadium as the home of the College World Series and the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). A tentative decision to build a 9,000-seat ballpark with the ability to expand to 25,000 seats for the CWS could come by the first pitch of this year's series. The NCAA's baseball committee will be in Omaha when the series opens June 15. The O-Royals have pushed the idea of building a new ballpark for the Triple-A team and possibly Creighton University while leaving Rosenblatt Stadium intact for the College World Series, but Fahey says there's no way the city will own and maintain two ballparks; it also sounds like a gentle push from the NCAA led to the change of plans within Omaha city government. Omaha Royals President Alan Stein said Sunday he has no opinion on the possibility of a new ballpark, saying the team has not been involved in any discussions to date. Neighbors of Rosenblatt Stadium say they don't want the College World Series to move.

Baseball fans want 'Devil Ray' to stay
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A thoroughly unscientific online poll conducted by the local business journal indicates many fans are against a plan to drop the Devil from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The team has until the end of the month to inform MLB about changes in the team's name and colors for next season, and there have been reports floating around for several months that the team will perform the relatively tame step of dropping Devil from the team name and adopting new colors. The respondents hated the idea and pointed out the best way to bring fans to Tropicana Field is to start winning. The team has been respectable this season -- in fourth place in the American League East as of today, just three games under .500 -- and the new owners have done a lot to spruce up Tropicana Field and improve community relations.

ANC Sports, Mitsubishi to install new Nats scoreboard system
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ANC Sports Enterprises and Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Vision Systems have been selected by the Washington Nationals to create and install a state-of-the-art high-definition scoreboard and video display system for the team’s new ballpark, scheduled to debut Opening Day of the 2008 season.
    ANC Sports will spearhead the installation, content creation and operation for the stadium’s Diamond Vision light-emitting diode (LED) display and rotational signage systems.
    The new Nationals Park will feature a 47- by 101-foot high-definition video screen, more than 700 feet of animated fascia, and an LED display covering over 2,600 square feet of the outfield wall. Operated through ANC’s 3D VisionSOFT (patent pending) control system, the displays will feature uncompressed images providing the clearest video possible for Nationals’ fans.
    Highlighted by a right-center field high-definition video screen with over four million LEDs, the new ballpark will feature more than 9,000 square feet of Diamond Vision signage. The stadium will animate four different locations of fascia, including the main level, the club level, and above the home and visitors bullpens. Additionally, two side-by-side 51-foot long LED video screens will be built into the right-center field outfield wall.
    In addition to the LED display system, ANC will provide the Nationals with over 60 feet of field level rotational signage along both baselines, at “on-deck” locations and behind home plate.

Plans for minor-league team in the hole in Lee's Summit
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If a new ballpark is built at Longview Community College in Lee's Summit in suburban Kansas City, it won't be until 2009, according to developer David Gale. Reading between the lines, it's clear things haven't really moved past a wish list; college officials say they won't put a dime into the facility but expect to retain ownership of the proposed 4,000-seat, $8-million facility. City officials say they might provide some financial incentives, but at the end of the day Gale and crew would be building a ballpark on their own dime to house an independent Frontier League team.
    RELATED STORY: Lee's Summit considers new ballpark; Longview looking at minor-league ballpark

A's Wolff to give progress report on new ballpark
Posted May 7, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Lew Wolff will give the City Council a progress report Tuesday on his proposal to build a ballpark village in Fremont, city officials said. Will the A's co-owner file the much-anticipated development application? Or perhaps deliver an economic report touting the development's benefits? City officials say they don't know. "We are not sure specifically what (Wolff) is going to address," Fremont Economic Development Director Daren Fields said. When reached by phone in his Los Angeles office Friday, Wolff also didn't reveal much about what he will tell council members.
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Controversial 10 years ago, ballpark a boon to Somerset County
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Its feasibility once fueled one of the biggest local controversies of the 1990s, but today few are left debating the sensibility of Commerce Bank Ballpark, the home of the Somerset Patriots (independent; Atlantic League). Somerset Ballpark opened June 7, 1999, with a final price tag of $17.7 million, none of which was financed by taxpayers.  According to Freeholder Director Bob Zaborowski, Somerset County makes about a $1.1 million debt payment on the ballpark every year but earns about $1.3 million in revenue. The leftover money is saved to cover future maintenance costs. More on owner Steve Kalafer. (Thanks to John Cerone.)

Marlins' reaction to no state funding of ballpark: muted
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The front office of the Florida Marlins didn't have much to say about the Florida Legislative session ended last Friday without any state funding of a new Miami ballpark. The only reaction came through a rather low-key press release (which we're posting in its entirety): ""We are very disappointed that the Florida State Legislature was unable to assist Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins in their desire to spur economic development through the construction of a new baseball-only retractable-roof facility in Miami. Starting immediately, we will all begin the process of moving forward to attempt to secure the future of baseball in South Florida." In theory, the state Senate could tackle the issue during a special session slated for June 12. As we've repeatedly pointed out, the decision by the state Senate not to divert $60 million in sales-tax revenues to a new Miami ballpark doesn't kill the project, but it does make it more difficult for Miami-Dade County officials and the Fish to make a deal unless the Marlins come up with some more cast -- and we're not entirely sure the team has the capability to do so at the present time. Really, it's time for MLB to put its foot down and direct Jeffrey Loria to find a local partner with some deeper pockets -- preferably one with the credibility in the local Hispanic community. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Miami Herald.
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Dennis to be married on field before '07 WhiteWings opener
Posted May 7, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
You don't see many marriages on the field with ballplayers involved, so this one is notable. Field Manager Eddie Dennis is going to be married at Harlingen Field's home plate before the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings take the field in the 2007 independent United League Baseball season opener against the Amarillo Dillas on Tuesday. Dennis will marry Julie Corliss of Tampa, Fla., with Cameron County Justice of the Peace Sallie Gonzalez performing the ceremony. The WhiteWings-Dillas game is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m, in the first of a three-game series.

Baseball’s steroid panel asks active players to appear
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The chairman of the special commission set up to examine the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball said for the first time yesterday that he had asked a number of active players to appear before the commission, a move that represents a major turning point in the yearlong investigation. The former Senator George J. Mitchell of Maine, who is overseeing a team of lawyers and investigators working on the case, declined to say how many players had been sent letters requesting their appearance.

Is plan a financial squeeze play?
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Texas developer Hines Interests was in court opposite a team of lawyers for Hennepin County last week, arguing over the land for the new Minnesota Twins ballpark. The company insisted that the property, which Hines has a financial interest in, is worth considerably more than the county says it is. But a day earlier, another group representing Hines was pursuing a much different agenda: privately briefing a key county official on their redevelopment plan surrounding the stadium that would likely need millions of dollars in public subsidies. Basically, what Hines says should happen is the creation of a new transit center next to the ballpark, and Hines would then develop other parcels of land in the area. No surprise: Hines and Land Partners II have said for years their plan was to use the Twins ballpark as a catalyst for development (local firm HGA did the original design; EE&K Architects is drawing up new ones). What's changed, though, is Hines' rather cheeky proposal that Hennepin County officials spend millions on the development at a time when they're in court fighting over land valuations. Local elected officials say they're not interested in putting up millions of dollars to benefit Hines.
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Tax plan to fund Grand Prairie ballpark is debated
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Grand Prairie voters will decide May 12 on three propositions that would reuse a half-cent sales tax scheduled to end Sept. 30. Two of the proposed uses – a new senior center and a state-of-the-art police and fire facility -- have met with little opposition. Not so for the third proposition, which would use a one-eighth-cent sales tax to fund a ballpark for a new independent American Association team in Grand Prairie's entertainment district near Belt Line Road and Interstate 30. The residents quoted in this article were by and large against the proposal.
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Sticking with the ballclub
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Attendance is down for Baltimore Orioles games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards -- down to an embarrassing 22,853 fans a game -- but the Orioles remain a powerful force in the sports-marketing field, say experts. The launch of the new Mid-Atlantic Sports Network -- of which the Orioles are majority owner -- and a new radio deal with WHFS-FM in Baltimore gives the team and its advertisers greater exposure to the Major League Baseball franchise's fans throughout the region, sports marketers say. TV ratings are up from last year, and WHFS has the ability to cross-promote the O's and the club's advertisers on its four sister stations in the area.

Nostalgia helps Braves get fans to the ballpark
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The Atlanta Braves are using a creative new advertising campaign to woo fans to Turner Field and renew enthusiasm after last year's disappointing season.  This season's advertising and marketing is built around evoking emotion for the Braves and telling stories about the nostalgic experience of going to the ball game. For example, one radio spot features a father talking about bringing his children to the game. The advertising campaign, which will run throughout the season, was developed by the Braves' agency of record, Atlanta-based Blue Sky Agency. It includes radio, print, TV, online and billboard advertising.

Will Clemens pitch for the local team? Sure hope so
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When Roger Clemens signed last season with the Houston Astros, he prepped for his time at Minute Maid Park with stops at several minor-league affiliates. The folks in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Trenton would love to see this happen after he signed a deal to pitch this season with the New York Yankees, but after the Clemens press conference yesterday there was only talk of him participating in training at the Tampa base -- maybe pitching a game with the Tampa Yankees at Legends Field -- and nothing else.

Neighbors oppose BC ballpark plan
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More than 60 Brighton residents came out last week against Boston College's proposal to build a 2,000-seat ballpark near their homes on former Archdiocese of Boston property. BC's nascent plans, which are to be filed with the BRA next month, call for adding baseball, softball, and two multipurpose fields on the Brighton Campus, as the college calls the newly acquired site. Also planned are a 14,000-square-foot sports support facility and a 200-space garage, according to Jack Dunn, Boston College director of public affairs. Dunn said the baseball stadium, which would hold 1,500 more seats than BC's field near Chestnut Hill Reservoir, would still be one of the smallest facilities in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which BC joined two years ago.

Ballpark Notes
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The Fort Worth Cats (independent; American Association) announced their games will be broadcast on the radio this season by Fox Sports Radio KHFX/1460 AM. All 96 regular season games will be broadcast on KHFX beginning with the opener on May 10 against Shreveport at LaGrave Field. Emil Moffatt will once again be the play-by-play announcer. This is his second season as the play-by-play voice of the Cats and his sixth season overall broadcasting Cats’ games. Moffatt recently was promoted to Asst. Vice President for Communications with the organization. The Cats will also have more than half their home games broadcast on cable television this season. Fort Worth Community Cable is set to broadcast 12 Cats games in 2007, while Time Warner Cable will broadcast 14 games this season....The Battle Creek Bombers (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) inked a deal Friday to broadcast all 68 games on WBFN 1400 AM, an all-sports station in Battle Creek....The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) will host a special "Connection Beyond Gallery Event in the Yankee Club and Conference Center at Waterfront Park in Trenton, NJ on June 28, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. The Connection Beyond Gallery is a two-hour event connecting guests with messages of strength, hope and love from those who passed on with a Question and Answer period to follow. This is the first time an event of this kind has been held at Waterfront Park....The River City Rascals (independent; Frontier League) have announced that Josh Anderson will be promoted to lead broadcaster for the 2007 River City Rascals baseball season. Anderson will step in as the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations. Currently a senior at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Anderson is scheduled to graduate in May....