Recent
Visits |
LaGrave Field, Fort Worth
Cats
It is one of the most unique facilities in pro
ball: LaGrave Field, the home of the Fort Worth
Cats (independent; American Association), sits
where the original LaGrave Field sat from 1926
through 1967. The dimensions are the same as in
the original facility, home plate sits in the same
place, and the dugouts of the old ballpark have
been converted to dugout suites. And, being Texas,
there's a hitching rail beyond the outfield for
folks riding to the games on horseback.
Doug Kingsmore Stadium,
Clemson Tigers
Before its thorough makeover and renaming in 2003,
“Beautiful Tiger Field” described the home of the
Clemson Tigers. Not surprising, and not an
overstated moniker. While the ballpark and other
athletic facilities are closely connected to the
western edge of campus, the grandstand view
features an appealing pastoral feel, and although
the ballpark is now named for Tigers alum and
contributor Doug Kingsmore, it's still a beautiful
field.
QuikTrip Park at Grand
Prairie, Grand Prairie AirHogs
The aviation theme is strong
at QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie, the new home of
the Grand Prairie AirHogs (independent; American
Association), but it's not overwhelming and
gimmicky. We were there opening night: it's an
impressive facility that raises the bar for indy
facilities and should allow the team to be
competitive in the increasingly crowded
Dallas-Fort Worth market.
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Features |
2008 Ballparks
Billings
Forest City, N.C.
Grand
Prairie
Lehigh Valley
Springdale, Ark.
Southern Maryland
Washington, D.C.
2009 Ballparks
Avon, Ohio
Bowling
Green
Brownsville, Texas
Charlotte County, Fla.
Columbus, Ohio
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Glendale, Az.
Goodyear, Az.
Gwinnett County
Hannibal, Mo.
(renovations)
Kansas City
(renovations)
LSU (new Alex Box)
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Oakland County, Mich.
Reno
University of North
Carolina
University of South
Carolina
Winston-Salem
2010 Ballparks
Charlotte, N.C.
Laredo
Madison, Wis.
(renovations)
Minnesota
Twins
Normal, Ill.
Topeka
Tulsa
Pensacola,
Fla.
2011 Ballparks
Florida Marlins
Omaha
2012 Ballparks
Dodger Stadium
(renovations)
Oakland
Athletics
Tampa Bay Rays
Ballparks of the Past
Colt
Stadium
Crosley Field
Durham Athletic
Park
Ebbets Field
Griffith Stadium
Huntington Avenue
Grounds
Jack Russell
Jarry Park
L.A. Coliseum
Metropolitan
Stadium
Muehlebach
Field
Municipal Stadium
(Kansas City)
Sicks' Stadium
Tinker Field
War Memorial
(Greensboro)
Photo Galleries
Piedmont League
Book Excerpts
The Last Good Season
2007 Attendance
By average
By team
Affiliated - average
Affiliated - league
Affiliated - total
Indy - average
Indy - total
MLB - total
MLB - average
2006 Attendance
By average
By team
Affiliated - average
Affiliated - league
Affiliated - total
Indy - average
Indy - total
2005 Attendance
By average
By team
2004 Attendance
By average
By team
Indy by team
Indy by
league
Combined
overall
2003 Attendance
MLB attendance
By league
League overview
By average
By team
Indy by team
Indy by
league
Combined
overall
2002 Attendance
By league
By average
By team
Indy by team
Indy by
league
Combined
overall
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The
Fine Print |
Obligatory legal information:
This site is copyright 1998-2008 Kevin Reichard/August
Publications. All rights
reserved. My wife is a lawyer, so she will come and chop off
your hand in a legal fashion if you rip off this site
in any form. All logos are the property of their respective
owners. |
Broadcasts |
Virtually every MiLB team now streams broadcasts over the
Internet, which makes it easy to follow your favorite team when
you're on the road. In addition, you can catch MLB game broadcasts at
MLB.com or via XM Radio.
More
on Internet radio and TV broadcasts here! |
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Archives:
Jan. 8-14, 2008
New Richmond plan: tear down Diamond
and build new ballpark -- but will the Braves be around?
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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Richmond
(Va.) officials want to tear down The Diamond, the current home of the Richmond
Braves (Class AAA; International League), and build a new ballpark next to it as
part of a larger redevelopment of the area, but reports in the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution indicate
the new owners of the Braves have committed to a move to a new ballpark in
Gwinnett County in 2009. Regular readers of this site know we've been
slamming the Atlanta Braves for opposing the move of an affiliated team to
Gwinnett County; it looks like someone out there agreed with us and decided that
market was too good to leave for an independent league.
The Richmond newspaper has more.
A press conference has been scheduled for tomorrow.
If the Braves move is true, then that leaves Richmond
officials in the lurch in terms of pro baseball -- though we don't expect the
market to sit open a day. The future of The Diamond has been under some debate in recent years:
there are some obvious issues with it in terms of maintenance and ability to
generate enough revenues.
If the Braves move, you can expect a feeding frenzy for the Richmond market,
especially if the city goes ahead with these plans for a new ballpark: it would
be a prime area for at least four Class AA and Class A leagues, though we're not
so sure the city could attract another International League team, given the
current stability in the other franchises. Look for speculation to begin about
who would claim the Richmond market; West Tenn and Huntsville, obviously, will
be prime candidates; look for some interesting possibilities arise from owners
who have some freedom and are looking at development opportunities. Let the
speculating begin.
RELATED STORIES:
Can R-Braves score on
success?;
New R-Braves ballpark on
hold;
On Boulevard, but where?;
Wilder letter demanded deed to Diamond;
Officials hold brief meeting on ballpark options;
Baseball talks a sign of hope?;
Plans pitched for R-Braves ballpark on Boulevard;
Status quo endures at The Diamond;
Diamond's status is still uncertain;
Polishing the Diamond;
Atlanta just might hold all the cards;
Braves sell out The Diamond -- thanks to American
Idol;
Wilder tells council that Richmonders have no
problems with Diamond;
City, R-Braves see need for new talks;
City of Richmond, Braves down to last few swings;
Richmond talks about new ballpark -- without the
R-Braves; What
do the Braves mean to Richmond?;
R-Braves cite new ballpark proposals;
Richmond Braves say concerns go unanswered;
Communications breakdown in Richmond;
Wilder: Braves balking on downtown ballpark;
Wilder worries about silence from Braves;
Developer joins ballpark initiative;
Fans hail R-Braves' decision to stay in Richmond;
Braves to stay in Richmond, Wilder says;
Minor attractions in Richmond: Part Three;
R-Braves give Richmond ultimatum: new ballpark or
we're history;
Minor attractions in Richmond;
Richmond ballpark search hits rock bottom;
New site for Richmond Braves ballpark causes
debate;
Ballpark project for Richmond's Shockoe Bottom
seems dead;
Atlanta Braves may be up for sale;
News expected in Richmond ballpark situation;
Shockoe committee report won’t include ballpark;
Developers threaten historic slave-trade site;
Richmond hires man who led N.H. projects;
Richmond ballpark gets financial backer;
Phone isn’t ringing for owner of The Diamond;
Richmond Braves back to The Diamond?;
Wilder speaks out on proposed Richmond ballpark;
Braves again make pitch for ballpark;
Richmond putting a squeeze play on Braves?;
City says 'show me the money' for arts center and
ballpark;
Richmond ballpark plan has makings of solid
transaction;
Richmond ballpark plan strikes out on site,
economics, financing;
Wilder quits role in Richmond group;
Threat not part of deal for Richmond ballpark;
Braves getting outside pitches;
Braves or bust?;
Drains a strain on Richmond ballpark plan?;
Wilder: Stadium proposal lacks details;
Richmond ballpark questions remain;
Richmond Braves assume role as developer;
New ballpark plan for Shockoe Bottom;
Proposed ballpark may rescue flood-damaged
Richmond area;
Global ballpark bid asks much from D.C.;
Protests drowned out at rally for Shockoe Bottom
ballpark;
The Boulevard blues
Activists
decry development plans around Yankee Stadium
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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Neighborhood
activists are decrying plans to hand over Parks Department land near
Yankee Stadium to developers, saying the
city is reneging on its pledge to preserve green space in the area. When the
city laid out plans for a new Yankee
Stadium, local residents feared the loss of green space and successfully
lobbied the city to preserve green spaces in the south Bronx. But now some of
that land is being turned over to developers -- who don't need zoning permits
for their projects -- who are looking at mixed-use (parking, retail
office) developments. Speaking of
Yankee Stadium:
the team is involved in talks with the New York Rangers (NHL) about staging a
hockey game there next winter, following the success in Buffalo with a
nationally televised match at Ralph Wilson Stadium. We're guessing it will not
come to be: other teams have looked at this and concluded their old ballparks
can't handle the stress on the turf (remember, a baseball turf needs to be ready
for play at the end of March; Ralph Wilson Stadium has artificial turf and the
Buffalo Bills don't begin play until August), and we're guessing there are some
prime parts of the ballpark that aren't winterized. A more likely venue in the
New York City area is Giants Stadium.
RELATED STORIES:
New Yankee Stadium goes
up, but Bronx still seeks benefits;
Yankee Stadium
parking fees to double by 2010;
For Yankees, the
numbers game goes on;
Taxpayers footing
bill for Yankees' lavish spending, group says;
Sponsorships
available -- inside the ballpark, that is;
Approach of winter a
big factor in NYC ballpark race;
Finales set for
Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium;
Progress report: New York's new ballparks;
The stadium chase;
Yankees, Mets won't
sell seat licenses; ballpark funds in place;
Whole new ballgame;
Yankees, Mets bond sales set, both teams rated
junk;
Bronx group goes to court vs. new Yankee Stadium;
New York City receives IRS approval on ballpark
bonds;
New York Agency approves ballpark financing for
Yankees, Mets;
MTA pressed to create shortcut to Shea;
Is Steinbrenner house, which Ruth built, poor?;
NY City Council easily passes Yankees, Mets
ballpark bonding bills;
Squeeze play on Mets ballpark;
Mets: Forget about naming new park after Jackie
Robinson;
New Mets ballpark deal is stalled;
Squeeze play on the Mets;
Strike one for new Mets ballpark;
Mets park's name will fetch millions;
Mets unveil plans for new ballpark;
Yankees, Mets closer to new ballparks;
City goes to bat for Yankees, Mets ballparks;
State agency approves plans for Yankees, Mets
ballparks
Naturals ballpark construction on
schedule
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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story) (discuss)
Construction
of a new ballpark in Springdale, Ark. for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Class
AA; Texas League) is right on schedule, as the team prepares for an April 10
home opener. Exterior stonework that surrounds the outer perimeter of the
ballpark is approaching completion. The decorative stonework will surround the
lower level on the first-base side and multiple structures on the third-base
side of the complex. The glass curtain structure that adorns the suite levels is
complete and the back side of the suites is nearing completion. Seat
installation also continues.
RELATED STORIES:
Ballpark gets OK on
delay, increase;
White likes the Naturals view;
Naturals score
with strong sales;
Foreman says Arvest Ballpark on schedule for completion;
New for 2008: The Northwest Arkansas Naturals;
Officials dig baseball;
Springdale ballpark construction budget approved;
Springdale City
Council approves ballpark design;
Springdale commission approves new ballpark;
Wranglers GM has new challenges;
City hires consultant to assist on Lawrence-Dumont
lease;
Wranglers owner says team was Wichita's third
baseball option;
Council looks at ballpark design;
Commissioners begin planning improvements around
ballpark site;
Wranglers' move big hit with Royals owner Glass;
League approval slow but expected for move of
Wranglers;
Springdale approves Wranglers lease;
Texas League executives scrutinize proposed
Springdale lease;
Springdale officials present Wranglers lease to
public;
Rich Baseball, Springdale reach agreement on move
of Wranglers;
City told only voters decide ballpark's user;
Springdale aldermen to hear United League pitch
for ballpark;
What's new in Wichita?;
Wranglers president says move is nearly official;
Wranglers agreement down to one item;
City negotiating terms with Wranglers;
Springdale awaits word on getting Wichita's team;
Wichita expects to negotiate for Wranglers;
Wranglers to move in 2008
Parking to be limited near new Nats
ballpark
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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A
shortage of parking near Nationals Park,
the new home of the Washington Nationals, will force many fans to travel to the
game via subway or park in a satellite lot, say Nationals officials. No
surprise: D.C. and Nationals officials have both said repeatedly parking will be
tight in 2008. Things would be better in the future when the market responds
with new ramps and parking areas.
RELATED STORIES:
Nationals to open
regular season at home on March 30;
DC ballpark neighbors
fear fan inundation;
PNC Bank buys naming
rights for Nationals' seats;
Nats to open new ballpark
March 29;
Photo tour of new Nats
ballpark;
Nationals make
effort to address parking woes at new ballpark;
On deck: Playing field for
new Nats ballpark;
Goals unmet on ballpark
construction jobs for D.C. workers;
RFK is full of concrete
memories;
Nationals choose
Centerplate to manage concessions at new ballpark;
Lessons for the
Lerners: what to steal from other ballparks;
Nats ballpark to have extensive seating for
wheelchairs;
Metro, District and Nationals talking possible
'ballpark fare';
Signing off on the last beam;
Top price for ducats at new Nats ballpark: $400;
Nationals' transition extends off field;
National crisis: Capital franchise in turmoil;
Ballpark brings hope but no guarantee;
Nationals
ballpark 'on time, on budget' for 2008 opening;
Future
distinctly on rise for Nationals;
District not over park cap;
New Nats ballpark to feature cherry blossoms
beyond left-field fence;
As ballpark rises, battles over land continue;
For Nats' home, a rapid ascent;
Nats ballpark cost tops cap, council members say;
Nats owners to pay $20 million for ballpark
upgrades;
With new Nats ballpark, name of the game is money;
D.C. Council approves ballpark parking garages;
The D.C. ballpark parking debate;
Severe penalties await city if parking garages
aren't provided, Gandhi warns;
Ballpark garages proposal rejected;
Fenty promotes aboveground parking to end fight
over new Nats ballpark;
New Nats ballpark construction on schedule for
2008 opening;
Cropp pushes for decision on parking at DC
ballpark;
Mayor proposes lifting cap for DC ballpark parking;
DC ballpark to be first LEED-certified ballpark in
country;
Legislation would revive condo and garage
development at new DC ballpark;
New focus at D.C. ballpark: parking;
D.C. parking issue threatens budget;
Development plan near new Nats ballpark falls flat;
Garage plan at new D.C. ballpark at risk
Cliff Hawks' suit against former Xanadu developer tossed
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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A
lawsuit brought by Bergen Cliff Hawks (independent; Atlantic League) owner Steve
Kalifer against former Xanadu developers Mills Corp. and Mack-Cali has been
dismissed in a summary judgment, as Judge Jonathan Harris says Kalifer had no
agreement for the Meadowlands developer to build a new ballpark. Basically,
Kalifer asserted Xanadu lawyer Robert DeCotiis and he reached an oral agreement
for a new $20-million ballpark. Harris ruled that such a brief discussion was
not a binding agreement: "I find that no rational [judge] of fact could conclude
that the fleeting encounter between DeCotiis and Kalafer on Sept. 4, 2002,
resulted in a binding meeting of the minds to enable [Kalafer] to recover
foreseeable damages for breach of contract," Harris wrote. "At best, it was only
the opening salvo in what should have become a campaign of discussions that
would lead to mutual assent."
Hennepin County says ballpark
appraisal process tainted by crooked evaluation
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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Hennepin
County, the entity actually building the new Minnesota Twins ballpark, filed
suit against appraiser Larry Tucker and the Faegre & Benson law firm, saying
neither side had disclosed a business relationship between the two. Tucker was
one of three court-appointed commissioners in the condemnation case where
Hennepin County and landowners couldn't agree on the pricing of an eight-acre
parcel crucial for the Twins ballpark constructions. Tucker had previously
consulted for Faegre & Benson in a separate suit against Hennepin County. Faegre
& Benson represented the landowners in the Twins suit, and in an oath Tucker
said he had no relationship with any of the parties involved in the proceedings
-- Faegre & Benson included. It did raise many eyebrows in the local real-estate
community when Tucker came back with a much higher valuation for the land ($33.2
million) than the other appraisers ($23.8 million). Tucker says Hennepin County
was informed of the potential conflict; Tucker says otherwise. The latest shows
how contentious the land-acquisition process was on both sides.
RELATED STORIES:
Twins, ballpark
authority to spend $2.5M on "green" features;
Twins ballpark
design clears big hurdle with quick board vote;
New info on Twins
ballpark unveiled;
Final price tag for
Twins ballpark land: $28.5 million;
Mediator will try
to find a ballpark land solution;
Hennepin County makes insulting offer to Twins
ballpark landowners;
Landowners make settlement offer in Twins ballpark
dispute;
Twins finally hold groundbreaking for new ballpark;
Landowners to appeal valuation of Twins ballpark
parcel;
A new dispute on ballpark
land figures;
Twins ballpark site worth $23.8 million, says
condemnation panel;
Greed circles the plate at Twins ballpark site;
Hennepin County, land owners remain far apart on
value of ballpark site;
Taxpayers' costs
for Twins ballpark may be going up;
Ballpark land was low-balled;
Ballpark designers seek green label, but say
effort alone counts;
Twins ballpark parcel worth $65.375 million, say
owners;
Twins ballpark
draws development interest;
Pohlads lining up land near ballpark;
Hennepin
County takes control of ballpark land, reaches agreement with railroad;
Twins, Hennepin
County sign ballpark agreement; now the fun begins;
County: Twins' extra donation for ballpark is
confidential;
Twins
unveil ballpark plans;
Hennepin County, Twins reach land agreement; vote
slated for today;
Twins ballpark meeting is delayed;
Ballpark impasse solution may be near on Twins
ballpark;
Twins moving ahead
with ballpark plans;
Pohlads step up to plate to help county save deal;
Possible fix for Twins ballpark impasse arises;
Are Twins working to end ballpark impasse?;
Building a ballpark may hinge on having the Twins
pay more;
County officials, landowners of Twins ballpark
site remain in a holding pattern;
County looking at two new sites for Twins ballpark;
Official says changing site of Twins ballpark
would mean delays;
A great ballpark divide;
Twins postpone ballpark unveiling;
Hennepin County, Twins say they'll look for a new
ballpark site;
Draft environmental review for Twins ballpark
unveiled;
Judge rules Twins ballpark has public purpose;
sides still apart on price;
Community leaders eager to see Twins ballpark
design;
Twins ballpark likely to sport modern look;
Ballpark site owners put squeeze on Twins;
New year brings new ballpark tax for Hennepin
County shoppers;
Ballpark players ironing out use, development
agreements;
Twins release more details on new ballpark;
New Twins ballpark bypasses standard reviews;
Ballpark's link to downtown Minneapolis
inadequate, group says;
Ballpark should be held to high standards;
Twins formally announce design team for new
ballpark;
Firms lined up early for stadium work;
Eminent-domain effort begins for Twins ballpark
land;
Designing the experience around the Twins ballpark;
Ideas for Twins ballpark, some from left field;
A freeze frame for Twins;
Experts blow hot, cold on ways to heat new Twins
ballpark;
Appraisal delay puts Twins new ballpark off
schedule;
Twins pick ballpark designers;
As Twins chase playoffs, ballpark preparations
push on;
Twins ballpark on track to open in 2010;
Hennepin County Board approves ballpark sales tax;
It's official: Twins to switch broadcast rights to
KSTP-AM;
Twins to switch broadcast partner after 46 seasons;
Twins seek partners for naming rights,
sponsorships;
Twins searching for trademark ballpark design;
Hennepin County OKs spending plan for Twins
ballpark;
Naming rights options scary;
More than a ballpark in Minneapolis
Gwinnett County still working on
minor-league baseball
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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Officials
in Gwinnett County in suburban Atlanta are close to an agreement for a new
$35-million, 7,000-seat ballpark for an independent South Coast League team -- a
development that would lend instant life to the small circuit, which is entering
its second season. Gwinnett County is a demographically strong area that already
supports minor-league sports -- the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL) team is among the
best-drawing teams in minor-league hockey -- and the Atlanta Braves may have
blown it when they decided to pass on allowing an affiliated team in the area.
UPDATE: Obviously with the news the Richmond Braves (Class AAA;
International League) are interested in a move to Gwinnett County, it would seem
talk of an independent team coming from Gwinnett County officials was a little
premature.
Suit: Yankees committed "fraud" over
steroids
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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This
is what the folks in the legal trade would call a nuisance lawsuit. Paralegal
Matthew Mitchell is suing the New York Yankees for $221 for tickets he purchased
over the years, claiming his favorite team committed a form of fraud by
profiting from bad actions of others, such as Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.
Really, this isn't about the money, but the principle: Mitchell wants Yankees
officials to appear in court (a date has been set for Feb. 20) and explain their
actions. We're guessing a motion to dismiss from a first-year associate will
short-circuit Mitchell's quest for justice.
Woodchucks eying ballpark
enhancements
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Wisconsin Woodchucks (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) are eying several
enhancements to Athletic Park after inspections
revealed some noncompliance with local ordinances. But the price tag associated
with the improvements -- adding new concession stands and bathrooms alone will
cost $373,100 -- is leading the Woodchucks ownership and local officials to ask
whether it wouldn't be more cost-effective to look at a new ballpark.
Athletic Park was built in 1936; while it's not
exactly showing its age, it is definitely a throwback to an earlier era. Though
it would be nice to see some sort of renovation, that may not be possible, and
some of the more serious issues with the ballpark -- the lack of surrounding
land and parking -- can't be addressed with renovation.
Chiefs, Red Wings to play game at
Cooperstown's Doubleday Field
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Syracuse Chiefs and Rochester Red Wings will play a game at historic Doubleday
Field in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. The relocation of
an International League game to Cooperstown in 2008 honors the circuit’s 125th
anniversary.
"The 2008 season is going to be a very special one in the
International League and May 18 is going to be a very special day,"
International League President Randy Mobley said. "As the second oldest league
in all of professional sports [behind only the National League], the
International League is expectedly proud of its history. The opportunity for two
of the League’s most tenured clubs, Rochester with 121 years and Syracuse with
94 years, to face off in a regular season game at such a sacred location as
Doubleday Field is the ultimate way to honor the history of the League and the
great game we all love."
The Cooperstown game will be a highlight of the International
League’s 125th campaign. In addition to this historic event, IL fans will have
opportunities all season long to participate in the anniversary celebration.
Special activities and events are planned throughout the League, including
induction of the largest class in the history of the International League Hall
of Fame. In the coming days an announcement will be made with further
information on purchasing tickets to the Cooperstown game, as well as
combination packages that will include a pass to the National Baseball Hall of
Fame and Museum.
Good expansion plan in Kane County
-- if ticket prices don't go up
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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The
local newspaper endorses the financial plan for an expansion of a $10.5-million
expansion of
Elfstrom Stadium, the home of the Kane
County Cougars (Low Class A; Midwest League) with one big caveat: they don't
want to see ticket prices go up. We're guessing they won't go up any more than
normal in coming years: the whole point of the expansion is to add premium boxes
to the ballpark, and generally they can pay for themselves. As for the sale of
the naming rights: it's too bad, as Phil Elfstrom was truly a visionary in
working to bring baseball to the area, but officials say his name will still be
affixed to the complex -- a continuing legacy.
More from the Kane County Chronicle.
RELATED STORIES:
Naming-rights sale to
bridge funding gap in Kane County renovation
Topeka schedules forums on new
ballpark
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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The
city of Topeka has scheduled meetings on what locals think about the potential
of a new minor-league ballpark. We're not quite sure what the outcome is
expected to be: given there's no site, no announced league and no funding plan,
there's really nothing to determine in the public response -- unless there's
widespread opposition to the very idea of baseball in Topeka. We're guessing
there's not. Given that, this is like asking local citizens what they think
about having a free chocolate-malt dispenser on every corner: it's good PR, but
not very useful in terms of generating useful public opinion.
Orioles expand all-you-care-to-eat
seating
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Baltimore Orioles are the latest team to announce an expansion of their
all-you-care-to-eat plan, adding 700 club-level seats to the program.
All-you-can-eat tickets purchased on a single-game basis prior to the day of the
game cost $40, up from $35 last year. Day-of-game tickets for the promotion will
sell for $45. For "prime" games, tickets will sell for $55 prior, and $60 on the
day of the game, while partial- and full-season all-you-can-eat tickets will
cost fans $35 a seat.
Startup Seatsub aims to fill seats
at minor-league games
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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We
chatted with these guys at the Winter Meetings and were impressed with their
plan to help teams monetize unused, already-sold tickets. Austin's Seatsub has a
program to allow season-ticket holders to give unused tickets to clients, family
members or whoever else they designate. The independent Golden Baseball League
has already signed up to try the technology. Teams know selling a ticket is just
one part of the sales process: the other part is getting the fan to actually
show up at the ballpark.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Jan. 14, 2008 (feedback)
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Edwin
Rodriguez returns as the manager of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low
Class A; Sally League). Joining Rodriguez will be pitching coach John Duffy,
hitting coach Jorge Hernandez and athletic trainer James Stone.
This marks Rodriguez’s second season at the helm of the Grasshoppers, after a
successful 71-69 campaign with the team last year. He previously spent two
seasons as manager of the Marlins’ Gulf Coast League affiliate from 2005-06 and
served as hitting coach for the Carolina Mudcats (Class AA; Eastern
League) in 2004....Vince Moore returns as field manager for the
Edinburg Coyotes (independent; United League Baseball)....
New for 2008: Progressive Field
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The
Cleveland Indians have sold naming rights to
Jacobs Field to Progressive Insurance, with the new name to be Progressive
Field. The Jake has been known as Jacobs Field since 1994 when it first opened.
Richard and David Jacobs, the owners of the Indians at that time, bought the
naming rights for $10 million. That deal expired in 2007, and the Indians
retained IMG to shop naming rights. Progressive Field just doesn't have the same
snap that the Jake or even Jacobs Field has; we're guessing it will take Indians
fans years to come to grips with the new name, although as a plus Progressive
Insurance is a Cleveland-area firm. No word on how much the insurance giant is
paying, although we're guessing between $2 million and $3 million annually.
UPDATE: The Indians did better than we anticipated. The deal calls for an
average of $3.6 million annually through 2023.
Mets interested in switch to
Syracuse: Schumer
Posted Jan. 11, 2008 (feedback)
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You
don't find many United States senators involved in minor-league affiliations,
but apparently U.S Sen. Chuck Schumer has injected himself into the plans of the
New York Mets for their 2009-10 affiliations. Currently the Mets are
affiliated with the New Orleans Zephyrs (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), but
Schumer wants to see them switch to the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA;
International League). Schumer has gone to the point of discussing it with Mets
owner Fred Wilpon, who says the Mets are indeed interested in a switch. It
probably was a little impolitic of Wilpon to discuss the matter with the
senator; in theory no one is supposed to be discussing affiliation shifts until
August 2008 (unless you're discussing an extension of a current affiliation),
and other Mets officials declined to comment because of these tampering rules.
Still, discussions do happen; that's just the reality of the situation. We've
reported several times about hearing the same thing about the Mets wanting to
move to upstate New York on the Triple-A level: it would benefit the team's
marketing efforts and also give them a good fit with the Binghamton Mets (Class
AA; Eastern League). We expect the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International
League) to be in play as well if the Cleveland Indians go ahead and switch their
Triple-A affiliation to the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League),
as many expect.
Diamondbacks to go hi-def -- in a
big way
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Daktronics
has entered into a contract with Mortenson Construction to design and
manufacture one of the world’s largest true high-definition video displays for
the Arizona Diamondbacks, with installation at Chase Field scheduled for
completion prior to the start of the 2008 baseball season. The new board, to be
the widest in Major League Baseball, will have the capability to display two,
true high-definition, 16:9 images side by side. The display will be one of only
a handful of true high definition LED boards in the world and will measure
approximately 136 feet high by 46 feet wide, populated with millions of red,
green and blue LEDs. With 880 native lines of resolution, the new display will
provide high-definition video in up to 4.4 trillion colors. The display will be
approximately eight times larger than the existing CRT video board and will be
attached to the existing structure after the original components are removed.
The existing main scoreboard behind centerfield was completed in 1998 as part of
the original ballpark construction.
Reese offers to settle lawsuits over
new Knights ballpark
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Real-estate
developer Jerry Reese has offered to settle three lawsuits he has pending
against Mecklenburg County over funding of land acquisitions for a new Charlotte
Knights (Class AAA; International League) ballpark. Reese's complaint: the
county is issuing bonds to fund the land swap; the county is prohibited from
issuing bonds to fund a ballpark (under the current plan, the Knights are
actually funding the ballpark), and Reese says it's basically the same thing.
However, a judge has thrown out two of the three lawsuits (he's appealing) and
insiders we've talked with say the third has little chance of prevailing, either.
(His larger motivation: he wants to bring a Major League Baseball team to
Charlotte, and he thinks a new Knights ballpark would hinder those plans -- and
presumably cause taxpayers not to support a publicly funded facility.)
Settlement offers often are bogus, but this one is being taken seriously by the
county: Commissioners will discuss the settlement on Tuesday. At that time
they're also expected to discuss a lease for the new ballpark.
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Charlotte
ballpark lawsuit tossed;
Council action
aids Charlotte baseball deal;
Knights say downtown
site squeeze is OK;
Much up in air with uptown baseball plans;
County waves Knights toward uptown;
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2009;
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Knights in talks on financing new ballpark;
Schools agree to role
in land swap for baseball;
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A new season for Knights, but same old battles;
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Officials: Arts
sale not about sports;
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still in play for reshaping Charlotte;
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ballpark be delayed by lawsuit?;
Land deal for Charlotte
ballpark advances;
Diehl plans fight over Charlotte ballpark;
Mecklenburg County set for baseball deal role;
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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
Staff reorganization announced at MiLB
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A
slew of staff announcements was released by the folks at Minor League Baseball.
Congrats to all.
First, John Cook and Scott Poley have been promoted to Vice
President in the administration of Pat O’Conner, the new President of Minor
League
Baseball. Cook is now Senior Vice President, Business Operations and Poley is Vice
President, Legal Affairs & General Counsel. They will join the leadership team
of O’Conner, who was elected to a four-year term as President in December; Tim Purpura, named last month as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer;
and Stan Brand, long-time Vice President.
Second, Tim Brunswick, Brian Earle, Justin Klemm and Rod
Meadows have been promoted to leadership roles on the staff of Minor League
Baseball. Brunswick is Executive Director, Baseball Operations; Earle is
Executive Director, Branded Properties; Klemm is Executive Director,
Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation (PBUC); and Meadows is Executive Director, Sales & Marketing. Brunswick, Earle and Meadows are moving into new
positions. Klemm replaces Mike Fitzpatrick as Executive Director of PBUC.
Fitzpatrick moves to a newly created position as Special Assistant to MiLB
President Pat O'Conner.
Finally, Tina Gust and Jonathan Shipman have been promoted to
department Directors and six staff members moved to new roles in a staff
reorganization. Gust is Director, Licensing, moving up from Associate Director,
Licensing, after serving on the staff since June, 1998, while Shipman, a staff
member since May, 2006, is Director, Accounting. He had been Assistant Director,
Business & Finance.
The new managers are: Melissa Keilen, Senior Manager, Sales &
Marketing; Casey Boudrot, Manager, Special Operations; Nicole Ferro, Manager,
Sponsor Relations; Mary Marandi, Manager, Team Relations; and Mary Wooters,
Manager, Baseball Operations/Executive Assistant to the President.
Jill Rusinko becomes Manager, Durham Operations, a new
initiative for Minor League Baseball, and will move to Durham, NC, future home
of a laboratory designed to teach, recruit and diversify the Minor League work
force.
Other new titles on the Minor League staff are: Lillian
Patterson, Special Assistant, PBUC; on the staff since 1998; Heather Raburn,
Assistant to Marketing Director, Sponsorship Development, on the staff since
2005; and Mike Felt, Chief of Instruction, PBUC. Felt, a Minor League umpire for
nine seasons, has been a Field Evaluator for PBUC (Professional Baseball Umpire
Corporation) since its inception in 1997.
Lot C emerges as frontrunner for new
Omaha ballpark site
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The
committee charged with making a recommendation on the site of a new ballpark in
downtown Omaha for the College World Series and possibly the Omaha Royals (Class
AAA; Pacific Coast League) is focusing its discussions on the parking lot
northwest of the Qwest Center known as Lot C. Originally the committee was
looking at Lot D next to Qwest Center, but officials there complained that a
ballpark would not allow any future expansion of the facility. The discussion
then shifted to Lot C -- another parking lot in the area, closer to the Hilton
Hotel -- and the Civic Auditorium as ballpark sites. Apparently the auditorium
site is out of the running, leaving Lot C as the focus for the time being. Also
under discussion is a renovation of Rosenblatt
Stadium, the current home of the College World Series.
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for CWS sites;
Omaha mayor's public
pitch for ballpark begins;
More options
introduced for new home of College World Series;
Skeptics of Omaha
ballpark proposal look for return on funding;
Public to have say on
Omaha ballpark proposal;
Omaha restaurant
owners vow opposition to ballpark tax;
Omaha mayor unveils
$117-million ballpark plan;
Rosenblatt group
sends petitions to NCAA;
Omaha and the CWS: City
bids for 20-year deal;
Omaha Royals support
plan for new ballpark;
NCAA ties College World
Series to new ballpark;
Today's video:
Kevin Costner: Save Rosenblatt Stadium;
Costner: Save
Rosenblatt Stadium;
New downtown Omaha ballpark would be near Qwest;
Rosenblatt fans try to draft Costner;
Rosenblatt demolition among Omaha ballpark
suggestions;
Royals president says two baseball facilities can
work;
Petition drive aims to save Rosenblatt;
Could Indy someday be host for CWS?;
New Omaha ballpark could feature other pastimes;
Coaches reminisce as talk turns to proposed
downtown ballpark;
Plan B: Fix up Rosenblatt;
Omaha wants at least 10-year CWS extension before
ballpark work;
Mayor: NCAA shows interest in new Omaha ballpark;
Omaha floats new ballpark for CWS, O-Royals
Dow Corning to sponsor 2008 MWL
All-Star Game
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No
surprise: Dow Corning has signed up as the named sponsor of the 2008 Midwest
League All-Star Game, to be held June 17 at the
Dow Diamond, the home of Great Lakes Loons. Dow Corning will additionally
have title sponsorship of three other key events associated with the game: The
All-Star FanFest, powered by Dow Corning; The Hometown Hitter, powered by Dow
Corning and The All-Star Home Run Derby, powered by Dow Corning. "Dow Corning
has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the community through a myriad of
programs, including a strong commitment to the Loons," said Paul Barbeau, Loons
President and General Manager. "We are thrilled to have Dow Corning continue
that commitment through their partnership of the All-Star Game, Home Run Derby,
Hometown Hitter, and Fan Fest."
Mudcats announce 2008 Southern
League All-Star plans
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Speaking
of All-Star Games: The Carolina Mudcats announced their plans for the 2008
Southern League All-Star Game, which will be held at Five County Stadium on
Monday, July 14. Activities surrounding the 37th edition of the Southern League
All-Star Game are set for Sunday, July 13, and Monday, July 14. An All-Star Gala
will be held on Sunday night in Raleigh, followed by an All-Star Luncheon on
Monday.
Louie goes large for LumberKings;
Mitchell to launch probe
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OK,
so George Mitchell won't be launching a steroids probe into the bulking
up of Clinton LumberKings (Low Class A; Midwest League) mascot Louie. There's a
simple explanation for the new look: the LumberKings' front office embarked on
an extreme makeover for Louie for the 2008 season. (The old Louie is on the
left, the new Louie on the right.) Thanks to New Era’s design team, Louie has
toned up, changed his facial hair and is even equipped with some new gear. Gone
is the handlebar mustache, silver crown and green wood plank that epitomized the
mascot for 14 seasons. Nowadays, Louie is sporting a new slick goatee, a shiny
golden crown, and swings a more conventional wood baseball bat. "With all the
changes that have taken place in the last few seasons, we wanted to give Louie a
new and fresher look," said Ted Tornow, general manager of the LumberKings.
New turf planned for PGE Park
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The
city of Portland and Merritt Paulson, owner and president of the Portland
Beavers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), announced that a new FieldTurf field
will be installed at PGE Park for the 2008
season.
The overall project will include the removal of the existing
surface; the installation of FieldTurf’s two-and-a-half-inch monofilament
playing field atop a porous asphalt base; and the implementation of FieldTurf's
infill mix of silica sand and cryogenic rubber. Workers will also repair,
resurface and coat the existing warning track at
PGE Park.
FieldTurf replaces the existing NeXturf surface, which was in
use for seven seasons after being installed in 2001. The existing playing
surface will be reused, as the city of Portland and
PGE Park have donated portions of the old turf
to area sports programs.
Lehigh Valley broadcast team
announced
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The
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) announced their
television and radio broadcast teams. Former Major League All-Star pitcher
Ricky Bottalico, who will serve as an analyst, joins play-by-play announcers
Mike Zambelli, Sports Director of 2 Sports; Matt Provence,
IronPigs Director of Media Relations & Broadcasting; and Troy Hein,
Sports Director of WFMZ. In addition, Allentown native Meredith Marakovits
will serve as a features reporter for the telecasts. Jon Schaeffer,
IronPigs Manager of Media Relations & Broadcasting, will join Provence in
handling radio duties on the IronPigs Radio Network during the team’s inaugural
season.
Ricky Bottalico brings 12 years of Major League baseball
experience to the booth and will provide color commentary during all 72 IronPigs
home games. Originally signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1991,
Bottalico made his Major League debut in 1994. He was named a National League
All-Star in 1996 after posting 34 saves and a 3.19 ERA in 61 appearances.
Zambelli will handle a majority of the play-by-play duties on
the IronPigs Television Network. A 20-year veteran of 2 Sports, he has served as
the station’s Sports Director since 1994. As part of Service Electric’s local
sports coverage, Zambelli has done play-by-play for the Reading Phillies,
Allentown Ambassadors, Lehigh University football and basketball and hundreds of
sporting events on the high-school level.
The 2008 campaign will mark Matt Provence’s 12th season in
minor-league baseball following stints with the Norwich Navigators (1997),
Lynchburg Hillcats (1998-2004) and Daytona Cubs (2005-2006). The New Jersey
native will serve as the primary play-by-play voice on the IronPigs Radio
Network while having a significant on-air presence on all TV broadcasts.
Meredith Marakovits joins the broadcast team as a features
reporter for the IronPigs Television Network. The role is a familiar one for
Marakovits, who has also worked as a sideline reporter for both the Reading
Phillies and Lehigh Valley Outlawz (Continental Indoor Football League) on 2
Sports.
The IronPigs TV Network, powered by Service Electric Cable &
Communications, consists of Service Electric Cable & Communications, Service
Electric Cablevision, Service Electric Broadband, Blue Ridge Cable and WYLN 35 –
which will televise live all 72 IronPigs home games. WFMZ 69 will also join the
network for all Saturday home broadcasts and other select games.
Ballpark, housing attract Maryland
investors to York
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The
new home of the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League) has lured a pair
of new investors into the city. Wesley Myers and Mark Carr are Maryland
real-estate investors who hope to renovate a former railroad facility at 50 E.
North St. and bring in a restaurant as a tenant. Myers and Carr paid $225,000 to
acquire the building from a partnership that included local attorney Frank
Countess of CGA Law Firm. The property was once a baggage-handling facility for
the old York train station, which is nearby and now serves as a Greyhound bus
terminal. The area is seeing a spurt of investment, said Ryan Myers, an agent at
Rock Commercial Real Estate in York who worked on the deal. He cited the new
ballpark and the Codo development that will offer high-end housing nearby.
Ballpark Notes
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The
Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League) announced five
new additions to their front office staff, adding two new Assistant General
Managers while bringing in a significant amount of professional and local
experience to Modern Woodmen Park. Cory Howerton brings
major-league sports experience to the staff, leaving his position as Group
Events Manager with the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm
to become the River Bandits’ Assistant General Manager of Corporate Sales.
Keith Lucier, a native of Bettendorf, joins the club as the Assistant
General Manager of Fan Experience. Lucier already has a past with the River
Bandits, having started his professional career as an intern with the
organization in 1997 and ultimately rising to become the Director of Group
Sales. Shannon Mandsager will be starting her first year in professional
sports as the team’s Director of Corporate Partnerships, and brings great
experience with the businesses and people of the Quad Cities. Nick Harvey
was already a member of the St. Louis Cardinals family, and joins the staff as
Ticket Manager. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Harvey earned a Sports Management
degree from Ohio University. His professional experience includes a season with
the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, as a Group Sales
Intern. Ben Kratz comes to the Quad Cities to fill the role of Head
Groundskeeper/Stadium Operations. Kratz has six years of grounds crew experience
at the Triple-A and NCAA Division I levels, including time spent at Omaha’s
Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series....Bienvenido "Bien"
Figueroa is the new manager of the Connecticut Defenders (Class AA;
Eastern League. He'll be joined by fifth-year pitching coach Bob Stanley,
new hitting coach Victor Torres and new trainer Dustin Luepker.....
Orioles on their way to Dodgertown?
Posted Jan. 10, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Scripps Treasure Coast newspapers are reporting the Baltimore Orioles signed an
option to move spring-training operations to Vero Beach's Dodgertown complex, a
fallback position should their plans to renovate Fort Lauderdale Stadium be
scrapped. It's no secret Indian River County officials have been looking for a
replacement for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are shifting spring operations to
Arizona in 2009 or 2010 (depending on when a new Glendale ballpark and complex
are ready). Don't get too excited yet: from what we've been told the Orioles are
still pursuing a deal to renovate Fort Lauderdale Stadium, but officials are
awaiting FAA approval. Also, the Orioles front office is started to be concerned
about the cost of the project rising; a move to Dodgertown and
Holman Stadium would surely be cheaper in
the short term. But many of the problems plaguing Dodgertown would be present
for the Orioles: the city's relatively remote location and the inability of fans
and team officials to fly directly there. And remember: this is an option,
presumably designed to keep the Cincinnati Reds out of town.
August Publications unveils
NorthwoodsLeagueStore.com
Posted Jan. 10, 2008 (feedback)
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Offering
a wide array of official league apparel, the new
Northwoods League Store debuted online this week
with a full stock of quality t-shirts, sweatshirts
and hoodies available for order immediately.
NorthwoodsLeagueStore.com is powered by
BallparkDigest.com.
August
Publications and
NWLfan.com are
teaming up with the Northwoods League to offer
logo apparel for 23 summer collegiate baseball
teams (14 current franchises and nine former
teams) from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan
and North Dakota.
“We look forward to providing Northwoods League fans quality
logo apparel at reasonable prices through the new
online store,” said August Publications founder
and CEO Kevin Reichard. “Our relationship with the
League, the teams and its fans through our
NWLfan.com website has been fun and gratifying.
Working with the League to offer an appealing and
comprehensive online apparel store is a natural
step forward for us.”
The full line of clothing and apparel representing past and
present Northwoods League teams is geared for all
ages, from adult men, women and unisex, to youth,
toddlers and infants.
"We are excited to begin our new online store in association
with August Publications and their subsidiaries,”
said Dick Radatz, Jr., President of the Northwoods
League. “They have helped promote the League in
many ways, and this will just continue and add to
the wonderful relationship that we have.”
The Allentown IronPigs?
Posted Jan. 10, 2008 (feedback)
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Allentown
Mayor Ed Pawlowski is upset that the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA;
International League) signed a two-year deal to put up visiting players at a
nearby Bethlehem hotel. It was just another reminder for Pawlowski that the
$49.4-million Coca Cola Park is located in his city, but Allentown isn't sharing
too much in the financial bonanza expected to result from the new facility.
Here's the deal: At several points Pawlowski worked to have the city involved in
the ballpark, but either he pushed the wrong project (he wanted a smaller
facility built for the late owner of the Allentown Ambassadors) or the wrong
location (Pawlowski's preferred downtown site was to small for a Class AAA
ballpark). In fact, the city isn't putting a penny into the project: Lehigh
Valley floated $17.5 million in bonds to help build the ballpark, and the team
owners are paying well in excess of a million dollars annually in rent. So where
does Pawlowski have a complaint?
O's scoreboard demolition begins
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Workers
began the demolition of the center field scoreboard and Sony JumboTron at
Oriole Park at Camden Yards yesterday, with
the first pieces of the original 1992 scoreboard being removed by crane. It's
the latest step in a series of preparations for the installation of upgraded
scoreboards around the stadium. Last month, the right field out-of-town
scoreboard, along with the club level and upper level auxiliary scoreboards,
were removed in preparation for the installation of upgraded LED boards capable
of providing more information, animation and statistics for fans.
ULB, GBL to face off in interleague
All-Star Game
Posted Jan. 10, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Golden Baseball League (GBL) and United League Baseball (ULB) announced that the
independent leagues have agreed on a two-year partnership where they will play
their All-Star game against each other this
season and next. The 2008 game will be played on Tuesday, July 15 at San
Angelo's Foster Field. The 2009 game will be played in southern California
hosted by the Orange County Flyers. The 20-man rosters will be comprised of
players from the eight GBL teams in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and
western Canada versus players from the six United League teams in Texas and
Louisiana.
So, let's say the Trop's for
sale....
Posted Jan. 10, 2008 (feedback)
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St.
Pete officials are discussing development possibilities for the
Tropicana Field site should the Tampa Bay
Rays go ahead with
a new $450-million waterfront ballpark on the current
Al Lang Field
site. Major cities don't get
development opportunities like this very often: the Trop site is seen as the
gateway to downtown St. Pete, has a great location, is available as one
contiguous whole, and has already attracted the interest of multiple developers.
There's some pressure here: the proceeds from the redevelopment will help fund
the new Rays ballpark, so city officials will need to make sure they chose a
safe yet lucrative route.
More from the Tampa Tribune.
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Land under the Trop is
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looms as curveball;
Rays on the bay?
Ballpark Notes
Posted Jan. 10, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Reading Phillies (Class AA; Eastern League) have announced that
Service Electric Cable TV-2 Sports will serve as the flagship provider for
an extensive television network that will carry 23 R-Phils home games live in
2008. The R-Phils and SECTV teamed up in 2007 to broadcast 22 games. SECTV 2
Sports, located in Allentown, will produce the games which will also be carried
by network affiliates Service Electric Cablevision, Service Electric Company,
Blue Ridge Cable TV-11, Blue Ridge Cable TV-13 and WYLN-35. Overall, R-Phils
games will reach over one million homes during the 2008 season....The Omaha
Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) announced the signing of Ty Cobb
to a minor-league contract. No, not the dead guy: this Ty Cobb (yes, Ty is
his real first name) has been hired as the team’s marketing and community
relations intern. Beginning today, Cobb will have his own blog on the front page
of oroyals.com....The Birmingham Barons
(Class AA; Eastern League) announced eight new promotions and additions to their
front-office staff for the 2008 season. Steve Hamilton (head
groundskeeper), Justin Firesheets (director of media relations), and
Jo Ann Bragan (accountant) join the front office, while Bill Adema
(director of sales), Kyle Krebs (community relations coordinator),
Jonathan Howe (corporate event planner), Charlie Santiago (community
group ticket representative) and Casey Odom (corporate event planner)
return in expanded roles....The Sioux Falls Canaries (independent;
American Association) announced that First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER
Bankcard will return as the Canaries presenting sponsor for a third straight
season in 2008. As presenting sponsor, First PREMIER Bank/PREMIER Bankcard will
receive signage as well as its logo on all Canaries print publications and
inclusion in all media advertising. They will also be the presenting sponsor of
the Canaries 2008 Season Premier, featuring a post-game fireworks display, when
the team hosts the Pensacola Pelicans on May 13....The Portland Beavers
(Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) announced that the team has entered into a
title-sponsorship agreement with Cricket Wireless for the 2009
Triple-A All-Star Game, which will be held at
PGE Park in downtown Portland. It was also
announced that the Cricket Wireless Triple-A All-Star Game will take place July
15, 2009; a start time has yet to be determined....The Kansas City Royals
announced their broadcasters for the 2008 season headlined by Denny Matthews
returning for his 40th season as the Royals play-by-play announcer. The 2007
Ford C. Frick Award winner will be joined by 11-time Kansas Sportscaster of the
Year Bob Davis, who will make a full-time move to the radio booth after
11 seasons as the television voice of Royals baseball. The duo will be joined in
2008 by veteran play-by-play announcer Steve Stewart, who will host the
pre- and post-game shows on the Royals Radio Network, as well as call the action
on selected games throughout the year. Ryan Lefebvre, who was announced
earlier today as the lead voice for Fox Sports Net telecasts of Royals baseball,
will also provide the play-by-play call on radio when he is not on
television....The Evansvlle Otters (independent; Frontier League)
announced the following announcements for the 2008 season: Brendan Sagara
is the new pitching coach and Bobby Bell is the new hitting coach....
Vote on new Marlins ballpark delayed
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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A
vote on a final lease and agreement for a new Florida Marlins ballpark has been
delayed to give the team, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami time to work
out the final details. No surprise: we're hearing from insiders there's more
disagreement over the final terms than you may think, as the team negotiates
over the form of its contribution (the plan from Miami-Dade and Miami officials
calls for the team to pay $155 million up front; the team wants to spread things
out), who receives the proceeds of naming rights, and whether state aid for the
new ballpark will be sought. (Given the Tampa Bay Rays have decided to forego
state aid for
a proposed $450-million waterfront
ballpark, it would be in bad form for the Marlins to
seek funding, many believe.) In a way, this is standard negotiating procedure,
as the Marlins seek the best deal they can get.
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suite deal for commissioners;
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Marlins funding
closer to reality;
Marlins' ballpark
plan gets new life;
New Marlins ballpark
funding plan proposed;
Marlins: Ballpark
woes led to trade;
Marlins ballpark
negotiations continue;
Marlins' share key
to ballpark deal;
DuPuy: Marlins
ballpark top priority;
Ho hum: Marlins hand county yet another ballpark deadline;
Marlins may get $50 million for new ballpark;
DuPuy meets with Crist
about new Fish ballpark, says MLB will make use of Dodgertown;
Marlins about to bring
ballpark deal in from the bullpen;
Selig receptive to Orange Bowl site for new
Marlins ballpark;
UM exit from Orange Bowl paves way for new Marlins
ballpark;
Selig: Relocation an option if ballpark issue not
settled;
University of Miami might leave Orange Bowl by '08;
Is there room for Marlins in South Florida?;
Moss to seek changes in Marlins' name, spring
training;
Marlins' reaction to no state funding of ballpark:
muted;
State funding for Marlins ballpark dies when
session ends;
Senate leader: no deal with slots, Marlins
ballpark;
Slots, Marlins ballpark financing in tax-bill mix;
Vote on Marlins ballpark
financing again comes late in legislative session;
New Marlins ballpark bill
likely to strike out;
State House endorses $60
million for Marlins ballpark in Miami;
Marlins' pitch for ballpark
cash apt to fall short;
Dade lawmaker unsure about
Marlins subsidy;
Miami officials offended at
Loria's insistence on downtown ballpark
This week's podcast:
Politics and ballparks in NYC, Chicago and Madison
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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It's
high political season in the United States, and
the ballpark world is experiencing political
issues of its own. On this week's Ballpark Digest
podcast: New York politics ensnare the Yankees;
the Rays eschew politics in search of the greater
good; shifting Chicago politics force decisions on
the future of Wrigley Field; local politics
threaten to delay a ballpark renovation in
Madison; and Goose Gossage transcends the politics
of Hall of Fame voting and becomes the only 2008
inductee. Publisher Kevin Reichard and Senior
Editor Dave Wright discuss the hot topics in the
baseball and ballpark worlds in the weekly
Ballpark Digest podcast. To directly subscribe to
the feed using Firefox or Internet Explorer,
go to this page and click on the "Subscribe Now"
button. You can listen directly to the podcast
on your own PC
via this link
(it's a standard MP3 file), or
you can subscribe via
iTunes, Feedburner or your personalized Google
home page. (We're
finding out from the stats that subscribing via
Google is proving to be a very popular option.)
Comments are welcome.
More information on Ballpark Digest podcasts here.
Naming-rights sale to bridge funding gap in Kane County renovation
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Kane County Cougars (Low Class A; Midwest League) will sell naming rights to
Elfstrom Stadium
in an attempt to bridge a $5 million budget gap for a renovation that will add
a second deck of seats and an overhang, more concession stands, more
restrooms and more private skyboxes. Under the agreement reached with the
Cougars, the forest district will cover $8 million in improvements, up from the
$5 million to be derived originally from the sale of revenue bonds. Team owners,
meanwhile, have agreed to increase the annual rental fee, ranging from $1.1
million to $1.3 million a year, that they will pay the district through 2028.
The increase will come from the team's sale of naming rights to the ballpark.
The first two rounds of bids yielded estimates of $12 million; commissioners and
the team think they can get the final budget down to $10.5 million in another
round of bids. The Elfstrom name will still be present after the naming rights
are sold: the entire area will be known as the Philip B. Elfstrom Events Center.
Opponents say Rays, manatees don't
mix
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Environmental
leaders in St. Petersburg want to make sure
a new $450-million waterfront
ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays on the current
Al Lang Field
site doesn't impact manatees,
sea grass beds and a spring in Tampa Bay. Rays officials say filling in
six-tenths of an acre -- about three house lots -- for a rerouted Bayshore Drive
is necessary to procure enough land for the ballpark. It sounds like some
opponents purely oppose the ballpark and are using the environment as a weapon
-- for instance, the aforementioned spring is 1,000 feet from the seawall and
unlikely to be impacted by any fill -- but to their credit other
environmentalists say the issue needs to be studied before a final decision on
the ballpark is made.
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ballpark may be hard to fill;
Rays unveil plans for
new ballpark;
Rays: New ballpark could
pump $1 billion into local economy;
Rays ballpark plan
kept secret for months;
Land under the Trop is a
developer's dream;
Tampa Bay ballpark cost
looms as curveball;
Rays on the bay?
Judge blocks Columbus ballpark
contract
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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A
day after he said he wouldn't prevent Franklin County Commissioners from
changing the terms of a bid process concerning a new Columbus Clippers (Class
AAA; International League) ballpark, Judge Richard A. Frye did step in block and
block the bid after it was technically awarded by the commissioners. Here's the
deal. TP Mechanical Contractors Inc., a nonunion shop, bid $4,349,874 for both
the plumbing and ventilation jobs at the new ballpark. It had the lowest
combined bid, but commissioners decided to split the bids -- which, apparently,
they can do and show no cause -- and awarded part of the work to a competing
union shop whose bid was higher. Frye then blocked the award, saying it's not
clear to him the county could eschew the low bid. There are some other factors
involved, besides the union status (or lack thereof): commissioners say TP
doesn't pay the state-required prevailing
wage and has too many safety violations in its history. This shouldn't hold up
construction of Huntington Park,
slated to open in 2009.
RELATED STORIES:
Judge won't stop ballpark contract;
Ballpark bidding challenged again
Dodger fan seeks $1 million over
parking lot punch
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Marta
Parra Helenius, a 31-year-old nurse, is suing the Los Angeles Dodgers for $1
million, alleging the team didn't follow its own rules on how to handle unruly
fans at Dodger Stadium, paving the
way for an attack that left her legally blind in one eye. On July 17, 2005,
Helenius and her husband attending a Dodgers-Giants game; she was wearing a
Dodgers jersey, while he was sporting the Giants' colors. A group of Dodgers
fans took umbrage at the presence of a Giants fan and started harassing the
couple, leading security to move the Dodgers fans. After the game -- won by the
Dodgers in dramatic fashion -- the groups met up in the
Dodger Stadium, with the end
result a scuffle that led to an enraged female Dodgers fan attaching Helenius,
causing the permanent eye injury. Helenius's attorney says the team should have
done more to protect here, but judging by what the Dodgers say the only way they
could have prevented the fight would be to escort fans to their cars -- an
unrealistic solution.
Hannibal group to renovate ballpark,
join CICL
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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A
distinguished group of investors and advisors -- including Larry Owens, Lee
Thomas, Red Schoendienst, Frank White, Walt Jocketty and Rollie Hemond -- are
putting together a franchise for the summer-collegiate Central Illinois
Collegiate League and renovating Clemens Field in Hannibal, Mo. for play in
2009. Clemens Field is a WPA-era ballpark; if you want an idea of what it looks
like, check out our photos of Eau Claire's
Carson Park, as both ballparks were based off the same plans. Local
officials are enthused about the plan;
they
say the ballpark renovation should bring more fans to downtown Hannibal.
More from the Quincy Herald
Whig.
Firebirds grounded after short but
sweet flight
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The
owners of the Farmington Firebirds (summer collegiate; Kitty League) are pulling
the plug on the team, but are willing to sell it or lease it under the right
circumstances. The discontinuance by the present investors does not necessarily
mean the end of the Firebirds. The present investors have been seeking a person
or persons who might be willing to operate the team on a commission basis.
Several persons and entities have been approached but without success. If the
team doesn't play this season, the league will be forced to come up with a new
schedule based on five teams.
Parker not coming back as Jaxx GM
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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Jeff
Parker has resigned as GM of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern
League), turning down an offer from the new team owners to stay on. (Speaking of
the new owners: they've not yet received MiLB and MLB approval to take control
of the team, but both are expected within a month.) Parker doesn't have a job
lined up yet. Its a shame: Parker did a pretty decent job under some lousy
circumstances.
In memoriam: Buddy LeRoux
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Edward
"Buddy" LeRoux, former part owner of the Boston Red Sox, has died of natural
causes. He was 77. LeRoux died Monday in a New Hampshire hospital, according to
the Lord Funeral Home in Wolfeboro. LeRoux started as a trainer for the Red Sox
from 1966-74. He served as the team's vice president from 1978-79, then became
an owner as part of a group that included Haywood Sullivan and Jean Yawkey,
widow of longtime team owner Tom Yawkey. He was forced to sell his share of the
team after a failed attempt to wrestle control from Sullivan and Yawkey.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Jan. 9, 2008 (feedback)
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Jeffrey
Leonard is the new manager of the Reno Silver Sox (independent;
Golden Baseball League). The 14-year major-league veteran returns to managing,
as he previously skippered both Single-A and Double-A teams in the Oakland
Athletics organization and the Sonoma County Crushers (independent; Western
Baseball League). "We are excited to hire Jeffrey Leonard as our new manager,"
said Silver Sox GM Curt Jacey. "He's a proven minor league manager who will
bring excitement to the ball park. He is also very active with youth sports and
the community a main focus of our team and league."...Travis Kiewiet is
the new bench coach of the Waterloo Bucks (summer collegiate; Northwoods
League). In 2006, Kiewiet was the head coach at Dike-New Hartford and has also
spent time as an associate head baseball coach for Cedar Falls....Miss Babe
Ruth, one of the mascots for the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low Class
A; Sally League), has spent the past two seasons entertaining fans by retrieving
bats, taking balls to the umpire and running the bases. Now, Minor League
Baseball’s "Youngest Bat Girl" is taking that momentum to the Onternet with one
of her most prized possessions. Fans can now bid on eBay for the chance to own
her game-used collar from her rookie season, with all proceeds of the auction to
benefit the Animal Rescue and Foster Program of Greensboro. "Fans are always
looking to find unique baseball items to add to their collection," said
Grasshoppers President and General Manager Donald Moore. "With such a worthwhile
charity and Babe’s breakout season last year, it is just a natural connection."
Bidders can link to the auction, which ends January 17, through the Grasshoppers
website, www.gsohoppers.com....Hall of
Fame pitcher Bob Feller will be the featured guest at this year’s 62nd
Annual Awards Banquet held by the Pitch & Hit Club of Chicago on Sunday,
January 20 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. Feller
will be the 29th inductee into the club’s prestigious "Lou Boudreau Hall of
Fame," joining greats such as Ernie Banks, Jack Brickhouse, Andre Dawson,
Billy Williams, Billy Pierce, Ron Santo and many other great baseball names from
the Midwest. The Pitch & Hit Club, founded in 1942 by a group of Chicago area
professional baseball scouts, has held the annual banquet for more than six
decades to honor baseball people at all levels, including players, coaches,
umpires, executives and members of the baseball media. It is the oldest, longest
running and only industry-wide winter baseball banquet in the Chicago area.
Proceeds from the dinner go to benefit the club’s youth scholarship program as
well as worthy baseball related causes including Cubs Care, White Sox Charities,
the Near West Little League, Marquis Grissom Baseball Association and the
Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation. Fore information, check out the group's
Website at pitchandhitclub.org.
Rays will not seek state aid for new
ballpark
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The
Tampa Bay Rays say they won't seek state aid for
a new $450-million waterfront ballpark on the current
Al Lang Field
site in downtown St. Petersburg. The original plan was to seek $60 million in
state sales-tax rebates, similar to what other sports-facilities owners have
received in the past, but given the shaky finances of Florida state government
these days approval in the upcoming legislative session would be iffy at best,
especially without the support of the Pinellas County delegation. Given that the
team is working on early financial estimates (the final price of the ballpark
hasn't been
determined, and no one knows how much revenue a redevelopment of the Tropicana
Field site will yield), the team can work around this early roadblock. It also
casts a pall on the Florida Marlins' plan to seek a similar sales-tax rebate: it
will be extremely hard for the team and Miami-Dade to ask for $60 million when
the Rays have passed this time around. (And, don't forget, the move by the Rays
doesn't preclude coming back in 2009 for funding, should the state's financial
situation reverse.)
More from the Tampa Tribune.
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Key player in Rays
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Rays' land request for
ballpark may be hard to fill;
Rays unveil plans
for new ballpark;
Rays: New ballpark could
pump $1 billion into local economy;
Rays ballpark plan
kept secret for months;
Land under the Trop is
a developer's dream;
Tampa Bay ballpark cost
looms as curveball;
Rays on the bay?
SCL places team in Jackson
Posted Jan. 8, 2008 (feedback)
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Officials
in Jackson, Miss., are expected to announce today at a press conference that the
independent South Coast League is placing a team at Smith-Wills Stadium,
formerly the home of affiliated and independent baseball in the city. It's an
interesting move for the league, which enters its second season: the move
stretches the league's footprint quite a ways (it's over seven hours from
Georgia's Macon or Albany to Jackson), and it also puts the league in direct
competition with an affiliated team in nearby Pearl, the Mississippi Braves
(Class AA; Southern League).
Judge won't stop ballpark contract
Posted Jan. 8, 2008 (feedback)
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A
judge has told a jilted low bidder that he won’t stop Franklin County
commissioners from voting Tuesday morning on a more-costly contract for the new
home of the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League).Common Pleas
Judge Richard A. Frye had a simple rationale: as the commissioners had not yet
voted, he could do nothing to stop the vote. However, Frye told TP Mechanical
Contractors Inc. that the company could sue after the vote. TP submitted the
lowest combined bid to install plumbing and heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning systems at Huntington Park, but commissioners say they will
split the two bids, spending a little more on the work but avoiding doing
business with TP, which is a nonunion shop.
C's top job a Dunn deal
Posted Jan. 8, 2008 (feedback)
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Andy
Dunn is the new president of the Vancouver Canadians (short season; Northwest
League). He's spent the last few years with the Washington Nationals working on
the operations side after heading the Brevard County Manatees (High Class A;
Florida State League). He's walking into a situation that's been described to us
as chaotic, to say the least: the team was jolted last year when Aileen
McManamon (who had little baseball experience; she was touted by some because of
her marketing expertise) quit right before the start of the season, and the
Canadians never really recovered.
More from the Vancouver Province.
Some see 51s, some see Stars
Posted Jan. 8, 2008 (feedback)
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The
new owners of the Las Vegas 51s (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) are talking
about changing the team's name, either reverting back to the old Las Vegas Stars
moniker or choosing a new one. The Stevens Baseball Group could learn as soon as
this week whether its purchase of the 51s from Mandalay Baseball Properties has
received approval from the minor league and major league commissioners. Once the
sale is final, according to president and GM Don Logan, he and new owner Derek
Stevens would examine all facets of the organization -- including the team's
nickname.
Fan facilities are next for Oaks
ballpark renovation
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Competitive
bids for the second of three phases in an $11.6 million renovation of Recreation
Park are on schedule, which means Visalia Oaks (High Class A; California League)
baseball fans should have sparkling new restrooms and concession stands down the
right-field line come opening day April 17. Owner Tom Seidler said he's
optimistic that much of the construction will be completed on the right-field
improvements --0 including an enclosed VIP area that will seat up to 100 people
for special events, additional fan seating, an improved bullpen area and
souvenir shop. Team officials said last year's first phase of improvements
contributed to a whopping 34 percent attendance increase (from 61,958 in the
2006 season to 83,452 in the 2007 season) as fans enjoyed renovated restrooms in
the left-field area along with a "dugout suite" and the Hot Corner Lounge.
A changeup for Bud's boys
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One
of the more intriguing possibilities has Mark Cuban land the Chicago Cubs,
Wrigley Field and a chunk of a local sports cable network. Cuban has been
outspoken as owner of the Dallas Mavericks (NBA), but to his credit he's toned
down the rhetoric and genuinely seems committed to pleasing fans. But is that
really necessary in Chicago? We're not taking about a situation where fans need
to be treated better: Wrigley Field is one of the best places to watch a
baseball game and we've always found the gameday staff to be friendly and
responsive. While it would be fun to see some of the oldtimers in baseball react
to Cuban, the truth is the Cubs really don't need him.
Ice park gliding along at mid-point
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Here's
an interesting use of a ballpark in winter: setting up an ice park in the
outfield. The Lancaster Barnstormers (independent; Atlantic League) set up a
skating rink in the right field of Clipper Magazine Stadium this winter and last
winter. So far bad weather has been the biggest problem for the team, but an
average of 200 or so customers have shown up to take advantage of the skating
rink, with a crowd of 1,000 there on opening night. The ice rink is mostly open
on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Officials see renderings of minor
league ballpark in Avon
Posted Jan. 8, 2008 (feedback)
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Avon
(Ohio) officials are starting to get an idea of what the new minor-league
ballpark for an independent Frontier League team could look like. The ballpark
could feature a brick entryway opening to seating area encompassing home plate
and along the first and third bases lines. There will be grassy areas along the
right and left field lines and behind right field where fans could sit,
according to renderings submitted to city council. Christopher Wynn, lead
architect for the project and director of design for Osborn Architects and
Engineers, said the stadium could look similar to older ballparks. The stadium
would have seating for about 3,500 people, including seats in the stands and
table seating, Wynn explained. There is room for an additional 1,500 people
sitting on the grassy berms or walking around.
SFA ballpark: yes or no?
Posted Jan. 8, 2008 (feedback)
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Stephen
F. Austin President Dr. Baker Pattillo will present a recommendation regarding
the proposed Bo Pilgrim Ballpark to the SFA board of regents at the board
meeting later this month. The regents are scheduled to meet Jan. 28 and 29, and
during that time, Pattillo will present a recommendation about the ballpark,
according to Andy Kesling, SFA executive director of marketing. The proposed
ballpark would occupy a 22-acre site at the corner of University Drive and Starr
Avenue and will include a baseball and softball facility. The estimated cost to
build the ballpark is about $14 million, and 25 percent of that, about $3.5
million, should have been raised through private donations during the
fundraising months, which kicked off in November 2006 and ended in December
2007. At of the end of 2007, about $1.94 million in gifts and pledges for the
ballpark had been raised, which is about $1.56 million less than what was
originally projected as the goal for the private donations.
Ballpark Notes
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The
Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Class AA; Texas League) will reveal the
identity of the official team mascot at a special gathering to be held at The
Jones Center, at 922 East Emma Avenue in Springdale, at 6:00 p.m. on Friday,
January 11. The event will take place in the food court and is free and open to
the public....The Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League)
announced the hiring of two new employees and the promotion of two others in the
club’s front office. Lesley Crutcher joins the team as its director of
community relations. The Royals added Michael Jermain as a corporate
sales executive. Jason Kinney has been promoted to the club’s full-time
merchandising manager, after serving an internship in that position in 2007.
Andrea Stava will begin her third season with the Royals as a group sales
executive, after spending last season as an intern in the group sales department
and the 2006 campaign with the team’s apprentice program....Derek Ingram
returns as the voice of the Daytona Cubs (High Class A; Florida State
League) in 2008. Two newcomers will join Ingram, the director of broadcasting
and media relations for the upcoming season. Seth Millhoan and Brian
Chapman join the Cubs as co-assistant directors of broadcasting for their
first season in professional baseball. A native of Bowling Green, Mo, Ingram,
26, returns to Daytona for his third season with the Cubs. He was selected to
broadcast the 2006 and 2007 Florida State League All-Star Games.
New Yankee Stadium goes up, but
Bronx still seeks benefits
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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When
the New York Yankees came to a final agreement for a
new Yankee Stadium, the team would
give roughly $1.2 million a year, starting when the work began, to various
community groups through a special panel. But nearly 17 months after
construction began, as workers race to complete the
new Yankee Stadium by opening day
2009, none of that money has been distributed, and the group responsible for
administering it has never met. The Yankees say they've placed the money in an
escrow account and are waiting for the city to act; Bronx borough president
Adolfo Carrión Jr. won't comment, which leads one to believe there are some New
York City politics playing out totally unrelated to the Yankees.
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ballparks
Mallards ballpark renovation now estimated at $5.6 million
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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A
plan to renovate Warner Park, the home of the
Madison Mallards (summer collegiate; Northwoods League), prompting team and city
officials to take a second look at the project, which would include the
installation of new bleachers and a reorientation of the playing field. The City
Council approved a $4 million financing package for the project in its 2008
capital budget, including $800,000 in city money to renovate the aging bleachers
and a $1.2 million city loan to the Mallards, with the remainder to be covered
by the team. This
leaves a $1.6 million funding gap -- which is probably pretty doable, according
to the team officials we've chatted with -- but the larger issues involves
politics, as Alderman Michael Schumacher says there should be a study of how the
project impact the local area. As anyone who's been around Madison know,
projects there can get "studied" to death. The team is still looking at a 2009
timetable for completing the project.
Delegation uninterested in Rays'
wish
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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The
12 members of the Pinellas County legislative delegation don't seem interested
in carrying water for the Tampa Bay Rays as they seek $60 million in sales-tax
rebates ($2 million a year for 30 years) for
a new waterfront ballpark on the current
Al Lang Field
site
in downtown St. Petersburg. None of the legislators interviewed was in favor of
the proposal, much less sponsoring it. The Rays have said all along this wasn't
an essential part of the ballpark funding package, and they've done little to
lobby members of the Pinellas
County delegation. Contrary to what this article reports, the current plan for
Miami-Dade County is to seek similar funding for a new Florida Marlins ballpark;
don't be surprised if Gov. Charlie Crist pushes for both and adds some
additional venues to the mix to broaden the appeal.
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Rays' land request for
ballpark may be hard to fill;
Rays unveil plans
for new ballpark;
Rays: New ballpark could
pump $1 billion into local economy;
Rays ballpark plan
kept secret for months;
Land under the Trop is
a developer's dream;
Tampa Bay ballpark cost
looms as curveball;
Rays on the bay?
Braman makes pitch against new Fish
pond
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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Luxury
auto dealer Norman Braman doesn't want to see a new $525-million Florida Marlins
ballpark -- so much so that he's buying airtime in Miami to rally public opinion
against the project. Last month, county commissioners voted 9-4 in favor of the
massive agreement with the city to finance billions in new downtown spending
that would also help build the ballpark. Thursday's financing vote will include
a detailed contract that, among other items, makes cost overruns the team's
responsibility. Braman, as you'll recall, is the former owner of the
Philadelphia Eagles (NFL).
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for new ballpark;
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Plan for Marlins ballpark
gets support from Miami-Dade;
Marlins funding
closer to reality;
Marlins' ballpark
plan gets new life;
New Marlins ballpark
funding plan proposed;
Marlins: Ballpark
woes led to trade;
Marlins ballpark
negotiations continue;
Marlins' share
key to ballpark deal;
DuPuy: Marlins
ballpark top priority;
Ho hum: Marlins hand
county yet another ballpark deadline;
Marlins may get $50
million for new ballpark;
DuPuy meets with
Crist about new Fish ballpark, says MLB will make use of Dodgertown;
Marlins about to
bring ballpark deal in from the bullpen;
Selig receptive to Orange Bowl site for new
Marlins ballpark;
UM exit from Orange Bowl paves way for new Marlins
ballpark;
Selig: Relocation an option if ballpark issue not
settled;
University of Miami might leave Orange Bowl by '08;
Is there room for Marlins in South Florida?;
Moss to seek changes in Marlins' name, spring
training;
Marlins' reaction to no state funding of ballpark:
muted;
State funding for Marlins ballpark dies when
session ends;
Senate leader: no deal with slots, Marlins
ballpark;
Slots, Marlins ballpark financing in tax-bill mix;
Vote on Marlins ballpark financing again comes
late in legislative session;
New Marlins ballpark
bill likely to strike out;
State House endorses $60 million for Marlins
ballpark in Miami;
Marlins' pitch for ballpark cash apt to fall short;
Dade lawmaker unsure about Marlins subsidy;
Miami officials offended at Loria's insistence on
downtown ballpark
Ballpark bidding challenged again
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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Franklin
County commissioners, accused two months ago of trying to steer a construction
contract on the new Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League) ballpark
to a union company, are being challenged by another low bidder crying foul for
the same reason. Commissioners expect to hire W.G. Tomko on Tuesday, opening the
county to a possible lawsuit that could delay construction of Huntington Park.
TP Mechanical submitted the low bid for the plumbing job and a heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning package, but county officials are splitting the
jobs and awarding them separately. The $55-million ballpark is set to open in
the Arena District for the 2009 baseball season, though that will be a fairly
tight schedule.
Forest District seeks expansion of Elfstrom Stadium
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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The
Kane County Forest Preserve District will go out for a third round of bids on
the expansion of Elfstrom Stadium, home of
the Kane County Cougars (Low Class A; Midwest League). The district and the
Cougars want to add a second deck of seats and an overhang, more concession
stands, more restrooms and more private skyboxes. They've budgeted $5 million
for the work, but the first two rounds of bids yielded estimates of $12 million.
It's hard to tell what the district expects to go differently this time,
although now officials say they're more likely to see a bid of $10 million as
being acceptable.
More from the Kane County Chronicle.
Tunney wary of Wrigley deal
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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Ald.
Thomas Tunney, who represents Wrigleyville and whose participation was key in
getting the area to agree to more Chicago Cubs night games, says he's skeptical
about the prospects of the state buying and running Wrigley Field. One objection
is philosophical -- there are private firms willing to step up and buy both
Wrigley Field and the Cubs -- and the other is purely logistical, wondering how
the state could afford to buy the facility. Here's why Sam Zell is so hot to
have the state buy the Friendly Confines: he says the state can pay more than a
private individual because the state can borrow money at a lower interest rate.
It's purely a play to put more money into Sam Zell's pocket and does nothing to
"protect" Wrigley Field: it already has historic-landmark designation and cannot
be significantly be altered without an oversight process.
RELATED STORIES:
Daley now open to idea of
state ownership of Wrigley Field;
Selling Cubbies
priority for new owner;
Trib closes buyout;
sale of Cubs, Wrigley Field to follow;
Wringing cash from
Wrigley Field;
Cubs, state confirm
preliminary Wrigley talks;
State looks to buy
Wrigley Field
Reno will get franchise, but with
what affiliation?
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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When
the Tucson Sidewinders (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) move to Reno for the
2009 season, the team may have a new affiliate. Currently the Sidewinders are
affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but that arrangement won't make
logistical sense when the team is in northern Nevada. Reno is in Giants
territory, but the team seems pretty happy with its Triple-A affiliate, the
Fresno Grizzlies. It's way to early to discuss affiliate changes; we're guessing
the Grizzles wouldn't have switched colors to the Giants colors if they didn't
expect a longer-term relationship, however.
Merchandise director has high hopes
for the Brewers
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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You
know your team is getting pretty good press coverage when the local business
magazine does a big article on your new merchandise director. Here's a profile
of Jill Aronoff, who joined the Milwaukee Brewers six months ago as director of
merchandise branding. She joined the team in July after six seasons with the
Oakland Raiders as director of marketing for The Raider Image, the Raiders'
official team store. Currently, the team is expanding its retail operation by
building a 3,100-square-foot store at the main entrance to
Miller Park to go along with the
4,500-square-foot store now in the leftfield corner. The Brewers' retail sales
increased 40 percent in the 2007 season, due in part to the team's on-field
success.
Community must face up to future of
Ed Smith Stadium
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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Kerry
Kirschner, executive director of the Argus Foundation, says the city of Sarasota
must face the consequences of the future of Ed Smith Stadium, the spring home of
the Cincinnati Reds and the regular-season home of the Sarasota Reds (High Class
A; Florida State League). When the Reds leave -- and it seems inevitable they
will -- the maintenance costs for the ballpark will rise from $500,000 annually
to $1.3 million annually. In addition, local businesses will miss out on
spring-training revenues.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Jan. 7, 2008 (feedback)
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Vice
President of Baseball Operations Chris Hall is the new general manager
and VP of baseball operations of the Nashua Pride (independent; Can-Am
Association). "Chris Hall played an integral role in fielding a championship
team for the Pride last season, all the while contributing to the Pride’s
off-the-field efforts to raise the organization’s profile within the Nashua
community. Through this experience, Chris has garnered a unique, working
knowledge as to what is required to keep professional baseball alive and well in
Nashua for years to come," said team owner John Stabile. Hall
joined the Pride front office in 2006 as the vice president of baseball
operations. While he conducted corporate sales and spearheaded community
relations, he most notably worked hand in hand with manager Butch Hobson
assembling Pride player personnel. After the Pride experienced some growing
pains in making the leap from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am League in 2006,
Hall identified and signed a number of players that went were instrumental in
Nashua’s 2007 championship run....Bill Masse is the new manager of the
San Antonio Missions (Class AA; Texas League). Joining Masse on the field
staff will be hitting coach Terry Kennedy, pitching coach Steve Webber
and athletic trainer Wade Yamasaki. Masse joins the Missions after
serving last season as the manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
(Class AA; Eastern League), leading them to a 70-73 record. Kennedy most
recently was the manager for the San Diego Surf Dawgs (independent;
Golden Baseball League) in 2005, where he earned Manager of the Year honors in
their inaugural season. Webber served as the pitching coach for Lake Elsinore
(Class A; California League) in 2006-2007 and for the Fort Wayne Wizards (Low
Class A; Midwest League) in 2004-2005....Dan Rohn will return for his
second season at the helm of the Fresno Grizzlies (Class AAA; Pacific
Coast League) and will be joined again on the bench by pitching coach Mike
Caldwell and hitting coach Jim Bowie. Anthony Reyes will join
the club as athletic trainer. Rohn’s first term in Fresno was highly successful,
as he guided the Grizzlies to a 77-67 (.535) record in 2007, the second best
winning percentage in franchise history....John Shoemaker return as
manager of the Jacksonville Suns (Class AA; Southern League). Shoemaker
is joined by hitting coach Luis Salazar, back for his second season in
Jacksonville. Glenn Dishman makes his Jacksonville debut as pitching
coach while Carlos Olivas returns to the Suns for his second season as athletic
trainer....Megan Dimond is the new PR director for the Louisville Bats
(Class AAA; International League)....Brian Irizarry is the new
director of media relations & broadcasting for the Connecticut Defenders
(Class AA; Eastern League). Irizarry will be the lead play-by-play voice for all
142 Defenders games this season. He will also handle all media relations and
contribute to the organizations sales efforts. This year will mark Irizarry’s
fourth year in minor league baseball as a front-office staff member. He began
working in minor-league baseball during his college days for the Hudson
Valley Renegades (short season; NY-Penn League) as the team’s public-address
assistant. He joins the Defenders after spending the past three seasons
(2005-07) with the New Haven County Cutters (independent; Can-Am
Association). He was group sales manager & broadcaster for the Cutters....Mike
Sarbaugh has been named manager of the Akron Aeros (Class AA; Eastern
League). Sarbaugh will be joined on the staff by new pitching coach Tony
Arnold, as well as returning hitting coach Lee May, Jr. Trainer
Michael Salazar also returns for a second season....Fort Worth Cats
(independent; American Association) first-base coach Wayne Terwilliger
will return for the 2008 season, the club announced today. It will be his 60th
season in professional baseball and sixth year with the Cats. Terwilliger,
82, was the team’s manager from 2003-05. He was named the Central League’s 2005
Manager of the Year after leading the Cats to a franchise-best 60 wins. The team
eventually won the championship that year, their first of three consecutive
league titles. He stepped down as manager following the 2005 season and
joined the Cats’ coaching staff two months later. On June 27, 2005,
Terwilliger turned 80 years old and joined the legendary Connie Mack as the only
two 80-year-old managers in baseball history. When he took over the Cats in
2003, he became the oldest skipper in minor-league history....Scott Bush,
who began his baseball career as an intern with the St. Paul Saints
(independent; American Association) four years ago, has returned to run the
team’s corporate sales department. The 25-year-old Bush joins the Saints from
the Stockton Ports (High Class A; California League), where he spent the
last two years first as director of special events and then as as director of
corporate sales....Rick Heines is the new pitching coach for the
Waterloo Bucks (summer collegiate; Northwoods League). Currently Heines is
in his first season as an assistant coach at Purdue University....The
Stewart Sports Group announced five teams -- the Lakewood BlueClaws (Low
Class A; Sally League), Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League), Wilmington
Blue Rocks (High Class A; Carolina League), Midland RockHounds (Class AA; Texas
League) and New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) -- have
signed up as customers for the the new Stewart Sports Group Call Center,
which will work as an extension of each team’s ticket sales staff to reach more
prospective customers. Stewart Sports Group provides sales and marketing
services to sports teams as well as ballpark development services to
communities. The firm is assisting the City of Topeka, Kansas as it develops a
vision for a new ballpark.....
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