Progress made at new Reno ballpark
Posted June 20, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
An almost-new firehouse is being demolished in downtown Reno to make way for a new ballpark for the relocated Tucson Sidewinders (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). The fire crews are located at other fire stations until new temporary firehouses can be built. We continue to hear it will be a close call as to whether the new ballpark will open in April 2009: Demolition of the firehouse began yesterday, so it's highly unlikely all the site prep work will be done by July 1. We've been told there may be parts of the ballpark and the surrounding development not open by the home opener, but it doesn't look like the Sidewinders will be staying at Tucson Electric Park past the end of this season.

Bowling Green breaks ground on new ballpark, announces a name-the-team contest
Posted June 20, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Bowling Green broke ground on a new downtown ballpark for the relocated Columbus Catfish (Low Class A; Sally League), and team owners Triple Play, LLC unveiled the team's official Web site, BowlingGreenProBaseball.com, to hold a name-the-team contest and communicate with fans. The new ballpark is expected to open in April 2009; you can see renderings and other information here. We continue to hear about the ongoing negotiations over the move of Bowling Green and the Lake County Captains from the Sally League to the Midwest League, and several key players have expressed optimism about the shift. It's not a popular shift, but it's a necessary one.

Canadians draw over 4,500 to refurbished Nat Bailey Stadium
Posted June 20, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Vancouver Canadians (short season; Northwest League) opened the new seat at a refurbished Nat Bailey Stadium with a crowd of over 4,500 and a full set of Nathan's hot dogs at the concession stands. Nat Bailey Stadium is one of our favorite minor-league parks, and we were excited when we learned about the renovations; we'll try to make it out this season.

Funding for Tucson ballparks goes down to the wire
Posted June 20, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A proposal to keep spring training in Tucson via new and renovated facilities funded through an increased sales tax is meeting opposition in the Arizona Legislature, which is nearing its final days of session. The proposal would set up a Pima County sports authority and levy a three-quarter-cent sales tax on hotels, restaurants, bars and rental car; the proceeds (up to $14 million annually) would be used to fund a new complex and a renovated Hi Corbett Field. It sounds like there's some serious opposition to the measure, as lawmakers are already looking at other sales-tax hikes in the area and local restaurateurs are opposed to the hike. The Chicago White Sox are already one foot out the door -- the only issue is when the team moves to Glendale, not if -- and the Rockies have talked about a Phoenix move as well.

Lee County offers sites for new BoSox complex
Posted June 20, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Lee County is trying to counter a pretty sweet offer from Sarasota to lure the spring training site of the Boston Red Sox, as county and Red Sox officials toured potential sites for a new or expanded complex. One idea that keeps coming up from county officials to acquiring land around City of Palms Park to allow for the move of the minor-league complex and other development. But the county can't actually do that -- Fort Myers must -- and given that Fort Myers has no money and little inclination to go on an eminent-domain conquest, that proposal seems to be a nonstarter. Bonita Springs, where local officials once looked at the idea of bringing in the Cleveland Indians, now has no interest in giving up land to a Red Sox training facility. Sarasota is discussing basically giving 50-70 acres to the team and providing $70 million for a new training facility, and there's really no way Lee County can match that offer as things stand right now.

Can baseball survive in Beloit?
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
This is the provocative headline from a story in Madison's Capital Times, looking at the Beloit Snappers (Low Class A; Midwest League) and their prospects. We had a chance to spend some time with the Snappers' Dennis Conerton at the recent Midwest League All-Star Game and are planning a return trip to Pohlman Field in July, and we're well aware of the challenges facing the team. Yes, every time someone (like the folks working to bring a team to Dubuque) in the Midwest League footprint is looking for a team, Beloit's name is mentioned, as is Clinton's now. That makes it hard for an owner like Conerton, who has worked pretty hard to procure a new ballpark only to be met with roadblocks, but what must be kept in mind is that we only pass along the chatter that's already out there. Franchise relocation is a mixed issue, to be sure: cities acquiring a team are ecstatic, while the residents of a city losing the team are understandably unhappy. But these issues are a reality in the business of minor-league baseball, and we've seen time and time again franchises we assumed safe ending up moving to a new city. In a perfect world questions like whether baseball can survive in Beloit would never come up. But they do. Speaking of Dubuque: a large architectural firm has been bought in to evaluate the market and a new facility, so we assume the project is still a go, and we've been told definitively a potential owner will seek a Midwest League team.

Iowa teams battle rain, weather
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The bad weather in Iowa is still impacting the Waterloo Bucks (summer collegiate; Northwoods League), whose home, Riverfront Stadium, was heavily damaged by flooding. The team's party deck has been condemned by the city, according to team co-owner John  Marso, and about $100,000 in damage to the ballpark's electrical system has already been tallied. Plus, more could be discovered as cleanup efforts at the ballpark continue. Meanwhile, the team will play its next two home games at a local high-school field. The Quad Cities River Bandits are in Cedar Rapids until next Monday; Modern Woodmen Field was totally surrounded by water, but the playing field was intact. The berm held in downtown Clinton so Alliant Energy Field, the home of the Clinton LunberKings (Low Class A; Midwest League), was fine. And the Iowa Cubs (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) are back on a regular schedule as the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River receded.

Ballpark Preview: University of South Carolina
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Scheduled to open in 2009, the new home of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks will feature a capacity of 8,000, a videoboard and the amenities you'd expect in a better minor-league ballpark. More from College Baseball Digest. Helping to pay for the new facility: seat licenses, which are still rare in college baseball.

Yankees to feature Hard Rock Cafe, steakhouse at new ballpark
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A Hard Rock Cafe and a NYY Steakhouse will become part of the new Yankee Stadium, according to team officials who briefed the press yesterday on new-ballpark developments. The restaurants will sit in the right-field area of the ballpark and be run by the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe group, a restaurant and entertainment firm out of Tampa. Curiously, you won't be able to see any of the action while dining at either establishment, which will be open year-round.
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Phillies extend PDCs with IronPigs, R-Phils
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Philadelphia Phillies have extended their player-development deals with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) and the Reading Phillies (Class AA; Eastern League) through 2012 and 2010, respectively. Neither is a surprise; the R-Phils are amazing in how they attract the crowds year in and year out, and the IronPigs certainly are the big success story in minor-league baseball this season; the team continues to make national headlines and attract fans to a gorgeous new ballpark. It's says a lot about Pennsylvania baseball fans when all three teams here are so successful.

This week's podcast: We visit Omaha and Midland
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
On this week's podcast: The Florida Marlins face some unpleasant news and politics as a final vote -- and an important court date -- loom; and we recount our recent visits to Midland, Mich., for the Midwest League All-Star Game and Omaha for the College World Series. Publisher Kevin Reichard and Senior Editor Dave Wright review the hot topics in the baseball and ballpark worlds in the weekly Ballpark Digest podcast. We've added the ability to listen directly to Ballpark Digest podcasts from the front page of the site: just click on the audio button in the box directly below this -- no need to load a media player or other software. The Ballpark Digest podcast has proven to be a popular feature of the site: according to the Feedburner stats it's been heard 12,940 (!) times via that service alone since Sept. 17, 2007. To directly subscribe to the feed using Firefox or Internet Explorer, go to this page and click on the "Subscribe Now" button. Comments are welcome. You can listen directly to the podcast on your own PC via this link (it's a standard MP3 file). More on Ballpark Digest podcasts here.

 

Politics already intervening in new Omaha ballpark
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
At College Baseball Digest we're running a story on how the new downtown Omaha ballpark for the College World Series is being threatened by politics, as Mayor Mike Fahey rather clumsily tried to oust MECA Chairman David Sokol from his position, only to be rebuffed by the city's powers that be, who threatened to withdraw their funding for the ballpark if Sokol was removed. Fahey relented. Meanwhile, we expect some politics of a different sort: four sports-architecture firms were asked to respond to a RFP from the city.

Today's video: Muttnik runs for office
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Muttnik, the charismatic mascot of the Mankato MoonDogs (summer collegiate; Northwoods League), makes a run for office in this promotional spot for the team. As always, we encourage you to send us your videos: We love putting them up and we know readers love seeing them. Send them as an attachment to editors@augustpublications.com.

American Association to unveil instant replay (of sorts) at All-Star Game
Posted June 19, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Best Buy Mobile will implement a mobile instant replay system with the St. Paul Saints during the American Association’s All Star Game in St. Paul, Minn., marking the first time in the history of baseball that instant replay will be used in a professional game. It's a nice promotion for the game and for the Saints, to be sure, but it's not exactly the robust system MLB is evaluating: a TiVo will record the game, a Slingbox will be used to remotely control the TiVo from a mobile phone managed by the umpire, who can replay the TV broadcast via the phone. Ingenious and a good use of off-the-shelf technology, to be sure, but not exactly something you'd want to be using with the game on the line.