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Archives: Feb. 19-Feb. 25, 2005

Miami gives Marlins ballpark the nod
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
With little dissent, the Miami city commission approved a tentative funding plan to provide the Florida Marlins a retractable-roof ballpark next to the Orange Bowl, with the county expected to give a similar approval next week. The real issue facing the Marlins, however, is whether the state will come up with $60 million in sales-tax rebates, similar to tax breaks given to other pro-sporting facilities in the state. The latest ballpark proposal calls for a $420-million, 38,000-seat ballpark that would open in time for the 2008 season. The Marlins have pledged $192 million (as well as any cost overruns), Miami-Dade County would pitch in $138 million, and the city of Miami would give $28 million, plus land near the stadium. Parking revenues would contribute $32 million. That leaves a $30 million gap.

Portland delays 2005 lease for Beavers
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Portland City Commission has delayed approving an extension of the PGE Park lease for the Portland Beavers (Class AAA: Pacific Coast League) because the new owners of the team has not been revealed to councilmembers. The city has been in negotiations with Art Savage, owner of the Sacramento River Cats (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), about the lease; Savage would not be part of the new ownership group but would manage the front office under a management contract. As you'll recall, the PCL owns the team but is trying to sell it to a ownership syndicate put together by Greg Torborg. "I need to hear back from the PCL that they're not attempting to deal with their friends," say city commission member Sam Adams, as commission members question why there's no Portland presence in the ownership group and how open the sale of the team really was (it wasn't; Savage held an exclusive to buy the team for many months), particularly when Hillary Buzas-Drammis, whose father once owned a previous incarnation of the Beavers, was interested in owning the team. (Other potential ownership groups, including one put together by a local businessman and former Beaver, were rebuffed in their attempts to buy the team as well; apparently the league never held any sort of bidding process to get the highest price for the franchise.) Terms of the proposed 2005 lease: the city would receive $1 million, including $500,000 in rent, $133,000 for the past-due rent and 6 percent of ticket sales for all park events (which includes Portland Timbers pro soccer). Adams is the reason the commissioned delayed a vote until next Wednesday: he wants to see a 2004 financial report and a 2005 budget for the team, and he wants to know the criteria by which Savage's group was selected to manage the team. Meanwhile, the team has hired John Cunningham, former GM of the Idaho Steelheads minor-league hockey team, as president and GM.

Lease deadline looms for Jaxx
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
If the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League) wants to stay in Jackson after this season, they must rescind their Notice of Termination by the end of business today. Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer wants to see Lozniak Baseball Properties and the Diamond Jaxx stay in town, but he's still working on a plan to buy the team for $11.3 million in case reconciliation efforts fall short. If the Diamond Jaxx ownership decides to move the team, there are a few cities -- like Baton Rouge and Biloxi -- on the lookout for a Southern League team. Meanwhile, the Jackson Sun newspaper won its legal request to have the Diamond Jaxx' financial records released to the public. The Diamond Jaxx submitted the information to the city to prove its claim of financial losses, triggering a termination of the Pringles Park lease. The city has five days to comply.

Angelos, baseball closing on deal
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Peter Angelos, the owner of the Baltimore Orioles, and MLB are close to an agreement that will guarantee a minimum in annual local revenues and future resale value and a dominant equity stake in a new regional sports TV network airing both the Orioles and Nationals. If the Orioles' annual local revenues fall below $130 million a year or if Angelos decided to sell the team and failed to get at least $360 million, MLB would make up the difference.

Sand Gnats to unveil Grayson renovation plan Monday
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Savannah Sand Gnats (Class A; Sally League), owner John Simmonds, Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson and Chatham County Commission Chair Pete Liakakis will announce a renovation of Grayson Stadium’s concourse at a press event on Monday. The team will unveil its plans for reworking the concession stands, unveil the ballpark’s new color scheme and talk about the repairs occurring outside the ballpark.

Cell's launching pad bad news for hurlers
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The design of a ballpark should, in theory, help influence the makeup of a major-league team. So it's a mystery to many why the Chicago White Sox and GM Kenny Williams went small in the offseason, abandoning the team's sluggers (Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordonez) and bringing in some base stealers. The mystery lies in the fact that US Cellular Field was was the easiest park in the major leagues to hit a home run in last season as long balls jumped nearly 25 percent from 2003. The 272 homers were 39 more than cozy Wrigley Field and even more than Coors Field in Denver. (Imagine what those numbers would have been had Ordonez and Frank Thomas been healthy all season.)

Arizona making pitch to host Reds' spring training
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Pretty convenient timing for the Cincinnati Reds as they attempt to persuade local and state officials to renovate Ed Smith Stadium. Arizona created a commission to figure out how to lure two more teams from the Grapefruit League to the Cactus League; one of the teams in the state's sights is Cincinnati. A move to Arizona may not sit well with Reds fans, however; it's a 975-mile drive from Cincy to Sarasota, as opposed to a 1,857-mile drive from Cincinnati to Phoenix. Sarasota County officials seem dead against renovating Ed Smith, so look for the Reds to be in play; instead of luring the Reds, Arizona officials may be smarter to convince Houston to have the Reds take over the lease at Osceola County Stadium, freeing the Astros for a move west. More from the Sun-Sentinel.

Troy baseball is on deck
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Despite being turned down earlier this month by the Troy (Mich.) City Council, developer Andy Appleby says Troy still is among the top contenders for a new minor-league ballpark, and he's got a new site in mind, as well as four other possibilities. The Troy proposal was hotly contested: many thought the deal -- where General Sports and Entertainment offered to build and finance the ballpark -- was a great one, but lobbying by the Detroit Tigers helped kill the deal. Many in Troy were not aware the Tigers worked to kill the proposal; they weren't happy when informed of that fact, so a new proposal may have a happier ending for Appleby.

State investigating actions of engineers on Miller Park job
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Wisconsin state officials are investigating the actions of professional engineers who were involved in the construction of Miller Park, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers. Since the groundbreaking on Nov. 9, 1996, the stadium has been plagued by problems that include a fatal crane accident in July 1999, and ongoing problems with the radial, retractable roof, the signature piece of the $393.2 million stadium.

Wilder "cautiously optimistic" about Braves ballpark proposal
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Richmond (Va.) Mayor Douglas Wilder met with Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International league) GM Bruce Baldwin and the Washington-based developers about the $330-million development project that includes a new ballpark for the Braves. It sounds like both sides made some concessions: the Braves agreed to fund studies of the impact of the development (tax revenues, traffic impact, etc.) and Wilder came out saying he was cautiously optimistic about the future of the project.

Tribe might break .500 but may not break even
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Cleveland Indians are expecting some big things out in 2005: they dipped into the free-agent market by signing Kevin Millwood and might make a run in the weaker American League Central. However, the team expects to lose money if attendance is below 1.95 million at Jacobs Field.

Scorpions open season on the road
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Normally we don't run a lot of stories about schedules, but the hook here is that teams in the independent Golden Baseball League shifted schedules because the Tijuana team dropped out, replaced by a traveling team. One more interesting thing about the Yuma Scorpions schedule: the team will play three doubleheaders at Desert Sun Stadium.

Tropicana Field to get a marquee along I-275
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
It's one thing to know a ballpark is next to the freeway, but it's another to know what events are upcoming. For the first time the Tampa Bay Devil Rays will be able to advertise upcoming games on a electronic billboard next to I-275. It will be 26 feet high and 60 feet wide, about the size of six parking spaces. It's scheduled to go up by late April, pending city approval.

The 'mystique' that is the PCL
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Or, rather, was the Pacific Coast League. This article is about the original PCL, limited to the West Coast and included teams like the Seattle Rainiers, the original Portland Beavers, the Los Angeles Angels, the Hollywood Stars, the San Francisco Seals and the original San Diego Padres. There's a small homage to the original Padres at Petco Park.

More on naming rights in West Virginia
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The West Virginia Gazette points out that despite funding by the state of West Virginia, the terms of the naming-rights deal between the West Virginia Power (Class A; Sally League) and Appalachian Power Co. to name the new ballpark Appalachian Power Park remains secret. There's a fine line here: with public funding, full disclosure is always necessary, but in many of these cases it's the buyer of the naming rights, not the baseball team, that wants to keep the terms out of the paper. Appalachian Power, as a public utility, probably should step up and release the terms of the deal. The rumored figure is $125,000 per year -- not a bad figure for either side. Nick Scala has more on the new ballpark.

Slowes, Shea selected as radio broadcasters
Posted February 25, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Charlie Slowes, former play-by-play voice of the Washington Bullets, and David Shea, the radio voice of the Boston Bruins, were named by the Washington Nationals yesterday as the team's radio announcers. Slowes, in Washington from 1986 to 1997, has spent the last seven seasons as the play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Beyond his tenure in Boston, Shea worked the Minnesota Timberwolves' debut season in 1989 and boasts more than 20 years in sports broadcasting encompassing minor league baseball, college hockey, college basketball and pro soccer. The team's first choice, Elliott Price (the voice of the team in Montreal), could not resolve immigration and visa issues.

Sea Dogs to postpone expansion plans at Hadlock Field
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Portland Sea Dogs (Class AA; Eastern League) scrapped plans to add 390 seats to Hadlock Field after city officials refused to sign off on the project, saying ballpark neighbors were not properly notified of the deal. "The delays have become insurmountable," said Sea Dogs President and GM Charlie Eshbach. "With the season starting in just over six weeks, and further delays now a given, it has made it impossible for us to get this project done for this year." The plan was scheduled to go before the Portland Planning Board on Tuesday, but the hearing had to be postponed after officials realized they had not given proper notification to ballpark neighbors. Fifty to 60 direct abutters were notified of the hearing, but the city should have mailed notices to several hundred residents and property owners within 500 feet of the stadium. It doesn't sound like there's any opposition to the project; the Sea Dogs are paying the price because the city didn't know enough to follow its own rules.

Baseball talk takes public hit from Wynn
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman may be optimistic about the chances of landing a MLB team for his city, but the local gaming industry -- whose support is essential to any large project in Sin City -- doesn't sound as enthused. Legend Steve Wynn, whose eponymous casino places him once again as a major player in the Vegas gambling scene, says there's no chance Vegas will ever host an MLB team because local casino owners aren't for the move. Goodman argues MLB should commit a team to Vegas before the city build a ballpark; Don Logan, GM of the Las Vegas 51s (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), says the city needs to build a ballpark for his team to show they're serious about baseball.

Tax district for Bowling Green baseball looks likely
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Plans for a special state tax district to help pay for a ballpark in downtown Bowling Green are moving toward the state Senate, and prospects look good for passage, according to a local legislator sponsoring the proposal. The district would funnel to the ballpark developer any increase in state personal income, property or sales tax resulting from that development within a specified area, up to 50 percent of the project’s cost. At least one Class A Sally League team -- and perhaps two -- is seriously looking at moving to Bowling Green and working on the development deal.

Arizona swings for two more teams
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Gov. Janet Napolitano created the Arizona Baseball and Softball Commission, which was charged with creating opportunities to expand the Cactus League by two teams. State officials say the Cleveland Indians and the Houston Astros are the two teams in their sights, but they may be wasting their time with the Astros -- who have a long-term deal in Kissimmee after officials there renovated Osceola County Stadium -- and perhaps should instead be looking at talks with the Baltimore Orioles, whose deal with Fort Lauderdale expires at the end of spring training. The issue is coming up with funding for more facilities -- a state facilities fund used for other new spring-training facilities is tapped dry -- but Goodyear voters already approved a local tax to build a new facility, and a local Indian tribe is also interested.

Legends owners look to buy more teams
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The owners of the Lexington Legends (Class A; Sally League) and the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (Class A; Midwest League) say they are on the prowl to acquire more minor-league teams. COO Alan Stein says his group is talking with three other teams and wants to own six or seven teams by the 2007 season. All would be high Class A, Class AA or Class AAA teams. This presents an interesting scenario if you're trying to sell a team: Ryan-Saunders Baseball has also expressed a public desire to acquire more teams, as has entrepreneur David Pearlman and Triple Play Partners, whose purchase of three teams from Comcast fell through earlier this year.

Madison County OKs $1 million for Jackson baseball park NEW!
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Madison County (Tn.) officials passed a resolution to contribute up to $1 million from the county's hotel/motel tax proceeds to help build a proposed $11 million baseball/softball complex next to Pringles Park, the home of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League). The number isn't an absolute: it will vary depending on the amount of increased tax proceeds generated by the complex. A citizens group spearheading the project is expected to ask the city for $3 million in capital funds already set aside for building softball fields. And the group will announce how much they have collected in private contributions so far and ask the city to finance the remaining amount, which is projected at about $6 million. If financing falls into place, the complex -- which could house up to 20 tournaments a year -- could open in 2006.

Blagojevich defends plan to fund minor-league ballpark
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich stood by his proposal to put $3 million in state money toward a minor-league baseball stadium in Marion, Ill., that will ultimately be owned by attorney John Simmons, a top Democratic campaign contributor. Blagojevich says he wants to bring baseball to Marion and there's nothing more to it; charges of kickbacks are par for the Illinois political scene, but it is vaguely insulting to the many people who worked for years to bring a baseball team to Marion long before Simmons' involvement. Under the plan, Simmons would own a Class A team and a ballpark, partially funded with state and local funds.

D.C. mayor, officials to see games in Florida
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Still flush with the victory of luring the Montreal Expos to Washington, Mayor Anthony Williams plans on attending a few Nationals spring-training games in Florida. More alarmingly, he says he'll be closely involved in helping select the architect for a new ballpark, slated to open in time for the 2008 season. The D.C. sports commission has received eight proposals to win the right to design the park, with a selection due in less than three weeks.

Delafield officials hear baseball proposal
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The race to bring a team and new ballpark to Delafield, Wis., shifted when Chad Bauer presented city officials with a plan to put a ballpark just north of the Bark River on land owned by St. John's Northwestern Military Academy and the city. The academy and a college wood-bat Northwoods League team would share the $1.5 million facility. If the city gives its approval -- and at a recent public meeting, elected officials were highly supportive -- the ballpark could be finished in time for the 2006 season.

Washington cities make pitch for funding
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma spoke before a Washington state Senate committee in favor of a proposal to spend $3 million yearly in lottery revenues on ballpark revenues. Officials from Tacoma, Everett, Spokane, Yakima and Pasco banded together to push the proposal. For Baarsma, the need is immediate: Cheney Stadium, the home of the Tacoma Rainiers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), needs $10 million in renovations; the Seattle Mariners looked at changing affiliation partly because of the condition of the ballpark, and the team is still on the market and could be moved.

Blaze caps go one toke over the line
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Bakersfield Blaze (Class A; California League) unveiled a new logo and caps earlier this week. The new designs are edgy, but edgy sells these days. And while some purists decry the new look, the people behind them are also behind the look of the Lake Elsinore Storm (Class A; California League) -- whose merchandise is among the best sellers in minor-league baseball.

Mets' Wilpon takes quiet approach
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Fred Wilpon, the owner of the New York Mets, had a quiet offseason: he backed away from day-to-day operations of the team, leaving GM Omar Miniya to sign Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez. On the ballpark front. Wilpon is not optimistic about replacing Shea Stadium: though the New York Yankees have created consensus regarding a Yankee Stadium replacement, the team is footing most of the cost, and Wilpon has never been willing to put as much into a ballpark project as the Yankees are.

Find ways for Eastlake Ballpark to generate revenue
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Faced with a budget shortfall of around $12 million connected to the construction of Eastlake Ballpark, city officials are going on the offensive and establishing a task force to come up with ways to generate more income from the ballpark. The first few ideas -- including a voluntary $1/ticket hike by the Lake County Captains (Class A; Sally League) just weren't very good. The gap will still be very real even after a federal transportation grant is awarded and naming rights are sold.

Pro baseball ready for Fitton debut
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The independent Can-Am league is finalizing plans for a Worcester team in Holy Cross's historic Fitton Field. Holy Cross and team management are still discussing the parameters of the team's lease at Fitton and how improvements will be implemented. Also on the agenda: a team name and colors.

Plans for development near ballpark to be unveiled
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Downtown Greensboro Inc. is holding a media briefing this afternoon on plans to develop the six-acre North State Chevrolet propery near First Horizon Park, the new home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Class A; Sally League). The tract is owned by brothers Steve and Jim Jones, who are planning a giant mixed-use development for the site. The brothers sold the longstanding auto dealership last year but kept the land, which is considered a prime location for residential and commercial development.

Diablos hope promotions fuel attendance
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The "new" El Paso Diablos (independent; Central Baseball League) are hoping to recapture the imagination of local baseball fans by pumping up the promotional schedule (with the aid of Veeck Advertising Professionals) and lowering concession costs. Many local critics said the team failed to draw after Jim Paul and his ambitious giveaway promotions left; now we'll see if they're right.

Coleman to hang his star in Hall
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Jerry Coleman, the longtime broadcaster for the San Diego Padres, is this year's recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, given each year to a broadcaster who best fits the criteria of longevity, continuity with a club. Coleman is the veteran of more than 7,500 games as a broadcaster beginning in 1963 with the New York Yankees. He began his MLB career in 1949, winning rookie of the year as an infielder with the Yankees. His only interruption: serving as Padres manager in 1980.

Memphis's voice of baseball says he's retiring
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Speaking of broadcasters: Tom Stocker, the voice of the Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) since the team's inception and the voice of the Memphis Chicks before that, announced his retirement from the broadcast booth. He and his wife are in the process of buying the Tally-Ho Supper Club in Hayward, Wis. Steve Selby will take over the lead role in the booth; the team will embark on a national search for a replacement.

Wehner named to Pirates broadcasting crew
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Speaking of broadcasters, take two: John Wehner has joined the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast crew. He will replace Steve Blass, who opted for only home games this season, as color commentator on road games. Wehner, 37, who will share color duties with Bob Walk and work with play-by-play announcers Lanny Frattare and Greg Brown. He has no broadcast experience; his most recent work was as a Class AA coach.

Antonellis joins Sea Dogs broadcast staff
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Speaking of broadcasters, take three: veteran broadcaster Mike Antonellis will join the Portland Sea Dogs (Class AA; Eastern League) radio broadcast team alongside Todd Jamison for the 2005 season. The 2005 season marks the ninth season Antonellis has been broadcasting minor-league baseball games. Antonellis spent last season as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Erie SeaWolves (Class AA; Eastern League). Prior to joining the Eastern League in 2004, Antonellis spent two seasons with the Kane County Cougars (Class A; Midwest League).

City of Angels ... and Dodgers
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
More on what could turn out to be a nasty spat over Los Angeles between the Dodgers and the Angels. The Los Angeles Dodgers say Los Angeles is theirs. Meanwhile, aggressive Arte Moreno is laying claim to the region as well, first by renaming the Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Right now the Dodgers have the better broadcasting and sponsorship deals; the Angels are looking for new deals.

Baseball Notes
Posted February 24, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Kansas City T-Bones (independent; Northern League) have inked a deal to have all of their games, home and away, broadcast on 1340 KCKN-AM (All Comedy Radio in Kansas City) in 2005. The T-Bones will be using KCKN as their flagship radio station in 2005. As in 2004, the T-Bones will also broadcast all of their games on the Internet; however, the streaming partner for 2005 is still in negotiations.

Eight bid to design Nationals' ballpark
Posted February 23, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Eight firms entered bids yesterday to become the chief designer of a new baseball stadium for the Washington Nationals, a high-profile project that could change the Washington skyline for generations. The firms presenting proposals: Rafael Vinoly Architects; HOK Sport; Skidmore, Owings and Merrill; Ehrenkrantz Eckstut and Kuhn Architects; HKS Architects; HNTB Architects; EwingCole; and David M. Schwarz Architects. A six-member committee will review the applications over the coming week and determine how many groups to bring in for interviews. All the names in the ballpark architecture world turned out: HOK launched the current phase of retro ballpark construction with Oriole Park at Camden Yards; HKS designed Milwaukee's Miller Park; EwingCole designed Citizens Bank Park in Philly; and the Ehrenkrantz Eckstut and Kuhn Architects bid includes Janet Marie Smith, the former Orioles employee now overseeing enhancements to Fenway Park. D.C. officials have been adamant about wanting a groundbreaking design than breaks with the retro craze of the last 10 years.

Supreme Court case could affect D.C. ballpark
Posted February 23, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in coming months on whether local governments can use their power of eminent domain to transfer land from one private owner to another solely for the sake of economic development -- as opposed to acquiring it for public uses such as building roads or government offices. If the court decides they cannot, it could affect construction of new ballparks everywhere that rely on eminent domain to acquire land. In D.C., an adverse ruling could drive up the cost of land and delay construction; since the city would own the ballpark, an adverse ruling would probably not kill the ballpark, however.

Roger Dean ready to welcome boys of spring
Posted February 23, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Roger Dean Stadium, the spring home of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins and the regular-season home of the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Palm Beach Cardinals (both Class A; Florida State League), suffered some damage from hurricanes last September: they toppled light poles, flooded dugouts, damaged roofs, created a sinkhole, blew away gravel, ripped batting cages, crushed seats, trashed the scoreboard and tore into the press box. Despite the $3.2 million in damage, stadium officials expect to toss out the first spring training ball as scheduled on Tuesday when the Florida Marlins play the University of Miami. Don't forget to check our own Spring Training Online site for complete coverage of spring training.

Corpus Christi hikes cost of ballpark construction by $393,150
Posted February 23, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Last night the Corpus Christi City Council passed  $393,150 increase to the cost of Whataburger Field, bringing the total increases for the stadium to $1.085 million. The increase covered some pretty essential items: a concrete slab under the pre-seating area to prevent stagnant, standing water in mud; fire extinguisher cabinets, added bathroom accessories, stained concrete flooring, ballpark netting, hot water piping to the suites and power and lighting to outfield structures. Officials expect one more round of requests for additional funds, but they expect to be able to pay for those from a contingency fund set up for that purpose.

Eastlake ballpark is major problem
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Last week the new powers that be took down a plaque at Eastlake Stadium honoring former mayor Don DiLiberto -- a symbolic gesture against the man who pushed construction of the ballpark and lured the Lake County Captains (Class A; Sally League) to town. Despite assertions the ballpark would cost local citizens nothing, the city is now looking at a $15 million debt -- one that may rise to $26 million by the time all is said and done -- associated with the ballpark. There's enough blame to go around: Tom Chema defends his original financing plan but now admits it didn't work, and Mayor Ted Andrzejewski rejected a $1.5 million naming-rights deal, saying naming rights were worth $3.5 million. (Closed circuit to Ted: they ain't.) Some of the debt may be offset by a federal transportation grant, but otherwise Eastlake citizens are on the hook.

Memories of Montreal
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Now that the Montreal Expos really are gone after a move to Washington, D.C., former Expos take the time to reminisce about their days at Jarry Park and Olympic Stadium. Most speak highly of the fans and the experience of playing in Montreal; curiously, they don't say bad things about Jeffrey Loria, the team's last real owner; they say the harshest things about former owner Claude Brochu. Meanwhile, current players grapple with the transition from Expo to National.

Honoring the Big Train in D.C.
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
One issue for the new Washington Nationals will be how they deal with the history of D.C. baseball and the team in Montreal. Technically, the records of the old Nationals and Senators belong to the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers, but that doesn't mean the team can't honor great players of the past, like Walter "Big Train" Johnson, one of the greatest pitchers in history. Dick Heller may have a lot of fact wrong in this article, but he's right: Johnson should be permanently honored both at RFK and at the new ballpark. (By the way: in nearby Bethesda there's the only high school named for a pro baseball player: Walter Johnson High School. There you'll find the commemorative plaque constructed by the original Nationals at Griffith Stadium. Below is a picture of the plaque from 1933, showing it displayed at Griffith Stadium.)

(Library of Congress, LC-H814-T-M06-021-A)

Wilder: Stadium proposal lacks details
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Richmond Mayor Douglas Wilder sharply criticized a $330 development plan for Richmond's Shockoe Bottom area, saying there's not enough detail for the city to make an evaluation. The plan includes a new ballpark for the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League). We may be at a mini-impasse here: the Braves and their partner, Global Development, don't want to spent $2 million on market studies before getting some support for city officials for the project; city officials don't want to commit to anything before seeing the feasibility studies. In the past Wilder opposed a Braves ballpark in Shockoe Bottom.

Home run for Marion: City Council approves sales tax hike to fund ballpark
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Marion (Ill.) City Council approved a one-eighth of 1 cent sales-tax hike to help pay for a new Class A ballpark. The tax hike should raise $400,000 per year. As soon as the state approves the hike -- which will basically be a rubber stamp -- the state can start collecting the revenue. Local attorney John Simmons wants to build a new ballpark in Marion and buy a Midwest League team to play there. Construction could begin within weeks; a team could be playing there by April 2006. Total cost of the project is estimated at $25 million, which includes the construction of the stadium and purchase of the land and new team; Simmons is expected to invest some $10 million toward the project.

Final details are added to Whataburger Field
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The cost of Whataburger Field, the new home of the Corpus Christi Hooks (Class AA; Texas League) will increase for the third time if the City Council approves $393,150 in increased costs to build the baseball stadium. If the City Council votes to approve the increase today, the total stadium bill will be $22.54 million. It is the second increase council has considered approving in as many weeks, and if it is approved, the increases will total $1.085 million. The total for the stadium and related expenses such as streetlights, electric work and roadwork, comes to $27.72 million. The increases, however, total just 5 percent of the original bid.

Watt Powell’s memory won’t fade away
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
When the West Virginia Power (Class A; Sally League) move into a new ballpark this season, it will mark the end of Watt Powell Field. That doesn't mean the city will forget Walter P. (Watt) Powell, who owned and managed the Charleston Senators in the 1930s and spearheaded construction of Watt Powell Park in the late 1940s. Many seats from Watt Powell Field will be installed at the new ballpark, and a large photo of Powell will be hung in the new ballpark as well.

Baseball Notes
Posted February 22, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Fort Worth Cats (independent; Central League) announced four promotions in the front office: Monty Clegg has been promoted to senior vice president – general manager, Mark Presswood is the new senior vice president for business development, Kevin Forrester has been elevated to vice president for marketing and administration, and John Bilbow has been promoted to vice president for corporate sales and sponsorships....The Hagerstown Suns (Class A; Sally League) announce their coaching staff for the 2005 season: managing is former big leaguer Gene Richards. Richards will be joined in the Suns dugout by hitting coach Luis Natera and pitching coach Shawn Barton.

Downtown ballpark plan hasn't seen its sunset yet
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Despite a statement from the ownership of the Kansas City Royals saying they do not want to pursue a new downtown ballpark and instead want to see more modest renovations to Kauffman Stadium, downtown business leaders are moving ahead with a ballpark proposal anyway. The downtown ballpark was to be a 37,500- to 42,500-seat facility with 60 luxury suites and 3,500 club seats with a scheduled opening in 2008. Its projected cost, including a $5 million reserve fund, was approximately $340 million. If the opening occurred in 2009, the price would be closer to $360 million. What's changed in the last day: the Kansas City Chiefs announced they wanted $200 million in improvements to Arrowhead Stadium, leading downtown leaders to say a more comprehensive plan is needed.

Power sells naming rights to Appalachian Power
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The name of the new ballpark in Charleston, W.Va. Appalachian Power Park. Officials from the firm and the West Virginia Power (Class A; Sally League) made the announcement today; no word on the price tag. Power officials had been negotiating with several energy-related firms in the region for a naming-rights sale.

State budget includes tax district for Bowling Green baseball bid
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A provision creating a state taxing district for a ballpark in Bowling Green was part of the state budget passed by the House. The provision would create a district that would send money to a sports facility's developer from any increase in state property, income or sales tax resulting from that development within a specified area. The House passed the budget late Friday night. However, local baseball proponents say the passage isn't exactly what they wanted: it sends on 50 percent of increase to the developer, not the total amount. Several teams have been talking with Bowling Green officials; you can expect a Class A Sally League team to end up there.

Cards likely to get 2009 All-Star Game
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
St. Louis Cardinals officials are confident of landing the 2009 All-Star Game. With Pittsburgh hosting the 2006 game and San Francisco hosting the 2007 games, more than likely an American League city will be awarded the 2008 game. Some are saying the experiment to award World Series home-field advantage to the winning league in the All-Star Game will be extended, despite opposition from players.

For A's, way to San Jose paved with uncertainty
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
This is an understatement. Oakland A's ownership would love to work on a new-ballpark plan with San Jose, but MLB's territorial rules prevent that from happening: the San Jose territory has been held by the San Francisco Giants since 1990, when Bob Lurie was looking to move the team to Santa Clara. San Jose baseball boosters say that if A's owner Lew Wolff fails to reach a stadium deal in Oakland, he will attempt to negotiate with the Giants, either directly or through Selig, on compensation for giving up the territory. Absent that, they believe he can persuade three-quarters of baseball's other owners to overturn the Giants' rights because a move to San Jose -- assuming local voters were willing to subsidize a ballpark -- would be a better option for all teams than moving the A's out of the Bay Area. The baseball proponents in San Jose might be embarking on a little wishful thinking with these scenarios.

A's parking lot plan seen as a base hit, not a home run
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The plan to build a new ballpark for the Oakland A's in the parking lot of Network Associates Coliseum isn't gaining much traction among local officials and fans. Many fans say the proposed $400 million ballpark is the only way to keep the A's in Oakland; local officials like the idea but don't want to pay for it. The A's have already pledged $100 million toward construction costs; the issue is where the remaining $300 million comes from.

Hot dog! Our Brave new world is a-comin'
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Orley Hood can't wait for the Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League) to open the season and a new ballpark in April. Though Jackson has had a Texas League team and a Central League team in recent years, the new ballpark in Pearl will certainly help to cement pro baseball's future in the region.

Mayor: Roosters will stay, play at McBride
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The city of Richmond and the Richmond Roosters (independent; Frontier League) are close to a deal that would keep the team at McBride Stadium. The city had said the team owed more than $70,000 in back rent, but that number was revised downward to over $40,000 after the Roosters produced proof of a previous rent payment overlooked by the city.

Baltimore Orioles may offer partial-season luxury boxes
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Baltimore Orioles may open suite sales to a wider group of firms by offering them for a partial season or even by the game. The Orioles are facing competition from the Washington Nationals -- though not at the high end, given the older nature of RFK Stadium -- and one way to push this advantage is to sell suites to a wider audience.

Revised ballpark Metro plan may hit fans' wallets
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The headline is a tad misleading. In Washington, Metro officials are planning an expansion of the Navy Yard Metro station in anticipation of a new ballpark for the Washington Nationals.  Over the next six months, planners will find a way for the Navy Yard station to handle as many as 15,000 fans in a single hour -- a big jump from the 3,000 to 4,000 people who now move through there each day. To save about $28 million off Metro's original $47 million expansion plan, they'll call for more fare gates and escalators but no new station entrance, as was originally proposed. This may force some fans to wait for a train -- and if folks must wait for trains, they'll do so in the sanctuary of a bar or coffee shop.

Ballpark plan benefits big donor
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
There's some political buzz surrounding state funding of a new ballpark in Marion, Ill.: seems as though attorney John Simmons, who is pushing for the ballpark and an affiliated team, is also a large political contributor to the state Democratic party -- and Gov. Rod Blagojevich is a Democrat. Simmons' firm has contributed close to a million dollars to Democratic campaigns in the past two years. Despite the state contribution, Simmons would be taking on most of the financial risk for a new ballpark: the most likely scenario has Simmons securing private financing to build the stadium as a privately owned business, with the city and state kicking in assistance to help make it work. Meanwhile, Simmons continues his search for a second minor-league team for Marion -- he already owns the Savannah Sand Gnats (Class A; Sally League) -- with the focus on the Class A Midwest League. Truth is, there aren't many Midwest League teams on the market; one can assume Simmons is already talking with the ownership of the South Bend Silver Hawks.

Seats with a view in Lancaster
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Lancaster Barnstormers (independent; Atlantic League) held "skybox selection day" at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Saturday, as the folks reserving 22 luxury boxes got to choose their suites. Fans or groups that had reserved one of the 22 skyboxes had the opportunity to tour the suite level of the stadium with Barnstormers’ president Jon Danos, general manager Joe Pinto and Forrest Brewer, superintendent of the stadium construction project; afterward they chose their specific box.

For Pride, time is now (once again)
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Despite new ownership of the Nashua Pride (independent; Atlantic League) in place, it's been a quiet offseason for the team. Some potential hires fell through, and the plan to have a staff of 10 in place by now has fallen a little short. Still, a new sales force is working the streets, and the team expects to be more visible by the time players go to spring training in April.

League sanctions move by Dukes
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Despite some hemming and hawing from Pittsfield parks officials, the Berkshire Dukes (college wood bat; NECBL) are indeed moving to historic Wahconah Park after the league gave its blessing. The Dukes spent their inaugural NECBL season playing home games at the Dan Duquette Sports Academy in Hinsdale.

U of Minnesota plans replacement for Siebert Field
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A proposed expansion of recreational facilities at the University of Minnesota includes a renovated and realigned Siebert Field, the home of the college baseball Golden Gophers. The current Siebert Field is in pretty bad shape, and the U is playing only nine games there this summer. The new Siebert Field would cost $7 million to $12 million and could be funded through private donations.

Baseball Notes
Posted February 21, 2005 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
J.P. Shadrick is the new director of broadcasting for the Sioux Falls Canaries (independent; Northern League). The 23-year-old will be play-by-play announcer for all 96 regular season games, along with the 2005 Northern League All-Star Game in Gary, Ind. and any Canaries postseason action. Last season he served as director of broadcasting and media relations for the Wilson Tobs (college wood bat; Coastal Plain League)....Arlene Hamilton, the wife of Houston Astros play-by-play announcer Milo Hamilton and a mainstay in the broadcasting booth, passed away Sunday morning. She was 73....The new radio home of the Gateway Grizzlies (independent; Frontier League): 1380 AM ESPN Radio....The winning bid for an amateur team to take on the Schaumburg Flyers (independent; Northern League): $9,250....Jim Daniels, formerly with LaQuinta Inn & Suites, joins the Orem Owlz (rookie; Pioneer League) as the new senior sales manager for the team. Daniels, a native of Provo, will be responsible for all corporate sales related to Owlz baseball....