Roger Clemens, fresh off a legal win on charges of perjury, has signed a contract to pitch for the Sugar Land Skeeters (independent; Atlantic League) and is expected to start Saturday night’s game. Clemens last pitched in 2007 for the New York Yankees. According to AP, Clemens has been working out and pitched in a […]
Archive | News
Lake Charles eying pro ball
Lake Charles officials have begun preliminary discussions of independent North American League baseball in that Louisiana city, an effort that would include a new ballpark. The last pro team in Lake Charles was the Lake Charles Giants, who played in 1957 at Legion Field. That ballpark still exists, but it’s not suitable for the pro […]
Slammers hit bumps in second season
A sophomore slump can hit franchises, too, as the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) are seeing some setbacks at the gate and on the field. The team had a pretty good debut in 2011, drawing 2,311 fans a game and generating some genuine enthusiasm for the franchise after the old Joliet Jackhammers (independent; Northern League) […]
Freedom Baseball League: We’ll be back next season
The independent Freedom Baseball League, which has had games cancelled this season because of rent owed on ballparks, will be back next season, says organizer Joe Sperle. You’ve got to give Sperle credit for hard work in the face of overwhelming odda. Baseball in the Valley of the Sun is a hard sell in the […]
Fredericksburg, Opening Day Partners talking new ballpark
Peter Kirk and Opening Day Partners are discussing a new ballpark and independent Atlantic League franchise with city and county officials in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area. Joining the group: Jack Lavoie, an attorney who attempted to bring Atlantic League baseball to Frederick, Maryland when the lease to Harry Grove Stadium was up for bid this […]
“Save Midway” group springs up once again
Peter Boehm has been fighting new-ballpark efforts by the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) for more than a decade, and he’s back in action, arguing against a new downtown facility in a local paper. He posted his reasoning at TwinCities.com, saying that spending $54 million on a new ballpark isn’t the best use of […]
Another NIMBY tale, this one in Ramapo
Neighbors of Provident Bank Park, home of the Rockland Boulders (independent; Can-Am League), want to see the team cut back on fireworks and music because their dogs are upset by the noise. We’re only being partly facetious. Admittedly, ballpark can have a negative impact on a neighborhood if things aren’t run properly. But in Ramapo […]
Pheasants see boost in ’12 attendance
After a few years in the doldrums, the Sioux Falls Pheasants (independent; American Association) are seeing a boost in the box office, attracting 100,000 fans for the first time since 2009. The Pheasants have averaged 2,511 fans per game through 40 openings, an increase of nearly 61 percent over the average in 2011. With nine home […]
Pupfish unveil new look for 2013 for simple reason: old caps didn’t sell
The White Sands Pupfish (independent; Pecos League) are getting a jump on 2013, unveiling new branding and uniforms featuring a pupfish flipping a baseball into its mouth. The Pupfish will wear black hats with the fish on the front, WS on the side and the New Mexico State Flag on the back. In a press […]
Indy teams fighting over Canseco?
Well, this is a new one: Jose Canseco can’t join the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings (independent; North American League) because of a contract he signed with the Worcester Tornadoes (independent; Can-Am League) for 2012. The issue: Canseco signed a contract with the Tornadoes for this season and played 20 games before the two sides parted […]
Canseco signs with Rio Grande, misses first game
Just days after declaring bankruptcy, Jose Canseco signed a contract with the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings (independent; North American League) — and promptly missed his scheduled debut. Canseco, who parted ways with the Worcester Tornadoes (independent; Can-Am League) earlier this season after just 20 games, was scheduled to make his WhiteWings 2012 debut Saturday night […]
Atlantic League looks at speeding up games
The independent Atlantic League is tackling a common issue in pro baseball: whether games should be sped up and how to accomplish the task. It’s not a new problem: it seems every gathering of front-office types will include some discussion of whether games run too long, and the independent Northern League launched with the baseball […]
Baseball returns to Surf Stadium
Surf Stadium/The Sandcastle, the former home of the Atlantic City Surf (independent; Can-Am League), has been fixed up to the point where it will be hosting baseball again in the form of the 2012 Babe Ruth Mid-Atlantic Baseball Tournament. As you’ll recall, the Surf moved out of the ballpark because of its deteriorating condition, leaving city […]