Savannah to Columbia? Relo paperwork filed
Hardball Capital has filed a relocation application with Minor League Baseball to move the Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) to Columbia (S.C.), according to a report from a local TV station, but that doesn’t mean Savannah is losing affiliated ball. The relocation application was confirmed by a local reporter, who wrote that […]
Local investor looking at bringing new SL team to Huntsville
The Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League) haven’t set a firm date for leaving Joe Davis Stadium, but a local attorney is already looking at buying a replacement for a new downtown ballpark. Attorney Mark McDaniel, a former Stars owner during the Don Mincher era and attorney for the Southern League between 2001 and 2011, […]
Tigers, Lakeland agree on spring training lease extension
The city of Lakeland and the Detroit Tigers reached an agreement on a lease extension, committing the pair to Tiger Town and Joker Marchant Stadium upgrades, while keeping the team in central Florida through 2036. The $37-million plan for Tiger Town and Joker Marchant Stadium upgrades includes an expanded press box, new synthetic surfaces for […]
New MLB security measures: Impacting the fan experience?
There were some collective groans when MLB announced teams would be installing metal detectors at ballparks over the next two seasons, but so far the impact seems to be minimal. We’ve experienced metal detectors several times this season, most recently at Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game at Target Field. Like most attendees, we hit the ballpark […]
Freedom unveil unique Sherlock baseball hats
Maybe it’s because we’re unabashed fans of Sherlock and Benedict Cumberbatch, but we’re really enjoying the release of Sherlock baseball-themed hats by the Florence Freedom (independent; Frontier League). Sherlock, of course, is the popular reboot of the venerable detective series, with Cumberbatch dazzling as the title character. And the once-popular Sherlock Holmes hat does appear […]
Ballpark Digest on social media: More is better
We’ve expanded our footprint on various social-media services, so there are plenty of ways to keep up with everything posted daily on Ballpark Digest. We know many of you are social-media mavens, and although the vast majority of Ballpark Digest readers come to the site daily (either directly or via an RSS feed), some of […]
Small fire damages Miller Park
A fire in Miller Park’s Friday’s Front Row Sports Grill will cause minor changes to game-day operations for tonight’s Milwaukee Brewers game. The fire, which began in the left-field Friday’s Front Row Sports Grill kitchen and made its way through that corner of the ballpark via ductwork, started around 2 a.m., with fire crews immediately […]
Disaster in Biloxi: New ballpark may not be ready until August
A budget shortfall will delay opening of a new Southern League Biloxi ballpark for at least 35 games and perhaps up to 55, throwing next year’s schedule into disarray. The $36 million project was already behind schedule when bids for MGM Park — sans any site work — came in about $5 million over the […]
Riversharks hosting home-run derby on Battleship New Jersey
Cool event: the Camden Riversharks (independent; Atlantic League) are hosting a home-run derby for fans of all ages on the deck of the Battleship New Jersey. The event, through 1 p.m. Eastern today and features several Riversharks players. It’s the first time a home-run derby, or any baseball-related activity, will take place on Battleship New […]
San Angelo woes mirror 2014 United League Baseball
Drawing 454 fans a game and under bankruptcy protection, the San Angelo Colts — once a standard bearer in the league — are an example of the issues facing independent United League Baseball. The league is down to four teams this season, playing out of three ballparks (Fort Worth, Harlingen, San Angelo) and drawing poorly: […]
Rockhounds pitcher confronted by angry fan on the field
Scary moment for Midland Rockhounds (Class AA; Texas League) pitcher Blake Hassebrock earlier this week when a drunken fan took exception to his pitching and stormed the field in Corpus Christi to confront the minor leaguer. It was in a game hosted by the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field, with the Hooks up 9-0. […]
Kenosha Twins emerge from the shadows Friday
Two Kenosha baseball stories in one day! The second installment: The Kenosha Kingfish (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) are bringing back Kenosha Twins uniforms and logos Friday night. Tonight, of course, the team is playing as the Kenosha Sockets in a what-if event. Tomorrow night, the team will take the team as the Kenosha Twins, the […]
Debate rages over Shockoe Bottom ballpark site
It’s now a war of words over a proposed ballpark site for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League), as the debate rages over the future of the Shockoe Bottom area. The adversaries should be familiar to anyone following the arguments: Mayor Dwight Jones wants to see the area surrounding The Diamold sold for […]