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Archives: Sept. 24-30, 2006

Archives: Sept. 24-30, 2006

Dodgers to California League, out of FSL
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
We’ve reported on this more than a few times, but it looks like the deal will be announced shortly: the Los Angeles Dodgers will be leaving the High Class A Florida State League and instead field a team in the High Class A California League. The Dodgers will either be selling or leasing the Vero Beach Dodgers franchise to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who will have the team play at Dodgertown for two seasons before moving it to a new ballpark/spring-training complex in Port Charlotte. There are several California League teams still needing a MLB affiliate: Inland Empire, High Desert, Lancaster or Visalia. The move westward also shows the Dodgers are serious about moving spring training and player development to Arizona.

West Tenn signs affiliation deal with Seattle
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League) and the Seattle Mariners have signed a two-year working agreement, making the Diamond Jaxx the Double-A affiliate of the Mariners. The Mariners previously had been affiliated with the San Antonio Missions (Class AA; Texas) League since 2001 before San Antonio officials pulled the plug on the six-year relationship, which saw four playoff appearances for the Missions. Seattle becomes the Diamond Jaxx second parent club in the nine year history of the franchise, replacing the recently departed Chicago Cubs. This leaves the Arizona Diamondbacks to sign with the Mobile BayBears (Class AA; Southern League).

Loons sign deal with Dodgers
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
As we reported two days ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Great Lakes Loons (Low Class A; Midwest League) signed a two-year player-development deal. "We made history by bringing the Loons to the region and we’re making history again by signing this partnership agreement with one of the premier franchises in all of baseball," said Bill Stavropoulos, president of the Michigan Baseball Foundation. "We like everything the Dodgers stand for and this partnership obviously is the perfect way to launch our franchise."

 

Lake Monsters, Nats extend PDC
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The Washington Nationals and the Vermont Lake Monsters (short season; NY-Penn League) have extended their Player Development Contract (PDC) for the next two years, thus keeping Vermont as the New York-Penn League affiliate for Washington through at least the 2008 season, the two teams announced today. Vermont has been the NY-Penn League affiliate of the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals since the Lake Monsters joined the league in 1994. With the Philadelphia Phillies moving its affiliate from Batavia to Williamsport, the Vermont-Montreal/Washington affiliation is now the longest current partnership in the New York-Penn League. "We are happy to continue our long relationship with the Montreal/Washington franchise," said Vermont General Manager C.J. Knudsen. "Our dealings with the organization have always been first-class and professional."

 

New ballpark to anchor Goodyear project
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
Developers plan to create a main street and "urban campus" in Goodyear, Az., anchored by a spring training facility for the Cleveland Indians. The 244 acres of farmland near Estrella Parkway and Bullard Avenue would become the Wood Corporate Campus, named after the family that owns the land. The project would weave together shops, restaurants, housing, offices and entertainment venues in a way that is drawing comparisons with Kierland Commons in Phoenix. The Indians have agreed to a move to the Cactus League in 2009, subject to the ballpark portion of the project receiving state funding; an agreement was signed yesterday. Whether or not this facility hosts one or two teams remains to be seen: in some baseball circles, the notion of two teams sharing a training facility is in disfavor, as teams want exclusivity in picking dates and having control (financial and otherwise) of a complex. Goodyear is west of Phoenix.

 

Padres to San Antonio
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The San Diego Padres have reached an two-year affiliate agreement with the San Antonio Missions (Class AA; Texas League). The Padres had been affiliated with the Mobile BayBears (Class AA; Southern League), but severed tied with the BayBears in order to woo a Texas League affiliate. The Missions turned away the Seattle Mariners as an affiliate, a move that may appear to be a little iffy: under the Mariners, the Missions had made the Texas League playoffs in four of the six years of the partnership. These days minor-league teams are seeking more that just a winning record from their parent teams, such as commitments to rehabbing players and offseason appearances. More from the San Antonio Business Journal.

 

Fort Lauderdale Stadium renovation plan boosted
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
More on the decision by Broward County officials to commit $800,000 annually to a renovated Fort Lauderdale Stadium, the spring home of the Baltimore Orioles. The complex, which would allow the Orioles to move their minor-league camp from Sarasota, would contain four athletic fields, four baseball diamonds and the main stadium, at a total cost of about $38 million. A state grant of $15 million in sales-tax rebates would pay for part of it. The Orioles had better watch out, though, as they appear to be making promises they might not be able to keep: they’re promising the presence of Cal Ripken Jr. because he owns a Orioles affiliate, the Aberdeen IronBirds (short season; NY-Penn League). Trouble is. short-season teams don’t train in March in Florida, and he also owns another team not affiliated with the O’s. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Guessing game for North Shore Spirit ends today
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
North Shore Spirit (independent; Can-Am Association) owner Nick Lopardo will announce today his decisions about the future of the franchise. As you’ll recall, last week Lopardo told local newspapers that he was thinking about pulling the plug on the operation, citing $9 million in losses since launching the team and renovating Fraser Field four years ago. He’ll make an announcement after league meetings conclude today in Brockton.

ESPN pulls plug on Mobile ESPN
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
ESPN is closing down its cell phone company for sports fans after less than a year, planning instead to forge deals with other wireless operators to offer Mobile ESPN’s multimedia content, the majority-owned subsidiary of Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday. The Bristol, Conn.-based company will continue providing wireless service and content for its subscribers until the end of the year, refund the purchase price for handsets and assist customers with transferring their phone numbers to other carriers, ESPN executives told The Associated Press. The issue, really, is how many people are willing to pay for wireless content: ESPN concluded it was a limited audience and decided to bail. That may not bode well for services like MLB AM that see wireless content as a cornerstone for the future: it’s one thing to attract users, but it’s difficult to monetize them.

MLB pulls plug on podcasts on iTunes
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
In a disagreement over placement and promotion, MLB AM has pulled its podcasts from Apple’s ITunes service. Apple is agnostic about promotion of podcasts unless you’re a paying customer, and as MLB AM wasn’t a paying customer, they decided to focus on podcasts directly downloaded on MLB.com. Also, there’s the issue of MLB not wanting a level playing field: the Wall Street Journal (sorry, no link) reports MLB AM objected to its podcasts being displayed and listed next to podcasts from ordinary fans. We’re somewhat skeptical about MLB AM’s claim of 30,000 podcast downloads a day, though the better figure — and one that’s never released — is how many of those downloads are actually listened to, as opposed to how many are automatically downloaded and discarded. (By comparison, the BBC Radio daily podcast — appealing to a worldwide audience — has a download rate of less than 10,000 per day.)

Wranglers’ move big hit with Royals owner Glass
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
Kansas City Royals owner David Glass is pleased as punch about the move of the Wichita Wranglers (Class AA; Texas League) next season to Springdale, Ark. A formal lease-signing ceremony Wednesday ended years of planning and months of negotiations between the city of Springdale and Rich Baseball, the ownership group for the Royals’ Class AA affiliate. Glass said he did not play a major role in the Wichita Wranglers moving to Springdale, but he had hoped for years the opportunity to bring an affiliate to Arkansas would come.

Fast-growing part of downtown Greensboro draws developers
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
Point out what’s happening in Greensboro when someone tells you a new ballpark has no economic impact on an area. Three years ago the western part of downtown Greensboro was a moribund area, home to county buildings and surface parking lots. Today, there are bidding wars for parcels of land next to First Horizon Field, the home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Low Class A; Sally League) between rival developers. We visited that area of Greensboro before the ballpark was built and then again this season (yes. we’ll be posting a writeup and photos shortly; a somewhat serious illness has slowed down the ballpark postings this month), and what’s happening there is nothing short of spectacular.

World Baseball Classic should not replace Olympics, Cuban official says
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The World Baseball Classic was an important step in the sport’s international development but is no consolation for the elimination of the sport from the Olympics, the president of Cuba’s Olympic Committee said. Jose Ramon Fernandez urged the International Baseball Federation to unite all its forces in the fight to get baseball back on the Olympic program. We’re not entirely sure MLB wants baseball back in the Olympics: such a move would force MLB to be the bad guys in denying permission to players to take off part of the season and head to the Olympics, and with the World Baseball Classic MLB can control and monetize an international tournament. The next World Baseball Classic is slated for March 2009.

Groundbreaking for Sovereign Bank Stadium slated for Friday
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The groundbreaking ceremony for Sovereign Bank Stadium, the future home of the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic League), is scheduled for tomorrow at 1 p.m. The event is invitation-only because space is limited — so don’t head down there and expect a big event — but all the movers and the shakers behind the project will be there, as well as Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. The ballpark is an ambitious project, with the opening planned for next season.

Owners of Jimbo’s say they’ll fight eviction
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
There aren’t many watering holes near U.S. Cellular Field, and perhaps the best-known is Jimbo’s. Last month, the owner of Jimbo’s, Jim Levato, received a letter telling him to pack up and move out of the bar at 3528 S. Princeton Ave. by Sept. 30. It went on to note that his lease is up and won’t be renewed. Levato says he’ll fight eviction, but he may be fighting the inevitable.

Groups hope state perceives projects’ value
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
Columbus, Ohio business leaders are seeking $25 million in state money for the next two years for 12 projects, including $7 million for a new ballpark for the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League). This is the third time the business groups have requested money from the state’s capital-improvement budget. But this year, in a twist, they are cooperating with their counterparts in Cleveland and Cincinnati in an effort to obtain more money for each of the "3 C’s."

Councillors, mayoral candidates scrap over parking lot
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The Winnipeg City Council granted a 15-year lease for a small gravel parking lot next to CanWest Global Park to the Winnipeg Goldeyes (independent; Northern League), but not before a controversy erupted in the midst of a mayoral election. Basically, the Goldeyes — owned by Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, who was instrumental in getting CanWest Global Park built in the first place — want to lease the land and install permanent parking. Several mayoral candidates made this a huge issue in the Winnipeg media, saying Katz shouldn’t benefit from a land lease. We’re not sure he will. For starters, this is an extremely small parcel of land, and we can’t imagine anyone rushing in to develop it: the only viable business use would be tied to fans visiting CanWest Global Park. The thing is, the whole controversy could have been avoided if the lease discussions had taken place after the upcoming election. More from the Winnipeg Sun.

‘I’m not going to be a hermit’
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
Here’s a profile of Les Murakami, former baseball coach at the University of Hawaii. Despite suffering a stroke in 2001, Murakami is one of Hawaii’s best-known baseball legends. He continues to make a big impact in the community, applauding youth baseball achievements, motivating the disabled, and serving as a full-time optimist to everyone he meets. Murakami will be honored Saturday by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii with the Leadership and Achievement Award, recognizing him as a baseball pioneer, who paved the way for future generations of ball players.

Ballpark Notes
Posted Sept. 28, 2006
The Pacific Coast League named New Orleans Zephyrs General Manager Mike Schline the league’s Executive of the Year. Schline, in his second year as general manager of the Zephyrs, was recognized after the Zephyrs became the first professional team to begin its season in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina when they took the field on April 6, 2006. The team also raised its attendance for the second-straight season, finishing with a total attendance of 361,493….Prior to last night’s first-ever Lancaster Barnstormers (independent; Atlantic League) home playoff game at Clipper Magazine Stadium, the club honored J. Keith Lupton, senior vice president of baseball operations for Keystone Baseball, the parent company of the Barnstormers. Lupton announced his retirement on Wednesday after a 25-year career as an executive in minor league baseball. Lupton has been with the company since its inception in 1982. Lupton has been named Executive of the Year twice in the Carolina League and once each in the Eastern and South Atlantic Leagues. In 1990, he was named Minor League Baseball’s Executive of the Year. Lupton was president of the Maryland Fall League, and had the unique experience of operating a minor league club in a major league ballpark, when the Bowie Baysox (Class AA; Eastern League) played the 1993 season in Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. Have some news to share with the baseball community? Send it to editors@augustpublications.com.

Broward County commits $800,000 annually toward new O’s digs
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
After a presentation by the Baltimore Orioles on their plans to renovate and expand spring-training facilities in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County commissioners committed $800,000 annually in hotel bed-tax dollars to the $38 million project. The commissioners weren’t pleased with the timing — a funding plan must be presented on Monday to the state if the Orioles and Fort Lauderdale want to receive $15 million in a state sales-tax rebate — but in the end supported the measure with an 8-1 vote. The Orioles had been seeking $1 million annually from the county, but did increase their financial commitment to a projected $750,000 a year for 30 years and cover cost overruns. The team has also promised a comprehensive advertising and promotional package valued at $2 million a year that will promote the region on its sports regional network that reaches more than 6 million homes from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. The project calls for a renovation of Fort Lauderdale Stadium and the expansion of the training facilities to allow both minor- and major-league teams to train at the same complex; currently the O’s minor-league trams train across the state in Sarasota. More from the Miami Herald.

Sarasota sends ballpark pacts to state
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
As noted in the previous story, Monday is the deadline for municipalities to apply to the state of Florida for $15 million in sales-tax rebates. Sarasota, which has worked out a deal to keep the Cincinnati Reds and the Sarasota Reds (High Class A; Florida State League) in a new training facility, has already sent in its paperwork. One document lays the framework for an agreement that would keep the Reds in Sarasota for the next 30 years, assuring the city won’t lose a baseball tradition that has been an important part of its history. The other will allow the city to use a piece of land where the ballpark could be built, near the current Reds’ current spring home, Ed Smith Stadium, though there’s still discussion where the ballpark and complex should be built. Charlotte County is also expected to submit an application for the state funds; although multiple municipalities were eligible to compete for five slots, it doesn’t look like all five slots will be filled, as St. Petersburg and Winter Haven failed to come to deals to keep their spring-training teams.

Miller Park roof repairs timelier than expected
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
Planned repairs for the retractable roof at Miller Park apparently will come just in time, as a key mechanism for opening and closing the roof broke down on Monday — a day after the final home game of the season for the Milwaukee Brewers. As a result, the roof us stuck in a partially open position. However, the issue isn’t considered to be very serious, as there were already plans to repair defects in the 12,000-ton roof; apparently this can just be added to the list.

Ballpark benefits pitched in Charlotte
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
In Charlotte for the annual Minor League Baseball Promotional Seminar, minor-league executives made their case for a new uptown ballpark for the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League). That’s certainly been true in Memphis, Stockton, Toledo and Greensboro, where urban ballparks are an integral part of a local renaissance. The issue should be crystal-clear: as the Knights are willing to build the $34-million ballpark on their own dime, the case can be made rather persuasively that this is an urban-redevelopment issue, not a sports-spending issue.

Make Tiger Stadium demolition a priority
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
Somehow this reminds us of comedian Ron White’s line about Texas not only having the death penalty — it has an express lane to make executions happen faster. The Detroit News is calling for the immediate demolition of Tiger Stadium, as if a delay of a month or so will make a difference in the redevelopment of the area. Now, we’re among those who think the city of Detroit is going too far in its plan to demolish most of the ballpark but leaving intact the playing field and part of the entrance area; if you’re going to do that, then leave the grandstand intact and bring in minor-league baseball. Local preservationists seem to have given up any hope of keeping Tiger Stadium as a working ballpark; that’s a shame, because we’re guessing there’s public sentiment in the greater Detroit area to do just that.

Cardinals ink deal with Batavia
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
The St. Louis Cardinals and the Batavia Muckdogs (short season; NY-Penn League) announced a new two-year player development agreement that will bring Cardinals baseball to Batavia beginning next season. The Cardinals were affiliated with the State College Spikes (short season; NY-Penn League) this past season, but the Spikes front office decided to switch affiliation to the Pittsburgh Pirates, leaving the Cards shopping. Batavia has been the short-season affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies for 19 season, but the Phils decided to switch their short-season affiliate to the Williamsport Crosscutters (short season; NY-Penn League).

Red Barons offer incentive to Yankees fans
Posted Sept. 27, 2006
Officials from Mandalay Baseball, the new management wing of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (Class AAA; International League), announced 2007 Red Barons season ticket holders will be able to buy 2007 New York Yankees "Big Game" tickets before they go on sale to the general public. The announcement was part of a press conference Tuesday introducing both Mandalay’s management team and the Yankees as the Triple-A affiliate of the Red Barons. The Yankees have committed initially to a two-year player development contract to house their Triple-A team in Scranton. However, once the necessary approvals are garnered and Mandalay is the official management team of the Red Barons, the two-year deal becomes four years. Some critics say the deal is bad for Lackawanna County, one of the two counties that own the team and the ballpark.