Archives: Feb. 12-18, 2007
Cubs show tradition the door with ad deal
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
This seems to be a heresy: The Chicago Cubs announced a multiyear deal Wednesday with Under Armour, a sports apparel company, agreeing to place its logo and name on the outfield doors of Wrigley Field. Terms of the agreement were not announced, but the ads will be in place at least through 2008. Tradition dictates the wall be covered with the ivy originally planted by Bill Veeck, but the ivy will be trimmed to allow viewing of the ad spaces. The current outfield walls were constructed in a 1937 remodeling project and the doors were painted green to blend in with the ivy. Veeck oversaw the construction, purchasing and planting of the bittersweet and Boston ivy and helped attach it to copper wires running to the top of 11-foot walls.
Winds of change unlikely at Ameriquest Field
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Texas Rangers spent $100,000 on a wind study of Ameriquest Field to see how fly balls are affected with wind changes and whether changes in the ballpark configuration would keep more balls in the park. The short answer is that the addition of the Cuervo Club did change the wind patterns to the point where more homers are flying beyond the fences. The bigger issue is whether the Rangers are doing anything to counter the effect, and the answer seems to be no: the team’s new front office says players need to suck it up and play with the conditions as presented. Attracting top-level free-agent pitchers has been a challenge for the Rangers in recent years: last season Kevin Millwood was an average pitcher at home (7-7, 5.38 ERA) and posted much better stats on the road (9-5, 3.74 ERA).
Developer submits proposal for downtown Fort Wayne hotel
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
One business group submitted a proposal to construct a new hotel in downtown Fort Wayne, a move city leaders hope will generate tax revenue to allow further development in the surrounding area. White Lodging Services Corp., along with Acquest Realty Advisors Inc., submitted a proposal to the city’s consulting firm in Chicago to construct a full-service Marriott-branded hotel at West Jefferson Boulevard and Harrison Street. Securing an agreement with a new hotel developer was a critical component for the city’s proposed Harrison Square development, which includes a new ballpark for the Fort Wayne Wizards (Low Class A; Midwest League).
For Dodgers, spring is in the Arizona air
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
As baseball’s training camps open this week, the Los Angeles Dodgers start reporting to Vero Beach on Friday for what they expect to be their penultimate spring there. Although the Dodgers are expected to challenge the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants as the top draws in Arizona’s Cactus League — and profit from it — owner Frank McCourt said he wouldn’t pack up six decades of memories at storied Dodgertown only for the money. Really, the move of the Dodgers was inevitable: for many years Dodgertown was frequented by East Coasters with fond memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers, but as those fans died out, Los Angeles fans didn’t take their places, and attendance suffered.
Foxhounds tickets going fast; GreenJackets set record
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Aiken Foxhounds (independent; South Coast League) franchise is leading the new league in season ticket sales, general manager Bradley Bell said Wednesday. Bell said the team, which will play in USC Aiken’s Roberto Hernandez Stadium starting in May, has sold approximately 60 percent of its initial target number of 300 season tickets. Meanwhile, the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) last week surpassed last year’s number of season ticket sales, setting a new team record. With two months of sales left, general manager Nick Brown said the team has sold more than 1,200 packages and is hoping to sell 1,600 by the home opener April 9.
Yankees ask to play first major-league baseball game in China
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The New York Yankees want to play Major League Baseball’s first game in China, team president Randy Levine said. Levine and General Manager Brian Cashman were among Yankees officials who visited China last month to form a partnership with the Chinese Baseball Association that will help coaches and players learn about the sport. The earliest a game might be played in the most populous country is 2009, because the stadium to be used won’t be available until after the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Levine said in a telephone interview. He said the Yankees want to play a regular-season game there, with a season-opener a possibility.
State grant to fund expansion at Ripken baseball complex
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Maryland Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved a $500,000 grant to Cal Ripken Jr.’s charitable foundation to expand and enhance a youth baseball field at the Hall of Famer’s Aberdeen complex. The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation — named for Ripken’s father, the longtime Baltimore Orioles coach and manager — will use the money to add seats, a bullpen area for pitchers, a scoreboard and an outfield concessions and picnic area to Cal Sr.’s Yard, the youth-sized replica of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Cal Sr.’s Yard plays host to youth baseball tournaments and is one of the prime attractions at the complex off Interstate 95. It is also home to the Aberdeen Ironbirds (short season; NY-Penn League).
Hersh, city back in court today
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Believing former West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Class AA; Southern League) President David Hersh "hid evidence" during trial proceedings, Jackson City Attorney Lewis Cobb has filed a motion to have a judge dismiss Hersh’s long-standing suit against the city. But that motion, filed Monday, will not be considered today, when Chancellor Martha Brasfield is scheduled to hear closing arguments at 10 a.m. in the trial over contract disputes between the city and Hersh. Cobb said the city received additional financial records from Minor League Baseball after the trial ended that were in Hersh’s possession but not provided to the city by Hersh as requested. The city’s motion said the financial records show that Hersh’s ownership group "never achieved acceptable equity-to-debt ratio while in Memphis" and that the ownership group "lost money every year while in Memphis. While in Jackson, the financial records show that (the ownership group) had positive cash flow every year (considering depreciation and net income) and positive net income, after debt service, every year except 2001. Finally, the documents show that (the ownership group) made a $2.7 million profit on the sale of the team in 2002." The motion said the new information provides a more accurate picture of the ownership group’s finances than was presented at trial by Hersh’s attorneys.
New ballpark, recruits excite baseball team
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Penn State baseball coach Robbie Wine says his team should improve from last season’s seventh-place finish in the Big Ten thanks to some new recruits and a new ballpark, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. There’s no doubt a facility like Medlar Field at Lubrano Park will be a great recruiting tool: a lot of baseball talent comes from Pennsylvania, and a top-notch ballpark will help keep those recruits at home. We visited Medlar Field at Lubrano Park late last season and will be putting up a page on the impressive new facility shortly.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Feb. 15, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Fort Worth Cats (independent; American Association) have named Stan Hilton as their pitching coach for the 2007 season, it was announced today. Hilton spent the last three seasons with the Clinton Lumberkings (Low Class A; Midwest League). He left baseball in 1992 to pursue business interests, but returned to the dugout in 2004 with Clinton. From 1989-1991, he was the pitching coach for the Burlington Indians (rookie; Appalachian League). He spent six seasons in the minor leagues as a pitcher in the Cleveland and Oakland organizations. He was originally drafted by the Athletics as a first-round pick in the 1983 draft.
A great ballpark divide
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Here’s an in-depth look at the spat between Hennepin County and a recalcitrant group of owners of a key land parcel targeted as the site of a new Minnesota Twins ballpark. When you tear away all the rhetoric from both sides, there’s a basic disagreement over what the land is worth, and part of the problem is the fact that the current owners are reluctant to specify a price for the parcel; as a result, you have figures of $40 million and $50 million being thrown around. In this article, the owners admit their own experts say the land is worth around $21 million, a starting figure that the county might actually agree with. Lessening the value is the fact the land represents an engineering challenge: it may cost more to build on the site because there’s a creek running beneath the land. (Indeed, opening up Bassett Creek was one of the early goals of the county.) A lot of posturing, to be sure. The Star Tribune calls for a truce in the war, but if we know these guys right, it could be a little while before grudges — some quite old — are put aside.
Amid ballpark questions, plan for two hotels unveiled
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
With talk of deadline extensions, money issues and an ongoing public debate over how soon — or if — a new downtown baseball park can be built for the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA: Pacific Coast League), there appears to be less difficulty attracting hotel operators to the downtown site. Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse, the Baltimore-based developer in charge of turning the former Nashville Thermal Transfer site into condos, hotel rooms and a minor-league ballpark, unveiled plans Tuesday for two new hotels to be built on the 12-acre tract. More important, Struever Bros. officials said the hotel deals and other recent developments are a sign the ballpark will be built despite red flags raised by the Sounds last week when General Manager Glenn Yaeger said costs had risen above an original $43 million estimate and more money would have to be found. More from Nashville City Paper. Meanwhile, there appears to be some disagreements between the Sounds and the city over exactly what will happen in April: the city says all the ballpark renderings must be made available for review, but the team disagrees.
Mesa faces questions as Hohokam Park bill grows
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Mesa runs Hohokam Park, the spring home of the Chicago Cubs, at a loss, and some in the city say that’s wrong. It costs the city about $3 million a year to run the ballpark, but it brings in only $1.2 million in revenues. It will cost more to run the ballpark in the future: Under the terms of a 20-year financing agreement, the debt payments soar from $398,800 this year and next year to $1.73 million in fiscal year 2008-09, $1,899,000 in 2009-10, $2,029,000 in fiscal year 2010-11. The payment drops to $1,374,000 in fiscal year 2011-12.
Progress on Loons ballpark at fast pace
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Great Lakes Loons (Low Class A; Midwest League) are set to open the Dow Diamond in two months, and it looks like most of the ballpark will be in working order. On average, 200 workers are at the Diamond each day, working on the facility, where the estimated total cost is now up to $33 million for the privately funded ballpark. That’s $5 million more than the original estimate, partly due to increased material costs, but also because of the expense of building a one-of-a-kind ballpark. More from the Saginaw News and the Bay City Times.
Rays look to grow attendance through families
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
As the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are set to embark in year two of the "Sternberg Era," their latest advertising campaign emphasizes family fun and togetherness at the ballpark. Introduced by Rays’ executives Tuesday, the new slogan, "more than just a game," is an effort by the team to better connect with the community in a variety of ways centered on family experiences. Print ads that will soon be appearing will be heavy on father-son togetherness and will share a common theme of family bonding. More from the St. Petersburg Times.
Braves’ ties will stay intact — for now
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A sale of the Atlanta Braves to Liberty Media won’t affect the status of the three minor-league teams that will go along with the deal: the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League), the Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League) and the Rome Braves (Low Class A; Sally League). R-Braves management continues to talk about a new or renovated ballpark in Richmond, and that isn’t expected to change. However, many in baseball expect Liberty Media to at least explore a sale of the three teams once the purchase is completed — at least that’s what many potential buyers have been told.
Pelicans hope for approval of logo on water tower
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) want to see a Pelicans logo on a water tower beyond the first-base grandstand at Coastal Federal Field. The city is currently prepping the tower for a repainting, and the Pelicans front office has asked for permission to paint on a logo as part of that process. Also, Pelicans officials met last week with executives of BB&T, whose acquisition of Coastal Federal Bank’s holding company is pending, to discuss their plans for the ballpark’s naming rights.
Razing memories of 95-year-old Tiger Stadium before demolition work begins
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Unless something changes, Tiger Stadium is slated to be demolished this summer; only the playing field and a small part of the grandstand will remain. There will be a wake of sorts when the Detroit Tigers open their season — fans will be allowed on the field for one last salute — but it’s still a rather ignoble end to a noble venue, which opened on the same day as Fenway Park.
Catfish pay back rent on Golden Park
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Columbus Catfish (Low Class A; Sally League) has paid $28,000 in back rent to the city of Columbus. The team had been withholding rent payments since June 2006 in an effort to force the city to make changes to Golden Park. The team wants the city to address concerns it has with drainage issues in the outfield at Golden Park, which have been an ongoing issue since Olympic softball competition was held there in 1996; a fence collapsed last season at the ballpark because of water damage.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Feb. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Charleston RiverDogs (Low Class A; Sally League) announced the hiring of four new employees. Megan Green, a native of Gainesville, FL, is the new director of community relations. Most recently a community director for the March of Dimes Lowcountry Division, Green will now concentrate her efforts by serving as the RiverDogs’ primary liaison with the local community. Jon Hillard is the RiverDogs’ new assistant director of media relations; he will handle the club’s pre- and postgame sections of the radio broadcasts. He replaces Noel Blaha, who moved into the box office manager’s position. Jason Wells is the club’s new assistant food and beverage director. A graduate of Washington State University where he also gained training with Seattle’s Best Coffee, Wells possesses more than three years’ experience in the food and beverage industry, primarily on the West Coast. Henry Thames is the new assistant groundskeeper.
Liberty, Time Warner close to sale of Braves
Posted Feb. 13, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
After more than a year of negotiations, Time Warner has finally unloaded the Atlanta Braves and $1 billion in cash to Liberty Media Corp. in exchange for stock. The deal is still subject to Major League Baseball approval. Liberty