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Archives: Aug. 19-25, 2007

Archives: Aug. 19-25, 2007
Lessons for the Lerners: what to steal from other ballparks
Posted Aug. 25, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Washington Post’s Marc Fisher visits a few other major-league parks and asks what lessons can be applied to the new Washington Nationals ballpark. It’s probably a little late in the process for the Nationals to be looking at adding some big architectural features as he suggests, but at the core of his argument is something basic: the Nationals need to pay more attention to customer service and do the little things right. This isn’t actually stealing from other ballparks; it’s stealing from any other company that’s successful in pleasing customers.

 

Northwest Arkansas Naturals’ new ballpark progressing rapidly
Posted Aug. 24, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
It had better be, as the Wichita Wranglers (Class AA; Texas League) are moving to Springdale, Ark. next season and playing as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. GM Eric Edelstein reports in on the progress made on the new ballpark: "The entire field is now surrounded by the concrete walls which will divide it from the seats. The bullpens are carved out into the outfield wall, as well as the space where we’ll house our 1, 200-square-foot rolling concert stage. You read that correctly; there will be a full size concert stage permanently stored at the new ballpark." This is a fun time in building a new ballclub; it sounds like Eric’s having a good experience.

Trenton Thunder unveil new logo, unis
Posted Aug. 24, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) unveiled new logos and uniforms that will be used during the 2008 season at a press conference held in Waterfront Park’s Yankee Club and Conference Center on Thursday afternoon. The new primary logo features an animated cloud holding a lightning bolt and incorporates the navy blue found in the New York Yankees color scheme. The new alternate logo is an animated lightning bolt holding a bat to form a T. The new primary logo will be worn on the home and road team caps starting next season. The alternate logo will be used on the team’s batting practice caps. Fans are able to purchase merchandise featuring the new logo in the Thunder Company Store at Waterfront Park and online at trentonthunder.com. Caps, adult t-shirts, adult long-sleeve t-shirts, adult sweatshirts, adult polos, youth t-shirts, novelty baseballs and Thunder pennants are all available now. More from phillyburbs.com.

Rai Henniger to make public appearance at Security Service Field
Posted Aug. 24, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Rai Henniger will make his first public appearance since his accident this Sunday, August 26 at Security Service Field before the Colorado Springs Sky Sox final regular-season home game. The game, already dubbed as "Rai Henniger Day," is scheduled for a 1:05 p.m. start and Henniger will be on the field to address the crowd at approximately 12:50 p.m.. Also, as part of the day’s festivities, the Sky Sox will hold an in-game silent auction and post-game live auction of sports memorabilia with all proceeds benefiting the Rai Henniger Family Fund. The Sky Sox will also donate a portion of the day’s ticket proceeds to the fund so fans will be able to help the Hennigers just by attending the game. The auction will feature numerous items of memorabilia from both major and minor league sports including Major League Baseball, the NFL, NASCAR, college sports, the Sky Sox and much more.

RiverDogs set attendance record
Posted Aug. 24, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
For the eighth time in the 11-year history of Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park, the Charleston RiverDogs (Low Class A; Sally League) have set a Charleston professional baseball attendance record for a single season. The old mark of 267,908, which was set in 2006, was broken Thursday evening when 4,341 fans clicked the turnstiles at The Joe to push the season attendance to 269,785 with four home games left to play. In 65 openings of the gates this season, the RiverDogs are averaging 4,151 fans per game. The RiverDogs started the year on the right foot, as 8,426 fans packed Riley Park on opening day to set a new pro baseball single-game record for the City of Charleston. On July 3, 7,931 showed up to witness an early Independence Day fireworks display.

Ballpark Notes
Posted Aug. 24, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Albuquerque Isotopes Head Groundskeeper Jarad Alley has been named Pacific Coast League Sports Turf Manager of the Year by vote of the League’s 16 field managers, the PCL announced today. Alley, who has been with the ‘Topes since the team’s inception in 2003, presided over the field during the Triple-A All-Star Game at Isotopes Park this July and was instrumental in making it sparkle for a national television audience. It is the consistency of the surface that has drawn rave reviews from PCL managers, though, as Alley and his staff keep the grounds in premium condition despite playing host to an entire Isotopes season, a full slate of New Mexico Lobos baseball games, and numerous other events held at the ballpark….As a congratulatory reward for having made the playoffs this season, Lucchese Boot Company is awarding the El Paso Diablos (independent; American Association) with a free pair of cowboy boots. The Diablos will be receiving their gifts on Friday morning….

New R-Braves ballpark on hold
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Richmond’s search for a developer for the Boulevard has put any decision on a new ballpark on hold — even though the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League) offered more money for a deal. But despite the team’s impatience, local government and business officials say they’re relieved by a three-year lease extension this week for The Diamond that they hope gives everyone some breathing room. Richmond plans to hire a consultant next month to run a nationwide search for developers to transform the park and surrounding area along the Boulevard, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Harry E. Black said yesterday.

For Reds, no rush to vacate Sarasota
Aug. 23
, 2007 (feedback) (discuss)
The city of Sarasota and the Cincinnati Reds are working to salvage a beleaguered spring-training deal after a key piece of the project’s funding all but fell through this week. Some city commissioners have pronounced the plan to renovate Ed Smith Stadium dead if county commissioners do not approve $22 million to help pay for it, something that county officials said Tuesday was unlikely to happen. But Reds executives say the baseball team is in no rush to leave Sarasota despite the latest blow to their 30-year deal with the city. "All of our efforts are toward making this deal happen," said Dick Williams, director of business operations for the Reds. "Until we know for sure that it can’t happen, we’re going to do our best to find a deal."

Facing the music: Swing owner-to-be hopes to connect with fans
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
As fans enter John O’Donnell Stadium for a Swing of the Quad Cities (Class A; Midwest League) game these days, they are greeted on the concourse by a tall, slender man wearing a broad smile. He says “hello,” then listens intently to what the fan has to say after he tells him that he is the prospective owner of the Quad-Cities’ Midwest League franchise. Dave Heller has spent much of the summer with his ears and eyes open as he gets to know the Quad-Cities and as the Quad-Cities gets to know one of the two impending owners of a franchise in its 48th year of operation.

Landowners to appeal valuation of Twins ballpark parcel
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
No surprise here. The owners of the downtown Minneapolis site where Hennepin County is building a new Minnesota Twins ballpark said they will appeal this week’s condemnation decision valuing their land at $23.8 million. Aron Kahn, a spokesman for the group, said Wednesday the appeal will be filed soon. The landowners had argued the parcel was worth $65.375 million. The appeal would put the matter before a jury. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has said he wouldn’t anticipate a trial starting before January or February, although there is a court date set for November.

Inspectors call foul on Medlar Field food
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The State College Spikes (short season; NY-Penn League) didn’t pass muster Aug. 6, when they lost to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. And neither did some food concessions at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, where a health inspection found multiple problems that same day, according to a recent state report. The unannounced inspection, conducted by the state Department of Agriculture, found 17 violations. Eleven of those were critical, according to the report. All but six of the violations were easily corrected and fixed while inspectors were at the ballpark.

Ensuring the promise of D.C.’s new ballpark
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Marc Fisher has a pretty good look at the economic impact of new ballparks and how it may play out in Washington, D.C. There are instances where sporting facilities have demonstrably improved areas — witness the amazing construction happening around Petco Park and the revitalization of areas surrounding Coors Field, Safeco Field, and D.C.’s Verizon Center. But there’s not been a lot of economic activity surrounding Comerica Park, Jacobs Field and Great American Ball Park, though in the case of GABP the criticism may be a little unwarranted, as it was built to replace an existing facility. (Also, Cleveland’s problems go a lot further than anything that can be solved by a ballpark.) Still, this is a fair look at what hasn’t worked and why the D.C. ballpark could be different.

Faraway faithful
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Red Sox Nation loves to travel; more than once in our baseball journeys have we experienced larger-than-normal crowds in places like Baltimore and Tampa Bay because Boston is in town. By one reading, the Red Sox are the biggest draw on the road, certainly equaling the Yankees these days. This story tells what happens when Red Sox Nation descends on Tropicana Field.

Lighting work begins on McKechnie Field
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The installation of lights at McKechnie Field, the spring home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, is a big deal and not exactly dissimilar to the installation of lights at Wrigley Field. McKechnie Field is the last spring-training ballpark to have lights installed, and the Pirates will finally be able to schedule night games in March. Locals were interested in seeing how the lights would look at the ballpark; we’ll be there in March as well.

Texas 30, Baltimore 3
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Even the highlights were ugly. With a 30-3 victory over the Orioles in the first half of a doubleheader, the Texas Rangers set a modern-era record for most runs scored by one team in a game. They easily trumped the previous club record, also set against the Orioles, of 26 runs in a 1996 contest. No team had scored 30 runs since 1897, when the Chicago Colts scored 36 against the Louisville Colonels on June 29, 1897. Third-base coach Don Wakamatsu waved so many runners home that he joked between games that he "may need some ice" for his left shoulder, but Wakamatsu also spent the last few innings giving the stop sign to every runner he could as Texas tried not to run up the score.

Welcome to the Gulf Coast League
Posted Aug. 23, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Beyond the outfield walls of spring-training facilities like Roger Dean Stadium, Gulf Coast League players haul their equipment to fields to prepare for noon games. These outposts are at the bottom of the minor-league system, with rules prohibiting players 20 years of age or older from having more than two years of professional baseball experience. The 16-team, three-division league is spread across Florida spring training sites, but the teams only play within their divisions. Teams rotate opponents, never playing the same squad on consecutive days. The clubs based in Jupiter (Marlins and Cardinals) and Port St. Lucie (Mets) don’t cross the state and don’t travel more than 100 miles north during the regular season. There are no overnight road trips. The average salary is $1,100 a month, but after clubhouse dues, living expenses and taxes, checks are only a few hundred dollars. Most players cram into apartments or rent rooms from host families.

Reds spring ballpark deal dealt a major blow
Posted Aug. 22, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Financing for a deal to keep the Cincinnati Reds spring-training camp in Sarasota fell apart on Tuesday when Sarasota County officials declined to commit finding for the project. With the move, it is all but certain that the county will not help finance a $45 million plan to renovate Ed Smith Stadium for the baseball team’s spring training. The county’s $22 million share was the deal’s linchpin. Without it, the state’s $7 million contribution also evaporates. The city still wants to see the Reds stay in Sarasota; Vero Beach, start your engines.

Beavers announce "name-the-team" contest
Posted Aug. 22, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
We’re a little saddened to see this. As part of their ongoing exploration into a potential team-name change, the Portland Beavers are inviting fans to provide feedback and rankings for a list of five names, including the current moniker, at portlandbeavers.com. The list of new nicknames under consideration includes: Green Sox, Sockeyes, Thorns and Wet Sox (shown below). On the team’s website, fans are able to rank their choices — along with the current name, Beavers — in order of preference. Recognizing that fan input is integral in a decision of this nature, the team recently conducted an online survey and utilized additional methods of polling, collecting input from more than 5,000 fans regarding a potential name change for the Triple-A team.
    The Portland Beavers name — also known as the Bevos or the Lucky Beavers — is one of the oldest in professional baseball. It was first used in 1905, with the Beavers name replacing the Portland Browns in the Pacific Coast League. Portland was quite the baseball town in those days — the Portland Green Gages competed against the Browns in 1903, playing in the Pacific National League, and the Portland Buckaroos played in the Pacific Coast International League under Beavers ownership — and over the last 100 years it’s become synonymous with baseball in Portland. We’d hate to see the name disappear as a result of a quest for more merchandising revenue, but holding a contest like this to stir up interest in the team isn’t totally bad.

UM exit from Orange Bowl paves way for new Marlins ballpark
Posted Aug. 22, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Miami leaders reacted Tuesday with both disappointment and optimism to news that the University of Miami is leaving the Orange Bowl for nicer digs at Dolphin Stadium: disappointment at the end of a South Florida sports tradition, but optimism that the move might pave the way for a long-awaited new ballpark to house the Florida Marlins. While UM’s decision doesn’t mean that a new Marlins ballpark is a done deal — the club released only a noncommittal statement Tuesday — it does free up as much as $88 million that the city and Miami-Dade County had identified as money for renovating the Orange Bowl to keep the Hurricanes there. Here’s what the Marlins said in the notably unenthusiastic press release: "The Florida Marlins remain focused on building a retractable-roof baseball-only facility in South Florida. We will continue to work diligently with both Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami on this partnership. The urgency of this situation has been further crystallized by today’s decision by the University of Miami." More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Harwell heats up Tiger Stadium pitch
Posted Aug. 22, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Ernie Harwell is making some progress on his quest to save Tiger Stadium, the former home of the Detroit Tigers. Harwell and partner Gary Spicer now hope to add boxing matches and amateur football to the amateur baseball games they already planned for the site. And they want to include about 10 acres of vacant parking lots near the ballpark in their redevelopment effort, too. In broad terms, the duo would reduce Tiger Stadium to about 10,000 to 14,000 seats (essentially the original Navin Field configuration) and hold amateur baseball games and gospel music concerts there. In the concourse areas of the ballpark, they would operate at least two museums — one focusing on Detroit-oriented music, another housing some of Harwell’s vast collection of baseball memorabilia. They say about 10 local companies, including the Avanti Press greeting-card company, want to explore relocating their offices to a revamped ballpark. They also presented a letter dated Tuesday from Emanuel Steward, president of Kronk Boxing International, expressing interest in relocating to the stadium. Much of the initial money for what Spicer estimated as a $90-million renovation would come from local family foundations willing to donate. Other money would come from office leases and other revenue generated by the ballpark. More from the Detroit News.

Playing ball in downtown Tulsa
Posted Aug. 22, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League) could be in a very enviable position: having two municipalities compete for the privilege of building the team a new ballpark. Jim Norton, president of Downtown Tulsa Unlimited, says downtown Tulsa is the perfect location for a new Drillers ballpark and has communicated that to team owner Chuck Lamson. Two downtown sites contro