Minnesota Twins officials met yesterday with the board of directors of the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low Class A; Midwest League) and will meet with at least one more Midwest League team today, as the affiliate dance continues. The Cedar Rapids Gazette is reporting that an affiliate deal between the Twins and Kernels is a done […]
Tag Archives | chicago cubs
Hawks, Cubs renew affiliation
The Boise Hawks (short season A; Northwest League) and the Chicago Cubs are renewing their player-development contract, despite concerns from the Cubs about the conditions at Memorial Stadium. The pair will remain affiliated for two more years, through 2014. Here’s a look at the current affiliate status. RELATED STORIES: As Hawks open season, new Boise ballpark […]
Indy ball apparently not good enough for Joliet
Though the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) have worked hard on a quality product, some locals say baseball won’t be successful until affiliated ball arrives — which will probably be never. The Slammers were a smash in the first season, then saw things level off in 2012. That’s led to some talk about affiliated ball […]
Cubs, Kane County talking affiliation
In a move that could spawn some tampering charges and fines, sources with the Chicago Cubs say they’re working on a new affiliation deal with the Kane County Cougars (Low Class A; Midwest League). While the move is certainly more convenient for the Cubs — Kane County plays in Geneva in the western-Chicago suburbs — […]
Ballpark proposal goes awry when girlfriend goes on beer run
Greg Altringer thought he had things perfectly set up at Wrigley Field by arranging for a marriage proposal on the center-field scoreboard crawl — but the plan went bad when this girlfriend missed it because she was on a beer run. Altringer, of Great Falls, Mont., arranged with the Cubs to run the scoreboard message: […]
Can Bud Selig warm relationship between Cubs, politicians?
We’re not entirely sure Bud Selig will be able to patch things up between the Ricketts and Chicago politicians, but he reportedly will take a crack at lobbying for public money toward Wrigley Field renovations — holding an All-Star Game as an enticement. The Chicago Cubs ownership, led by Tom Ricketts, wants to spend $500 […]
The Week That Was: July 15
Tampa Bay attendance woes, MLB TV contracts, a new El Paso ballpark and spring training made news this week. The most popular stories of the past seven days on Ballpark Digest, as measured by page views. Selig: Rays attendance is “inexcusable” NBC vying for piece of MLB media-rights pie? El Paso: Let’s sell Cohen Stadium […]
Cubs, Mesa break ground on new spring-training facility
The Chicago Cubs and the city of Mesa yesterday broke ground on a new $99-million spring-training complex, slated to open for the 2014 season. Take a peek at the new renderings. The ballpark, to be designed by Populous, will hold 15,000 fans and include a videoboard, shaded seats and luxury suites. The new complex will also include […]
Twins waiting for word on 2014 All-Star Game
With the 2012 All-Star Game in the books and the 2013 game slated for Citi Field, the fate of the 2014 match — eyed by the Minnesota Twins for Target Field — will be a continuing font of discussion. We won’t see MLB Commissioner Bud Selig make a decision about 2014 for several months, though […]
Groundbreaking for new Cubs complex set for Wednesday
The Chicago Cubs and the city of Mesa have scheduled a groundbreaking for a new spring-training complex that is most definitely still a work in progress. The complex is set to open in 2014, but there are many issues outstanding: whether Arizona State will be a tenant, the exact design (the above rendering is more […]
Cubs: Following the Fenway Park recipe for renovations
The Chicago Cubs have been following the Fenway Park blueprint save one major difference: the Ricketts sought public money for the project. Will that doom Wrigley Field upgrades? Emulating what Boston has done isn’t a bad move for the Cubs: under the John Henry ownership group, the Red Sox have put winners on the field […]
The Week That Was: June 24
New-ballpark renderings, new affiliation deals and new life for old ballparks. The most popular stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured by page views. Life on the bottom indy league: $50 a week ASU-Cubs spat may have unexpected beneficiary: new life for Phoenix Muni West Virginia ballpark renderings released Boulders, we hardly […]
More affiliation issues: Cedar Rapids reevaluating Angels as parent
It’s the time of the year when Minor League Baseball teams start looking at their upcoming affiliations, and the Low Class A Midwest League may be fertile ground for PDC changes. Eleven teams in the 16-team circuit have player-development contracts expiring at the end of the season. (Though the Dayton/Cincinnati PDC is technically up, the […]