The Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the Houston Astros extended their player-development contract (PDC) for two more years, through 2014. “We are very happy to continue our relationship with the Houston Astros,” RedHawks President & General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “The Astros are in the middle of a new and exciting […]
Tag Archives | class aaa
C’s: No plans to move to Triple-A
Vancouver Canadians (Northwest League) co-owner Jake Kerr says there are no plans to acquire a Triple-A Pacific Coast League franchise, as the team is solid at the short-season level. Still, he added in an interview, the C’s ownership would listen to any proposals out there. It would take a lot to bring a PCL team […]
Lease terms unveiled in El Paso
A new Triple-A team in El Paso would pay $200,000 annually in rent under the terms of a proposed 25-year lease for a new downtown ballpark. The proposed lease between the city and MountainStar Sports Group would run for 25 years, with options for three five-year extensions. The team would pay $200,000 in yearly rent, with […]
Rx for the Buffalo Bisons
With stated attendance down 5 percent this season, some changes are probably in the works for the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League), beyond a possible change in affiliation. The buzz in Minor League Baseball has the Bisons and Toronto Blue Jays discussing a new affiliation beginning next year, and there’s no doubt such a […]
Isotopes, Dodgers extend PDC
About time: the Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their player-development contract through the 2014 season. “We’re thrilled to extend our incredibly successful partnership with the Dodgers,” said Isotopes General Manager John Traub. “The City of Albuquerque and the Dodgers have been linked for generations and just as Los […]
Petition to halt El Paso ballpark submitted, but may be too late
Another set of petitions designed to stop construction of a new El Paso ballpark has been submitted, but organizers may be too late to stop the process. Petition-drive organizers submitted enough signatures to force the El Paso City Council to consider an ordinance that would halt the demolition of City Hall to make way for […]
Future of Knights Stadium to be studied
York County (S.C.) will spend the next year and a half discussing what will be come of Knights Stadium after the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) move to a new Uptown ballpark in 2014. A six-person committee was charged with determining the fate of the 10,000-seat ballpark and the adjoining 33 acres. What was […]
Grizzlies, Giants extend PDC
No surprise: the Fresno Grizzlies (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the San Francisco Giants extended their player-development contract through the 2014 season. “The Central San Joaquin Valley community has consistently shown they bleed orange and black,” said Grizzlies Team President Chris Cummings. “The Grizzlies affiliation is 15 years strong, and we as an organization […]
Clippers, Cleveland extend PDC through 2016
Though it wasn’t set to expire until 2014, the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League) and the Cleveland Indians extended their player-development contract through the 2016 season. It’s pretty clear both sides are happy with the current arrangement. “These first four seasons of being affiliated with the Cleveland Indians in our new ballpark has exceeded […]
El Paso moves forward with ballpark planning
The city of El Paso is moving forward with planning on a new Class AAA ballpark, hiring Populous to produce conceptual designs for the downtown location. The issue addressed by these designs: whether a new ballpark would fit on a small five-acre footprint current occupied by City Hall. The answer: yes, it will. From a […]
Zephyrs close down for season because of Isaac
Issues with travel and the lack of power at Zephyr Field led the New Orleans Zephyrs and the Pacific Coast League tp scrap the final series of the year, scheduled for this weekend, against the Iowa Cubs. “Given the extensive impact of Hurricane Isaac on airline schedules, municipal infrastructure, and the safety and well-being of people […]
El Paso group pledges profits to charity
The word from MountainStar Sports Group was brief, but the intent is clear: two of the potential Triple-A team owners will give their profits to charity if a downtown El Paso ballpark is built. There’s a been a toxic environment lately surrounding a new downtown ballpark, with opponents slinging anything against the wall to see if […]
Ginning up ballpark opposition
There’s always some level of opposition to a new ballpark; NIMBY folks usually aren’t hard to find. But sometimes the media goes out of its way to find them, as we’re seeing in Prince William County and El Paso. Take, for example, this report from the Examiner. The headline holds lot of promise: “New stadium […]