The sale of Cooper Stadium, the former home of the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League), to a developer seeking to convert it to a racetrack/car complex is expected to close next week. Cooper Stadium, which opened in 1932, has sat empty since the Clippers move to a new downtown ballpark, Huntington Park, in 2009. […]
Tag Archives | class aaa
IronPigs, Phillies extend PDC four more years
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) and the Philadelphia Phillies extended their player-development contract (PDC) for four more years, through the 2016 season. The announcement was made by IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes and Phillies Asst. Director, Player Development, Steve Noworyta today at Coca-Cola Park. “This has been an exciting run for us here […]
Albuquerque bringing back retro Dukes for yearly promo
Most Minor League Baseball teams run a retro night honoring a former team, but the Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) may have the most popular one, with Dukes Retro Night coming up this Saturday. In fact, it’s so popular that the team opens up the berm for seating, and tickets for that go […]
Rip Tide: ATVs and the perils of mascotdom
It could have been a lot worse, but in the end no one was hurt when Rip Tide, mascot for the Norfolk Tides (Class AAA; International League), took a nasty spill on an ATV during Sunday’s game against Lehigh Valley. After wiping out, Rip Tide tried to get the ATV running again, to no avail. […]
Hoteliers: We’re don’t want to pay for new El Paso ballpark
Hotel and motel owners are opposing a hike in the local hotel tax to help pay for a new downtown El Paso ballpark housing a Pacific Coast League team, but it’s not clear whether they have the political muscle to kill the proposal. Taxing visitors via hotel and car taxes is always a popular way […]
Could Blue Jays provide shot in the arm for Bisons?
Attendance at Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League) games is down some 1,600 fans per game in two years. Could a new affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays give the franchise some needed life? Buffalo, in the past, has been a great baseball town, with the team ending the 1990s with 9,000 or so season-ticket […]
El Paso group: We’re one step closer to buying PCL team
A group seeking to bring a Pacific Coast League team to a new El Paso ballpark says they’re one step closer to acquiring a team after being asked by the league to submit a Preliminary Application Review. The group, MountainStar Sports Group, was asked to submit the review after PCL officials reviewed materials relating to El Paso […]
Blue Jays looking east for new Triple-A farm team?
It’s the time of year when MLB teams are reevaluating their MiLB affiliates, and the Toronto Blue Jays will probably explore a deal with the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League) — which could ultimately profit both teams. The Bisons are currently affiliated with the New York Mets, an arrangement wholeheartedly embraced by the Bisons […]
Life on the road for SWB Yankees: Living out of a suitcase
It’s rare that you see an affiliated team spend an entire season on the road, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) players seem to be taking it in stride. Though the SWB Yankees are marginally headquartered in the Rochester area — playing 17 games at Frontier Field and a handful more in nearby Batavia […]
Demolition ending on SWB ballpark; next up is construction
The demoliton of the second level of PNC Field, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League), is drawing to a close, with framing for the new suites level set for August. The ballpark is being fundamentally transformed this year: the old steep second deck is almost done, to be replaced by a more […]
Where retro began: 25 years of Coca-Cola Field
It’s a great story: the ballpark that began the retro era — Coca-Cola Field, home of the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League) is hosting the Triple-A All-Star Game in its 25th year. The game should be close to a sellout and can be seen nationally on the MiLB.tv website, but the big story here is […]
Pacific Coast League expected to decide El Paso bid for baseball this week
The Pacific Coast League is expected to decide this week whether to allow the sale of the Tucson Padres to a group seeking to move the franchise to a new downtown El Paso ballpark. The principals behind MountainStar Sports Group made their pitch to PCL officials less than two weeks ago, laying out their plans for […]
Crain new prez/GM of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
We hinted at this a few weeks ago: Rob Crain, current AGM of the Omaha Storm Chasers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), is the new president/GM of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League). Here’s where we laid the hint about Rob; we’re guessing his high-energy approach will go over well as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre fans prepare for […]