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 […]
Tag Archives | major league baseball
Selig: Rays attendance is “inexcusable”
Taking a shot aimed more toward apathetic fans than the forces preventing a new ballpark, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said the Tampa Bay Rays attendance — or lack thereof — is “inexcusable.” Speaking at his annual press conference during All-Star festivities, the commissioner noted the Rays were 29th in MLB attendance (20,582 fans a game) […]
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 […]
Sacramento: Forget NBA, let’s woo MLB
Fresh off a failed attempt to build a new arena for the Sacramento Kings (NBA), Mayor Kevin Johnson says the city should be looking at building a downtown ballpark for a Major League Baseball team. Johnson, the former NBA star turned politician, been discussing MLB with former Pittsburgh Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy (publisher of the local newspaper) and […]
MLB 2014 season to open in Australia?
The 2014 Major League Baseball season could begin at the Sydney Cricket Grounds in Australia, as officials there prepare a multimillion-dollar bid to land a commitment. Opening a season out of the country is becoming a routine things for Major League Baseball; this season saw the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics start their seasons in […]
Yankees Old-Timers’ Day set for Sunday
It’s one of the great events in Major League Baseball: The New York Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day is scheduled for this coming Sunday, July 1. Though most MLB teams invite former greats back for ceremonies like this one, none is as emotionally resounding as the Yankees event; there’s something very special when the likes of Yogi Berra, […]
Robinson new MLB EVP of baseball development
Frank Robinson is Major League Baseball’s new executive vice president of baseball development, Commissioner Bud Selig announced today. Robinson, who most recently served as Special Assistant to the Commissioner and has been a member of the Commissioner’s Special Committee for On-Field Matters since its inception, has held a variety of significant positions with MLB and […]
MLB: Attendance could hit 80M this season
Attendance at Major League Baseball games is up some 8.1 percent this season, and there’s an outside chance the sport could set an all-time record for attendance. Right now MLB teams are on a pace to draw the most fans since 2008, with the chance of reaching 80 million for the first time in history. […]
The first pro baseball team to sport uniform sponsor logos? Rockford
This, to the best of our knowledge, is a first: the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) are wearing uniform sponsor logos for every game, in a straight sale of sponsorship rights. We’re not counting auto racing, golf or MLS soccer and don’t want to embark on a discussion of whether these are major sports; for the […]
O’Malley group has inside track to land Padres: report
The O’Malley name could be back in Major League Baseball, as a group led by Peter O’Malley is said to have the inside track on landing the San Diego Padres — provided they can meet the asking price. The San Diego News-Tribune’s Bill Center is reporting John Moores has been meeting with the two finalists […]
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 […]
Twins sign 30-year spring-training lease extension
The Minnesota Twins and Lee County agreed on a 30-year lease extension to keep the team in Fort Myers, but the rest of the agreement — covering improvements and funding — is not yet public. It’s an unusual situation, to be sure. And there are plenty of contingencies at play, so it’s not nearly important […]
Lee County: Twins spring-training improvements hinge on state grant
Any improvements to spring-training facilities for the Minnesota Twins will need to be funded largely by state funds and the Twins, as Lee County officials say they won’t raise taxes to cover new funding. After spending months saying they’d take care of the Twins after spending $80 million on a new spring facility for the […]