The Houston Astros are looking at removing both Tal’s Hill in center field and the train running above it as part of branding changes for the 2013 season, when the team enters the American League. The raised center-field hill at Minute Maid Park, never popular with players, was named for former Astros executive Tal Smith in […]
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Dodgers: We’d look at adding NFL stadium to Chavez Ravine
The layout of Chavez Ravine, where Dodger Stadium is located, could change dramatically if an NFL stadium is built there — and the Dodgers would look at any proposals. It’s all talk, of course: the NFL wants to add one or two teams to Los Angeles, but the lack of movement on stadiums downtown 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 […]
Stray bullet grazes Rays fan at Tropicana Field
Well, this is a new one: a fan attending a Tampa Bay Rays game at Tropicana Field was grazed by a falling bullet that most likely came through the roof of the covered ballpark. The fan, Charles Sweatt, was watching the Rays game when he felt a sting in his right thigh. He didn’t think much […]
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 […]
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, […]
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. […]
Target Field generated $170M in economic activity in 2010: study
Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, generated at least $169.3 million in economic activity in its first year of operation and contributed to a 40 percent rise in liquor-tax revenues. That’s just a part of the economic impact of the $555-million facility, which also includes $4.8 million in payroll taxes on Twins players in […]
Rays to go retro — before team existed
We’re hoping this won’t be a trend, but it’s still cool: Next Sunday the Tampa Bay Rays will don uniforms designed as if the team existed in 1979 — the ultimate “fauxback” look. It’s a “Turn Back the Clock” promotion for the Rays on June 30, when the Detroit Tigers visit Tropicana Field. And while […]
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 […]