Well, there’s one distraction out of the way as baseball and the New York Yankees approach spring training: Alex Rodriguez will drop his lawsuits against MLB and the players union, accepting his year-long suspension. After an independent arbitrator determined a year-long suspension (including the playoffs) would be enough for usage of performance-enhancing drugs in the […]
Archive | Major-League Baseball
In memoriam: Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner, the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer who gained wider fame as a New York Mets broadcaster for more than 50 years, passed away today. He was 91. Kiner first gained fame with the Pirates as a home-run hitter whose favorite target in Forbes Field became known as Kiner’s Korner, notching 51 round-trippers in […]
Spring training begins as Diamondbacks pitchers, catchers report
If you’re staring out at a yard full of snow, take heart: spring training officially began yesterday, as Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers and catchers reported to camp yesterday. Yes, we’re dealing with snow and below-average temperatures here at Ballpark Digest headquarters, with no end in sight. (Well, technically, that’s not true: We’ll be in Phoenix at […]
New for 2014: Globe Life Park
We have a naming-rights deal in Texas: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will be known as Globe Life Park in Arlington, as the Rangers and Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company come to an agreement. The name change of the park is effective immediately. Based in McKinney, Texas, Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company has been […]
Fort Myers mayor: We have little chance of landing Nats
With a proposed redevelopment of the City of Palms Park area almost dead, Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson says there is little chance a $36.6 million renovation plan will succeed, giving the city no shot to land the Washington Nationals for spring training. We have more of the details at our sister site, Spring Training […]
MLB to Portland? Not likely, says mayor
Despite some passionate supporters, it’s highly improbable Major League Baseball will land in Portland any time soon — and that assessment comes from those who should know, including Mayor Charlie Hayes. Tracy Ringolsby wrote a piece for MLB.com indicating some support for Major League Baseball in Portland: organizers have identified a waterfront site near the […]
Nats, Levy Restaurants extend Nationals Park concessions deal
More of the same at Nationals Park, as the Washington Nationals and Levy Restaurants have extended their concessions contract with a new multiyear deal. Levy has been the exclusive restaurant partner at the ballpark since 2009. “For the last five years, our collaboration with Levy Restaurants has resulted in a diverse selection of fantastic food […]
MLB: How intrusive can ballpark technology be?
With almost two-dozen teams implementing Apple’s iBeacon technology for personalized product pitches, MLB and BAM will find out how intrusive message alerts can be at the ballpark. Personalized, targeted messaging is the Holy Grail of marketing these days: why waste time on a generalized message when you can target a potential buyer? Though it’s a […]
Don’t look now, but Truck Day is coming up
Another clear sign of spring: Major League Baseball teams are preparing to ship gear and equipment to Florida and Arizona, as the annual rite of Truck Day approaches. Sister site Spring Training Online has all the details, but there are two thing to note. First, the Tampa Bay Rays are already prepped to ship equipment, […]
Nolan Ryan debating return to Astros front office
Despite assertions he was done with Major League Baseball, Nolan Ryan says he’s intrigued by the possibility of rejoining the Houston Astros front office and working with son Reid Ryan. The elder Ryan met with Astros owner Jim Crane and general manager Jeff Luhnow to discuss a possible return to the Astros and under what […]
Populous lands Atlanta Braves ballpark design deal
Though the contract is not finalized, the Atlanta Braves have chosen Populous to design the team’s new Cobb County ballpark, replacing Turner Field. The design contract is subject to approval from Cobb County, but the Braves did confirm the deal to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “We can confirm we have selected Populous, but we are now […]
MLB approves new protective caps for pitchers
It’s not quite the helmet some pitchers anticipated, but MLB has officially approved a padded cap from IsoBlox that could help protect pitchers against injuries from nasty line drives back up the middle. The new caps, which will be available for pitchers next month during spring training, are a half-inch thicker in front and an […]
Could Toronto Blue Jays bail on Astros spring-training plan?
With the Houston Astros blunted in their first attempt at a Palm Beach Gardens spring-training complex, there’s a question of whether the Toronto Blue Jays will stay committed to the joint venture. The Astros and Blue Jays joined forces on a new Palm Beach County spring-training complex, with the Astros doing most of the heavy […]