Tired of the lack of progress on development of a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, an influential Hillsborough County commissioner says he’s ready to get the county directly involved in discussions. The Rays have been talking for years with St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, local business leaders and regional politicians about a replacement for Tropicana […]
Archive | Major-League Baseball
Orioles a solid draw in Sarasota
Luring the Baltimore Orioles to Sarasota for spring training has been a good investment for tourism officials, as fans are coming down to Florida from the mid-Atlantic region in droves. From the Sarasota Herald Tribune: Inquiries from that area grew 2.2 percent in 2009, 6.4 percent in 2010 and 7.3 percent last year during the […]
Don’t look now, but World Baseball Classic is around the corner
It’s still a year out, but planning is well underway for the 2013 World Baseball Classic — and already there’s grumbling about the process in countries like Canada and Japan. The World Baseball Classic, held every four years during spring training, was designed by Major League Baseball as a showcase and an alternative to the […]
Nats: We want unified spring facility in Fort Myers
The Washington Nationals have a vision of a Fort Myers training base with unified facilities — but it’s questionable whether Lee County has the money to pull off the plan. One of the big reasons why the Boston Red Sox left City of Palms Park in central Fort Myers: the team’s training facility was a […]
Ricketts: Time to talk Wrigley Field public funding again
If it’s spring, it’s time for Tom Ricketts to once again call for public funding of renovations to Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. It’s been a constant theme for Ricketts since buying the Cubs and the historic ballpark: that Wrigley Field needs work, and the public should pick up at least $200 million […]
Mets settle Madoff clawback case
New York Mets ownership will enter the 2012 season without some huge financial uncertainty, settling for $162 million a lawsuit alleging they had willfully ignored signs of fraud committed by Bernie Madoff. The lawsuit, brought by trustee Irving Picard, called for Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz — owners of the Mets — to pay $300 […]
Activists: Fish backstop at Marlins Ballpark cruel
Animal-rights activists are saying it’s cruel for the Miami Marlins to house fish in an aquarium behind home plate, with high-speed foul balls potentially jarring to the life aquatic. As part of the move to a new ballpark, the Marlins installed a huge fish tank that acts as the playing-field backstop. The aquariums will be […]
Wolff: A’s aren’t for sale
The Oakland Athletics aren’t for sale, according to owner Lew Wolff, adding that no prospective buyer has contacted him. “No one has contacted me,” Wolff told the Oakland Tribune in a phone interview. “It’s not for sale, but no one has contacted me. Someone made that story up, I think.” It was reported yesterday that […]
Seattle, San Diego extend Peoria Stadium lease
The Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres will train at Peoria Sports Complex through 2034 under the terms of a new lease, which calls for ballpark and clubhouse improvements. The lease extension wasn’t a surprise — all three players had indicated a willingness to commit to a deal for months — and neither is the […]
Suitors emerge for Oakland Athletics
Well, this is going to make Lew Wolff’s San Jose quest more difficult: two groups say they want to buy the Oakland Athletics and keep them in Oakland. The groups, as identified by the San Francisco Chronicle, include a group that dropped out of the bidding for the Los Angeles Dodgers and another that incudes […]
Turf wars rage again in Bay Area: A’s say San Jose move doesn’t infringe on Giants
A move to San Jose wouldn’t really infringe on any territorial rights held by the San Francisco Giants, according to A’s officials who continue working on a new-ballpark plan. Last week saw a lot of speculation about whether or not the A’s would be allowed to build a new ballpark in downtown San Jose, which […]
Cactus League facing uncertainty, financial issues
With Oakland and Milwaukee potentially relocating and tourism taxes coming up short, Cactus League officials are working to identify new sources of revenue to pay down spring-training-ballpark debt. While it’s highly unlikely either team will leave the greater Phoenix area — Oakland is negotiating a move to HoHoKam Park once the Cubbies depart and the […]
Moorad withdraws application to buy Padres
Faced with reported opposition from other MLB owners, Jeff Moorad has withdrawn his application to buy the San Diego Padres — a move that could prove to be merely temporary. The issue, as reported in a Padres press release, was a desire by the team to expedite the finalizing of the team’s new broadcast deal […]