It was a good day for the Altoona Curve (Class AA; Eastern League) yesterday: an attendance record was set as the Curve prevailed against parent Pittsburgh, the team’s PDC was extended, and the ballpark will host an All-Star Game. First: the exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday drew 10,116 fans, a record attendance at […]
Archive | Minor-League Baseball
Crain guarantees good weather for RailRiders season opener
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Class AAA; International League) President/GM Rob Crain is making a bold prediction: he’s guaranteeing 60-degree weather on the April 4 season opener. He’s a brave soul: the long-term Moosic forecast for April 4 calls for a high of 48 degrees, with a chance of rain. “I guarantee that on Opening Day April 4 […]
NY-Penn League announces franchise move to Morgantown
The short-season-A New York-Penn League announced plans to place a team in a new Morgantown (W.Va.) ballpark to be shared with the West Virginia Mountaineers, beginning with the 2015 season. The new ballpark is expected to break ground in 2014 with a New York-Penn League club potentially playing its first game at the new facility […]
Financing approved for Ferris wheel in Quad Cities
We should see a new Ferris wheel at Modern Woodmen Park, home of the Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League), this season after the team announced a financing deal for the project. THE National Bank, headquartered in Bettendorf, Iowa, and Main Street Amusements, LLC – the new company that will oversee amusement […]
Improvements on tap for Mavericks Stadium
The High Desert Mavericks (High Class A; California League) are unveiling a series of improvements this season for their home, Mavericks Stadium. The ballpark renovations range from resealing the parking lots and adding a new game-day rental suite to the new and expanded clubhouses for both home and visiting teams – the latest of numerous […]
IronPigs to go retro on Sundays with Phillies powder blues
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) are going retro on Sundays with a new jersey design that pays homage to the old powder blues worn by parent Philadelphia Phillies. The new look replaces the previous Sunday top — a white, sleeveless jersey that was accompanied by a separate brick red athletic T-shirt underneath. […]
New Hops ballpark smaller, more expensive
The new home of the Hillsboro Hops (short season A; Northwest League) will have fewer seats and come in over budget, with a final number still to be determined. The Oregon ballpark is being built on a fast-track design-build system, which means parts of the design weren’t completed before construction started. That’s led to changes […]
New for 2013: NBT Bank Stadium
Another bank merger, another revamped naming-rights deal: Alliance Bank Stadium, home of the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League), is now NBT Bank Stadium. “Our community is grateful to NBT Bank for continuing the commitment made originally by Alliance Bank to support our stadium and professional baseball in Onondaga County,” said County Executive Joanie Mahoney. […]
Frederick debates naming-rights deal for Keys ballpark
The possibility of a naming-rights deal for Harry Grove Stadium, home of the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League), is riling some citizens who worry about diminishing the Grove legacy. The issue: when the Keys and the city negotiated the most recent 10-year Harry Grove Stadium lease, there was a provision allowing the Keys […]
Whitecaps add 17 new menu items for ’13 — including one requiring a waiver
The West Michigan Whitecaps (Low Class A; Midwest League) are adding 17 items to the Fifth Third Ballpark food lineup, including a hot Squeelin’ Pig sandwich requiring a waiver from the buyer. The two most notable leading items: the Baco and the Squeelin’ Pig. The Baco (bacon taco — get it?) combines the convenience of […]
River Bandits renovate ballpark business center
You see these in MLB ballparks, but not so much in MiLB facilities: the Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League) are upgrading their business center at Modern Woodmen Park. The team is hosting ta ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 14, to unveil the newly renovated Bandits Business Center powered by Bradfield’s. Freshly […]
Rink removed in Williamsport; field damage to be evaluated
An ice arena for pro hockey is being removed from Bowman Field, home of the Williamsport Crosscutters (short season A; NY-Penn League), but it remains to be seen if there was damage to the playing field. Williamsport went ahead with a plan to rent the ballpark to a minor-league hockey team, the Williamsport Outlaws, who […]
Upgrades approved for Dutchess Stadium
Dutchess Stadium, home of the Hudson Valley Renegades (short season A; NY-Penn League), will receive some $1 million in renovations and upgrades after county approval. The outlay was approved by the Dutchess County Legislature on a 21-3 vote. Most of the money will go to infrastructure, such as upgrades to the ballpark’s electrical system. In […]