Despite the lack of state funding and a long-term lease from the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League), Hagerstown officials want to see design begin immediately on a new downtown ballpark. Time apparently is of the essence, as the timeline for a new downtown ballpark will be presented to Mayor Robert Bruchey II and […]
Archive | Minor-League Baseball
Upper deck of PNC Field coming down this week
We expect lots of reports on the progress of the PNC Field renovations: this week the upper deck of the home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) is coming down. It won’t be dramatic: because the lower deck will remain intact, as well as the home clubhouse and the playing field, crews can’t […]
Milwaukie ballpark-planning vote set for next week
A big deadline is on tap for the effort to bring pro baseball back to Portland: On May 15 the Milwaukie City Council will decide whether to move forward with a $300,000 ballpark feasibility study. Milwaukie and Hillsboro, two Portland (Ore.) suburbs, are both seeking to build a new ballpark for a short-season-A Northwest League […]
MiLB attendance up 11.2 percent in April
Good weather, new Mexican League teams and some popular franchise shifts accounted for an 11.2 percent attendance increase among Minor League Baseball teams in April. MiLB clubs attracted 6,401,632 fans through the end of April, an 11.2 percent increase over the same time period last year. The total number of fans is the second highest […]
Riley, McKee, Murray to be honored by South Atlantic League
Pretty strong trio of inductees in the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012: Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Bill Murray and Carolyn McKee. The list of inductees was announced today by league president Eric Krupa. They’ll be honored at the 53 Annual South Atlantic League All-Star Game, scheduled for June 19, 2012, at Joseph P. Riley, […]
Another attempt to tame Portland market: Hillsboro proposes new ballpark
Another attempt to bring pro baseball back to the Portland (Ore.) market: Hillsboro officials are pitching a $14-million ballpark for a short-season Northwest League team. The proposed ballpark would come at an existing baseball complex in the city: Field Four at Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. We’re talking a basic ballpark here, but one that would […]
Blue Jays expected to re-up with New Hampshire
The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to extend their PDC with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League), as hopes for an Ottawa Eastern League team fade fast. Kevin Gray reports on the love between the Jays and the Fisher Cats. No surprise here: the Fisher Cats front office is one of the […]
KC Cougars officially dedicate Fifth Third Bank Ballpark
The Kane County Cougars (Low Class A; Midwest League) held a dedication ceremony for Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, becoming the fourth MiLB team to sell naming rights to the banking chain. The team held a dedication ceremony last night to officially mark the name change. The Toledo Mud Hens (Class AAA; International League) and the […]
One benefit of new Birmingham ballpark: driving down open industrial space
Here’s one benefit to a new Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark no one saw coming: the downtown industrial real-estate occupancy rate went way up. In fact, the vacancy rate is down to a current 11.9 percent from 16.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, reports the Birmingham Business Journal. Causing the huge […]
County to help fund new Hagerstown ballpark
Washington County and the city of Hagerstown have pledged $16 million over 20 years for a new downtown ballpark for the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League), but other obstacles remain. The downtown ballpark is expected to cost $30 million, so the combined city/county contribution accounts for over half of the funding. That leaves […]
Adelanto: Yes, we want the Mavericks
After years of apparent apathy toward the High Desert Mavericks (High Class A; California League), Adelanto officials now say they want the team to commit to a longer-term lease at Stater Bros. Stadium. Why the change of heart? Money. The ballpark was once viewed as a drain on city resources and the site of potential redevelopment, […]
New SWB ballpark, new team branding?
A new team name and branding could be in the offing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) once the team moves to a renovated PNC Field in 2013. The promise to look at the team name during a period of intense chance came from New York Yankees COO Lonn Trost during yesterday’s groundbreaking […]
SWB Yankees, Lackawanna County break ground on PNC Field renovations
It should feel like a new ballpark: officials with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) and Lackawanna County broke ground today on a PNC Field facelift. The $43.3-million renovation of the Moosic, Pa. ballpark, years in the making, has finally begun after the $14.6-million sale of the SWB Yankees last week to the New […]