Oscar Tavares, a star last season with the Quad Cities River Bandits (Low Class A; Midwest League), inadvertently became an Internet meme over the weekend because of how he was labeled during a St. Louis Cardinals spring-training game broadcast. Tavares, who had a strong season for the River Bandits in 2011 (.386, 8 home runs […]
Archive | Minor-League Baseball
Fisher Cats Foundation closing in on $2M milestone
Nice work by the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) and its Fisher Cats Foundation, which is closing in on $2 million in giving since the foundation’s inception in 2006. The team and Foundation have now provided more than $1.87 million in monetary and in-kind donations to over 2,500 non-profit and charitable organizations. […]
Blue Wahoos make mark by paying rent upfront
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League) had a pleasant surprise for city officials: the team paid its entire 2012 rent — $175,000 — in advance. The team was slated to pay the Pensacola CMPA with a rent check of $35,000 at its March meeting, per the team’s lease, Instead, Blue Wahoos President Bruce […]
In memoriam: Bill Cutler
Bill Cutler, former MiLB team owner and president of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, passed away peacefully at his Mesa, Az. home after a long illness. He was 92. Cutler was a popular figure as president of the PCL from 1979 to 1997, the final touch to a 50-year career in baseball. “What a special […]
What should Wilmington expect for new-ballpark attendance?
Mandalay Baseball Properties is projecting 350,000 fans showing up to Class A games at a new Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark. How realistic is this projection? As you’ll recall, Mandalay is working with the Atlanta Braves on a plan to bring in a High Class A Carolina League team to a new waterfront ballpark in Wilmington. Last […]
Talk of AutoZone Park sale premature: Pontius
Talk of selling AutoZone Park to the city of Memphis was premature, as the Memphis Redbirds Baseball Foundation is exploring several liquidation options, according to treasurer John Pontius. Two weeks ago the news broke that the city was reviewing a proposal to buy the home of the Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Pontuis […]
Downtown Augusta ballpark back up for discussion
The on-again, off-again downtown ballpark for the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) will be up for discussion again, even though the preferred site looks to be taken over by a local college. Mayor Deke Copenhaver and Ripken Baseball have long eyed a 16-acre site once slated to serve as home of the Georgia Golf […]
Local group launches season-ticket drive for Ottawa baseball
A local group, Champions for Ottawa Baseball, has launched a season-ticket drive for a Class AA Eastern League team in 2013, invoking the name of the Toronto Blue Jays in the process. The group, which counts Mayor Jim Watson among its members, is asking 2,500 baseball fans to put down $25 on deposit for a […]
Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game logo unveiled
Triple-A Baseball has released a logo to promote the Gildan Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game, to be held this season at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the Durham Bulls. The game is a winner-take-all matchup between the winners of the International League and the Pacific Coast League to determine the champion of Triple-A Baseball. […]
New for 2012: San Manuel Stadium
The home of the Inland Empire 66ers (High Class A; California League) will be renamed San Manual Stadium after a naming-rights sale to a local Indian tribe, according to a newspaper report. The new name of the ballpark, currently known as Arrowhead Credit Union Park, will be unveiled Thursday, according to the San Bernardino Sun. […]
Dragons up for national award
The Dayton Dragons (Low Class A; Midwest League) are the first minor-league team to be nominated for the Professional Sports Team of the Year Award from SportsBusiness Journal. The Dragons are joined as finalists by the Texas Rangers (MLB), Boston Bruins (NHL), Stewart-Haas Racing (NASCAR) and Sporting Kansas City (MLS). The award honors one sports […]
It’s Kazoo for the Blue Wahoos
We have a mascot for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League): Kazoo, the result of a name-the-mascot contest. “Kazoo was a huge hit,” said Blue Wahoos vice president of community relations Julie Borshak. “He has a very unique design and he’s extremely eye catching with his bright colors which we kept consistent with […]
Nats extend affiliations with four farm teams
The Washington Nationals extended their affiliations with four minor-league clubs: the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League), Harrisburg Senators (Class AA; Eastern League), Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) and Auburn Doubledays (short season A; NY-Penn League). Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager and […]