It’s official: Four teams defect from NoL to AA
It’s official: four teams — the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Gary-SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones and Winnipeg Goldeyes — will be leaving the independent Northern League for the American Association for the 2011 season. The four teams will leave behind four Chicagoland teams in the Northern League for the 2011 season, presumably with Clark Griffith still as […]
Owner: New Bullfrogs ballpark needs public investment
Green Bay Bullfrogs (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) owner Jeff Royle says his proposed $20-million downtown ballpark needs public assistance, as the public sector is shying away from lending him money for the project. What Royle is proposing is pretty cool: a riverfront ballpark — accessible by car or boat — combined with a year-round restaurant […]
Birmingham City Council to vote on new ballpark next week
The Birmingham City Council is expected to vote on a proposed new downtown ballpark next week, but before then the city will hear a report on the potential economic impact of a new facility. As city approval comes closer, we’re receiving further specifics about the project. First, the ballpark would actually be built by a […]
Deadline for Ballpark Digest Award nominees extended to end of business today
Each year Ballpark Digest honors the best and brightest in the baseball world with the annual Ballpark Digest Awards. We rely on nominations from the baseball community, and after a few frenzied emails from folks pushing yesterday’s deadline, we’re extending the nomination deadline to the end of business today. We want your input regarding the […]
Warner Park renovations approved
Warner Park, the home of the Madison Mallards (summer collegiate; Northwoods League), will be improved before the 2011 season with new bleachers, a new grandstand and more under a plan approved by the city’s Board of Estimates yesterday. The city will spend $800,000 on new Warner Park bleachers, with the Mallards kicking in at least […]
Escondido ballpark vote delayed after pollution found at site
A vote from Escondido (Cal.) officials to approve $50 million in spending for a new home for the Portland Beavers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) has been delayed after city officials discovered pollution on the ballpark site. In addition, the city is still negotiating a lease with an ownership group led by San Diego Padres […]
Northern League split: Four to AA, four remain
According to several sources at the ownership level, the current game plan for the independent Northern League has the four Chicagoland teams remaining in the circuit and Clark Griffith continuing as commissioner, while four teams — Winnipeg, Fargo-Moorhead, Gary-SouthShore and Kansas City — moving to the American Association. The four Chicagoland teams — Rockford RiverHawks, […]
Kasten: Nats definitely looking for new spring home
In his final remarks as president of the Washington Nationals, Stan Kasten held out the possibility that the team would relocate spring-training operations from Viera to another Florida site — or perhaps even Arizona. The team’s lease at Space Coast Stadium and the Carl Barger training complex doesn’t expire until 2017, but the team can […]
Organization of the Year: Winston-Salem Dash
To say that 2009 was a terrible year for the Winston-Salem Dash is an understatement: a new ballpark sat uncompleted as the team slogged through a miserable lame-duck season at Wake Forest Baseball Park, drawing just 901 fans a game. To say there was a huge streak of cynicism among local fans is an understatement. […]
More on Fullerton ballpark proposal
Despite an awkwardly phrased press release that threatened a franchise move if a new ballpark wasn’t forthcoming, the Orange County Flyers (independent; Golden Baseball League) are serious about working with Fullerton on a new facility located on a historic baseball site. For a year now the Flyers have a deal to negotiate a deal to […]
Renovation of the Year: Metro Bank Park
In the past, Metro Bank Park occupied a prime piece of real estate on Harrisburg’s City Island, but the ballpark didn’t measure up to the location. To make things worse, it was prone to flooding. Instead of giving up on the old place, the city of Harrisburg and the Harrisburg Senators embarked on an ambitious […]
Indy realignment: Two scenarios
Insiders tell us there are two scenarios for the potential realignment of the Frontier League, Northern League and American Association. Under both, the current Northern League would cease to exist — but could come back in name only in the second. Things are coming to a head in the potential independent-baseball realignment, first reported here […]
It’s official: Bears to Can-Am Association
The Newark Bears are officially moving from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am Association, a move that all sides hope will revive the fortunes of the struggling franchise. The Bears will be replaced in the Atlantic League by the Pennsylvania Road Warriors. Indy ball has struggled in Newark, despite a relatively new ballpark — Bears […]