RailCats revamp front office
The Gary-SouthShore RailCats (independent; Northern League) revamped their front office at the end of the 2010 season, as president/GM Roger Wexelberg is out, Andy Viano is in, and Dave Salvi takes over as head of the franchise. Wexelberg became the organization’s first employee in July 2001 when he was hired as Vice President/General Manager, a […]
The Week That Was: October 2
Here are the most popular stories published in Ballpark Digest this past week, as measured by page views. The big stories this week: new ballparks in Potomac and Westfield; a baseball institution drops baseball; and the continuing follies in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over a new ballpark. Westfield approves site for sports complex, complete with new ballpark P-Nats, […]
ULB misses final Dillas payment; team could be evicted today
In potentially a sad ending for a community that’s supported baseball, United League Baseball missed yesterday’s deadline for a final $50,000 to cover back rent at the Amarillo Dilla Villa, and the Amarillo Dillas could be evicted as early as this morning. The independent league had a 2010 lease for the Dilla Villa that called […]
Dodgers sign affiliate deal with RC Quakes; Angels go with Inland Empire
As first reported here, the Los Angeles Dodgers have indeed signed a two-year affiliation deal with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (High Class A; California League); the Dodgers also purchased a minority chunk of the team, we’re told. Meanwhile, the Quakes’ former parent, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, signed an affiliate deal with the Inland […]
Tucson waiting for player-union approval for Japanese spring training
If the players union agrees to the addition of Japanese teams to spring training, up to four teams could be training in Tucson in 2011, playing games against their MLB brethren. Though nothing has been firmed, it’s looking good for Nippon Professional Baseball teams to be training at Tucson in 2011. MLB has unofficially given […]
Kirk pitches Frederick on AtL ballpark lease; will settle for Keys
Atlantic League mogul Peter Kirk has pitched Frederick (Md.) officials on taking over the lease at Harry Grove Stadium for an independent-league team — but will settle for buying the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League) as a consolation prize. Kirk certainly is one of the more interesting people in baseball, and he’s seizing […]
Cal drops baseball
In a surprise move, the University of California-Berkeley is dropping collegiate baseball, as the school is eliminating five programs to save $4 million annually in athletic-department costs. The decision was a surprise, to say the least; Evans Diamond has seen a lot of good players pass through the gates over the years, such as Andy […]
Rendell: Clock is ticking on new SWB ballpark financing
The offer of $20 million in state money for a new Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) ballpark definitely has some deadlines attached, as Penn. Gov. Ed Rendell warns dueling Lackawanna and Luzerne counties they need to end their spat in the new few weeks. As we reported yesterday, Rendell is growing impatient with the […]
ULB bounces second Amarillo check — but no funds wired this time
Reunion Sports Group, the outfit behind the independent United League Baseball, bounced a second check for back rent at the Amarillo Dilla Villa — but this time there’s no wiring of funds to cover the shortfall, leaving Potter County officials wondering what to do. The league had agreed to lease the Amarillo Dilla Villa for […]
Westfield approves site for sports complex, complete with new ballpark
Westfield, Indiana wants to see itself as the Family Sports Capital of America and is embarking on what could be a billion-dollar sports complex, complete with a 5,000-seat minor-league ballpark. It is an ambitious project, to say the least, encompassing some 300 acres and potentially costing a billion dollars by the time all is said […]
Rays rip fans for not showing up during pennant race
The Tampa Bay Rays are in the midst of a great pennant race, but players were outspoken in their disappointment when a crowd of only 12,446 fans showed up to Tropicana Field on a night when the Rays could have clinched a divisional title. They didn’t, dropping a 4-0 game to the Baltimore Orioles. Still, […]
Counties continue spat; SWB Yankees likely to be sold this week
It’s increasingly likely that the New York Yankees and Mandalay Baseball will exercise their option to buy the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) before a Friday deadline, but that’s not stopping the owners of the team, Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, from squabbling over the proceeds. You know the drill. Lackawanna and Luzerne counties jointly […]
ULB bounces check for Amarillo rent, but immediately corrects it
The drama over the future of United League Baseball in Amarillo was heightened when the beleaguered indy circuit bounced a check to Potter County for Amarillo Dilla Villa back rent, but the league quickly wired funds to cover it. Potter County ordered ULB to make up $100,000 in back rent for the home of the […]