BlueClaws, Phillies extend PDC
In a move that was mostly a formality, the Lakewood BlueClaws (Low Class A; Sally League) and the Philadelphia Phillies extended their player-development contract for two more years, through 2012. “The BlueClaws, their staff, the Township of Lakewood and their great fans have provided the Phillies and our young players a tremendous environment over the […]
Hot Rods, Tampa Bay extend PDC
It was a good 2010 for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Low Class A; Midwest League), as the team set an attendance record, and it just got better: the team signed a two-year extension of its player-development deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. “We want to thank all of our fans as well as our […]
Birmingham to discuss downtown ballpark Monday
In a rapidly developing bit of business, the Birmingham City Council will hear a pitch to raise the city’s lodging tax to build a new ballpark in downtown Birmingham’s Railroad Park complex for the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) and possibly the SEC tournament. Though the idea of the Barons actually playing in Birmingham […]
2010 Affiliated Attendance by Total
Here are the complete attendance figures of affiliated baseball teams as listed by total attendance, with a comparison of 2009 attendance figures. All stats come directly from league websites and last year’s Ballpark Digest attendance rankings. TEAM LGE TOTAL GMS AV 2009 +/- 1 Sacramento River Cats PCL 657,910 72 9,137 657,095 0.00 2 […]
2010 Affiliated Attendance by League
Here are the complete attendance figures of affiliated baseball teams, as listed by league, with a comparison of 2009 attendance figures. All stats come directly from league websites and last year’s Ballpark Digest attendance rankings. TEAM LGE TOTAL GMS AV 2009 +/- 1 Greeneville Astros AppL 47,321 34 1,391 49,293 -0.04 2 Pulaski Mariners […]
2010 Affiliated Attendance by Average
Here are the complete attendance figures of affiliated baseball teams, as ranked by average, with a comparison of 2009 attendance figures. All stats come directly from league websites and last year’s Ballpark Digest attendance rankings. TEAM LGE TOTAL GMS AV 2009 +/- 1 Lehigh Valley IronPigs IL 645,905 70 9,227 9,161 0.01 2 Sacramento […]
Study evaluates potential Cubs spring-training sites
A study evaluating potential spring-training sites for the Chicago Cubs gives an edge to a site on the fringe of the city versus downtown Mesa — but we’re not sure the project is being judged by the right criteria. The study, commissioned for less than $20,000 by Mesa officials, evaluates three potential spring-training sites on […]
Ripken Baseball continues pitches for new Augusta ballpark
In smaller cities, all politics are retail. That’s what Ripken Baseball is finding out as it drums up support for a new ballpark for the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League): there’s a lot of effort involved in meeting folks face-to-face for a sales pitch. Ripken Baseball President Chris Flannery and Vice President Jeff […]
Travs, Angels extend PDC
After grumblings that the Arkansas Travelers (Class AA; Texas League) were not happy with the players sent to the team in the last several years, the team today announced it would extend its player-development deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — reluctantly, it seems. “As an organization we decided our best option is […]
Old Fenway Park scoreboard to be featured at new BoSox camp
A manual scoreboard previously used in Fenway Park will be installed at the new Boston Red Sox spring-training ballpark in Fort Myers, Florida — if it can be located. The 15-by-60-foot manual scoreboard was removed in 2001 and shipped to Counterpart, Inc., for renovations. That firm says it doesn’t have the scoreboard, though; presumably architect […]
Study to determine potential funding sources for new Y-Bears ballpark
The city of Yakima (Wash.) will spend $75,000 on a study designed to ferret out potential sources of public funding for a new Yakima Bears (short season; Northwest League) ballpark on the city’s former Boise Casade mill. The cost of the new ballpark is projected at $23 million; the Bears ownership has already pledged $5 […]
Thunder to shop naming rights to Waterfront Park
The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) are shopping naming rights to Waterfront Park and have retained Front Row Marketing, a division of Comcast, to assist in the process. “We are willing to partner with a corporation who shares the same values as our brand and a commitment to the community in which we live […]
What comes next in affiliation process?
There’s a lot of misinformation and misapprehension about what happens next in the affiliation process for MiLB and MLB teams, but one thing is certain: an existing minor-league team is guaranteed a parent no matter what. So Doubledays, Sounds and Muckdogs fans can relax: a team’s return is not dependent on the player-development process. We’ve […]