Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota Twins extend PDC through 2016
The Rochester Red Wings (Class AAA; International League) and Minnesota Twins announced a two-year extension of their player development contract (PDC) through the 2016 season. The announcement was made by Twins Executive Vice President and General Manager Terry Ryan, Red Wings President/CEO/COO Naomi Silver and Chairman of the Board Gary Larder during the first inning […]
It’s official: Jamestown Jammers to Morgantown in 2015
It’s official: the Jamestown Jammers (short season A; NY-Penn League) are moving to a new ballpark in Morgantown, West Virginia, for the 2015 season. “The New York-Penn League is thrilled to announce that we will be brining a professional baseball franchise to Morgantown, West Virginia for the 2015 season,” said New York-Penn League President Ben […]
Thanks for a great 2014!
We hit another milestone late yesterday afternoon: We reached 10 million page views for the year, and we’re thanking each and every one of you for your patronage and support. We reached 10 million page views both in 2012 and 2013, but each time we reached that mark in December of the year. This year, […]
Big weekend for BlueClaws: PDC extended, 6M fan at hand
Big weekend for the Lakewood BlueClaws (Low Class A; Sally League): the team signed a player-development contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies and is set to welcome the 6-millionth fan in team history today. With the two-year extension, the BlueClaws will remain the South Atlantic League affiliate of the Phillies through at least the 2016 […]
Metrodome baggie to reborn as Duluth Pack bags
Another creative reuse for a remnant of the Metrodome: the infamous right-field baggie is now part of a new Duluth Pack line of bags, to be unveiled tomorrow at the 2014 Minnesota State Fair. As you’ll recall, the blue fabric wall was installed prior to the Metrodome’s second season in 1983 to limit the number […]
Tennessee Smokies set season attendance record
We expect many stories like this in coming days: The Tennessee Smokies (Class AA; Southern League) set a new single-season attendance franchise record Saturday evening after welcoming their 268,034th fan of the season. The new mark eclipses the 268,033 total from the 2002 campaign, which was the third year of play at Smokies Stadium. The […]
The Week That Was: August 24
Obamacare, ballpark planning at Mississippi State and Macomb County, and spring-training news generated interest amongst our readers. The top stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured by page views. Here are the top stories: Giants protest upheld; Wrigley issues caused by Obamacare?New spring training plan expected from Astros, Nats in coming weeksNew […]
Guber group buying RedHawks; ties to Dodgers means new affiliation
A group that includes Los Angeles Dodgers and Mandalay Baseball Properties investor Peter Guber is part of another group buying the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), and the Dodgers will change affiliations in 2015, according to multiple sources. There are plenty of changes afoot for the RedHawks, according to multiple sources. Guber […]
Cyclones go ’90s with retro Nick promo
Man, do we remember the days of green slime — and so do the Brooklyn Cyclones (short season A; NY-Penn League), who are joining forces with Nickelodeon on a ‘90s Are All That Night promo, with Kel Mitchell (of Kenan & Kel) throwing out the first pitch. Prior to the game, 100 fans will be […]
Royals extend PDCs with four affiliates
The Kansas City Royals extended player-development contracts (PDCs) with the Wilmington Blue Rocks (High Class A; Carolina League), Lexington Legends (Low Class A; Sally League), Idaho Falls Chukars (rookie; Pioneer League) and Burlington Royals (rookie; Appalachian League). The Burlington, Idaho Falls and Wilmington PDCs are two-year extensions through 2016, and the Lexington extension is through […]
Announcing the 2014 Ballpark Digest Awards
Yes, it’s that time of year again: The season for the annual Ballpark Digest Awards. Each year we honor the best and the brightest in all of baseball–MLB, MiLB, indy, summer collegiate, college–with a series of awards, culminating with our choices for best new ballpark and best ballpark renovations. Last year saw a record of […]
Diamond Nation: Front us more money, and we’ll share ballpark revenues
Offers of revenue-sharing are rarely taken up by municipalities, so it will be interesting to see if the offer by Diamond Nation to share revenues on a Fredericksburg, Va., baseball complex in exchange for upfront financing actually happens. Diamond Nation, a New Jersey firm seeking to develop a baseball complex in Fredericksburg that includes a […]
Giants protest upheld; Wrigley issues caused by Obamacare?
Surreal: MLB upheld a protest by the San Francisco Giants that the Chicago Cubs did not adequately protect the field in a rain delay, and the groundskeeping crew might have been undermanned because the team wanted to avoid healthcare costs. Let’s begin this twisted tale with the Tuesday game between the Giants and the Cubs […]