Early affiliation notes: Kane County and the Cubs
More affiliation talk for you: Even with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Kane County Cougars (Low Class A; Midwest League) at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, the two sides haven’t extended their affiliation deal, due to expire at the end of the season. That lack of an extension — coming […]
Portland lands 2015 Eastern League All-Star Game
The Portland Sea Dogs will host the 2015 Eastern League All-Star Game at Hadlock Field on July 15. “The Eastern League couldn’t be happier about awarding the 2015 All-Star Game to the Sea Dogs and the greater Portland area,” said Eastern League President Joe McEacharn via press release. “This community event will showcase the very […]
With lease approved, A’s face much larger issue: new ballpark
With the Oakland A’s agreeing to a flexible 10-year lease at O.co Coliseum, a much more intimidating task is on tap for ownership: Working out a new-ballpark plan. Lew Wolff and John Fisher have all but conceded that any new-ballpark planning will take place at a site somewhere on the current Coliseum area; it’s land […]
Blowfish leaving Columbia, moving to Lexington County
With Minor League Baseball returning to Columbia (S.C.), the Columbia Blowfish (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League) are leaving Capital City Stadium and moving to a new Lexington County ballpark. The Blowfish ownership has signed a lease to play future home games at a new ballpark in Lexington County at the conclusion of the 2014 Coastal […]
Dunedin focuses on new Blue Jays spring training site
Dunedin (Fla.) officials have identified a potential site for a new Toronto Blue Jays spring training site, but the hard work — like acquiring the land and funding — remain. We have the full details on our sister site, Spring Training Online. The gist of the matter: The Blue Jays want a new spring-training home […]
Futures League sets attendance record
Good news for the summer-collegiate Futures Collegiate Baseball League: with the addition of a tenth team, the circuit has already set a total attendance record with two weeks to go in the season. This is the fourth season for the Futures League, which launched in 2011 with only four teams: Nashua, Martha’s Vineyard, Torrington and […]
A baseball lifer: Matt Ellis
One of the best things about working in the baseball industry: hearing about baseball lifers. Here’s an interview with baseball lifer Matt Ellis, executive VP of the Missoula Osprey (rookie; Pioneer League). The Ellis family moved the team from Lethbridge to Missoula, working for years on a ballpark plan that eventually led to the construction […]
Ten tossed after Aces/Isotopes brawl
It was an epic baseball brawl in the Pacific Coast League, with nine players and Aces manager Phil Nevin tossed after a benches-clearing incident between Reno and the Albuquerque Isotopes Saturday night. Tensions had been rising between the two squads since an incident Friday night, when Isotopes third baseman Erisbel Arruebarrena took his time circling […]
Winning, conciliatory moves bring back Athletics fans
The best record in baseball and a recommitment to Oakland are generating dividends for the Oakland Athletics, as attendance at O.co Coliseum is up and prospects are bright for a new ballpark. Last season the A’s drew 22,337 fans per game. This year that number is up to 24,626 fans per game; a pretty good […]
Pelicans GM to undergo in-game prostate exam while singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”
That headline really wrote itself: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) GM Andy Milovich will receive an in-game prostate exam while singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during tomorrow’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Night. The promo is the result of a bet made to Pelicans fans, where Milovich challgenged them to like Fierce […]
Boomers eschew social media — for one-night promo
The Schaumburg Boomers (independent; Frontier League), who do a pretty good job with social media, are eschewing the technology for an upcoming Human Interaction Night on Saturday, July 26. The theme: turn off the smartphones and interact with your fellow human beings. That may be harder to do for many, but the Boomers are throwing […]
Blue Wahoos on verge of 100th sellout
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League) are on the verge of the team’s 100th sellout after recording the 98th sellout at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium on Saturday night. To date, the team has welcomed over 855,000 fans through its gates since its inaugural campaign, hitting the 200,000 fan mark for this season on Thursday, […]
Osprey, D-Backs extend PDC to 2020
The Missoula Osprey (rookie; Pioneer League) and the Arizona Diamondbacks extended their player development contract (PDC) for four more years, through the end of the 2020 season. The current agreement is set to expire at the end of the 2016 season. This affiliation relationship is the second longest current consecutive tenure in the Pioneer League […]