Cubs, WGN to part ways
They’ve been broadcast partners for 90 years, but the Chicago Cubs and WGN Radio are parting ways after declining ratings pushed the Tribune Co. to walk away. As you’ll recall, the Cubs were once under Tribune Co. ownership along with WGN Radio and WGN-TV. The parent of the Chicago Tribune and WGN radio and TV […]
AT&T Park could host outdoor hockey in 2015
The San Jose Sharks (NHL) are looking at hosting outdoor hockey in 2015, and AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, may house the rink. This isn’t a surprise — earlier this year, Giants president Larry Baer indicated his team was talking with the Sharks about a partnership at some point — but apparently […]
San Jose MLB appeal set for August
San Jose’s appeal of a federal court ruling upholding MLB’s right to keep the Oakland A’s from moving to the city will be heard by an appeals court in August. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced Monday it would hear the appeal on August 12, later than San Jose officials anticipated when it […]
Freedom Baseball League pitches Pima County on Kino Stadium lease
Pima County and the independent Freedom Baseball League are at loggerheads over a potential lease for Kino Stadium, which now sits empty after the move of the Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Joe Sperle, president and partner in the Freedom Baseball League, has pitched county officials on a lease at $1,300 per game. […]
New faces, same results for Syracuse Chiefs
New management at the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League) is finding out the hard way that turnarounds take more than a few months — but optimism reigns at NBT Bank Stadium. You’ll recall all of the offseason turmoil at NBT Bank Stadium, where longtime front-office execs Tex and John Simone were removed as part […]
MiLB Charities donates $10K to Florida flood relief
Minor League Baseball Charities is donating $10,000 to a nonprofit providing relief assistance to flood victims in Northwest Florida, with Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League) fans voting on the recipient. “After the storms and floods hit the greater Pensacola area, we reached out to our employees, fans and local non-profits to find out […]
Group seeks halt to Nashville ballpark construction for archaeological research
A local group is seeking to delay construction on a new Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) ballpark to comb the area for archaeological artifacts. This isn’t the first time construction of the ballpark in the Sulphur Dell area has been challenged by the Committee for the Preservation of Salt Town, a group researching […]
Rock Cats negotiating move to Hartford: report
The New Britain Rock Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) are negotiating a lease on a new ballpark in nearby Hartford, according to a newspaper report. The Courant is reporting the team has been negotiating with the city for a new ballpark for over a year, with an opening potentially in 2016. Team ownership has also […]
Name-the-team finalists unveiled for Biloxi franchise
We have the six finalists in Biloxi’s name-the-team contest for the Class AA team beginning play in 2015: Beacon, Black Jacks, Mullets, Schooners, Shrimpers and Shuckers. There were over 4,000 submissions during the first phase of the contest. In alphabetical order, here are the six finalists: Biloxi BeaconA symbol of resilience, the “Biloxi Beacon” honors […]
Simmons Field / Kenosha Kingfish
This, friends, is why summer-collegiate leagues exist: to provide new life to old ballparks – evidenced by the makeover of Simmons Field, home of the Northwoods League’s Kenosha Kingfish. A successful business model for summer-collegiate ball is pretty simple: take an old ballpark formerly used for minor-league or industrial-league play, fix it up, and play […]
McEacharn: Lots of “frustration” with Richmond ballpark situation
With a new Shockoe Bottom ballpark plan on the rocks, Eastern League President Joe McEacharn expressed his frustration with the problems in addressing a new ballpark for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Mayor Dwight Jones withdrew his proposal for a Shockoe Bottom plan that would sell land at the Boulevard area — currently the location of […]
MiLB on CBS Sports Network schedule released
We have a list of the remaining Minor League Baseball games to be broadcast this year on the CBS Sports Network, giving fans a chance to see tomorrow’s stars in some great venues. Here’s the list: June 5: Albuquerque Isotopes (Dodgers) vs. Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners), 10:05 p.m. EST June 12: Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers) vs. Corpus […]
Omaha Commanders to take field next weekend
We wish more teams would do this: the Omaha Commanders, one of the finalists for the Omaha Storm Chasers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) during a 2010 rebranding, will take the field on June 7. The Storm Chasers are holding their third annual “What If? Night.” The Commanders are the third “Name Vote” finalist in […]