Ottawa deal far from certain: owners
After Ryan-Sanders Baseball walked away from a deal to bring a Class AA Eastern League team to Ottawa, a broker tries again to find a potential owner — but with the economics of the deal on the daunting side, that’s not an easy task. There has been plenty of folks willing to look at the […]
Frederick Keys to mark 25th anniversary in 2013
Major milestone on the way: the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League) are marking the team’s 25th anniversary in Frederick. Keys staff are currently working on a special baseball card set featuring a selected Keys player from each year of the franchise. The card set will be available at the Keys gift shop at […]
McGonagle named 2012 King of Baseball
A well-deserved honor: Bluefield Blue Jays President George McGonagle, who has been with the rookie Appalachian League club for more than 50 years, was named 2012 “King of Baseball” tonight at the annual Baseball Winter Meetings Banquet. The “King of Baseball” is a long-standing tradition in which Minor League Baseball salutes a veteran from the […]
Winter Meetings returning to Nashville in 2015
We had the Best. Winter. Meetings. Ever. So we’re psyched to know the Baseball Winter Meetings event is returning to Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort in 2015. It will mark the seventh time that Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center will play host to the Baseball Winter Meetings. “Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center is proving, […]
New for 2013: Generals Park
The home of the Jackson Generals (Class AA; Southern League) will be known as Generals Park after former rights holder Pringles passed on an extension of its naming deal. Pringles is a large employer in Jackson and bought naming rights to the ballpark when it opened in 1998. We chatted a little with Generals ownership […]
AWBL adds Renterias to investor mix
The independent American West Baseball League announced that former major leaguer Edgar Renteria and his brother, Edinson, have invested in the circuit and plan on setting up shop in Fullerton. Edgar Rentería played for the Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds. During that […]
Prepping for the Baseball Winter Meetings
What do the Baseball Winter Meetings mean to you? “I know equally as many people who dread the Winter Meetings as who love them,” writes Jesse Goldberg-Strassler on the eve of baseball’s big event. The Meetings, depending upon your perspective, are a party, a chore, an adventure, a once Major League institution now mostly co-opted […]
Winter Meetings underway; lots of schmoozing in Nashville
The annual Baseball Winter Meetings launched over the weekend in Nashville, with plenty of schmoozing taking place last night in the spacious lobby area of the Gaylord Opryland; the Baseball Trade Show starts this afternoon. We’ll be in Booth 1328. Drop by for a chat. We’ll be posting from the show floor as well, and […]
Staff notes: Brown to Charlotte, Franklin to Joliet
A couple of staff appointment to note as the Winter Meetings get underway: Scott Brown is the new general manager of the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League), while Chris Franklin is the new GM of the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League). Scott’s a veteran of Minor League Baseball; we’ve known him since his days […]
New for 2013: UC Health Stadium
The home of the Florence Freedom (independent; Frontier League) has a new name, as UC Health buys naming rights to the Cincinnati-area ballpark. The deal is set to run for 10 years. Other terms of the naming-rights agreement were not released. “This puts us on very stable financial footing,” Freedom owner Clint Brown told the […]
Christianson new president of Beloit Snappers
Janesville native and Edgerton resident Brian Christianson is the new president of the Beloit Snappers (Low Class A; Midwest League), as he takes another shot at the biggest issue facing the franchise: the need for a new facility in southern Wisconsin. Christianson owns CPG Partners, LLC, a Chicago-based consulting firm, and he’s used to challenges: […]
Emeralds ‘Squatch out with new look
The Eugene Emeralds (short season A; Northwest League) are adopting a Sasquatch theme for future logos, as the team unveiled new logos based on the Pacific Northwest legend. The new identity pays tribute to the legend of Sasquatch in the Pacific Northwest. The primary logo features a Sasquatch unearthing trees behind “Emeralds” lettering. Fans will […]
Populous lands El Paso ballpark design contract
Not a surprise: Populous will design the new Triple-A downtown El Paso ballpark, after the City Council today approved a contract by a 6-2 margin. Populous had been working with the city on preliminary planning for the $50-million facility, expected to open in 2014 to house the relocating Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). […]