Rain halts action at Rogers Centre
For the second time this season fans at a covered ballpark were hit with halted play, as Toronto Blue Jays action at Rogers Centre was stopped when rain poured through the open roof. The Blue Jays were hosting the Baltimore Orioles when rain hit the area in the sixth inning. Normally it’s no big deal […]
Jacksonville may honor Bragan with field naming
The Jacksonville City Council is looking at honoring Peter Bragan Sr. by naming the playing field at the Baseball Grounds after the late owner of the Jacksonville Suns (Class AA; Southern League). Bragan, who passed away on July 7 at the age of 89, bought the Suns in 1984 and built the franchise over the years. The City […]
2012 Organization of the Year: Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Forty sellouts, an enthralled fan base and a successful ballpark opening adds up to a very good debut season, making the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class AA; Southern League) our choice for the 2012 Ballpark Digest Organization of the Year. Starting a ballclub from scratch is a daunting task, but when Quint and Rishy Studer decided […]
Future of Knights Stadium to be studied
York County (S.C.) will spend the next year and a half discussing what will be come of Knights Stadium after the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) move to a new Uptown ballpark in 2014. A six-person committee was charged with determining the fate of the 10,000-seat ballpark and the adjoining 33 acres. What was […]
2012 Broadcaster of the Year: Donny Baarns
We continue our 2012 Ballpark Digest Awards with the announcement of the Broadcaster of the Year Award: Donny Baarns, the Voice of the Visalia Rawhide (High Class A; California League). This was the most difficult category to judge this season: there is an abundance of riches in broadcast booths, and the increasingly complex roles taken […]
South Atlantic League announces year-end awards
South Atlantic League President Eric Krupa announced the recipients of the 2012 South Atlantic League Outstanding Achievement Awards, as voted on by teams, field managers and umpires. Club Merit Award: The Charleston RiverDogs have been selected as the winner of this prestigious award, which is awarded for outstanding overall club operations. Excellence in Marketing Award: The […]
Japan to participate in 2013 WBC
Japan will field a team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic after player reps and Major League Baseball officials agreed on a new revenue split. The issue: Japanese players wanted more of the proceeds of the tourney. In the past MLB has collected all revenues and distributed them to participating team; Japanese players had received […]
Simunic set to return to RedHawks
We don’t spend a lot of time covering managerial hirings, but this one is worth noting: Doug Simunic is set to return for three more years with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (independent; American Association). Simunic is one of the great characters of baseball and the winningest coach in independent baseball. He began his coaching career with the […]
Grizzlies, Giants extend PDC
No surprise: the Fresno Grizzlies (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the San Francisco Giants extended their player-development contract through the 2014 season. “The Central San Joaquin Valley community has consistently shown they bleed orange and black,” said Grizzlies Team President Chris Cummings. “The Grizzlies affiliation is 15 years strong, and we as an organization […]
All signs point to Kernels seeking new affiliate
With all Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim memorabilia stripped from the team store, it’s pretty clear the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low Class A; Midwest League) are in the market for a new parent. No surprise: the Kernels front office publicly said they were dissatisfied with the Angels and would probably not seek an extension of […]
Worker dies after fireworks accident at Lake Elsinore game
A 20-year-old student died after being injured in a fire while he was prepping postgame fireworks at The Diamond for the Lake Elsinore Storm (Higb Class A; California League). William Calabrese was part of the work crew setting up the fireworks two hours before the Aug. 31 Storm game. The explosion set a vehicle on […]
Clippers, Cleveland extend PDC through 2016
Though it wasn’t set to expire until 2014, the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League) and the Cleveland Indians extended their player-development contract through the 2016 season. It’s pretty clear both sides are happy with the current arrangement. “These first four seasons of being affiliated with the Cleveland Indians in our new ballpark has exceeded […]
2012 Ballpark Renovation of the Year: Coveleski Stadium
Ballpark renovations should have one major goal: to turn the facility into a true destination. And that’s what happened this season in South Bend, making Coveleski Stadium renovations the clear choice for the 2012 Ballpark Renovation of the Year award. This past season saw $4.25 million in improvements to the home of the South Bend Silver […]