Rock Cats, Twins extend affiliation
The New Britain Rock Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) and the Minnesota Twins extended their player-development contract (PDC) through the 2014 season. “The Twins are an outstanding partner and a true pleasure to work with,” Rock Cats President John Willi said via a press release. “They consistently provide talented players, and individuals of great character […]
IronPigs, Phillies extend PDC four more years
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class AAA; International League) and the Philadelphia Phillies extended their player-development contract (PDC) for four more years, through the 2016 season. The announcement was made by IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes and Phillies Asst. Director, Player Development, Steve Noworyta today at Coca-Cola Park. “This has been an exciting run for us here […]
Saints “Aints” promotion draws wrath of Fox News
The St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) are holding a promotion sponsored by Minnesota Atheists and American Atheists, and the morning hosts at Fox News are none too pleased. On the Night of Unbelievable Fun, set for Aug. 10, the Saints will wear special “Mr. Paul Aints” jerseys during the game against the Amarillo Sox with the […]
Phoenixville: We have team interested in new ballpark
Officials in Phoenixville (Pa.) say they’ve had discussions with a professional baseball team about placing a team at a new ballpark in the Chester County community if funds for a new ballpark can be raised. It’s not a new idea: we covered it a year ago when a steering committee of 20 Phoenixville and Chester County […]
Pete Rose, hot girlfriend to hit reality TV this fall
This surely won’t be creepy: a new reality show starring all-time hits leader Pete Rose will follow him and his thirtysomething fiancee — a former Playboy model, to boot — as they attempt to figure out that crazy little thing called love. There are a host of issues to be covered in TLC’s Pete Rose […]
Despite bomb threat, Tigers game proceeds
A bomb threat called into the 911 system proved to be a bust, as last night’s Tigers-Angels game at Comerica Park wasn’t interrupted by a large-scale search for an explosive device. Instead, police searched the ballpark in vain for a bomb. There was no evacuation of the 33,950 fans on hand, and the game experience […]
Albuquerque bringing back retro Dukes for yearly promo
Most Minor League Baseball teams run a retro night honoring a former team, but the Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) may have the most popular one, with Dukes Retro Night coming up this Saturday. In fact, it’s so popular that the team opens up the berm for seating, and tickets for that go […]
MLB All-Star Game tops weekly TV ratings, garners lowest numbers ever
Well, this is a classic case of good news/bad news: the 2012 All-Star Game was the top-rated TV show last week, but still was the worst-rated All-Star Game ever, slightly off last year’s low. Of course, this is a simplification of what actually transpired during the course of the game, and to reduce the numbers […]
Helping fans cope with the hot weather
Another day in one of the hottest summers on record poses a challenge to baseball teams of all sorts: how to keep fans hydrated and happy during a steamy night at the ballpark. It’s all about the water. For teams that installed water features like misters and pools before now, the hot summer weather and […]
New for 2014: New Potomac Nationals ballpark
The Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) unveiled more details of a new 7,000-capacity ballpark at the Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center development, which will include a park-and-ride ramp. The new ballpark is set to open in 2014 if it passes further review. There are also financial details to be worked out, as well as a […]
MLB preps for interleague play in 2013
Plans are coming into place for Major League Baseball to feature permanent interleague play when the Houston Astros join the American League, leaving MLB with a 15-15 split in the two leagues. Scheduling is the biggest change when it comes to interleague play, and not every fan is going to like the changes, as it […]
Bringing the wild back to Wild Things
The Washington Wild Things (independent; Frontier League) was once a flagship franchise, but new owner Stuart Williams is spending his time trying to bring the team back from a slump at the box office. Washington used to lead the Frontier League in attendance, but these days the team is next-to-last at 1,595 fans a game, behind […]
Freedom Baseball League shackled by economic realities
The independent Freedom Baseball League was locked out of Phoenix Municipal Stadium today because of missed rent payments — something that reportedly has also taken place in three other Arizona communities. According to this report, the league — four teams playing out of the greater Phoenix area — missed rent payments recently in Prescott, Peoria, […]