San Jose lands 2013 Cal-Carolina All-Star Game
The 2013 California-Carolina League All-Star Game will be played at Municipal Stadium, home of the San Jose Giants (High Class A; California League), on June 18. “It is very exciting for the San Jose Giants organization and the city of San Jose to be hosting this event,” said Daniel Orum, president and CEO of the […]
Winchester pitches Suns with new ballpark offer
The battle for the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League) continues, with Winchester (Va.) officials pitching lead owner Bruce Quinn with a revised proposal for a new ballpark. The pitch follows weeks of inactivity from Winchester, which once was the leader to land the Suns but came up short after a proposed ballpark site […]
Royals, Storm Chasers extend affiliation
As part of the sale of the Omaha Storm Chasers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), the team announced an extension of its player-development deal with the Kansas City Royals. The two teams now have a player-development contract running through 2016. “Omaha has an outstanding new facility and a great management team in place,” said Scott […]
Ballpark Digest turns ten, and we’re throwing a party
We’re prepping a celebration of 10 years of Ballpark Digest, and we want you to be there with us — appropriately enough, at the ballpark. Ballpark Digest launched on July 2, 2002, under the ballparkwatch.com name. Since then we’ve had a great time covering the fascinating world of ballparks and the business of baseball. It’s […]
Sally League All-Stars swing for the…buoy?
It was perhaps the most unusual Home Run Derby ever at any All-Star Game, as the Low Class A South Atlantic League sluggers faced off on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown. The first round of the competition — to be settled at tonight’s All-Star match at Riley Park, home of the Charleston RiverDogs — […]
As Hawks open season, new Boise ballpark still in limbo
As the Boise Hawks (short season A; Northwest League) prepare for the 2012 season, there’s been little talk of a new downtown ballpark, with the future of pro ball in the city on hold. Memorial Stadium is a very basic ballpark in an era where fans and players expect a whole lot more; as Hawks […]
ASU-Cubs spat may have unexpected beneficiary: new life for Phoenix Muni
A disagreement between Arizona State and the Chicago Cubs over a new Mesa spring-training complex may see the Sun Devils baseball program relocate to Phoenix Municipal Stadium. It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for ASU officials, the Cubs management and Mesa politicians, as an agreement to place the Sun Devils at the new Chicago […]
Buffett, Shea selling Storm Chasers
Bill Shea, Warren Buffett and Walter Scott are selling the Omaha Storm Chasers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) to a group that includes Gary Green and Alan Stein, the team’s former president. Sources close to the situation shared details of the sale with Ballpark Digest, which we first reported 10 days ago. The sale closed […]
Barons: We’ll be playing at new ballpark in ’13
It seems a little hurried to us, but Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) management says they’ll be ready to play at a new downtown ballpark next season. It’s an issue constantly being addressed by GM Jonathan Nelson: whether Regions Field will be open for play next April. The answer is yes. “There’s still an […]
Life on the bottom indy league: $50 a week
You must really love baseball to play in the independent Pecos League, where players receive $50 a week and some teams draw as little as 150 fans a game. Now, most of us in the baseball world remember a time when we were doing it for the love of the game, whether it was as […]
No baseball this summer in Shreveport
After the loss of independent baseball and a failed effort at summer-collegiate ball, Shreveport’s Fair Grounds Field sits empty this summer, its future far from assured. When it opened in 1986, Fair Grounds Field was seen as a shining star in the Minor League Baseball pantheon, outfitted with the kinds of amenities you usually found […]
Ten years and $35 million later: assessing Eastlake’s Classic Park
It was presented to Eastlake (OH) voters as a no-cost amenity that will end up costing local taxpayers some $35 million: assessing the worth of Classic Park, home of the Lake County Captains (Low Class A; Midwest League). When former Mayor Dan DiLiberto first brought up the idea of a new ballpark for the Ohio community, […]
Ports land WCC tourney
Nice catch: the Stockton Ports (High Class A; California League) are hosting the 2013 West Coast Conference Baseball Championship at Banner Island Ballpark. The 2013 WCC Championship is set to take place at the ballpark from May 23-25, which will mark the first year the conference has gone to a four-team, neutral-site championship. “This is a […]