Saltdogs’ Utrup named AA exec of the year
Lincoln Saltdogs Vice President and General Manager Tim Utrup was named American Association Executive of the Year, as voted by league managers and media personnel. This is the second time the American Association has issued the award, and Utrup has won it on both occasions (2006). He has now earned top general manager honors three […]
Vegas sports complex moves forward — but baseball now on the back burner
A proposed sports complex in the Las Vegas area was green-lighted for future design studies and land negotiation by the Henderson City Council, but a new ballpark is now a secondary part of the project and not slated to be part of the initial construction. When developer Chris Milam announced a purchase of the Las […]
Adamski new Sioux City Explorers president
The Sioux City Explorers (independent; American Association) announced a major upgrade to the team’s front office today with the hiring of Matt Adamski as club president. He joins GM Shane Tritz and Assistant GM Ashley Schoenrock as part of the front-office staff. His focus for the team will be enhancing non-baseball operations revenue and community […]
Rawhide set third consecutive attendance mark
We’ll be seeing a lot of stories like this the next few days, so let’s get rolling: the Visalia Rawhide (High Class A; California League) set a franchise attendance record for the third consecutive season in 2011. Visalia’s paid attendance of 118,065 for the season surpassed last year’s previous record of 108,681, and represents a […]
New for 2012: Ashford University Field
The home of the Clinton LumberKings (Low Class A; Midwest League) will have a new name pending City Council approval, as Ashford University has purchased naming rights to the former Riverview Stadium and Alliant Energy Field through the end of the 2014 season. “We are very fortunate to have Ashford University as our naming-rights partner,” […]
New Marlins ballpark under budget, 80 percent completed
Work proceeds on the new Florida Marlins ballpark slated to open for the 2012 season: construction is 80 percent completed and so far under budget, according to team president David Samson. Samson led media on a tour of the $515-million facility today, and it certainly looked like a facility under construction: almost all the seats […]
Will spring training return to City of Palms Park any time soon? Not likely
A Lee County Commissioner charged with exploring options for City of Palms Park, the former spring home of the Boston Red Sox, says there might be interest out there from MLB teams, but any move would be an extreme long-shot. Commissioner John Manning says he’s heard second-hand that two teams — one currently training in […]
Now Hiring: Director of Group Ticket Sales
The Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League are looking for a growing leader to serve as its new Director of Group Ticket Sales. The Mallards hold every national attendance record for summer collegiate baseball averaging 6,278 fans per game in 2011. Located in the vibrant college town of Madison, Wisconsin, the Mallards are looking for […]
Mets/Einhorn deal collapses
David Einhorn’s bid to buy a minority share of the New York Mets has fallen through, leaving the team to beat the bushes for other limited investors. The official word is that the Mets ownership, which could owe upwards of a billion dollars as a result of investments with swindler Bernie Madoff, can cover this […]
Schaumburg to Frontier League: sources
Though it’s not a totally done deal, we’re told, it appears likely the Pat Salvi-owned Schaumburg team will be playing in the independent Frontier League next season, as he honors a deal struck by former owner Alan Oremus. We reported on this earlier this month, raising the potential that a Frontier League team, and not […]
San Rafael ballpark proposal scaled back to 800-seat facility
We’re totally mystified by this: a proposed lease for San Rafael‘s Albert Field calls for an 800-seat facility with free parking and temporary concessions for a independent North American League team. Where are the profits? The proposal, presented last night to the San Rafael City Council by Centerfield Partners, calls for minimal changes to the […]
Challenge in Augusta: Paying for new ballpark
Meetings between representatives of Ripken Baseball and city officials over a new downtown ballpark keep coming back to one huge issue: how to pay for a new Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) facility. A Wednesday meeting saw City Administrator Fred Russell hold firm on opposition to using general funds for a Lake Olmstead […]
Rangers fall victim making good progress on recovery
A 24-year-old fan who fell down a staircase at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Saturday is alert and making “good progress” toward a full recovery, according to family members. Dallas resident Charles Conner accidentally fell down the staircase leading down to the home-plate gates near the end of game, falling some 21 feet onto a […]