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Archives: June 4-10, 2006

Osceola County wooing Indians
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A proposal to have the Cleveland Indians shift their spring-training base to Disney World seems to be picking up some steam, with the Indians speaking highly of the potential move and Winter Haven officials saying they'll do nothing to stand in the way. The Indians currently train at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, a parcel that local officials would love to redevelop. Under the current plan, Disney would donate 30 acres to the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which would then build a training camp; the Indians would play their spring games at the Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports. A proposal to have the Indians stay at a new training facility outside Winter Haven died because the Indians are unwilling to financially contribute to the development; state, county and city funds are available. The state has made $75 million available to municipalities to build new spring training facilities or refurbish existing ones, but despite what the article says, it's not clear it would be available to the Indians. Gov. Jeb Bush has until June 20 to sign or veto the measure, and if he doesn't do either it automatically becomes law. The Atlanta Braves already train at Disney's Wide World of Sports; the Houston Astros train at nearby Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.
    RELATED STORIES: Could Indians end up training at DisneyWorld?; Spring training ballpark, tourism compete for Sarasota bed tax revenue; Spring-training bill awaits Bush signature; Spring-training facilities bill passes Florida House; County money just part of Indians spring site's need; Goodyear's Cactus League radar is pointed directly at Dodgers; Polk County commits $23 million to sports facilities, including new Indians spring complex; Goodyear inviting Dodgers to move; Dodgers confirm contact from Glendale regarding Cactus League shift; Cardwell says spring-training attendance remains consistent in Florida; Florida lawmakers approve spring-training facilities bill; FAU considering a deal with Indians for spring-training complex; Goodyear chooses site to build spring-training complex; Moving away from tradition; Baseball complex proponents envision many pluses for Casa Grande; Tradition and economics in Florida; Plan for a new Reds spring-training complex in Sarasota move forward; Mum's the word in spring-training facility bidding war; Indians signal they may consider Winter Haven contract; Dodgertown is a little less blue; State should spring for aid to teams; Glendale says it will be talking to teams about spring-training site; Details emerge on Sarasota County, city plan for stadium, event center, ballfields; Sarasota eyes ambitious plan to convert arena site to keep Reds; Cactus League may grow as cities plan new parks; Three-city race for new Arizona spring-training ballpark?; Apopka making its pitch for Indians spring training; Reds, Pirates team up to seek better facilities; Lee County game for third team; Spring-training facility not in city's best interests; Baseball, stadium would benefit city; Cleveland Indians scout training site in Cape Coral

Allentown ballpark plans to be unveiled today
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Officials will unveil preliminary designs for a new ballpark in Allentown today. The 7,000-seat ballpark will have two levels and about 16 suites, including several behind home plate. (The size and number of the suites would depend on the money available as construction progresses, according to county officials.) It would also contain picnic areas and all the other amenities fans are looking for at a modern ballpark. No officials word on the team moving to the new Allentown ballpark, which is scheduled to open in 2008; speculation centers on the Ottawa Lynx (Class AAA; International League) making the switch, with owner Ray Pecor selling a majority share of the team to an as-yet-unnamed third party already involved in major-league baseball. More from the Express-Times.

Wirth to cast first pitch at Bats game
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Any promotion involving Bourbon, fishing and baseball is all right by us. World renowned BASS angler Kevin Wirth will make Minor League Baseball history Saturday when he brings his famed fishing skills to the dry land at Louisville Slugger Field. Wirth, a Kentucky native, will forgo the traditional first pitch to make a ceremonial "First Cast" from the pitcher’s mound to home plate before the Louisville Bats (Class AAA; International League) take on the Indianapolis Indians, marking the first time the stunt has ever been performed in the team’s history.

Naming rights options scary
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Many would like to see the Minnesota Twins playing in Puckett Park in 2010, but the modern economics of professional baseball don't allow for a new ballpark to be built without the sale of naming rights. The Twins will need to confront this as they prepare for their new downtown Minneapolis ballpark, and we'd be surprised if team officials had not already contacted the Fortune 500 firms in the area -- Best Buy, General Mills, 3M, Target -- about a naming rights deal. Minnesotans are pretty lucky: the last two naming-rights deals in Minneapolis St. Paul -- Target Center in Minneapolis, Xcel Energy Arena in St. Paul -- yielded names that weren't overly crass. Still, for a populace used to Metrodome (where naming rights couldn't be sold because of state laws), a naming-rights deal for a project of this magnitude will be jarring. Look for the dimensions at the new Twins ballpark to be similar to those at Safeco Park.
    RELATED STORIES: More than a ballpark in Minneapolis; Twins' ballpark opponents were tired of the fight; supporters weren't; Pawlenty says he'll sign Twins ballpark bill this week; Legislature approves Twins ballpark; opening slated for 2010; Legislature moves toward original Twins ballpark plan; Poll shows majority of Minnesota residents don't think Twins need new ballpark; Hennepin County Board OKs Twins ballpark plan; Will new Twins ballpark go green?; Hennepin County board OKs revised Twins ballpark plan; Politics, tax tangle Twins' quest for new park; Supporters say Twins ballpark bill has enough votes to pass; Twins ballpark proposal picking up steam in Minnesota Legislature; Twins laying off threats, for now; It's back! Twins ballpark issue still with us; Twins are hearing dreaded 'C' word again;  Twins make pitch in court to leave Dome; Bonoff won despite supporting ballpark; Hennepin County gives go-ahead for study related to Twins ballpark;  Twins sue to get out of Metrodome lease; Minnesota Twins, Hennepin County reach agreement on ballpark funding; Twins back Minneapolis ballpark location; What's up with a Twins ballpark?; Ballpark tax plan is calling for a first

Veeck, Pointer, Moore, Barker to enter Sally League Hall of Fame
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Charleston RiverDogs co-owner Mike Veeck is one of four men who have been tabbed for induction into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame’s Class of 2006. He will be joined by former first baseman Aaron Pointer, SAL director and Atlanta Braves officer Chip Moore, and former big league pitcher Len Barker. "The South Atlantic League is extremely proud to have the opportunity to recognize these men for their accomplishments to the league and to the game of baseball," said John H. Moss, SAL president. "The league takes great pride in its rich history, and these four men have been major contributors in creating a tradition that is unmatched in the minor leagues." Veeck joins his fellow RiverDogs owner, Marv Goldklang, as a HoF honoree.

Pro ball back in Granite Falls
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If you're in the vicinity of Caldwell County and Granite Falls, N.C., you may want to check out the game between the Kannapolis Intimidators and the Hickory Crawdads (both Class A; Sally League) at historic M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls. The last time a professional baseball game was played in the county was in August 1951, when the Granite Rocks took the field at the same stadium. The Rocks, members of the Class D Western Carolina League, made history that year by going 14-96, giving them one of the worst overall records in the history of professional baseball. The game's at 5:15 p.m. to allow the game to be completed before the need for lights.

Crowds lag, Reds roll on
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The Cincinnati Reds have had a great start, in first place for a good chunk of the season -- including now. But the Reds fan base don't seem inclined to support the team: last night the  Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-1 before a crowd of 26,039 and 15,931 empty seats at Great American Ball Park. The victory was the eighth straight for the Reds. It was a lovely night for baseball. The kids are out of school. Yet large expanses of the upper deck were nearly empty. Owner Dan Castellini acknowledges the need to build up the fan base, however.

Nuxhall happy to be back at ballpark
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Former Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall was back at Great American Ball Park after being hospitalized  with double pneumonia. Nuxhall is still undergoing treatment for lump on his tonsil, a recurrence of lymphoma. He has had seven treatments and has 28 left. He plans to participate in his annual golf tournament Thursday at Hamilton Elks. Saturday is the 62nd anniversary of Nuxhall's major-league debut as a 15-year-old. Copies of "Joe: Rounding Third and Heading for Home" will be available for $30 or with a poster for $35. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Reds Community Fund and Joe Nuxhall Character Education.

Start-ups find new ways to move huge data files over Internet
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If you've noticed your high-speed Internet connection lagging lately, you're not alone. The proliferation of video-based Web sites (YouTube, Google Video) on the Internet is creating a ton of new traffic, threatening to overwhelm Internet service providers. Baseball has some culpability in the issue: Major League Baseball games are hogging about half of the bandwidth of Akamai, an Internet firm that works with content providers and delivers up to 20 percent of all Web traffic. There's a debate in Washington over whether ISPs should be allowed to charge the biggest bandwidth hogs more money for access to their networks; some grassroots activists want to see the Internet stay the same, while others want to introduce tiered pricing where those using bandwidth -- like those subscribing to MLB.com's video feeds -- pay more.

Glacier Pilots are a hand-picked lot
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We've been highlighting summer collegiate leagues all week, and we'd be neglectful if we didn't mention the start of the Alaska Baseball League tonight. At one point the ABL was on the verge of collapse, but the league made a remarkable recovery thanks to some new blood and is now in fine shape. The ABL always managed to attract the cream of West Coast talent (like Mark McGuire), and it seems to be doing well in attracting top-level athletes today. Last night the Valley Baseball League launched as well; the Haymarket team is now the Senators.

Baseball Notes
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The Portland Sea Dogs and New Hampshire Fisher Cats (both Class AA; Eastern League) are teaming up to host a New Hampshire vs. Maine Senior All-Star Game. The inaugural game will be played on June 26, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, home of the Fisher Cats. Next year the game will be played at Hadlock Field, home of the Sea Dogs, and it will alternate sites each year thereafter. The game will pit the best high-school senior players in New Hampshire against the best high school senior players from Maine....

Nationals firm on issue of above-ground parking
Posted June 8, 2006 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The incoming Washington Nationals ownership group firmly told District government leaders yesterday that it expects a new ballpark to be completed by April 2008 with above-ground parking garages, insisting that city planners have run out of time to build parking underground to make way for an entertainment district. The 1,225 parking spots on the site of the 41,000-seat ballpark probably will go to holders of high-priced tickets and patrons of luxury suites. Also, city officials promised the creation of a mixed-use entertainment area featuring shops, restaurants, condos and office buildings to reap tax dividends from the project. Developers hired by the city have said that building parking underground is crucial to realizing that goal.
    RELATED STORIES: Nats ready to pitch sponsorship deals for new ballpark; D.C. ballpark plan clears important hurdle, but concerns linger; D.C.'s Williams creates Office of Baseball; The Nationals' wish list; Nats owners want city to shift gears on parking; Lerner group plans RFK 'grand reopening'; Lerner receives initial approval to buy Nats; full approval expected today; Nats ballpark design up in the air; It's official: Lerner nabs Nats; MLB seems settled on new Nationals owner; And the Nats' owners are....; Impending Nats sale arouses speculation; Bob DuPuy pays a visit to the Lerner family; Smulyan promises African-American president for Nats Lerner adds two more to group bidding for Nats; Hey, MLB: Nats need an owner now; New Nats owner might find cracks in the foundation

Hazmat removal at D.C. ballpark site up by $2.9M
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The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission yesterday voted to spend an additional $2.9 million to remove hazardous materials from the site of the Washington Nationals' new ballpark in Southeast after the construction team discovered more contamination than expected. The expenditure is on top of the $8 million already set aside for hazmat removal at the site and will be funded by a contingency built into the budget for the $611 million project (although the commission is already almost half into the contingency fund just a month after construction started). Much of the removal work centers on large underground gas tanks left behind by previous landowners. So far, the construction team has demolished 24 buildings at the site and installed 140 of the 2,400 pilings needed to build the ballpark. Meanwhile, the commission approved a change to its contract with the ballpark construction team to allow for up to 16,000 square feet of retail space along the ballpark's facade on First Street.

Jury still out in Pearl on popularity of M-Braves
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Attendance is down a little at Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League) games this season. The announced average attendance of 3,275 -- which represents tickets sold, not people actually at Trustmark Park -- is down some 700 from the average through 25 dates in the inaugural season at the TeePee. Only seven crowds this season had topped 4,000 in the 7,000-plus capacity ballpark, while 13 were below 3,000. Whether this is a cause for concern is debatable: we're only now entering that sweet spot of the season after school ends and families are more apt to hit the ballpark.

Grimsley admits to steroid use; D-Backs cut him loose
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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley left the team Tuesday night after federal authorities unsealed a sworn affidavit in which an investigator said the pitcher admitted using steroids, amphetamines, human growth hormone and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs "throughout his career." According to the affidavit, Grimsley identified "several" former and current major-league players who used banned substances. The names of those players were redacted from the unsealed document, creating an air of suspicion and nervousness throughout baseball. One name apparently not mention in the affidavit: Barry Bonds. This may be another case where there's a disconnect with MLB and the general public. MLB gives the impression it would rather not know about drug use -- the Sgt. Schultz defense, as it were -- and baseball officials say there's no reliable test for HGH. Medical experts say there is: through blood testing. This is merely the beginning of this story. More from the New York Times.

Cobb Field panel pursues closer look at costs
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The Cobb Field Steering Committee in Billings, Mont., plans to examine all costs associated with a proposed $15 million downtown ballpark. The committee backed the financial review Tuesday after hearing concerns that the City Council may be reluctant to place a bond issue on the ballot without seriously exploring ways to reduce the cost to taxpayers. Cobb Field is currently home to the community-owned Billings Mustangs (rookie; Pioneer League), but the 1932 ballpark is in bad shape and will eventually need to be replaced. Amenities that the committee may consider eliminating from the plan include a concrete walkway circling the ballpark's exterior and a shade to be built above the third-base bleachers. Skyboxes, to be marketed to corporate sponsors, may or may not be included in the final plan.
    RELATED STORY: Billings panel asks for Cobb Field tax measure; Forums planned on Cobb Field proposal; Poll finds support for bonds for Cobb Field; Council vote sets stage for Cobb debate; Cobb Field replacement could cost $12 million; HNTB selected for Cobb Field renovation; Cobb proposals narrowed to 2; Six proposals vie to study Cobb Field

Fox seeks network partners for MLB rights bid
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Fox Sports, in the final year of a six-year, $2.6 billion television-rights deal for Major League Baseball, is talking with NBC to spread out the costs of a new contract. Officials at Fox Sports say the network lost $200 million over the course of the contract and could walk away from any new deal if it didn't make economic sense. Partnering with another network could alleviate some of the financial strain for Fox. One scenario being discussed: The network joins forces with NBC for one post-season package, with the networks alternating the World Series and splitting most of the games from the League Championship Series.

Councilman pitches sale of Classic Park
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An Eastlake (Ohio) city councilman is interested in putting the city-owned Classic Park, the home of the Lake County Captains (Class A; Sally League), up for sale.  The decision whether to sell the ballpark ultimately rests with Mayor Ted Andrzejewski. But the sale could be the means for Eastlake to relieve itself of some of the debt it took on when it built the ballpark. Currently the city owes $24 million in principal on the ballpark, but interest pushes up the total to $48 million.

Yankees go cap in hand to Park Service
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The New York Yankees reportedly have most of the state and city approvals that they need for the construction of a new Bronx ballpark. There's just a little problem with the National Park Service. Apparently, a piece of the property received some federal park funds in 1978, meaning the Yankees need Park Service approval, according to PR executive Howard J. Rubenstein, a spokesman for the team. The team is not expecting any problems with receiving the approval, however.
    RELATED STORIES: NY City Council easily passes Yankees, Mets ballpark bonding bills; Squeeze play on Mets ballpark; Mets: Forget about naming new park after Jackie Robinson; New Mets ballpark deal is stalled; Squeeze play on the Mets; Strike one for new Mets ballpark; Mets park's name will fetch millions; Mets unveil plans for new ballpark; Yankees, Mets closer to new ballparks; City goes to bat for Yankees, Mets ballparks; State agency approves plans for Yankees, Mets ballparks; Ebbets' echoes in Queens; At Mets' park, you'll think you're in...Pittsburgh?; State agency approves plans for Yankees, Mets ballparks; Mets to go old school in new park

Owners see niches for both Spikes, Curve
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The management of the Altoona Curve (Class AA; Eastern League) and the State College Spikes (short season; NY-Penn League) say there's plenty of room in the market for both team. Some operational efficiencies are being realized by having staffers work for both teams. The Spikes open play June 20 against the Williamsport Crosscutters at brand-new Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Spikes will share the brand-new facility with Penn State baseball.

Cracker-Cats missing the ball
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Earlier this season we noted the huge number of afternoon games being played throughout the independent Northern League, and here's a case of that strategy perhaps backfiring. The Calgary Vipers are playing every Wednesday game in the afternoon, and this week they're playing two afternoon games in a row to avoid competition with a CFL game. (Attendance at yesterday afternoon's game was announced at 871.) The Edmonton Cracker-Cats, on the other hand, aren't moving the Saturday night game time even though virtually all of the city will be watching the Stanley Cup finals.
    RELATED STORIES: Vipers going nowhere in bad ballpark; The bleachers are empty in Calgary; Empty seats spoil opener for Vipers

New Pioneers play ball and clean up
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Baseball returns to Elmira's Dunn Field on Friday as the Elmira Pioneers prepare to play their first game as part of the summer collegiate New York Collegiate Baseball League. The new Pioneers replace the old Pioneers of the independent Can-Am Association. Summer collegiate baseball is probably a better fit for Elmira and Dunn Field: a NYCBL team doesn't need to generate anything close to the income of an independent team to be successful.

Ballpark Notes
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Charlotte County Professional Baseball, southwest Florida's newest independent minor-league baseball team, has tabbed Omar Roque as the club's general manager. The team made this announcement at a press conference Wednesday, 11 months before they are set to play at the Charlotte County Sports Park as a member of the South Coast League. Roque, 27, comes to Charlotte County after two seasons as assistant general manager of the Greeneville Astros (rookie; Appalachian League. During his time in Greeneville, Roque helped establish a new market and a brand-new $10 million facility....USA Baseball and the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Class A; Sally League) announced today that the 2006 USA Baseball National Team and Team Japan will play Game #4 of the 35th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series at First Horizon Park in Greensboro on July 28, 2006, at 7:00 pm EDT. Tickets for the game are on sale now through the Grasshoppers ticket office or online at gsohoppers.com.

Clemens brings record crowd to Lexington
Posted June 7, 2006 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
There was quite the buzz in Lexington last night when Roger Clemens marked his return to pro baseball with a start for the Lexington Legends (Class A; Sally League) at Applebee's Park. A record crowd of 9,222 was on hand to see the Rocket pitch three innings in the Legends' 7-4 win over the Lake County Captains. Perhaps the neatest part about the whole thing was Clemens having a chance to play professionally with his son Koby, a third baseman for the Legends. Best anecdote from the game: Koby came to talk with his father on the mound at the start of the third innings. "I thought he was going to give me a scouting report," Clemens said. Turns out son Koby was paying attention to a nightly promotion: "I just said, 'If you get a K this inning you can get everybody free washer fluid.'" Clemens struck out two; free washer fluid was had by all. The next stop on the Rocket MiLB tour: a start for the Corpus Christi Hooks (Class AA; Texas League) on June 16. More from the Houston Chronicle.
    RELATED STORIES: Clemens to begin season in Lexington

Charlotte Knights select Barton Malow to oversee ballpark construction
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The Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) announced the selection of Barton Malow to oversee construction of a proposed new ballpark in the city's Third Ward. The partnership is contingent on associated land swap approvals from the City of Charlotte, the County of Mecklenburg and the private sector.
    "We are pleased to be able to enter into detailed discussions with Barton Malow for construction management services for a new proposed baseball stadium in uptown Charlotte," said Knights president and majority owner Don Beaver. "We believe our selection team has a very experienced and professional group to lead the Knights to our ultimate goal of building a new stadium in uptown Charlotte." More from the Charlotte Observer.
    RELATED STORIES: Knights select Odell Associates, HOK to design new ballpark; Knights meet with potential architects; Competing plans for baseball parks in Charlotte; The big pitch for uptown baseball in Charlotte; Charlotte turns to funding plans for ballpark; Will Charlotte ballpark be magnet for growth?; Third Ward residents object to new Knights ballpark; Uptown baseball in Charlotte may cost city $5 million; Charlotte ballpark plan now turns to question of real estate; Arts package heads the agenda for city funding, but baseball is now up to bat with a new plan; Uptown ballpark plan has some rally-killers; Deal in works for uptown Charlotte ballpark

Griffey homers in 43rd ballpark to tie record
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Ken Griffey Jr. homered in his 43rd ballpark  on Monday night, connecting twice in his first game at new Busch Stadium to tie Fred McGriff for the major league record. On May 20, Griffey added the Tigers' Comerica Park to his list with a grand slam off Joel Zumaya. He has homered in every existing ballpark. The issue will be whether he can hang on until 2008 or 2009 to break the record.

New for 2007: Seaman Stadium
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The Calgary Dawgs (summer collegiate; Western Major Baseball League) announced at a press conference at McMahon Stadium on Tuesday that the team will return in the spring of 2007 as the Okotoks Dawgs in a new ballpark to be known as Seaman Stadium and Field House.
    The new "Dawg Pound" will be built in the town of Okotoks, Alberta, acommunity just 15 kilometres south of the City. The Dawgs had successfully operated the past three years as a summer collegiate program, capturing the championship of the Western Major Baseball League in 2004 before almost 4,000 fans, the largest baseball crowd in Calgary since the Calgary Cannons (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) played there. The club had played out of Foothills Stadium in Calgary since 2002; however, irresolvable disputes over field time with the struggling Vipers of the independent Northern League forced the Dawgs to suspend operations for the 2006 season. (Given how the Vipers are doing lately and the swarm of rumors surrounding the future of the team, the Dawgs may not be needing to build a new ballpark.)
    However, at the recent press conference the Dawgs announced that they will be back and better than ever, in what they believe will be the premier facility for amateur baseball in the country. The Dawgs also unveiled renderings of the ballpark completed by the architectural firm of Elliott Workgroup Architects, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Craig Elliott of that firm was responsible for the design of both Franklin Covey Field, the home of the Salt Lake Bees (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), as well as Orem Stadium, the home of the Orem Owlz (rookie; Pioneer League). More from the Calgary Sun.

Vipers going nowhere in bad ballpark
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Speaking of the Calgary Vipers (independent; Northern League): the argument here is that attendance at Vipers games is down (823 a game despite solid weather and the lack of competition from hockey) because of the poor condition of Foothills Stadium. We don't buy it: there are no suites at the ballpark (a former Class AAA facility), but the Vipers have done absolutely nothing to improve the ballpark and kicked out the only tenant -- the Dawgs -- attracting fans. The end of the season will be a crucial time for the Vipers and the Edmonton Cracker-Cats; the Alberta experiment in the Northern League may be ending then, say insiders.
    RELATED STORIES: The bleachers are empty in Calgary; Empty seats spoil opener for Vipers

Spring training at Roger Dean Stadium a big hit for Palm Beach County
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Fans attending 2006 spring training baseball games at Roger Dean Stadium left $53 million behind, according to a new economic impact study done for the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council. The games, played by the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, who share the stadium, drew 166,000 fans, including 73,000 from outside Palm Beach County. They spent $28.4 million directly, according to the Profile Market Research study, which estimated the indirect spending generated in secondary purchases, such as real-estate