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Cubs Chairman Threatens to Move from
Wrigley Field
 Speaking
at an event at the City Club of Chicago that
included members of a rooftop residences'
group, Ricketts
told the assembled media and public that
if the Cubs "cannot get approval for this
plan and our signage plans are blocked we
will then consider moving out of Wrigley
Field." Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts
threatened to move the club out of Wrigley
Field if the team's plans for a larger
scoreboard and additional signage are not
approved. The Cubs are seeking approval for
a 6,000-square foot video board atop the
left-field wall and four new signs ringing
the outfield. Ricketts called the Cubs'
current video board "mid-size" and cited the
potential for tens of millions of dollars in
annual revenue. Speaking at the event, Cubs
president of business operations Crane
Kenney said the
changes would be necessary for the Cubs
- long one of baseball's leaders in revenue
- to remain competitive. "We have to
generate new revenue," he said. "We have to
catch up to our large-market competitors on
ballpark revenues, so this project has to
work from a financial perspective as well."
-Weekend
in January might feature outdoor games at
Dodger Stadium and Yankee Stadium
-Somehow
A's have found way to win in an outdated
park and brutal market
-MLB
rejects San Jose's mayor's request to
discuss ballpark for A's
-Blue Jays Open to Playing a Home Game in
Montreal |
|
Yankee Stadium Set to Host Two Winter
Classics
 The
Winter Classic will be expanded to six games
next season, including two at
Yankee Stadium involving all three
metropolitan-area teams, according to a
person briefed on matter but not authorized
to speak publicly. The Canadian network TSN
reported that the Rangers are tentatively
scheduled to play the Devils at the Stadium
on Jan. 26, followed by a Rangers-Islanders
game Jan.29 — both games preceding the Super
Bowl at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 2. The first
game of the Classic will be held New Year’s
Day between the
Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple
Leafs at Michigan Stadium, before an
expected crowd of more than 100,000.
According to TSN, the Anaheim Ducks and the
Los Angeles Kings are tentatively set to
meet Jan. 25 at Dodger Stadium. The series
would conclude with a Pittsburgh-Chicago
game set for Soldier Field on March 1, and
an Ottawa-Vancouver game set for B.C. Place
on March 2.
-Weekend
in January might feature outdoor games at
Dodger Stadium and Yankee Stadium
-Somehow
A's have found way to win in an outdated
park and brutal market
-MLB
rejects San Jose's mayor's request to
discuss ballpark for A's
-College
Football Game set for Busch Stadium |
|
Red Sox Sellout Streak Comes to an End at
Fenway Park
 The
sellout streak at Fenway Park, which began
on May 15, 2003, and lasted 794 regular
season games (820 if you include the
postseason) came to an end with 30,862
turning up to watch the Red Sox's 8-5 loss
to the Orioles on a rainy Wednesday night.
"I think the word that comes to mind is
grateful," said Red Sox chief operating
officer Sam Kennedy. "Those of us that have
been in baseball a long time know you don't
get this in most markets. To have the type
of fan support we've had this decade is
remarkable. "Walking out of the park with
Mike Aviles after a game last year, Will
Middlebrooks, a rookie still getting
accustomed to the passion associated with
the Fenway Park fans, received an odd
request. "A woman asked me to sign her
child," Middlebrooks recalled. "I was like,
'I'm not signing your child.' The kid was
like 2 years old. I was like, 'I really
don't feel comfortable signing your child.'"
Middlebrooks said he's been in awe at the
passion and support from fans in Boston, but
odd stories like his are a product of
packing 33,000-plus people into Fenway Park
for every home game over the last nine-plus
years.
-Weekend
in January might feature outdoor games at
Dodger Stadium and Yankee Stadium
-Somehow
A's have found way to win in an outdated
park and brutal market
-MLB
rejects San Jose's mayor's request to
discuss ballpark for A's |
|
Cubs, City Complete Deal for Wrigley
Field Renovations
 TCubs
chairman Tom Ricketts unveiled a $500
million plan for the renovation of Wrigley
Field, which includes a video scoreboard in
left field as well as significant
improvements to the Wrigleyville community.
The Cubs and the city of Chicago reached an
agreement on the proposal, which has been
reviewed in community meetings over the past
few weeks and will continue to be discussed.
The Cubs must formally submit plan
development designs to the city for more
public hearings before it is finalized, and
that could be completed within the next few
weeks. "If this plan is approved, we will
win the World Series for our fans and our
city," Ricketts said. Ricketts called Monday
a "milestone" for the Cubs. The team first
revealed its five-year renovation plan at
the Cubs Convention in January. No public
dollars will be needed to save the
99-year-old ballpark.
-Weekend
in January might feature outdoor games at
Dodger Stadium and Yankee Stadium
-Somehow
A's have found way to win in an outdated
park and brutal market
-Charles
Ebbets, Brooklyn's Team and Their Ballpark
-Ricketts
puts people above family business in
Wrigley Field deal
-Tunney
suggests parking garage part of Wrigley
Field mix
-Charles
Ebbets, Brooklyn's Team and Their Ballpark
-Tiger
Stadium site's future remains unclear as
Detroit Tigers fans embrace Opening Day |
|
Echoes of Ebbets Field as It Turns 100
 The
apartment complex has stood longer than its
fabled ancestor. On the wall near the
Bedford Avenue entrance to the 1,318 units
that rise 20 beige-brick stories is a
concrete marker dated 1962 that reads, “This
Is the Former Site of Ebbets Field. People
have lived there for more than half a
century, longer than the 44 years the
Brooklyn Dodgers played there before
Walter O’Malley, their restless owner, rode
a one-way ticket to Los Angeles after the
1957 season. And some of the apartment
dwellers know about those Dodgers. “I do,” a
tenant in his late 20s said the other day.
“I played baseball as a kid.” But in the
office where everybody pays the rent,
another young man didn’t know much about the
Dodgers, and he didn’t seem to care. Those
dear departed Brooklyn Dodgers are
apparently not of his world, not worth a
ceremony at the apartment complex
commemorating the opening 100 years ago of
Ebbets Field.
-Rangers
Ballpark upgrades include wider main
concourse, extra row of seats
-Baseball
in Alamodome is a home run with fans
-Busch
Stadium to Host Soccer Match
-America's
Most Expensive Baseball Stadium
Neighborhoods
-Safeco
Field Changes aren't expected to turn
ballpark in Launching Pad |
|
'New' old Dodger Stadium: $100 Million
Fan Experience
 The
Dodgers' roster received some notable
upgrades this off season, thanks to the
infusion of payroll by the Guggenheim
ownership group. Fittingly, the facelift
that a fleet of fork-lift trucks and other
earth-moving machines were able to pull off
on Dodger Stadium over the winter is as
equally if not more impressive, considering
the time restraints that restrict such
restructuring on a place that's held its
beauty for more than 50 years. What's old
looks new, and what's new looks 1960s era
retro. Welcome back to the future. Those
fans fortunate enough to have an Opening Day
ticket to take in Monday's Dodgers-Giants
game at Chavez Ravine, one that's expected
to draw a capacity of 56,000 for the usual
array of bunting, balloons and beach balls,
will experience an even more polished
product than was on display Friday when the
first and only exhibition game was played
there so far this season.
-Rangers
Ballpark upgrades include wider main
concourse, extra row of seats
-Baseball
in Alamodome is a home run with fans
-Busch
Stadium to Host Soccer Match
-America's
Most Expensive Baseball Stadium
Neighborhoods
-Safeco
Field Changes aren't expected to turn
ballpark in Launching Pad |
|
Candlestick Park
to Get Blown Up After Next NFL Season
 The
most fervent desires of plenty of
bundled-up, shivering fans in San Francisco
are finally coming true: Candlestick Park
will get blown up. The much-maligned,
long-outdated home of the San Francisco
49ers and formerly the Giants, infamous for
the sight of hot-dog wrappers swirling on
the field while players and fans braved the
frigid night wind, will meet its demise soon
after the end of the next NFL season, the
San Francisco Chronicle reports. The 49ers
are moving to a new stadium in Santa Clara,
some 40 miles south, for the beginning of
the 2014 season, leaving The Stick without a
tenant. The plans call for the ballpark to
be demolished in a 30-second implosion and
for the site to be used for a mall and
residential/office complex.
-All-Star
Game Slated for Great American Ball Park in
2015
-Task
force says new Rays stadium
is affordable — with taxes
-Mets
Lose Spring Training Stadium Sponsor |
|
 The Rays like Tampa Bay. Major
League Baseball doesn't. That's the message
Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart
Sternberg related Thursday in his most
forceful public commentary to date on the
long-term outlook for the team, whose
attendance has not matched its recent
performance on the field. "Major League
Baseball doesn't believe anymore in the
Tampa Bay area," Sternberg told Hillsborough
County commissioners in a lively morning
session that ran twice as long as its
scheduled 30 minutes. Sternberg spoke to
Hillsborough commissioners at their
invitation. Some commissioners have made
little secret they would like the Rays to
move to Hillsborough County. The team has a
contract to play at St. Petersburg's
Tropicana Field through 2027, and St.
Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster has threatened
to sue any entities that try to lure the
Rays away from the city.
-All-Star
Game Slated for Great American Ball Park in
2015
-Task
force says new Rays stadium
is affordable — with taxes
-Mets
Lose Spring Training Stadium Sponsor |
|
 Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game will
return to Cincinnati in 2015. Commissioner
Bud Selig made the announcement this
afternoon and also said that the newest
Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy
will be built in Cincinnati for 2015. “The
history of MLB cannot be told without the
story of Cincinnati,” Selig said. Selig said
Cincinnati fans won’t recognize the All-Star
Game since it was last in the Queen City in
1988. “The scale of the All-Star game now is
stunning,” Selig said. ” … It’s a six-day
event. This will start on Thursday. … it
will be a great economic benefit to
Cincinnati from $80 to 100 million.” Reds
owner Bob Castellini said Baseball could not
have selected a more grateful or worthy
community. “The 2015 season is destined to
be one of our greatest,” Castellini said. ”
… the honor has been earned by you, our
fans.”
-All-Star
Game Slated for Great American Ball Park in
2015
-Task
force says new Rays stadium
is affordable — with taxes
-Mets
Lose Spring Training Stadium Sponsor |
|
 Cubs
Chairman Tom Ricketts said Saturday the team
will fund an ambitious $300 million
renovation plan at Wrigley Field if the city
eases some of its restrictions around
Wrigley Field. “The fact is that when you
look at all of the limitations that we have,
whether that’s signage in the outfield,
which we are not allowed to do, or what kind
of stuff we do in the park or around the
park, I think we’d just like a little more
flexibility to have some options on that
stuff,” Ricketts said after a
question-and-answer session with fans at the
Cubs Convention. “We have an opportunity
cost there that’s tremendous. Just give us
some relief on some of these restrictions,
and we’ll take care of (renovating) Wrigley
Field.”
-All-Star
Game Slated for Great American Ball Park in
2015
-Task
force says new Rays stadium
is affordable — with taxes
-Mets
Lose Spring Training Stadium Sponsor |
|
 New
ownership promised fans an improved Dodger
Stadium and on Tuesday held an event to
prove it's coming. With heavy construction
ongoing on all five levels and into the
ground, officials confirmed details of
upgrades to bring the 51-year-old landmark
"into the 21st century" and improve the fan
experience, according to club president Stan
Kasten, who said the speculated $100 million
price tag is "as good as any to use." Kasten
said he's "sure we will be considered" to
host the All-Star Game for the first time
since 1980 because of the improvements, and
he also gave assurances that the ambitious
work will be completed in time for the March
28 exhibition game against the Angels.
"We're doing about a hundred things and left
out another 100 things because we only had
25 weeks to get it all done by Opening Day,"
Kasten said.
-Study
reveals cost of Rays' stadium
to be at least $500 million
-Task
force says new Rays stadium
is affordable — with taxes
-Mets
Lose Spring Training Stadium Sponsor |
|
Mariners Adding Largest Video/Scoreboard in
MLB
 Unable
to wait for the Thanksgiving sales, the Mariners went ahead
and bought a huge new TV for Safeco Field. Huge is actually
an understatement. Last week the team began work on what
will be the biggest video display in Major League Baseball
and one of the largest in professional sports. It's the
centerpiece of the biggest upgrade to the ballpark since it
opened in 1999 and a technical marvel that could become a
tourist attraction on its own. At 201.5 feet by 56.7 feet,
the display is nearly a block long and wider than the
record-holding jumbo display at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. It's
ten times the size of the ballpark's current video screen
and has a viewing area of roughly 2,182 42-inch TVs. And
yes, it will still display hydro races - but the boats will
now be rendered in full 1080p high-resolution.
•
Harang likes new clubhouse
plans for
Dodger Stadium
•
Offseason to bring more changes to Rangers
Ballpark in Arlington
•
Tiger Stadium lettering going on display at museum
•
Rangers to Play at San Antonio's Alamadome
•
Padres Moving Fences in at Petco Park for 2013 |
|
Wrigley Field Should Be On Deck for the Bears
 Come
November, Wrigleyville is usually pretty dead. It’s usually
pretty dead in October too, mind you. But that’s for
different reasons. However, the powers that be on the North
Side of Chicago (aka Tom Ricketts & Theo Epstein) want to
change that – and not just by putting a baseball team inside
Wrigley Field that’s actually built for the fall. Earlier
this month, the Cubs secured approval from the Chicago
Landmarks Commission to move the brick wall behind Wrigley’s
home plate this offseason and add 56 prime box seats. Just
as significantly – if not more so – the team will also
convert a section of the wall near the home dugout so a
regulation football field can fit inside the ballpark. Two
years ago, of course, Northwestern and Illinois clashed at
Wrigley for the first football game at the ballpark in four
decades, but were forced to play in just one direction
because of space limitations and safety concerns.
•
Tigers fit well in NL
ballparks
•
Offseason to bring more changes to Rangers
Ballpark in Arlington
•
Tiger Stadium lettering going on display at museum
•
Detroit Historical Museum to display old
Tiger Stadium sign
•
Padres Moving Fences in at Petco Park for 2013 |
|
Tiger Stadium Lives On, Nurtures Old Memories
 The
flags were snapping, straight out from
home plate. With no structure
to block the wind, the sunshine was deceptive. On the field
at Tiger Stadium, it was cold. In a few hours, at Comerica
Park, the Detroit Tigers were going to play baseball in
front of tens of thousands of fans. At Michigan and
Trumbull, Jerry Wright of Lincoln Park had the old ball
field to himself. The people who love the stadium enough to
tend the playing field have put up two makeshift dugout
benches. Wright was sitting on the one along the third base
line, drinking Busch from an oversized can. With baseball on
so many minds, and with one of the ballpark gates swung open
on the Michigan Avenue side, the field has been something of
a destination over the past few weeks.
•
Rangers Given Tax Breaks On Stadium Renovations
•
Safeco Field
upgrades will cost 'seven digits' or more
•
Nebraska and Northwestern
could meet at Wrigley Field
•
Alderman seeking deal for
signs atop rooftop clubs by
Wrigley
•
Detroit Historical Museum to display old
Tiger Stadium sign |
|
Dodger Stadium Upgrades on tap this Offseason
 The
season is over for the
Dodgers, but Dodger Stadium will be busy pretty much
until opening day because of planned upgrades to the stadium
this offseason. Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten said on Thursday
that final plans and permits are getting approved this week
for several upgrades to Dodger Stadium, which just completed
its 51st season in use, the third oldest stadium in MLB.
Kasten wouldn't divulge full details before the plans became
official, though he did say the information would be
available soon.
•
Twins to revamp bleachers,
add drink rail seats
•
Marlins Park shines, but
attendance disappoints
•
MLB attendance
rises to highest level since '08
•
Marlins Park attendance
suffers amid team's failure
•
Website Ranks Wrigley Field
As MLB's Dirtiest
Ballpark |
|
Mariners to Move Safeco Fences in Next Season
 Tired
of seeing fly balls die in a cavernous outfield and
free-agent sluggers choose more hitter-friendly settings,
the Seattle Mariners are bringing in the fences at Safeco
Field. The Mariners announced Tuesday they will move in the
fences for the 2013 season after years of debate on the
impact one of the more spacious outfields in baseball was
having on their offense. "It's all about just the ballpark
playing fair and I think they've done a great job with the
changes they are planning on making. I just think it's a
win-win situation," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "I
think it's fantastic for our younger position players, it's
a more attractive location now for players outside the
organization who might consider coming this direction, so I
think it's a good decision." The biggest change will come in
the left-center field alley, where the fence will move in as
much as 17 feet. The left-center power alley is currently
390 feet, but will be at 378 next season.
•
Twins to revamp bleachers,
add drink rail seats
•
Marlins Park shines, but
attendance disappoints
•
MLB attendance
rises to highest level since '08
•
Marlins Park attendance
suffers amid team's failure
•
Website Ranks Wrigley Field
As MLB's Dirtiest
Ballpark |
|
Private Developer Reveals Rays Stadium Details
 After
two years of behind-the-scenes preparation, private
developers unveiled plans Friday for a new baseball stadium
— without any assurance that the Tampa Bay Rays are even
interested or whether anyone will foot the bill. Still,
CityScape's "Rays Park at Carillon" is a substantial
proposal — created by prominent stadium builders,
accompanied by adjacent development and backed by a fresh
look at regional drive times. It represents the most
detailed alternative to Tropicana Field since the team's own
waterfront project fizzled in 2008. City Council members,
who held a special two-hour meeting to receive the
presentation, came away impressed, saying they hope the plan
will end a standoff with the Rays over where a new stadium
might be located.
•
Miami Marlins Drawing Fewest
Fans At A First-Year Ballpark In Three Decades
•
New use for old Tiger Stadium
site? Parade Company talking with city
•
Rangers Plan for $10 Million Ballpark Renovation |
|
Rangers Plan for $10 Million Ballpark Renovation
 New
seating behind home plate and even more concessions are part
of about $10 million in ballpark renovations the Rangers
have proposed for the offseason, which the team hopes
doesn't begin until November. The team, which has the best
record in the American League, wants to add a row of seats
by moving the wall behind home plate at Rangers Ballpark in
Arlington forward and closer to the field, according to a
city staff report given to the Arlington City Council.
Upgraded and expanded concession facilities are also slated
for the main concourse area near the home-plate entrance.
Construction is set to begin shortly after the team's season
ends. "We hope that's not until November.
•
Miami Marlins Drawing Fewest
Fans At A First-Year Ballpark In Three Decades
•
New use for old Tiger Stadium
site? Parade Company talking with city
•
Rangers Ballpark Filling Up Nightly
•
Arlington Stadium vs. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington |
|
The New Dodger Stadium: Aggressive Plans Underway
 Change
is coming to
Dodger Stadium, and sooner than most may have imagined.
The Dodgers hired someone with vast experience in stadium
renovation on Monday, and team president Stan Kasten said
much of the initial work could be completed prior to the
2013 home opener. “We would like to do as much as we can by
Opening Day next year. I suspect what we’ll have in place is
going to be more than a one-year program. It’s going to take
several years, probably, to do all the things we want. But
our goal certainly is to do a lot of this by next year.”
Janet Marie Smith, who has overseen the development of
Atlanta’s
Turner Field, Baltimore’s
Camden Yards and the renovation of Boston’s
Fenway Park, was hired by the Dodgers Monday for the
newly created position of vice president of planning and
development.
•
Miami Marlins Drawing Fewest
Fans At A First-Year Ballpark In Three Decades
•
New use for old Tiger Stadium
site? Parade Company talking with city
•
Rangers Ballpark Filling Up Nightly
•
Oakland stadium port site
re-emerges |
|
Arizona Diamondbacks Push Stadium Deal
 The
Arizona Diamondbacks are proposing a deal that would give
them more control of Chase Field and significantly increase
their bottom line by transferring stadium ownership from
Maricopa County to Phoenix. Team executives say the plan
benefits all involved, but a key critic cast the deal as
financially risky for city taxpayers and said it would lead
to higher ticket prices for fans. The downtown stadium
opened as Bank One Ballpark in 1998. Roughly two-thirds of
the $354 million cost was financed through a public
quarter-cent-per-dollar sales tax that was approved in 1994
and expired in 1997. Chief Executive Derrick Hall said
his team is not seeking a government subsidy for the
facility. He said the Diamondbacks already pay for stadium
maintenance and capital improvements. Shifting stadium
management from the Maricopa County Stadium District to
Phoenix would give the team more say in the facility's
management. The Diamondbacks would pay Phoenix rent, the
amount of which has not been determined.
•
Safeco Field's roof least used among retractable roof
stadiums
•
Yankee Stadium, Like Its Predecessor, Is a Home to Soccer
•
Awaiting Scheduling for
All-Star Games |
|
Kauffman Stadium,
one of MLB's Hidden Gems
 Having
been lucky enough to travel to and work in all 30 Major
League ballparks, in addition to a number that are no longer
standing, I'm often asked to choose a favorite. It takes a
politician's tact to size up an audience quickly enough to
produce an honest answer without starting an argument, and
mine usually goes like this: "Safeco Field in Seattle is
great. So is Coors Field in Denver ... and I love Petco Park
in San Diego. No place can match Fenway and Wrigley for
history, and the views at PNC in Pittsburgh and AT&T in San
Francisco are unmatched. But I really like Kauffman
Stadium." Kauffman Stadium? Outside of a Nolan Ryan
no-hitter and the 1985 World Series, it's tough to think of
signature moments there.
•
Mayor Looks to bring big league baseball to Sacramento
•
Wrigley
renovation plans stalled by political flap
•
Washington a possibility for
MLB's 2015 All-Star Game
•
2015 All-Star game
needs to be in Cincinnati
•
Awaiting Scheduling for
All-Star Games |
|
Kauffman Stadium Transforming into All-Star Venue
On
a piece of metal scaffolding beyond the left-field wall at
Kauffman Stadium, construction workers bolted together a
table under a sweltering midday sun, the temperature
tickling triple digits and sweat pouring off their brows.
Along the baselines, groundskeepers laid stencils and began
to paint All-Star game logos, while other workers hurriedly
connected miles of cable, built camera platforms, hung
banners and spruced up every corner of the
Kansas City Royals' home for its night in the national
spotlight. The anticipation is almost over: The All-Star
game is merely a week away. ''People haven't been here in a
long time, because no postseason games have been played here
since 1985,'' Royals vice president Mike Swanson said
Tuesday. ''We want people to say, `Wow, they did a heck of a
job and we want to go back.' That's what we want.'' That's
what the staff of the Royals - along with untold numbers of
construction workers - has been doing since the club left
town for an extended road trip last week.
•
Once Proud Royals Prepare to host All-Star Game
•
New food, more merchandise at Kauffman Stadium
•
Mayor Looks to bring big league baseball to Sacramento
•
All eyes are on the All-Star weather forecast
•
Selig’s promise of an
All-Star Game took six years to fulfill
•
KC can look back on a golden
age of sports in the ’70s
•
Ticket prices for All-Star
Game are riding high, but falling |
|
The 10 Worst Ballparks in the History of Baseball
 The
late Dan Quisenberry once said of the Metrodome, "I
don't think there are any good uses for nuclear weapons,
but then, this may be one." And he only pitched in 16
games there his entire career. Torii Hunter, on the
other hand, played 10 full seasons in the Metrodome, so
maybe he had a better read on it. This is what he told
me about his former home just before the Twins moved
out: "If they need any kind of help blowing it up, I
will definitely be there. I will push th e plunger.
Boom. Boom. I will not miss the Metrodome at all." But
was it so bad it deserves detonation, either via
dynamite or nuclear weapon? Was it the worst stadium in
baseball history? Or even in the bottom 10?
•
Big
ballpark blues:
Marlins hitters learning to cope
•
Cardinals Unveil Latest Ballpark Village Plan
•
All stadiums have their obstacles
•
Best and worst of the
ballparks |
|
Citi Field to host 2013 All-Star Game
 Major
League Baseball officially will award the 2013 All-Star
Game to Citi Field, home of the
New York Mets, at a ceremony Wednesday at City Hall
in Manhattan, baseball sources said. A pair of All-Star
Games had been pledged to New York by MLB years ago --
one to coincide with the final year of old Yankee
Stadium in 2008, and the other for Citi Field in Queens
next year. The announcement, which is expected to
include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will make
official that pledge to the Mets. "It's great for the
city," Mets third baseman
David Wright said. "I got a chance to participate in
the one that closed out Yankee Stadium -- a tremendous
stage for an All-Star Game.
•
Big
ballpark blues:
Marlins hitters learning to cope
•
Fenway Park at 100: What
is it about that ballpark?
•
Wrigley
right-field
scoreboard a bright spot
•
Padres consider altering dimensions at Petco |
|
With Aging Stadium, Angels could Drop 'of Anaheim'
 The
smiles should be wide and plentiful. The Dodgers' new
owners should take over this week, meeting the media and
greeting fans and officially liberating the team from
its dysfunctional era. What could possibly wipe the
smiles off the faces of
Magic Johnson, Stan Kasten and Mark Walter? How
about the
Angels moving into a new ballpark in downtown Los
Angeles, three miles from
Dodger Stadium? As the Dodgers emerge from
bankruptcy, the most compelling baseball story in town
might well involve how the Dodgers and Angels handle
their aging ballparks. Dodger Stadium just turned 50.
The new owners are well aware of its iconic status. They
come with the intention of preserving Dodger Stadium,
not abandoning it.
The working estimate
for ballpark rehabilitation is $300 million. That covers
the widened concourses and expanded concession and
restroom facilities promised by outgoing owner Frank
McCourt, before he ran out of money.
•
Old-timers fete oldest of
ballparks on 100th
b-day
•
Fenway Park at 100: What
is it about that ballpark?
•
Wrigley
right-field
scoreboard a bright spot
•
Padres consider altering dimensions at Petco |
|
Fenway Park Gets Better with Age
 At
the end of the next millennium, Red Sox pilgrims will
flock to Fenway Park, just like their religious
counterparts will line up at the Wailing Wall. That’s
how it is with shrines. The older they get, the more
sacred they become. And let’s face it sports fans,
Fenway Park is baseball’s Wailing Wall. You should know
that I did not always feel this way. In the summer of
1966, I went to work in a musty concession stand beneath
the center field bleachers. Rats that scampered through
the crawl space behind Stand 17 were big enough to
saddle. Fenway didn’t hold a great deal of charm for me
back then. The Sox had been mired in ninth place for as
long as anyone could remember. The die-hards who showed
up for most games were known as the “Friendly 5,000.” Of
course, the numbers swelled a bit when Mantle and Maris
came to town. But it seemed like not a whole lot had
changed since 1933, when Tom Yawkey bought the team and
its tired ballpark.
•
The renovations that did
not reshape
Fenway Park
•
Fenway Park is baseball's oldest stadium
•
The history behind Fenway Park 100 years later
•
Fenway at 100: Park's quirky design due in part to
rushed delivery, happenstance
•
Fenway Park marks a very green century
•
Another 100 years for Fenway Park |
|
Fenway Park: This Diamond is Forever
 For
fans of the Boston Red Sox, baseball isn't just a game -
it's fate. "I was born a Red Sox fan," said Amy Olsen.
"You have no choice." It's a consuming passion with
soaring highs and searing lows, 86 years of them - a
curse cast on the team, fans believe, for selling Babe
Ruth to the Yankees in 1920. And then, in 2004, the Sox
won it all. A curse lifted - and jubilation. It was the
beginning of a new chapter in the saga that has played
out year after year at Fenway Park - as idiosyncratic
and storied as the team that plays there. "It is a
living room, it's a backyard. It is a temple. It is all
those things," said Janice Page. The "lyric little
bandbox of a ballpark," as John Updike called it,
celebrates its 100th birthday on Friday. "We're sort of
scrunched in here into what was reclaimed swampland,"
explained Page. She is editor of "Fenway Park: A Salute
to the Coolest, Cruelest, Longest-Running Major League
Baseball Stadium in America."
•
Fenway's ready for its closeup
•
The
Fenway Park Top Ten
•
At 100 years old,
Fenway Park brims
with new technology
•
Fenway Park
is part of us all
•
Scott Brown pushed for
Red Sox to move to Foxborough
•
Another 100 years for Fenway Park
•
Frequent face lifts keep park liv |
|
Crosley Field: The 100th Anniversary
 One
hundred years ago this Wednesday – April 11, 1912 – the
Reds opened Crosley Field, known back then as Redland
Field. Anthony Abbing was coming home that day, too, but
not for a baseball game. He never made it. Right-fielder
Armando Marsans was probably the Reds’ best all-around
player in 1912. But nobody on the club or in the press –
and maybe not even anybody in the crowd of 500 people
behind him in the bleachers on the days of a full house
– was about to proclaim it. There were 26,366 fans in
attendance that day, twice the number who had ever
before seen a baseball game in Cincinnati. It was 75
degrees and partly cloudy, a perfect day for a ballgame
at brand new Redland Field.
•
Fans Reminisce on 100th
Anniversary of
Crosley Field
•
Red Sox ready to
celebrate 100th birthday of Fenway Park
•
Dodger Stadium Celebrates 50th Birthday
•
New right
field patio at
Wrigley gets good
reviews
•
At 20, Camden Yards Tries
to Keep Up |
|
Dodger Stadium Celebrates 50th Birthday
 When
you’ve been around for 50 years and are having an
anniversary, there’s a lot to squeeze in your little
celebration. The Dodgers kicked off Dodger Stadium's at
their home opener Tuesday, and if the pregame ceremony
was understandably crammed, the team found a nice way to
cap it off. At the grand opening of Dodger Stadium in
1962, owner Walter O’Malley’s wife, Kay, threw out the
ceremonial first pitch. Doing the honors Tuesday was
their daughter, Terry Seidler, who was accompanied onto
the field by her brother Peter O’Malley. Seidler and
Peter O’Malley owned the team after Walter passed away
in 1979.
•
Dodger Stadium opens for
business, but will the fans return?
•
Red Sox ready to
celebrate 100th birthday of Fenway Park
•
Busch Stadium
gets ready for home opener
•
Busch
Stadium introduces
new offerings for Cardinals home games
•
O'Malley a part of
home-opener ceremony |
|
Dodger Stadium Celebrates 50th Birthday
 Baseball
oldest stadium, Boston's Fenway Park, celebrates its
centennial anniversary this season. The ballpark opened
on April 20, 1912, just five days after The Titanic sank
400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. The Red Sox won
the World Series that year, and three more in the next
six years, before entering into an 84-year championship
drought that was broken by the 2004 team. Wrigley Field
is 98 years old this season, and like Fenway has been
the scene of some of baseball's most memorable moments.
Babe Ruth's alleged "Called Shot" during Game 3 of the
1932 World Series, the "Homer in the Gloamin'" hit by
Cubs' catcher Gabby Hartnett, one of baseball's greatest
collapses in 1969 when they blew a 9 1/2-game lead over
the eventual World Series-winning Mets.
•
Dodger Stadium opens for
business, but will the fans return?
•
Red Sox ready to
celebrate 100th birthday of Fenway Park
•
Busch Stadium
gets ready for home opener
•
O'Malley a part of
home-opener ceremony |
|
Opening Game Marks Camden Yards 20th Anniversary
 Twenty
years ago, Cal Ripken Jr. had mixed emotions leading up
to the inaugural opening day at Camden Yards. Like so
many others, it didn’t take long for Ripken become a fan
of the new ballpark. On the 20th anniversary of that
historic first game on April 6, 1992, the Baltimore
Orioles will mark the occasion Friday on opening day
against the Minnesota Twins. Ripken enjoyed many a
celebration at Camden Yards, most notably the night in
1995 when he set the major league record for consecutive
games played. Initially, however, the Hall of Fame star
was hesitant to back the team’s move from venerable
Memorial Stadium. “I have to tell you, I was very torn
because of the history of Memorial Stadium and the love
I had for Memorial Stadium,” Ripken said this week. “I
remember walking into Camden Yards for the first time,
and it felt like the ballpark had a history already.
•
Future of Camden Yards
depends on continued evolution
•
Ballpark
In New Yankee Stadium's Shadow To Open This Weekend
•
Ballpark
environment evolving as Cubs try to improve atmosphere
•
Selig's review of Marlins'
ballpark: 'Wow'
•
Rangers unveil statue in honor of late fan Stone |
|
Changes Aplenty at Wrigley Field
 Cubs
players eagerly explored the changes at
Wrigley Field on Wednesday, like kids opening their
Christmas presents the night before the big day.
Among the changes in and around the ballpark is the new
Budweiser patio in right field and the LED board
underneath. Infielder
Jeff Baker said he asked marketing chief Wally
Hayward what would happen if someone from the patio
section falls several feet into the basket while trying
to retrieve a home run ball. "That's going to be
nightmare, people trying to jump over and 'Curious
George' it down in the basket," Baker said with a laugh.
"It looks like a cool place to watch the game though."
Cubs vice president of communications Julian Green
pointed out that the patio features a Budweiser kiosk
with a roof that resembles the roof of the old Budweiser
building on Waveland Avenue, which now features a United
ad on it.
•
Baseball fans also get a
ticket to Pittsburgh's skyline
•
Wrigley Field changes
expected for Opening Day
•
National spotlight on
Miami as Marlins open ballpark
•
Ballpark
is almost ready
•
Pirates adding new
touches to PNC Park |
|
Fenway Turns 100, while Dodger Stadium Turns 50
 From
coast to coast, some significant birthdays will be
celebrated this season. In Boston, the Red Sox will soon
celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the opening on
Fenway Park. In Los Angeles, the Dodgers will honor
Dodger Stadium and its 50th year. In Houston and New
York, the Astros and Mets will celebrate their 50th
birthdays. Each will celebrate their histories in their
own way. "With so many milestones this season, it is
especially great for baseball. We need to have places to
share the history of the game," said former Dodgers
shortstop Maury Wills, the National League Most Valuable
Player in 1962, Dodger Stadium's first season. "We need
to remember the names and organizations that have been
around so long."
•
Baseball fans also get a
ticket to Pittsburgh's skyline
•
A peek at the renovations
to be unveiled at Camden Yards
•
75th season launches for
Wrigley's iconic
scoreboard
•
Miami Marlins work to fix
early ballpark
glitches
•
A's and Giants in Tug of War Over Rights to San Jose |
|
Marlins New Ballpark: Cue the Flamingos
 The
art world where Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria made his
fortunes and the ballclub he bought with them collide
colorfully in left center field. There at glistening new
Marlins Park, rising 71 feet above the wall, is pop
artist Red Groom's home run spectacle, an animatronic
art deco carnival that has water spouts, spinning fish
and preening flamingos. It's a flamboyant cross between
the colors of South Beach and a shooting gallery from
Coney Island. Tonight, as Miami hosts the Cardinals for
the ballpark's grand opening, if a Marlin hits a home
run it will spin into action for the first time. "It's
definitely Miami. It's very colorful. It's very
animated," said Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison. "I
think there's no need to hold onto your bat and walk
down the line when you hit a home run anymore. The
stadium will (showboat) it for you. Just sprint around
the bases and let that thing do it for you." |
|
Bidders
Make Pitch for Dodger Stadium Renovation
 Orel
Hershiser wants to save Dodger Stadium by double-decking
the right-field pavilion? Not exactly, even if that
might be the most striking feature of a stadium
renovation rendering he released Friday. Hershiser, the
pitching star for the
Dodgers' last World Series championship team in
1988, said he hoped to use the drawing to share with
prospective new owners a vision for the preservation and
enhancement of Dodger Stadium. "People don't know how
heartfelt I am about keeping Dodger Stadium," Hershiser
said in an interview Friday. Three bidders remain in
contention to buy the Dodgers, and outgoing owner
Frank McCourt is expected to conduct final
negotiations this week. Hershiser was part of a group
that did not survive the first cut in the bidding, but
he said he and his partners -- most notably, the South
Korean electronics giant LG -- wanted to present their
ideas to the fans as well as to potential owners.
•
A Look into the Changes Coming to Camden Yards
•
Marlins Ballpark sure to rate among the best |
|
Bidders May Rename Dodger Stadium
 At
least one party bidding on the
Dodgers has inquired about the possibility of
selling naming rights to Dodger Stadium, according to
records filed this week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Dodger
Stadium turns 50 this year. The iconic ballpark has
never been known by another name. However, with the
Dodgers expected to sell for a record price for a North
American sports franchise, the investment bank brokering
the sale has included naming rights among what it calls
the "value creation opportunities" — that is,
money-making options — for a buyer, according to two
people familiar with the sale process. McCourt did not
sell the naming rights to Dodger Stadium, but he
received interest from several corporations, according
to people familiar with the team's sale process.
•
Fenway Park Still Endures after 100 Years
•
Fenway wins Historic Places listing
•
Big cats return to
Comerica
•
Ricketts drums up support
for Wrigley Field
funding |
|
Fenway Park Still Endures after 100 Years
 Along
Yawkey Way, crammed into metropolitan Boston, sits a
landmark that has stood the test of time. Its freakishly
tall left-field wall, its obscurely shaped center-field
area and its limited foul territory down each line,
where the fans practically sit on the outfield, have all
supplied Fenway Park with plenty of character. Quirky
construction aside, the history soaked up in 100 years
of games in the ballpark demonstrates how the venue has
remained a staple of Major League Baseball for an entire
century. "You can walk to the ballpark. That's a huge
thing," said Barnicle, who wrote columns for the Boston
Globe for more than two decades. " |
|
Miami Ready to Learn Nuances of New Ballpark
 How
Marlins Park plays is about to get some answers. The
Marlins will get a feel for their new home beginning on
Tuesday, when they play the first of back-to-back
exhibitions at their plush stadium. The University of
Miami is on tap for the Marlins on Tuesday night,
followed by a meeting with Florida International
University on Wednesday. Weather permitting, the roof
will remain open for both games. If rain is in the
forecast, look for the first Marlins home game to be
sheltered from the storm. For the players, there is an
excitement level to get into their new building. They
also are curious to find out how the conditions will
play out, and if there are any quirks in the stadium
design.
•
Sculpture at Marlins Park
might become issue for left-handed hitters
•
A's Go on Offense in Move to SJ Plan
•
Nothing wrong with bringing in
ballpark fences |
|
New Scoreboard in Works for Comerica Park
 Comerica
Park still has that just-opened ring and sensation to
it. But the Tigers home is heading into its 13th season,
and like any child that has reached adolescence, it has
outgrown some of its old togs. Opening Day will feature
a new look, as heavy on customer service as it is on
technological glitter. The left-field scoreboard is
about to increase in size and scope to become one of the
largest video-presentation areas in pro sports — and the
largest video board in Michigan. "It's expansive," said
Duane McLean, executive vice president of business
operations for the Tigers, who along with vice president
of park operations Mike Healy, has overseen the
conversion.
•
Rays selling 'slightly'
more season tickets than last year
•
Twins continue to analyze
Target Field's dimensions
•
Rangers
Ballpark renovations
on schedule
|
|
|
