Burlington, IA (December 10, 2007) - One of the top honors in all of baseball came home to Burlington this weekend as Burlington Baseball Association President Dave Walker was crowned the "King of Baseball" during the Annual Banquet at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville, TN last Thursday night.
The King of Baseball is presented annually to a veteran of professional baseball for long-time dedication to the game. It was first awarded in 1951 and past winners include some of the legends of the industry including: Joe Buzas, Lefty Gomez, Max Patkin, John Henry Moss, and Roland Hemond.
"Dave Walker and the people of Burlington represent what makes baseball "America's Game," out-going Minor League President Mike Moore said. "His devotion to and love of the game has made us all better. Being named King of Baseball is an honor few have received and Dave is certainly deserving of this award." Moore is retiring after 16 years as the President of MiLB.
Minor League Vice-President/COO Pat O'Conner was elected to succeed Moore as President during the Winter Meetings and also has worked closely with Dave over the years. "Dave Walker has been a leader in Minor League Baseball for many years and this award is simply recognition of long and meritorious service to the game of baseball. His commitment to Minor League Baseball, the City of Burlington and the Burlington Bees is an example of what Kings do. It is a well deserved honor."
Dave has served as the President of the BBA since 1987. This is a volunteer position for the board that oversees the operation for the Burlington Bees which is a community-owned franchise. Dave is also one of two original members of the Minor League Baseball Board of Trustees that was formed in 1992. He served as Chairman of the Board from 2001-02. In addition to his work with the BOT, Dave was an industry leader in communicating with elected officials in Washington, D.C. when the game's anti-trust laws were being challenged.
Dave's full-time position is General Manager of the Best Western Pzazz hotel as part of the FunCity complex in Burlington, Iowa. The Pzazz serves as the designated hotel for visiting Midwest League teams and officials which keeps Dave in contact with more than just the Bees throughout the year. Dave has served on many civic committees throughout the years, but always lists his work with the Bees as the most rewarding. His work as one of the leaders in the Great River Gateway Project helped secure a $5.25 million state grant from the Vision Iowa fund for tourism and community development. Part of that project was a $3 million renovation of Community Field, home of the Bees.
Dave is a native and a life-long resident of Burlington. He and his wife Marcia have been married for 43 years. They have one son, Tod, and three grandchildren.
Burlington, IA (December 11, 2007) - Former Burlington Bees pitcher Gabe DeHoyos was the only player lost by the Kansas City Royals during the Rule V Draft last Thursday in Nashville during the Baseball Winter Meetings. DeHoyos was selected by the San Diego Padres with the 17th pick in the Triple-A phase of the draft. The Royals only selected one player, left-handed pitcher Ray Liotta from the Chicago White Sox also in the Triple-A phase of the draft.
DeHoyos pitched for the Bees in both 2004-05 after the Royals purchased his contract from the Schaumburg Flyers of the independent Northern League. He was 5-3 with a 1.74 ERA in 44 games and recorded eight saves in his Bees career. He struck out 107 batters in 93 Midwest League innings. This past year, he split time between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A Omaha in the Royals system. He was 6-0 with a 1.64 ERA in 29 games and four saves for the Wranglers and 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA in nine games for the O-Royals. He is currently pitching for Mazatlan in the Mexican Winter League and is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings of work. Former Bee Jolbert Cabrera (1993) also continues to play well in Mexico. He is batting .312 with two homers and 17 RBI in 47 games for Guasave. He ranks tenth in the league in batting and ranks fourth with twelve doubles.
In the Dominican Republic, Matt Tupman (2003) was 3-5 with 4 RBI on Thursday and is hitting .311 in 33 games for Licey. He is tied for second in the league in batting and is tied for fifth with seven doubles. The Royals just placed Tupman on the 40-man roster two weeks ago, joining starter John Buck and Paul Phillips and that roster. On Friday, the Royals announced that Phillips would be designated for assignment and taken off the 40-man to make room for free agent outfielder Jose Guillen. At this point, it appears the Royals will give Tupman a long look in spring training to win a spot of the Major League roster as Buck's back-up. OF Mitch Maier (2004) is tied for sixth in the DWL with a .293 average, but hasn't played since November 29th. RH Runelvys Hernandez (2001) has started pitching for Escogido. He's made three appearances (one start) and has allowed four runs in four innings of work. Hernandez spent all of last season in Triple-A in the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees farm systems.
In Venezuela, 3B Mario Lisson (2005-06) hasn't homered in a couple of weeks, but has raised his average eleven points since the beginning of December. He is batting .233 and is tied for fourth with seven home runs and has 19 RBI in 41 games. IF Tomas Perez (1994) signed a free agent contract with the Houston Astros and then went hitless this week for Magallanes to drop his average to .281 over 38 games. RH Kyle Middleton (2002) pitched four shutout innings in his last start on Sunday and is 2-0 with a 3.11 ERA in eight starts. RH Brian Bass (2001-02) hasn't pitched since November 24th, but is still ninth in the league with a 3.38 ERA and tied for eighth with 29 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched. He is also tied for eighth with three wins. Both Middleton and Bass pitched for Aragua.
In other recent moves, 1B Casey Rogowski signed as a minor league free agent with the Oakland A's. He hit .231 with six homers and 41 RBI in 122 games with the Bees in 2000 and hit .245 with 14 homers and 54 RBI with Triple-A Charlotte in the Chicago White Sox organization last year. SS Gookie Dawkins re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He finished last year with Triple-A Ottawa last year after beginning the season with Triple-A Tacoma in the Seattle Mariners system. He was an All-Star with the Bees in 1998. The Royals also sent LHP Danny Christensen to the Detroit Tigers to complete an in-season trade for pitcher Roman Colon.
Baseball fans in the Quad Cities got an early Christmas present on Tuesday, as new ownership group Main Street Iowa announced a new ticket pricing structure designed to make a trip to the ballpark more affordable and fan-friendly for the 2008 season. In addition, fans sitting in Club Seats will have access to personal wait staff working in the seating bowl.
The most significant change will be a reduction in the price of box seats, the blue reserved seats that cost fans $9.00 per seat last season. These seats will be split into two sections in 2008. The first eight rows will be classified as Lower Box Seats, and will still be priced at $9.00 per ticket. The remaining rows will now be called Upper Box Seats and will be priced at just $8.00.
Berm seating and standing room tickets will be even cheaper, as fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a ballgame in those areas for only $5.00. These tickets will be sold separately from General Admission bleacher seating, which will remain at $7.00, though tickets for seniors and children under 12 will be just $6.00.
"We've maintained from day one that our goal is to enhance the fan experience at our ballpark," said Dave Heller, Managing Partner of the new ownership group. "Reducing ticket prices is important to us because it's important to our fans. Bob Herrfeldt and I made two promises to our fans when we took over: we would provide our fans with great value and make the ballpark experience a lot more fun. Cutting ticket prices helps us provide better value."
Club Seat ticket holders will also be in for a treat in 2008, as fans sitting in the three sections behind home plate will be treated to wait service that will deliver food and drinks directly to their seats.
"We want to make sure that all of our fans feel like kings and queens at the ballpark next year," said Kirk Goodman, Vice President of Main Street Iowa. "From the moment they enter the main gates until the moment they head home, it's our job to provide the best service and entertainment in town. That is a priority for us and that is what we want to become known for, because that is what will best serve the people of the Quad Cities."
"The idea is to make sure that our ballpark provides fans with great service and great value," added co-owner Bob Herrfeldt. "Lowering ticket prices is just the start. We also want to make sure that our Kids Zone is one of the best around, because we want families to know that John O'Donnell Stadium is a great outlet for healthy, family entertainment. There's a lot more to come!"
The Swing of the Quad Cities and Modern Woodmen of America have reached an agreement for the fraternal financial services organization to purchase the naming rights to John O'Donnell Stadium for the next 10 years. The stadium's new name will be "Modern Woodmen Park."
W. Kenny Massey, President and CEO of Modern Woodmen, and Dave Heller, Managing Partner of Main Street Iowa, were both on hand to make the announcement. Together, they unveiled a new stadium logo to go along with the new name for the ballpark.
"When we started looking for a naming rights partner, we agreed early on that it would not just be about money," explained Heller, who leads the new ownership group along with Bob Herrfeldt. "We wanted an organization that was based in the Quad Cities with strong local roots in our community, and we wanted someone with a proven track record that demonstrates they share our commitment to giving back to this community. Modern Woodmen demonstrates those values to a tee."
"Our partnership with Modern Woodmen is rooted in their longstanding commitment to helping others," Herrfeldt added. "Their recent partnership with Habitat for Humanity is just another in a long line of examples of their commitment to benevolence and improving this community - and those are the same values we want our team to be known for. We could not imagine a better partner."
Modern Woodmen, in turn, was eager to improve the quality of life in the Quad Cities by helping families enjoy minor league baseball at an affordable price, while Heller confirmed the team's plans to reduce ticket prices next season.
"Today sports venues commonly partner with organizations to make their events affordable for families," Massey said. "By purchasing naming rights, Modern Woodmen can help keep minor league baseball as a fun, affordable activity for Quad City families."
Modern Woodmen is a natural fit for numerous reasons. In addition to their local roots and shared commitment to better the community, the two organizations sit across the Mississippi River from each other with the Centennial Bridge acting as a connector. Celebrating its 125th year, Modern Woodmen also has a rich baseball history that includes games between Modern Woodmen members across the nation from the 1890s to the 1930s.
The decision to change the name of the facility from a "stadium" to a "park" was based on a combination of the enhancements made to the stadium over the past several years and its location on the river, creating a park-like appearance and atmosphere.
The team and Modern Woodmen will continue to honor the John O'Donnell name. A plaque by the front entrance to the ballpark memorializes the late Mr. O'Donnell, and Heller announced that the team and Modern Woodmen will be working in cooperation with the Quad-City Times to prepare and display a new collage containing John O'Donnell's newspaper columns, accompanying photographs, and letters from World War II.
"We made sure efforts to honor John O'Donnell were included in the contract," Massey said. "Modern Woodmen respects his role in Quad Cities baseball history, and we feel this display will help educate fans about that role while honoring his memory."
The collage will be mounted next to the plaque on the concourse near the main gates. In addition, the John O'Donnell Press Box will remain as a tribute to Mr. O'Donnell's many contributions to baseball in the Quad Cities.
Founded in 1883 as a fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen of America celebrates its 125th year of serving members and their communities. The organization offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.
PEORIA, IL- The Chicago Cubs and Peoria Chiefs have announced a four-year extension to their player development contract that will extend the affiliation through the 2012 season. The current agreement, signed in September 2004, was set to expire after the 2008 Chiefs season.
"We are thrilled to extend agreements with our five minor league affiliates," said Cubs Vice President of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita. "Our minor league clubs are a key contributor to the recent success we have enjoyed at the major league level, and they continue to help develop players who will impact the organization in the future."
The Chiefs were affiliated with the Cubs from 1985-1994 as well so this new agreement will give the Cubs and Chiefs a total of 18 years together in partnership at the end of the 2012 season.
"This has been a great relationship over the past three seasons and we look forward to the next five years as a member of the Cubs organization," said Chiefs President Rocky Vonachen. "We are fortunate to be able to have an affiliate so close to home with such a large and passionate fan base in the area."
The first 10 years of the Cubs-Chiefs affiliation saw the beginning of the career of Mark Grace, Greg Maddux, Dwight Smith, Joe Girardi, Rafael Palmeiro, Mike Harkey, Jerome Walton, Heathclif Slocumb and many other Major Leaguers. Since the start of the second partnership in 2005, the Chiefs have helped start the careers of Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson and Sam Fuld who all made their debuts in Chicago in 2007.
Over the past three seasons, the Chiefs have twice set single-season attendance records as a Cubs affiliate. Sixteen sellouts over the last three seasons are among the top 35 crowds in franchise history, and nine of the top 15 gates have come since the start of the 2005 season. The relationship with the Cubs has also produced home rehab assignments by Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Nomar Garciaparra, Henry Blanco, Juan Mateo and Wade Miller. The Garciaparra rehabs on July 27 and 28, 2005 produced the only two crowds to top the 9,000 mark in franchise history.
The team has had success on the field as well over the last three seasons with an overall record of 214-204. The 2006 team won the First Half Western Division title under former Cubs All-Star Jody Davis before falling in the first round of the playoffs. The 2007 squad, managed by Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, shared a Second Half Western Division title with a 40-30 record but missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker.
In addition to their player development contract with the Chiefs, the Cubs also signed four-year agreements Wednesday with their other affiliates in Triple-A Iowa, Double-A Tennessee and Single-A Daytona. Chicago agreed to a two-year deal with Single-A Boise through 2010. By the end of these current contracts, the Cubs will have enjoyed a total of 75 seasons of relationships with its five minor league affiliates.
The relationship between the Chicago Cubs and Iowa is now set to reach 31 seasons, as 2008 will mark the 27th season that Iowa has served as the Cubs Triple-A affiliate. That is the 12th-longest connection among the 159 affiliated minor league teams. The Orioles and Single-A Bluefield hold the record at 49 years through 2007. Next season will mark the 16th in which Chicago has been affiliated with the Daytona Cubs, the eighth season the organization has partnered with the Boise Hawks, and its second season with the Tennessee Smokies.
Ticket Information
The Chiefs home opener is set for Monday April 7th at 6:30 PM against the Beloit Snappers following a season opening four game road trip. Season ticket packages for the 2008 season are currently on sale. Ticket packages include 70-game package, 35-game package, 17-game package, and a Build Your Own package (minimum 12 games). Group tickets are also on sale for all O'Brien Field party areas and the seating bowl for all 70 home games. Individual game tickets will go on sale in March 2008. For more information or to purchase season or group packages, call the Chiefs account executives at (309)-680-4000.
The entire 2008 promotional schedule will be released at a later date. For more information check the official team website at Peoria Chiefs
PEORIA, IL- The Chicago Cubs and Peoria Chiefs have announced that the Cubs Caravan is returning to Peoria on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at the RiverPlex and will be highlighted by pitcher Ted Lilly, catcher Geovany Soto and prospects Tyler Colvin and Rocky Roquet.
In addition to the four players, Cubs Assistant General Manager Randy Bush, Vice President of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita, Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild and Bench Coach Alan Trammell will be on the Caravan as well. Radio broadcaster Cory Provus will emcee the event.
Lilly was second on the Cubs staff in wins in 2007 finishing 15-8 with a 3.83 ERA over 34 starts. The 15 wins marked the most by a Cubs left-hander since 1993 and nine of those 15 wins came after a Cubs loss. The 31 year old established a new career high with 174 strikeouts while walking just 55 over a career best 207 innings pitched. Lilly won seven consecutive decisions from June 15-July 25 and he worked at least 6.0 innings in 24 starts.
Soto had a breakout season in Triple-A Iowa in 2007 and made enough of an impression in September to be the Cubs primary catcher in the postseason. In 110 games for the Iowa Cubs, Soto hit .353 with 26 homers, 31 doubles and a Pacific Coast League best 109 RBI. He saw action in 18 games for the Cubs hitting .389 (21-for-54) with three homers and eight RBI. Soto collected six multi-hit games in his 15 September outings and added one postseason home run. Soto was the first catcher to win Pacific Coast League MVP honors since Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1989 and the first Iowa Cubs catcher to hit more than 20 homers. He was also named to the Futures team at the All-Star Game and selected as the Cubs 2007 Minor League Player of the Year. Soto never played in the Midwest League, skipping from Boise in 2002 to Daytona in 2003.
Tyler Colvin, the Cubs 1st round draft pick in 2006, split the 2007 season between Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee hitting a combined .299 with 16 homers, 35 doubles and 81 RBI. The 22 year old outfielder played in 63 games for Daytona with a .306 average before a mid-June promotion to the Southern League. In 62 games for the Tennessee Smokies, the former Clemson Tiger hit .291 with nine home runs. The Cubs top prospect, Colvin also skipped the Midwest League after hitting .313 with 11 homers and 53 RBI in his 2006 debut with Short-Season Boise in 2006. He was the Cubs lone representative on the Gold Medal winning Team USA in last month's IBAF Baseball World Cup in Taiwan.
Rocky Roquet was the Chiefs dominant All-Star closer for the first portion of the 2007 season. In 19 outings in Peoria, Roquet was 0-0 with 11 saves and just one earned run over 25 innings for a 0.36 ERA. The right-hander out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo struck out 29 and walked 11 in the Midwest League prior to his May 27th promotion to Daytona. In the Florida State league, Roquet was 1-0 in just three appearances and allowed one run over six innings before being promoted to Double-A Tennessee. The 25 year old finished the season with the Smokies going 4-0 with a 3.63 ERA and seven saves in 28 appearances as the Smokies made the postseason. Overall in 2007, the California native was 5-0 with 18 saves and a 2.29 ERA while striking out 80 and walking just 30 in 70.2 innings of work. Roquet's balance of work earned him an invite to the prestigious Arizona Fall League where he did not earn a decision in six outings before a hernia prematurely ended his season on October 29th.
The event at the RiverPlex will begin at 5:45 PM with doors opening at 4:30 PM. All Cubs personnel will sign ONLY 200 autographs each. Each person attending the Caravan will be given a lottery ticket, chosen at random, entering the facility. This ticket will indicate the line they should enter to receive an autograph. This policy has been set by the Chicago Cubs and will be strictly enforced.
Following the 45-minute autograph session, the program will begin promptly at 6:30 PM. The program will include a question and answer segment with the Cubs players and front office members, videos highlighting the Cubs and Chiefs 2007 seasons, ticket information for the Cubs and Chiefs, information on the Cubs and Chiefs Booster Clubs and a dinner. Tickets are available starting Monday December 17th at O'Brien Field, Bergners in Pekin and the Sheridan Village Bergners in Peoria, Sports Corner in Peoria Heights, Brunk's Sports Center in Washington, Bartonville Bank, and Morton Community Bank for $15.00 each. No tickets will be sold at the door. All proceeds from the event go to the Cubs Boosters benefiting local Little League programs. Hot dogs, chips, beer and soda will be served at the RiverPlex.
Parking for the event at the RiverPlex will be limited. Event goers are encouraged to use the A2 CAT lot located on the corner of Hamilton and Water after 5:00 PM or the Riverfront parking lots. The Chiefs will provide shuttle transportation to and from the parking lot to the RiverPlex. The media press conference for the Caravan will be held at O'Brien Field on January 17th beginning at 4:00 PM. According to the Cubs wishes, all members of the Caravan will be available at the press conference for one-on-one interviews with any accredited media. Any questions should be directed to Nathan Baliva at nathanb@chiefsnet.com or 309-680-4018.
Ticket Information
The Chiefs home opener is set for Monday April 7th at 6:30 PM against the Beloit Snappers following a season opening four game road trip. Season ticket packages for the 2008 season are currently on sale. Ticket packages include 70-game package, 35-game package, 17-game package, and a Build Your Own package (minimum 12 games). Group tickets are also on sale for all O'Brien Field party areas and the seating bowl for all 70 home games. Individual game tickets will go on sale in March 2008. For more information or to purchase season or group packages, call the Chiefs account executives at (309)-680-4000.
The Fans Have Spoken: River Bandits Returns To The Quad Cities
After a four-year absence the River Bandits will once again be the name of professional baseball in the Quad Cities, winning a two-phased ReName the Team contest in overwhelming fashion, the club announced at a John O'Donnell Stadium press conference on Thursday.
The ReName the Team contest began in August, as local baseball fans had the opportunity to submit suggestions for the new team name. The most popular choices were then narrowed down to six finalists, enabling fans throughout the Quad Cities to support their favorite pick during an online vote in September.
River Bandits emerged as the clear-cut favorite, garnering more than 51 percent of the tally with 7,212 total votes. Better than 14,000 fans chimed in during the contest, which saw the name Channel Cats finish second with 30 percent of the vote. The other four options - Talons, Current, River Eagles, and Swing - all received between four and six percent of the total vote.
"The fans have spoken loud and clear," announced Main Street Iowa's Dave Heller, Managing Partner of the group that completed their purchase of the club less than two weeks earlier. "This community clearly has strong positive associations with the name River Bandits, and as we look forward to our first season running the club we are glad to embrace that sentiment. Our goal is to return to the days when going to see the River Bandits was one of the most popular things to do in the Quad Cities."
That means that 2008 will mark the second coming of the River Bandits, which served as the team's moniker from 1992-2003 before shifting to the Swing of the Quad Cities in conjunction with the unveiling of the renovated John O'Donnell Stadium prior to the 2004 season. During the organization's first 32 seasons in the Midwest League from 1960-1991, the club was known as the Braves, Angels, and Cubs, reflecting their Major League parent club at the time.
The new primary logo features a black and gray raccoon donning a bandit hat and wearing a red bandana over his mouth while holding a baseball. Behind the raccoon is an image of Centennial Bridge outlined in gold, sitting above the text, "Quad Cities River Bandits." Alternate logos and hats will be unveiled next week and the new uniforms will be unveiled in late January.
The logo was the result of a unique collaboration between two acclaimed graphic designers, Francis Santaquilani of FSDesign and Todd Radom of Todd Radom Design.
"The River Bandits new logo will have broad appeal," said Santaquilani, the designer of the raccoon. "It captures the spirit of Minor League Baseball as well as the Quad Cities."
"The new logo has a 'lively' personality," commented Randy Jacobs, CEO of local marketing agency Jacobs Thoms. "The overall impression is aggressive but at the same time fun. The raccoon character adds some emotion to the icon and the colors are vibrant and positive, supporting a lively personality."
"This is an exciting day for baseball in the Quad Cities," said Bob Herrfeldt, co-owner of Main Street Iowa. "We wanted a logo that was bright, colorful, fun, fan-friendly, and completely distinctive to the Quad Cities. This logo accomplishes all of that and much more. It's a winner."
"The great thing about this logo is its versatility," said Kirk Goodman, Vice President of Main Street Iowa. "It works just as well with pre-schoolers as it does with teenagers, parents, and grandparents. Folks of all ages are really going to love it!"
"As soon as the contest started, it was clear that there was a lot of sentiment among the fans for the River Bandits name," added General Manager Ben Burke. "Talking to people around town that certainly seemed to be the popular choice. Now we have a great opportunity to come out with fresh new logos that portray a new day for River Bandits baseball while paying homage to the history and tradition that the name already comes with."
Indeed, the original River Bandits burst onto the scene with a bang, setting a franchise record that still stands with a 91-win season in 1992. The same year also saw a record 250,745 fans pass through the gates, a mark that was surpassed two years later when the post-flood campaign of 1994 drew 260,471 to the ballpark. The River Bandits qualified for the playoffs in seven of those 12 seasons, as local baseball fans were treated to the likes of future big leaguers Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Billy Wagner, and Richard Hidalgo.
news 12/15
Midwest League
