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The joys of scorekeeping: A personal testimony

Reader shares his journey to becoming an official scorer
@BensBiz
February 21, 2023

This story was excerpted from the Ben's Biz Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Readers share their MiLB scorekeeping stories

An ode to the joys (and occasional frustrations) of scorekeeping
@BensBiz
February 20, 2023

This story was excerpted from the Ben's Biz Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Fans provide more favorite ballpark views

Take in the sights from Daytona to Albuquerque and back again
@BensBiz
February 10, 2023

This story was excerpted from the Ben's Biz Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Fan-favorite ballpark views offer fresh perspective

From Salt Lake to Bowie, MiLB provides a magnificent spectacle
@BensBiz
February 9, 2023

This story was excerpted from the Ben's Biz Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Minor League exec of the year reflects on career

TinCaps' Mike Nutter discusses leadership within evolving industry
@BensBiz
December 9, 2022

This article was adapted from an interview conducted for The Show Before the Show podcast. Listen to the full conversation with Mike Nutter here. SAN DIEGO -- After more than three decades working in Minor League Baseball, Mike Nutter has seen just about everything. But on Sunday evening, not long

What's in a name? Rochester's baseball legacy

Morrie Silver, named after grandfather, dedicated to Red Wings
@BensBiz
November 3, 2022

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Morrie Silver, director of communications for the Rochester Red Wings, has a name that looms large in the city's baseball history. He's carrying on a multi-generational Red Wings legacy started by his namesake grandfather, whose biggest accomplishment was nothing less than saving the franchise. The Red Wings,

CLT royalty: Knights unveil updated logos 

Approaching anniversary season, Charlotte unveils city-centric look
@BensBiz
November 1, 2022

Celebrating their past while looking toward the future, the Charlotte Knights unveiled a new set of logos and uniforms on Tuesday evening. The Knights' updated look -- promoted with the tagline "It's All Charlotte" -- comes in advance of a milestone campaign as 2023 marks the White Sox affiliate's 30th

Space Cowboys soar with bountiful brisket, more

Sugar Land Designated Eater tackles Howdy Dog, 'cosmic' dessert
@BensBiz
October 27, 2022

This post marks the first installment in a recurring Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter offseason series, detailing the concession highlights at each Minor League ballpark that I visited in 2022. At each stop of the way, I was joined in culinary solidarity by my Designated Eater, a local fan who consumes

Herd Chronicles dives deep into Buffalo baseball

Bisons fan Brian Frank tells team stories, from 1877 to the present
@BensBiz
October 26, 2022

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Brian Frank is on a mission that can be summarized in seven words: preserving the history of Buffalo Bisons baseball. When it comes to this storied franchise, there is a lot of history to preserve, arguably more than in any other current Minor League Baseball locale. Buffalo,

Mighty Mussels help with Hurricane Ian recovery

Fort Myers' Loveland discusses storm prep, impact and aftermath
@BensBiz
October 21, 2022

This article is based on an interview conducted for this week's Show Before the Show podcast. To listen to the full episode, click HERE.

Barnacle Barb, mateys: Erie's pirate emcee

SeaWolves' Szelinski develops sassy, seafaring alter-ego
@BensBiz
October 14, 2022

ERIE, Penn. -- Early in the 2021 season, just a few games into her new job as the Erie SeaWolves' on-field emcee, Cailyn Szelinski had an idea. "Makeup and costuming is a hobby of mine," she explained. "So I asked [the SeaWolves front office], 'Hey, look, I'm crazy enough to

Wichita's Crane advocates for blind, disabled

Wind Surge employee joined by guide dog, Vaughn, at the park
@BensBiz
October 13, 2022

WICHITA, Kansas -- As fans approach the entrance of Wichita’s Riverfront Stadium, home of the Wind Surge, they are greeted by a pair of friendly faces: Andrew Crane and his guide dog, Vaughn. Crane, who has cerebral palsy and was born blind, was one of the first gameday employees hired

11 teams on top: 2022 Minor League champs

A level-by-level overview of this season's triumphant title winners
@BensBiz
October 6, 2022

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE. THESE ARE THE CHAMPIONS After a weekend of winner-take-all Triple-A action in Las

Navarro travels unique path to OKC Dodgers

Chicago native started Minor League career after serving in Navy
@BensBiz
October 5, 2022

OKLAHOMA CITY -- On November 8, 2009, the Arizona Cardinals rolled to a 41-21 victory over the Bears at Chicago’s Soldier Field. For the majority of the 62,000 fans in attendance, it was a game to forget. Not so for A.J. Navarro. The Bears may have been underwhelming on the

Field of Genes: Rochester's father-son team

Red Wings' ballpark grounds crew headed up by Buonomo duo
@BensBiz
September 23, 2022

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Gene and Geno Buonomo are separated by one letter and not much else. Gene is the head groundskeeper for Triple-A Rochester while Geno, his son, is the assistant groundskeeper. As for how Geno came to Gene's line of work, it must've been in the genes. Right? "Uhhh,

Field general: Rosoff goes from Army to Erie

West Point graduate balances careers in baseball, military
@BensBiz
September 21, 2022

ERIE, Penn. -- When Double-A Erie catcher Jon Rosoff steps to the plate at UPMC Park, an Army running cadence song plays over the PA. This anomalous walk-up music, more evocative of boot camp than ballgame, encapsulates Rosoff's dual existence. Since signing with the Tigers organization in 2018, he's balanced

Yes to Yaya: Erie embraces energetic reliever 

SeaWolves' Chentouf an extroverted, exuberant fan favorite
@BensBiz
September 16, 2022

ERIE, Penn. -- Yasin Chentouf, a bearded, long-haired and compactly built SeaWolves relief pitcher, has always had a gift for gab. It's just who he is. This propensity for loquaciousness resulted in his nickname, which he's had for the entirety of his baseball career: Yaya. "My first year playing baseball,

Snake bites: Timber Rattlers chef elevates cuisine

Behrman caters to Appleton appetites with diverse ballpark menu
@BensBiz
September 9, 2022

APPLETON, Wisconsin -- It's one hour before game time, and Charles Behrmann is busy. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers executive chef is working out of a spacious ballpark kitchen, stationed in front of a battery of sizzling deep fryers and frequently checking on the various items baking in the adjacent ovens.

A look at late season Negro League tributes

Paying homage in Bowie, Mississippi, Frisco and Wilmington
@BensBiz
September 8, 2022

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE.

Keep it, throw it back: MiLB teams bring past to life

Diablos, Warthogs and Boll Weevils experiencing on-field revivals
@BensBiz
September 6, 2022

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. Subscribe HERE.

Riding the tube: Beloit fans float to ballpark

Sky Carp stage inaugural Rock River "Drift to the Diamond"
@BensBiz
September 1, 2022

Beloit, Wisconsin's Midwest League team may have a fish in its name, but Sky Carp is actually a slang term for a goose. Nonetheless, the Marlins' High-A affiliate still has an affinity for, and proximity to, the water. This was made abundantly clear this past Sunday, as fans traveled to

Snappers to Sky Carp: Beloit fans stick with team 

Pat and Ken Arndt reflect on Pohlman Field's intimacy, accessibility
@BensBiz
August 31, 2022

BELOIT, Wisconsin -- 2021 marked the end of the line for Pohlman Field, home of Beloit, Wisconsin’s Midwest League team since 1982. During that farewell campaign, the High-A Miami affiliate, then known as the Snappers, had seven full-season ticket holders. Not 700, 70 or even 17. Just seven. Pat and

Visiting Bricktown's Oklahoma Sports HOF

OKC Dodgers' ballpark also houses shrine to Sooner State greats
@BensBiz
August 24, 2022

OKLAHOMA CITY -- "Astronauts, country music stars and athletes, we seem to just spit 'em out." That's Justin Lenhart's succinct summation of Oklahoman occupations that have made an outsized impact on American culture. As curator of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Lenhart's focus is on the "athletes" portion of

Get the popcorn: Joey Chestnut visits Indy Indians

Competitive eating superstar preps for upcoming record attempt
@BensBiz
August 22, 2022

For the average baseball fan, popcorn is a snack to be savored over the course of several innings. For Joey Chestnut, it's to be eaten nonstop at rapid speed over the course of eight suspense-filled minutes. At 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23, prior to the evening's Indianapolis Indians game

Ball hogs: St. Paul's porcine baseball legacy 

For as long as they've existed, Saints have celebrated pigs
@BensBiz
August 19, 2022

ST. PAUL, Minnesota -- During their inaugural 1993 campaign at Midway Field and in every season since, the St. Paul Saints have employed a ball pig whose job is to deliver baseballs to the home plate umpire. These saddlebag-wearing dugout messengers are the most prominent aspect of a gameday experience