Ben Hill

The main entrance to the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark.

A panorama of the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark from outsidea spacious event space on the second deck.

The exterior of the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark, lit up in Hillsboro blue and green.

I won a pair of signed, custom Kiké Hernàndez Adidas cleats at the Hops Fund auction, benefitting local youth baseball and softball programs.

Some not too spectacular phone pics from the Hillsboro Hops Fund banquet, the first open doors event at the very spectacular new ballpark.

In his second season of pro ball in 1978, Dave Righetti appeared in 13 games for the Tulsa Drillers. During a game against Midland on July 16, he struck out 21 batters in a 9 inning game. A record that still stands.

In 1951, Bob Turley of San Antonio struck out 22 in a 16 inning game.

The Carolina Mudcats have moved on. In their place will be the Zebulon Devil Dogs of the Coastal Plain League. Five County Stadium lives!

Tasmanian devils are from Australia, and the team's "roster will feature Australian players in a unique partnership with Oz Ball Australia"

2026 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC WORLD FEED BROADCAST TEAMS FOR POOL PLAY POOL A: PUERTO RICO TYLER MAUN PLAY-BY-PLAY RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH ANALYST POOL B: HOUSTON RICH WALTZ PLAY-BY-PLAY DAN PLESAC ANALYST JP MOROSI REPORTER POOL C: JAPAN STEPHEN NELSON JOSÉ MOTA PLAY-BY-PLAY ANALYST POOL D: MIAMI PAUL SEVERINO PLAY-BY-PLAY YONDER ALONSO ANALYST For the U.S. audience, all World Baseball Classic Games to Air Across FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes, Tubi & the Fox Sports App

Three years ago when I got to announce this, it felt like I was dreaming. This time around, it’s still the same. Can’t wait to get to San Juan and bring you everything from Pool A.

Also, you can start your days with @stephennelson.bsky.social from Tokyo, and close them with us in PR! NO SLEEP!!!

New teams! New logos! Refreshed logos! More!

A look at which Minor League teams will sport fresh looks in 2026:

atmlb.com/4ask60j

Been meaning to order Mike's book, just did. Another item off my Czech list.

My mechanic’s waiting room should win some sort of interior design award.

I'm not a fan of Titus Andronicus but I do have vague memories of the early 2000s Fox sitcom Titus.

Anyhow please listen to the podcast:

Erie SeaWolves have won this round of the alternate identity insult battle

One of my newsletter readers sent me pictures he took of an abandoned ballpark in Frederickstad, St Croix (US Virgin Islands)

Anyone know anything about this place?

If you're interested in Minor League attendance numbers then boy oh boy today is like Christmas.

The Number Tamer's full 2025 season report just dropped:

bit.ly/4aivps1

This is something I always ask teams when writing about logos because, yeah, they sometimes neglect to credit the designers in their own press releases and social posts.

The Lynchburg Hillcats are no longer. Cleveland's Single-A affiliate shall henceforth be known as the Hill City Howlers.

More info on a monstrous new identity:

www.mlb.com/milb/news/ly...

Whoa...Todd is one of the logo design greats. It's a guarantee that this book will be beautiful.

Bidets in MLB ⛲️🚽 (pre-CWS)

2002: Bidet sprays David Eckstein in face (MLB Japan All-Star Series in Tokyo)

2004: Lou Piniella holds bidet demo for Rays (MLB Opening Series in Tokyo)

2020: Rays install bidets for Yoshi Tsutsugo

2025: Dodgers add bidets to clubhouse at Roki Sasaki’s request

Griff McGarry delivers a pitch for the Reading Fightin Phils. The logo for The Show Before the Show is in the top-left corner.

New MiLB podcast is up.

Features my chat with Nationals prospect Griff McGarry on his road to becoming a Rule 5 pick. Also, @bensbiz.bsky.social looks at new alternate identities, and @tylermaun.com and I discuss the Cardinals' haul from the Donovan trade.

Listen here: www.mlb.com/milb/fans/po...

Leroy Stanton

One of my favorite obscure baseball facts ...

Leroy Stanton played nine seasons in MLB and produced these splits:

vs RHP: .244 BA, .388 SLG
vs LHP: .244 BA, .388 SLG
Home: .244 BA, .388 SLG
Road: .244 BA, .388 SLG
Career: .244 BA, .388 SLG

Includes discussions about Honkers, Dogmen, Mud Turtles and Rock Cats. Just another week in Minor League Baseball.

The legendary Hank Aaron was born 92 years ago today. Baseball’s home run king visited the Inland Northwest in 1987, hosting a youth clinic and throwing out the first pitch on Opening Night at Avista Stadium. #BlackHistoryMonth

The Wichita Wind Surge have a new alternate identity. Share responsibly.

Congrats to @emmatieds.bsky.social, the voice of the Portland Sea Dogs, for achieving Minor League Baseball immortality. Well-deserved.

This is the Minor League Baseball energy we need:

After Munetaka Murakami recommended adding a bidet to the White Sox clubhouse, the Winston-Salem Dash (a White Sox affiliate) were inspired to do the same.

Please pay tribute to the positive developmental environment he creates with a "Salute to Cancel Culture" theme night.

Oh, nice. Haven't seen this for a while.

Gonna be fun to see this on the field for ca-nine innings.

Viva! La Woman rules. Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori. Heady atmospherics and avant-garde sensibilities mashed with quirky food-centric lyrics and heavy beats. Self-consciously stupid. Eternally wise. Very NYC. Very 1990s. It had few precedents and there hasn't been much like it since. True classic.

Here's a folkloric new alternate identity. Great Lakes Loons gonna transform into the plural of Dogman.

The Altoona Curve's newest alternate identity pays tribute to the Altoona Mud Turtles, members of the Pennsylvania State League in 1893 and 1894.

Schmear Campaign: An Ode to Cream Cheese highlights 2026 Renegades theme night schedule a celebration of the popular spread which was

These are the kind of press release headlines I like to see, thank you Hudson Valley Renegades:

SCHMEAR CAMPAIGN: AN ODE TO CREAM CHEESE HIGHLIGHTS 2026 HUDSON VALLEY RENEGADES THEME NIGHT SCHEDULE

I was at the final New Britain Rock Cats game of all time in 2015. I threw out a first pitch, taking the mound just prior to Rocky the Rock Cat.

And now, the Rock Cats are back!