Saturday, August 29

Welcome to the Baseball Traveler newsletter. Did you know that in the history of Major League Baseball no team has scored more than four runs before getting their first hit? Tell that to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who on Tuesday scored eight runs before getting a hit! That's weird. Weird is good. Let's stay weird. Let's talk about Minor League Baseball.

On three occasions this season the Columbus Clingstones will transform into the Scrambled Dogs, paying homage to a local culinary specialty at their home of Synovus Park.

When asked to describe the scrambled dog, Pete Laven, general manager of the west Georgia-based Double-A Braves affiliate, prefaced his remarks with a warning: "It's not for the fainthearted." 

"It's a hot dog and bun submerged in chili and then cut up with the bun still on the hot dog," Laven explained. "They say the red hot dog is the best one to use, to add color to it, and then the chili kind of wells up to the edge of the bowl. Then you add shredded cheese. Oyster crackers are part of it. Then you can add onions, pickles, whatever you need. Some people put hot sauce on it. Anybody that's from Columbus has grown up with it, so I learned pretty quickly [when I moved here] where to get the best scrambled dog."

That would be Dinglewood Pharmacy, where Lieutenant Stevens (his given name, not a military rank) began serving up his version of the scrambled dog in the 1940s. A historical plaque in front of this iconic establishment traces the dish's development over a 100-plus year period, mentioning the three presidents (FDR, Eisenhower, Carter) who have consumed them as well as the fact that "Prince Charles was treated to the scrambled dog served on a sterling silver plate."

"You walk in there today and you feel like you're walking back in time a little bit," said Laven. "They still have the pharmacy. You can still buy your normal daily needs there. But it also has the long bar with the soda jerk-type fountains and the circular seats, and scrambled dogs are still on the menu."

The Clingstones began work on the Scrambled Dogs' alternate identity prior to their 2025 inaugural season, preparing it to join a Minor League Baseball alternate identity landscape that already includes the dish's Northeast equivalent, the Rochester Plates.

The primary logo features an anthropomorphic red hot dog emerging from a morass of chili, joyfully holding the spoon that will soon be used to deliver him into the mouth of a ravenous human. The look was brought to life by Studio Simon's Dan Simon, a veteran logo designer who collaborated with a local artist, Mike Jones, who also co-owns the Columbus hot dog restaurant Frank's Alley.

Laven said that, prior to the revealing of the Clingstones name prior to the 2025 season, many local fans suggested using Scrambled Dogs as the team’s primary identity. That notion has a long history. In 1989 and 1990, the city was home to the Columbus Mudcats, who then relocated to Zebulon, N.C. and became the Carolina Mudcats. That iconic catfish moniker was chosen over the runner-up: Scrambled Dogs.  

"That [history] just reinforces that we made the right decision with our first alternate identity," said Laven. "It'll make a lot of sense to people and it'll make a lot of people happy."

The Clingstones will play as the Scrambled Dogs on May 30, July 31 and Sept. 5. And, yes, you’ll be able to get a scrambled dog at the ballpark. The team debuted a version last year and now they're tweaking the recipe.

"[Clingstones concessionaire] Oak View Group is already working on that," said Laven. "But you know, you’ll always hear 'Well, there's only one place you've got to go to.' … This is just paying homage to the people at Dinglewood Pharmacy and Lieutenant Stevens."

In case you missed it last week, I wrote a story on 11 great promos taking place during the 2026 season. It includes, but is not limited to, comatose reptiles, elderly beauty pageants and 19-letter team names. Check it out below and, as always, if you attend any of these games send me an email with your report on the experience.

READ A ROLLICKING ROUNDUP OF NOTABLE 2026 PROMOS HERE

In a similar vein, I have also written an article on nine stellar Minor League promos taking place this month. I am partial to the Altoona Curve’s “Tribute to the Penny” on April 15, but there’s a lot of good stuff in there. Per usual!

READ A SCINTILLATING SYNOPSIS OF TOP APRIL PROMOS HERE

One of the promos featured in the above story is the Reno Aces' Reno Silver Sox throwback identity. This prompted reader Michael Berberich to send me this picture of a classic commemorative cup, obtained at a Reno Silver Sox "Beer Night" in the 1980s. What a beauty.

Last week's episode of "The Show Before the Show" podcast featured our annual Opening Day Draft, in which Sam, Tyler, Kelsie, Josh and yours truly selected our top picks in various categories related to the Minor League Baseball experience. Listen HERE. 

The Palm Beach Cardinals and Jupiter Hammerheads share a ballpark, Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. On April 15, they'll play at a different location, Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, for the annual Jackie Robinson Celebration Game. Holman Stadium is located in what used to be Dodgertown, the Spring Training complex established by Branch Rickey in 1948. It is now known as the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.

Here's a photo I took of Holman Stadium, from when I attended the Jackie Robinson Celebration Game in 2015.

Confused about the changes taking place in the California League this season? Then print out this picture and keep it handy in your wallet. Also: Make a note that while Modesto is out of the Cal League, it is now home to a Pioneer League team called the Roadsters. 

Finally, you may as well keep this map in your wallet as well. My cartographically inclined colleague Kelsie Heneghan produces a new version of this gem every season and it is, as always, a beauty.

I appreciate you being here. Get in touch any time: benjamin.hill@mlb.com and please follow me on Instagram (@thebensbiz), X (@bensbiz) and Bluesky (@bensbiz.bsky.social). See you next week.

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