Of the six players named Rollie to have played in the Majors, Fingers was the best. But today, 10/23, please take a moment to recall Rollie Naylor. He was the last pitcher to go 10-23 in a season, as a member of the 1920 Philadelphia Athletics. Welcome to the Baseball Traveler newsletter. Let's talk about Minor League Baseball. |
ARE YOU READY TO BUMBLE? A LOOK AT THE BEES’ NEW DIGS |
Salt Lake City first hosted a Pacific Coast League team named the Bees in 1915, less than 20 years after Utah was granted statehood. Today's Triple-A iteration was established in 1994, with their current affiliation with the Angels beginning in 2001. From that inaugural '94 season through 2024, the Bees operated out of Smith's Ballpark in downtown Salt Lake City. The Wasatch Mountains loomed beyond the outfield, resulting in an atmosphere of unrelenting grandiosity. |
In 2025, the Bees relocated to a sleek new home with a somewhat less sleek name: The Ballpark at America First Square. It, too, boasts a spectacular view of the Wasatch Mountains (and the Oquirrh Mountains, no slouch themselves, are visible from the first-base side of the ballpark). |
The Ballpark at America First Square is otherwise very different from its predecessor, starting with the fact that it's not located in Salt Lake City. It resides approximately 20 miles south, in the town of South Jordan, within the master-planned community of Daybreak. |
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America First Square, meanwhile, is Daybreak's still-in-development entertainment district, of which the ballpark is the centerpiece. America First Square contains a megaplex (move theater, arcade and bowling alley) adjacent to the ballpark's main entrance, and will soon contain a variety of other retail, restaurant and residential buildings. |
America First Square is being developed by the Larry H. Miller Company, whose portfolio includes, but is far from limited to, the Bees, the ballpark and two local pro soccer clubs. The company is also the primary player behind Big League Utah, the effort to land a Major League Baseball expansion franchise in Salt Lake City. |
The ballpark's centerfield entrance opens up onto America First Square. The less-trafficked home plate entrance is perhaps more striking, as it features panels of sheet metal with views of the Wasatch Mountains etched into them. |
To recap: The Bees are a Triple-A Pacific Coast League team playing in a master-planned community, owned by a group with much larger developmental interests, within a metropolitan area with Major League aspirations. If this specific set of circumstances sounds familiar, it’s because it also applies to the Las Vegas Aviators. The Ballpark at America First Square is similar to the Aviators' Las Vegas Ballpark as regards design and location. Going through my files, these were the most analogous photos I could find. Las Vegas Ballpark: |
The Ballpark at America First Square: |
There are approximately 6,500 fixed seats in the ballpark, with an overall capacity of 8,000, resulting in a more intimate feel than what could be found at Smith's Ballpark. The seating bowl is segmented into a variety of levels and price points. |
The Field Level Suites, located down a flight of stairs from the main concourse, offer an incredible close-up view of the action. |
Batter's Box Seats, located behind home plate on the first- and third-base sides, bring premium movie theater-style comfort to the ballpark. |
The left field-side of the ballpark is home to a spacious miniature golf course, but perhaps it could be more accurately described as a putting green. It is devoid of whimsical obstacles and could be utilized as a practice space for serious golfers (should serious golfers somehow find the need to practice at a Minor League Baseball ballpark). Braeden Botts, an MLB live content coordinator who accompanied me on this late summer excursion, lined up for his shot while in the shadow of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. |
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Further displays of athleticism could be found in the batting cages, where I stopped to take some swings during a tour of the facility with Bees senior director of baseball operations Derek Amicone (the son of former Bees president general manager Marc Amicone). |
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the player development facilities at the Ballpark at America First Square are top notch. "The surface and the look of the ballpark, the aesthetics of it, everything is phenomenal," Bees manager Keith Johnson told me. "It's an atmosphere that makes you want to come to work." Hitting coach Alonzo Powell said that it's "top of the line," with the amenities (specifically video rooms and batting cages) and atmosphere exceeding his previous three favorite ballparks to work within: Dayton's Day Air Ballpark, Indianapolis' Victory Field and Las Vegas Ballpark. |
"We have a lot more space here, functional space," said catcher Zach Humphreys, comparing it to Smith's Ballpark. "We have two [batting] cages on our side, the visiting side has their own cages." I also asked Humphreys about "dirty soda," a Utah phenomenon in which soda is combined with cream, juice or syrup. "My go-to order at [dirty soda chain] Swig is a Coke with vanilla cream," he said. "But my wife and daughters are suckers for a Texas tab, which is Dr Pepper, coconut cream and vanilla [syrup]. We're from Texas, so they love their Dr Peppers." A Swig outpost is located onsite at The Ballpark at America First Square, but I forgot to visit while in the midst of an otherwise thorough rampage through the concession offerings. In this endeavor I was joined by Designated Eater Morgan Moyes, whose job was to consume the ballpark cuisine my gluten-free diet prohibits. Morgan, accompanied by her husband, Mason, was shepherded through her culinary journey by vice president of food and beverage operations Dominic Derboghossian (far left) and executive chef Leonard Love. |
Morgan, a self-described former "TikTok star and billboard star for a local Korean BBQ restaurant," was a perfect fit for the role of Designated Eater. Energetic, eloquent and unafraid. |
The item in the above photo is the All-Star Dog, a Smith's Ballpark holdover created by the late Larry Miller and his wife, Gail. "We got a very fluffy bun, fresh tomatoes, a juicy dog, queso on top with the peppers and onions, grilled to perfection," said Morgan, talking while trying (with moderate success) to wipe cheese off of her face. |
Another highlight was Brisket Mac and Cheese from the Bumble's BBQ stand, served in a baseball bowl. |
"The mac and cheese is super-cheesy and creamy, the noodles are not overcooked. They're very firm, almost al dente," said Morgan. "And the brisket here, not super fatty but super tender. And the sauce on top, a little bit tangy, very delicious." How about some Chicken and Waffles? |
"I missed breakfast this morning, so this is perfect," said Morgan. "The bread and butter adds to the sweetness of the syrup. The waffle's nice and crispy and the coating on this chicken is perfectly crisp. Oh, delicious! I want more of this!" And there was more, including the Pastrami Sandwich and a Quesadilla Burger, but I've already droned on too long. When at a Salt Lake Bees game, it's best to leave drone displays to the professionals. |
Earlier this month I attended the Minor League Baseball Business Summit in Indianapolis. A good time was had by all, including me. While there I conducted interviews with three people who were feted during the Summit, and these interviews were doled out within the last two episodes of The Show Before the Show podcast. In Episode 524, hear from Biloxi Shuckers broadcaster Javik Blake (Future Star Award) and Reno Aces president Eric Edelstein (the Aces won a Golden Bobblehead in the category of Best Ticket Sales and Service Campaign). In Episode 525, Sacramento River Cats president and COO Chip Maxson (Executive of the Year) talks about navigating a challenging and ultimately rewarding season. Between the River Cats and the A's, Sacramento's Sutter Health Park hosted 151 games! Oh, and lest I forget: It is (never not) alternate identity unveiling season. In 2026, the Winston-Salem Dash will take the field as the Carolina Reapers. |
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