Benjamin Hill joins MLB Central to discuss his latest adventures in Rocket City, sword-swallowing memories in the Southern League, his upcoming road trip to Durham, Down East and Greensboro and explains why he enlists designated eaters on every visit

Welcome to Promo Preview, a monthly roundup of Minor League Baseball promotions to look forward to. Incendiary Independence Day ballpark spectacles are now in the rearview mirror, but July has plenty more in store. Highlights include meaty aromas, computer-generated jerseys and taking it easy on the water. Jump in.

Welcome to Crooked Numbers, a monthly column dedicated to Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. The June edition features a doubles deluge, oppositional surnames, way too many walks and, of course, much more.

The Arkansas Travelers are the only Minor League team to be named after a mid-19th century folk song. The roots of the moniker belie the roots of the franchise, as Little Rock-based teams bearing the Travelers moniker date back to the turn of the 20th century. The current iteration of the Texas League franchise, a Double-A Seattle Mariners affiliate since 2017, was established in 1963. See what else Ben discovered on his visit.

From a reptile storming the outfield to a runner swapped from second base to another organization, here are some of the weirdest, wildest, wackiest occurrences and statistical mindbenders that took place across the Minor Leagues in the last month.

After a multi-season hiatus, Crooked Numbers returns with a heaping portion of Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. Triple-A action earns a monopoly on wackiness for the early portion of the 2024 season.