The Spinners are one of nine teams in the New York-Penn League on the chopping block. The letter was co-authored by representative Lori Trahan of Massachusetts’ third district, which includes Lowell, home of the short-season Class-A Spinners. “If enacted, it would undermine the health of the minor league system that undergirds talent development and encourages fan loyalty,” the letter states. On Tuesday, 106 congresspeople signed a letter to commissioner Rob Manfred calling for MLB to reconsider such drastic measures in the minor leagues. The real negative here is the future of the game has been put in jeopardy a little bit.” Congress chimes in We want to do what we can to continue to grow baseball,” said Jeff Lantz, senior director of communications for Minor League Baseball, to SB Nation. “Our goal is to keep baseball in the 160 minor league markets that we currently have. That’s what this really comes down to, is losing access to professional baseball in markets that either aren’t close to a major league city or would like a more affordable alternative. Three Double-A teams on the cut list released statements Tuesday condemning the proposal, including Binghamton: “No one is stealing hometown American baseball from The Bing, or any other city in America, without a fight.” All four of my clubs are easily in compliance with that.” “We are trusting that they’re telling the truth when they say this is really about facilities standards, and the 25 percent - their figure - of minor league baseball parks that are not in compliance with MiLB facility standards. “We are taking Major League Baseball at its face value,” Heller told SB Nation. ![]() Three of which - Class-A Quad Cities in Iowa, short-season Class-A Lowell, Massachusetts, and rookie-level Billings, Montana - are on the cut list, though Heller expects them to still be affiliated with major league teams in 2021 and beyond. Coleman said changes include two new video boards, replacing the playing surface, upgrading the batting cage structure, plus restrooms and concessions.ĭave Heller is the president and CEO of Main Street Baseball, a group that owns four minor league teams. In 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf approved a grant that included $12 million in upgrades to UPMC Park in Erie. Our facilities meet standards, so it’s not about standards.” Without having all the details, the Double-A teams on this list are likely affected because another market opened up as a result of changes in the lower minors. “The most widely speculated transition would be the Binghamton Mets going to Brooklyn, New York, because you can bring your Double-A team closer to your major league team. “The way I look at it is if they are indeed looking to eliminate the lower levels of minor league baseball, there are a couple of markets here and there to regional major league teams,” said Greg Coleman, president of the Erie SeaWolves, during an interview with SB Nation. Still, there are four Double-A teams on the cut list - Chattanooga and Jackson in the Southern League, plus Binghamton and Erie in the Eastern League. These cuts, if enacted, would essentially consolidate the affiliated minors into four levels - Triple-A, Double-A, Advanced Class-A and Class-A - plus the complex leagues at teams’ various spring training facilities. The Florida Fire Frogs, a Braves affiliate in advanced Class-A, are also on the cut list, after two straight years of dismal attendance in Kissimmee, averaging just 327 per night, roughly a quarter of the Florida State League average. The only team in the league not on the cut list is the Yankees affiliate in Pulaski, Virginia, whose 2,821 average attendance topped the Appalachian last year. The nine Appalachian League teams on the cut list averaged a collective 1,072 fans per game in 2019, including six teams averaging under 1,000. Most of these teams are at the lowest levels of affiliated teams, with 28 of the 42 teams either in rookie level or short-season Class-A ball. The New York Times on Saturday reported the 42 teams on the proposed chopping block. ![]() ![]() Cooper of Baseball America detailed a proposal from MLB that would eliminate roughly a quarter of all minor league teams. ![]() The underlying Professional Baseball Agreement that codifies the working arrangement between Major League Baseball and minor league teams expires after the 2020 season. The minor leagues as we know it could look wildly different after 2020, but the change won’t happen without a fight.
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