2019 MLB postseason thread

As usual, Major League Baseball takes something that's not broken and tries to screw it up. The minor leagues are making massive amounts of money compared to 40 years ago, because families and organizations in smaller markets can afford to sit in the boxes at the DBAP or Indianapolis or Sacramento and be entertained by the sumo wrestlers and the mascot races and the goofy promotions for a tenth of what it would cost to travel to Atlanta, Chicago or San Francisco and pay overpriced parking, concessions and tickets to watch the same game.

Wish I knew more about the specifics, because some of the ideas aren't that stupid. There's really no reason for any team east of the Rockies (hello Memphis and Nashville) to play in the PCL when every team in the IL is closer than traveling to Tacoma, Sacramento or Fresno. And the Appy League stadiums are definitely worn out, but that's the beauty of short-season rookie league baseball. I'd hate for everything below low A to become extended spring training in either Florida or Arizona, especially at the expense of little towns like Bristol, Elizabethton and Johnson City, who wait all year for those six weeks of summer fun.

But this smacks more of a "build a newer stadium or you're out" threat to places like Erie, Asheville and maybe even Syracuse and Rochester. The historical significance of those places is completely lost on MLB, just like Rockingham and North Wilkesboro to NASCAR.

 

And Baron basically beat me to the punch while I was finding the words that he already typed.

 

I'll join the choir too. I'm thinking of places like Butte and Great Falls (just as examples) where the Pioneer League yard also serves as home for Legion and other youth teams.

I'm reminded of when the AHL shuffled several teams from the east to ECHL cities like Stockton, Bakersfield and Ontario at the behest on NHL teams in the west, with the cities losing teams getting an ECHL team.

But some affiliation agreements make no sense geographically, like when the Blue Jays and later the Mets were in Las Vegas and the Nationals' current deal with Fresno.

 

Honestly, what the hell is there to do in some of these little towns other than minor league baseball? People in Montana ain't driving to see the Mariners or Twins play. But I'll make the hour drive to Greenville to watch the Drive. While the Savannah Bananas have their little wood bat league schtick and there are a number of "independent leagues" in various stages of profitability, that really won't move the needle in places used to organized professional teams.

 

Another thought - keep more of these minor leaguers in their home countries or extended spring training (Arizona and Florida) where the culture shock isn't as brutal for non-English speakers.

 

The only thing that would make sense is if you did alter SOME classifications so that Washington's Triple-A team isn't in Fresno and Milwaukee's isn't in San Antonio. Do some stuff like that to get closer hubs.

Of course they could easily do that in some sort of -- good of the game act -- Washington gets Nashville, the Dodgers get Fresno, the Rangers get Oklahoma City -- but that would make too much sense

 

All I know is there is a team in Adelant0, Calif—a town which is nothing more than a truck stop, meth houses and a two-lane highway. I don't think they would be losing a whole lot if that team went away. Anyone in Victor Valley can take 20 or 30 extra minutes and go to Lancaster and see a game there. The only down side is Adelato's park is actually nice. The Jethawks is basically concrete steps for seats and some boxes.

 

Adelanto ceased operation after the 2016 season and moved to the Carolina League along with the franchise that was in Bakersfield.

Adelanto, Mavericks Ownership Reach $3.8 Million Settlement

Adelanto is now one of the top cities in producing legal cannabis. So there's that.

Proposed cannabis park may become Adelanto's largest

 

Well said. I live in a Double-A city in the Southern League and it's a good fit. It's an affiliate with strong regional ties, the 15-year-old stadium holds about 7,500 that the team can fill on occasion or for special events (college games involving the state's D-I teams draw sellout crowds) and it's just the right size to do all of that. Most of the time, though, they draw maybe 1,000 or 2,000 a game on a weeknight if they're lucky.
They're also in a league with a lot of similar-sized markets -- a number of whom have built new ballparks in the last 10-20 years and are reasonable travel distance from each other. With a couple of exceptions (Birmingham and Jacksonville) there's probably not the population to pull 7,500 a game for Triple-A ball.
I think the Eastern League is in a similar situation.
Maybe there's something to be said for realignment in Triple-A, where there is considerable travel involved, and maybe even consolidating some of the various levels of Single-A. But on the whole the things they're talking about don't seem to be the problems they need to solve.

 

One other thing to gripe about with this proposal: How the fuck are the Class A owners supposed to come up with $10-12 million to move up to Triple A?

This nearly tops the Trump stuff as the dumbest thing I’ve read today.

 

Bako did get a Pecos League team, don't recall if Adelanto did. Marijuana Night does have potential though. One oh the pot shops here sponsors the symphony.

 

"Baseball has to be a great game to survive the fools that run it" -- Bill Terry.