MLB to Small Town America: Drop Dead

The Braves' minor-league teams are all owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings (itself owned by the private equity firm SilverLake), which owns a total of 36 minor-league teams around the United States. The M-Braves were always the geographic outlier at 347 miles away from Atlanta, and if Greenville, S.C., had cared enough to maintain its ballpark then the G-Braves wouldn't have moved there.

 

Would be interesting to see which major league team's minor league operation has the smallest footprint. I'd imagine Atlanta is near the top of the list, especially with AAA so close. Perhaps Baltimore.

 

Discounting the Florida and Dominican Republic complex leagues, I think it's either Washington or Baltimore.

 

Aren't all the Red Sox teams in New England?

 

No. One is on Salem, Va and another is in Greenville, I believe.

They used to have 3 MIL teams in NE until the minor league consolidation. Now it's just Portland and Worcester.

I don't think there are A-leagues around the area anymore.

 

Except for Salem, Va.

The winner could be the Phillies: Lakewood, N.J., and then Reading and Allentown.

 

And (as was mentioned) the Greenville Drive in Greenville, SC.

All the Tigers' franchises are close; two in Michigan, one in Toledo and one in Erie.

 

The Lakeland Flying Tigers would like a word. As would the Clearwater Threshers as a Phillies farm team.

 

I think the spring training site teams are ignored because of the new setup.

 

We're not talking about the Gulf Coast complex league that starts in June.

The Florida State League is a real full-season Low-A league, with 10 teams wearing honest-to-God uniforms and mascots and crappy walk-up music and really overpriced stadium food, just like every other minor league in the United States. The Daytona Tortugas (that's a turtle, by the way) play in a stadium that doesn't have a spring training affiliation. The Threshers (that's a shark) are the only team that seems to have decent attendance, although the Tampa Tarpons game was packed with 12-year-old Little Leaguers all clamoring for a foul ball because it was Kids Running Amok Night.

It's been a minor league since before I've been around, and if it doesn't exist, I want my money back from Bradenton, Tampa, Lakeland, Clearwater and Dunedin because I saw all five teams play back in April. Not to mention watching the Brevard Manatees, Vero Beach Dodgers, Fort Lauderdale Yankees and West Palm Beach Expos over five decades. (Actually, I've seen more defunct FSL teams then there are current ones: In addition to the four I mentioned, add Cocoa, Miami, Key West, Pompano Beach, Winter Haven, Baseball City and St. Petersburg.)

Dad and I wondered if Willie McGee would ever hit enough to reach AA, let alone the big leagues. Where Pat Tabler spent three seasons in Fort Lauderdale. Watched Steve "Bye Bye" Balboni hit homers. And where my Dad thought Mike Piazza would get cut mid-season because he was a terrible hitter. Man, I've seen a lot of 18-21 year old kids playing baseball.

2024 Florida State League | Baseball-Reference.com

 

Yeah my bad, total brain fart, I've even been to old Joker Marchant Stadium or whatever it was called.