MLB to Small Town America: Drop Dead

[BrownScribe]

As someone who grew up in the Salem-Keizer area, I can confirm that Jerry Walker is a grade-A ashhole. Super cheap too. It's a wonder the Volcanoes lasted as long as they did there. Also, the stadium is kinda dumpy now.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Oh you are right, "MLB compliant" is total bullship and many of the requirements are totally unnecessary. But it's another way to exert control over MiLB and to push out the few remaining mom & pop owners.

Worth noting: in the case of PK Park and the Eugene Emeralds, "not MLB compliant" means no locker rooms, no clubhouse, and no changing facilities in the building itself. Visiting players have to use the port-a-potties in the fan area.

I love the Emeralds. I have very fond memories of spending summers at Civic Stadium watching them play. It sucks that they'll have to leave Eugene, but the problem is not the MLB standards. The problem is PK Park.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Worth noting: in the case of PK Park and the Eugene Emeralds, "not MLB compliant" means no locker rooms, no clubhouse, and no changing facilities in the building itself. Visiting players have to use the port-a-potties in the fan area.

I love the Emeralds. I have very fond memories of spending summers at Civic Stadium watching them play. It sucks that they'll have to leave Eugene, but the problem is not the MLB standards. The problem is PK Park.

It worked much better for the short-season Emeralds, because UO had cleared out of the home locker room (IIRC) and there were no scheduling conflicts. But UO had no reason to add upgrades they would never use to make it 'MLB compliant" and spend even more to expand a facility they generally can't fill now, other than the occasional Super Regionals or after the spring football game.

 

[HanSenSE]

It worked much better for the short-season Emeralds, because UO had cleared out of the home locker room (IIRC) and there were no scheduling conflicts. But UO had no reason to add upgrades they would never use to make it 'MLB compliant" and spend even more to expand a facility they generally can't fill now, other than the occasional Super Regionals or after the spring football game.

One of my many concerns, with the Ems being the Giants top Clash A affiliate, when the NWL was made a full season league. From all accounts, PK Park is a nice yard, but it's still a college park. That and PNW weather.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

I loathe to defend MLB for ... well, anything, but the scope of the minor-league stadiums left them in a no-win situation. They *had* to come up with some way to get the oldest parks up to the current standards.

Our local stadium was like 15 years old when that came out, and in amazing shape and condition, with great amenities, and there was a lot of hand-wringing when they had to find room and money to add locker rooms for potential female umpires, and food-service areas and workout space for the visiting teams, LED lights, etc.

I can't imagine what some of these oldest parks would have had to do to become "compliant," but the threat of losing the team seems to be the only threat that carried any weight in a lot of these places.

 

[dixiehack]

The article says the union - which now includes minor leaguers - is actually good with the Arkansas law.

 

[Starman]

Just wait until 2030, when MLB plans to completely eliminate one of the minor league clashes, as well as accelerate the transition of the current Clash AAA to a "reserve squad" arrangement, to more closely emulate the ultimate perfection of the Euro sports model.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Just wait until 2030, when MLB plans to completely eliminate one of the minor league clashes, as well as accelerate the transition of the current Clash AAA to a "reserve squad" arrangement, to more closely emulate the ultimate perfection of the Euro sports model.

As much as I love minor-league baseball, as big a part of my youth it was, and as big a role it plays in the sporting fabric of this country, it is incredibly inefficient from a purely business model, with each organization employing 120 or so players so maybe 20 of them can eventually play in the majors.

The NBA and NFL perform quite well without minor leagues (the D league is not developmental, like MiLB. The top young players in organizations don't get seasoned there).

 

[justgladtobehere]

As much as I love minor-league baseball, as big a part of my youth it was, and as big a role it plays in the sporting fabric of this country, it is incredibly inefficient from a purely business model, with each organization employing 120 or so players so maybe 20 of them can eventually play in the majors.

The NBA and NFL perform quite well without minor leagues (the D league is not developmental, like MiLB. The top young players in organizations don't get seasoned there).

Teams don't know which 20. Even so, the 20 need some people to play against.

Baseball does need minor leagues. Even most college players need a few years and international players need somewhere to play for years.

 

[Starman]

The general plan, I gather, is that each team will have a reserve / "JV" team, which will include marginal replacement level/Clash AAAA players, which will play either at the same location (the same park) as the parent team or in the same metro area; an "advanced developmental" team of players within a year or so of the bigs, and a "early developmental" team of highly ranked prospects signed hot out of HS or added in yearly supplemental drafts.

The three levels would correspond most directly to today's Clash AAA, Clash AA and High-A.

Many or most teams would operate their reserve teams in their own parks in an arrangement directly comparable to the varsity/JV structure at most high schools. ( JV Yankees play at 1 pm, the varsity plays at 7 pm -- or vice versa.)


The current AAA host cities would have the option to bump down to the new "Level 2" which in turn would bump down some current AA to the new "Level 3," etc etc.

Everybody else -- the roster fillers -- would be consigned to play with "independent" teams. Once or twice per year there would be transfer periods during which MLB teams could draft or purchase players from the indy leagues.

 

[Twirling Time]

I read the story. MLB is not packing up and heading out of Arizona for a couple hundred thou for paying instructional league players a little extra. They have hundreds of millions sunk in the Cactus League.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Teams don't know which 20. Even so, the 20 need some people to play against.

Baseball does need minor leagues. Even most college players need a few years and international players need somewhere to play for years.

Yes, they do need the minors, no argument there, and I'm glad they do, they are part of Americana. The Buffalo Bisons were a huge part of my youth, a great bonding experience for my dad and me.

But they are terribly inefficient.