Brian in Boston Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 13 hours ago, rams80 said: I'm pretty sure Quad Cities is one of the best stadiums in the Midwest League. They were only on the list because Houston made the list and Houston was mad that changes to the local railway made the stadium inaccessible in the event of a Mississippi River flood. Though Modern Woodman Park is often recognized as one of minor league baseball's better stadiums, and certainly one of the finest in the Midwest League, it is from the perspective of fan experience and the amenities available to customers. That said, few Midwest League ballparks are as barebones when it comes to the quality of facilities dedicated to player development and comfort. While no Major League Baseball parent organization is actively encouraging minor league affiliates to forego adding the types of bells-and-whistles to their ballparks that make attending games at places like Modern Woodman Park more pleasant for the paying customers, that also isn't the primary concern for the big league organizations when it comes to assessing facilities. This reorganization of the minors is, ultimately, about improving Major League Baseball's on-field product. That's directly tied to the development of players. As a result, MLB teams want their minor league prospects playing in facilities that boast state-of-the-art clubhouses, training rooms and workout areas, batting and pitching cages/tunnels, meeting rooms, player and coaching staff dining areas (including the quality of food), etc. This is why, with few exceptions, the bulk of the teams being marked for elimination as affiliated minor league clubs have come from the ranks of the former Short Season A and Rookie classifications. The player development-related facilities in the ballparks at those classifications lagged well behind what was to be found in the typical modern AAA and AA stadia. Frankly, even some A classification ballparks of the modern era (Fayetteville, Lake Elsinore, Myrtle Beach, Winston-Salem, Augusta, Columbia, Fort Wayne) boast player development-related facilities closer to being on par with AAA than Short Season and Rookie ball. The result? The former Rookie classification Pioneer League is now an independent circuit designated an official MLB Partner League, the former Rookie classification Appalachian League is now a collegiate summer league operating within the MLB and USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline, and four teams from the former Short Season A New York-Penn League (joined by the former AA Eastern League Trenton Thunder) are set to take the field in the newly-minted summer collegiate MLB Draft League. Now, to be sure, exceptions exist. For example, as I've mentioned elsewhere in this thread, there are going to be ballparks in Northwest League markets that are going to survive this restructuring of the minors in spite of their current player development facilities being no better - and, in some cases, worse - than such amenities in ballparks in Midwest League cities. Why? Because MLB leadership also want to provide Major League teams in the nation's westernmost markets with Class A affiliation possibilities closer to their home cities as part of this reorganization. However, you can bet that those Northwest League clubs that do make the cut are either playing in ballparks that were amongst the (relatively) better-rated facilities in said league, or they've been notified that they're on-the-clock to raise the quality of said facilities significantly. Similarly, the Hudson Valley Renegades and Brooklyn Cyclones are now the High A Mid-Atlantic League affiliates of, respectively, the Yankees and Mets in spite of Dutchess Stadium and MCU Park sporting lackluster development amenities. Certainly, that has a great deal to do with the parent-clubs wanting their prospects close to home. Still, unless MLB and its two New York-based franchises want to give disgruntled former affiliated minor league franchise owners ammunition to be trotted out in potential court cases, one would think that player development-related upgrades are in the works for the stadia in Wappingers Falls and Coney Island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Honest question, Would upgrading the player facilities really pay off down the road? Especially given the current direction of player retention which is "'retire, b!tch' unless you're a hall of famer" once you are eligible for free agency." On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said: You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now. On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said: Today, we are all otaku. "The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010 The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 On 12/5/2020 at 2:12 PM, rams80 said: Honest question, Would upgrading the player facilities really pay off down the road? I don't think the MLB suits are all that concerned about whether upgrading the player development-related facilities will "pay off", as they're not planning on footing the bill for the inclusion of such amenities. Manfred-and-Company already have minor league franchise owners and local political leaders jumping through hoops to ensure that their teams and communities retain a seat at the affiliated minor pro baseball table right now. Paying for state-of-the-art clubhouses, training rooms and workout areas, batting and pitching cages/tunnels, meeting rooms, and player and coaching staff dining areas in affiliated minor league ballparks is going to become a requirement for any farm team owner and/or community looking to secure - or, retain - a team. Look at how quickly the powers-that-be in Beloit, Wisconsin committed to spending upwards of $35-million on the new ABC Supply Stadium just in the hope of keeping Midwest League baseball in the community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Knight Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Looks like JJ is now reporting PDL invites will go out on Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubsFanBudMan Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Just saw this shared, FWIW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthStar74 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 I have a question.. is the American Association going to lose the St. Paul Saints to the Pacific Coast League? I still see St. Paul listed but is there anything going on? Ice Hockey International Winnipeg Braves (Bobby Hull Division 18-3-0 1st place as of March 14, 2011)2010-11 O'Brien Trophy for Bobby Hull Division championship & Jack Riley Cup for top team in league regular season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsfan7 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 38 minutes ago, NorthStar74 said: I have a question.. is the American Association going to lose the St. Paul Saints to the Pacific Coast League? I still see St. Paul listed but is there anything going on? The Saints have been confirmed as the Twins AAA affiliate, but it is still unclear whether they will play in the PCL or Int'l League Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthStar74 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 4 minutes ago, sportsfan7 said: The Saints have been confirmed as the Twins AAA affiliate, but it is still unclear whether they will play in the PCL or Int'l League Ah ok.. that would mean the Saints are moving from the AA to the PCL or Int L?? Ice Hockey International Winnipeg Braves (Bobby Hull Division 18-3-0 1st place as of March 14, 2011)2010-11 O'Brien Trophy for Bobby Hull Division championship & Jack Riley Cup for top team in league regular season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopard88 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 10 hours ago, CubsFanBudMan said: Just saw this shared, FWIW. If this is accurate, the Bowie Baysox would be the odd team out among Orioles affiliates, which I haven't seen discussed as a significant possibility. Almost everything I have read to date said the battle was between Aberdeen and Frederick . . . and my assumption has been that Frederick would lose to Cal Ripken. Instead, Frederick would be promoted from A to AA. Most Liked Content of the Day -- February 15, 2017, August 21, 2017, August 22, 2017 ///// Proud Winner of the CCSLC Post of the Day Award -- April 8, 2008 Originator of the Upside Down Sarcasm Smilie -- November 1, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC985 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 11 hours ago, CubsFanBudMan said: Just saw this shared, FWIW. I don’t think the Charlotte Stone Crabs will be contracted only because that’s where Tampa Bay’s spring training facility is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Frederick's out. On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said: You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now. On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said: Today, we are all otaku. "The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010 The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzcut Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Bachelorette-like tweet: The CCSLC's resident Geelong Cats fan. Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. Sounds like something from a Rocky & Bullwinkle story arc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Knight Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Looks like Port Charlotte is out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopard88 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 1 hour ago, rams80 said: Frederick's out. So much for the summary posted earlier. That said, this isn't necessarily a terrible thing for Frederick. It's obviously a step down from A ball, but I have a feeling the MLB Draft League will actually be sort of interesting. Most Liked Content of the Day -- February 15, 2017, August 21, 2017, August 22, 2017 ///// Proud Winner of the CCSLC Post of the Day Award -- April 8, 2008 Originator of the Upside Down Sarcasm Smilie -- November 1, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDAWG Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 13 hours ago, CubsFanBudMan said: Just saw this shared, FWIW. None of the Rangers affiliates are surprising at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raysox Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 #ProRelforMILB @MichaelDanger19 | Dribbble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Knight Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 OFFICIAL LIST - Fresno has yet to respond... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCarp1231 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 I live in Frederick. This is gonna be a big blow to a lot of people. It definitely sucks, but I’m happy to see that it’s not necessarily bad news. I still would’ve preferred a new team affiliation to, say, Pittsburgh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnPheitseog Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 39 minutes ago, DNAsports said: I live in Frederick. This is gonna be a big blow to a lot of people. It definitely sucks, but I’m happy to see that it’s not necessarily bad news. I still would’ve preferred a new team affiliation to, say, Pittsburgh. Honestly, I didnt even consider Frederick for Pittsburgh. That would have been amazing, even more so than Greensboro Formerly known as DiePerske Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigEd76 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 If that list is accurate, one of the Midwest League teams needs to move to the new Mid-Atlantic one. Also the "Carolina League" will have Rome GA in it The Tri-City for the Angels appears to be the Northwest League one that was on the original cut list, not the NYPL one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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