Offseason Update: Oct. 6, 2020
As expected, the PBA between MLB and MiLB has expired with barely a whimper, except maybe MiLB’s concession that it’s down to 150 communities. Perhaps there are some lawsuits pending or threatened that just haven’t seen the light day yet.
Speaking of which, the minor-leaguers won a small victory with the SCOTUS denying MLB’s appeal of the class-action status granted to the long-running lawsuit (Senne vs. Royals, filed in 2014) brought by minor-leaguer-turned-attorney Garrett Broshius over wage and pay issues.
Folks smarter than I am have noted that most class-actions eventually settle. Indeed, it might be the wisest course of action: write some big checks (and claim them as a tax write-off, natch) to a few dozen players, then impose legal wages and working conditions when the plantations re-open minors start back up.
When and where, as repeatedly noted, is still TBD…
Allowing the MiLB situation to drag on is just atrocious. Franchises need to know who the sponsoring MLB team will be, which league they will be in, and if they will still exist at all. Manfred again proves himself not to understand the sport of baseball and of the business side of MiLB.
The last time the PBA was allowed to expire, the talks went into the next year – enough for teams to start considering signing their own players. BA just published an “insidery” article that suggests that the earliest we’ll hear anything will be after the November election.
OK, I need a refresher of where the Nats’ minor-league system stands, within the threatened framework. The horrid contract to play in Fresno expired in 2020, right? So I think the Nats currently have no AAA home. I believe Harrisburg is thought to be safe for AA. The A+ team was already relocating from Woodbridge (“Potomac”) to Fredericksburg for 2020, and Fredericksburg should be safe with the new park. I can’t remember whether the A-level location, Hagerstown, was one of those threatened. I think they are wanting to close down the entire NY-Penn and GCL rookie leagues, which would eliminate the teams in Auburn, NY, and West Palm Beach, although of course West Palm would still have spring training.
I may not be right about some of these details. Also, who knows whether MiLB will think about some radical realignment along the lines that our friend Sao has suggested. I’m pretty sure there would still be a team in Frederickburg, and probably Harrisburg as well. But beyond those places, who knows?
Nothing formal has been published since the initial list cutting 42 minor league teams. The Nats had two teams on the cut list:
– Low Class A Hagerstown
– Short-season Auburn
Under the current plan, the 30 teams would have 4 minor league teams (AAA, AA, High A, Low A). Harrisburg and F’burg are the two current Nats affiliates that are expected to be safe. That said, the re-organization is so extensive there’s no guarantee that Harrisburg will stay in AA or that F’burg will stay in High A. Either could move up or move down. The one good things that could come out of this mess would be a AAA affiliate in the Eastern Time Zone, but don’t think any details have been leaked.
I started to reply (and pile on because I agree), but after it reached more than 200 words I realized that’s my next post. But for a one-sentence preview: People outside our bubble aren’t grasping just how radical the changes in what we call MiLB could actually be.
Cue Steely Dans New Frontier ..
Post Adam Eaton era . Perhaps dawn of an era with a mystery stew free agency addition by Rizzo
Cue Jeff Skunk Baxter guitar solo ..
I also had the thought that Fredericksburg might end up at possibly the AA level, but the stadium is awfully small for that, at only 5,000 seats. Perhaps they could add another layer to the stands. The other issue is that they moved away from the population density of Woodbridge and Prince William County. The Fredericksburg population is only 25,000. (The Pfitz never would have been fit for AA, of course. But plans to rebuild the stadium where it was would have made a lot more sense than building in a big ditch by Wegman’s, which was the proposed site. But I digress.)
Fredericksburg’s location and stadium cry out A+, not AA. Besides, Harrisburg has one of the most beautiful stadiums in America.
I think the Supreme Court decision is a much bigger deal.
Hagerstown and Auburn are screwed (awful attendance, mediocre facilities, bad locations) and Fresno is a candidate to be demoted to the California League (and won’t be renewed as a Nats affiliate either way), so the Nats will likely need a couple new affiliates. Harrisburg and Fredericksburg should be fine.