Oklahoma, OK?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Baseball America reports Buffalo have had enough of losing, will likely go steady with the Blue Jays next year, meaning the Mets' 2013 AAA team likely winds up... in Oklahoma City.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/business-beat/2012/2613872.html

[MFS62]

Makes sense that Toronto would want to have their AAA team in Buffalo. Its about a $20 cab ride (depending on the current rate of exchange). But I hope if that happens, the Mets will find a AAA city closer than OKC.

Later

[TransMonk]

1327 mile flight from OKC to NYC. Wowsers!

[Ceetar]

Maybe they can steal Scranton from the Yankees if they lose Buffalo.

[Gwreck]

The contract between the Yankees and Scranton isn't up at the end of the year.

As stated in the articles, these are the cities whose AAA contracts expire at the end of the year:

Buffalo and Rochester in the International League; and
Albuquerque, Fresno, Las Vegas, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans and Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League.

By default, the Mets' affiliate will be in one of those cities. The article explains why it's not likely to be Albquerque, Fresno, Memphis, Nashville or Rochester.

[Ceetar]

Gwreck wrote: The contract between the Yankees and Scranton isn't up at the end of the year. As stated in the articles, these are the cities whose AAA contracts expire at the end of the year: Buffalo and Rochester in the International League; and Albuquerque, Fresno, Las Vegas, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans and Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League. By default, the Mets' affiliate will be in one of those cities. The article explains why it's not likely to be Albquerque, Fresno, Memphis, Nashville or Rochester.

there argument against Rochester is tentative at best.

[HahnSolo]

I don't know the answer to this, but can a AA city "move up" to AAA? Why does it simply have to be an existing AAA city?

[Gwreck]

Ceetar wrote: there argument against Rochester is tentative at best.

It is obvious that if Buffalo doesn't want to re-sign with the Mets, then Rochester is the best option. Pressure's on, Sandy.

I don't know the answer to this, but can a AA city "move up" to AAA? Why does it simply have to be an existing AAA city?

For the same reason that an AAA team can't just become a major league team. Those 30 AAA franchises are the ones who are admitted to their respective leagues.

Note that AAA franchises can and do move from one city to another.

[bmfc1]

Minor league musical chairs and the Mets lose, again (remember New Orleans?).

[Ceetar]

bmfc1 wrote: Minor league musical chairs and the Mets lose, again (remember New Orleans?).

may lose again. They were reported to have lost Buffalo two years ago if I recall too.

[bmfc1]

Objection sustained; let the record reflect that the Mets "may" lose Buffalo.

[Frayed Knot]

HahnSolo wrote: I don't know the answer to this, but can a AA city "move up" to AAA? Why does it simply have to be an existing AAA city?

It can and does happen (although not often) because, as GWreck says, only a certain number of cities (ownerships really) have a contract with the Int'l League and the PCL. So something like Binghamton simply 'moving up' to become a AAA city (I'm assuming you're thinking something along these lines) could only come about if the IL were to opt for Binghamton instead of one of their existing cities/groups.

Round Rock, Texas (essentially Austin) was the last city I remember doing that.
Nolan Ryan owned the AA Round Rock team and wanted to put a new AA team in Corpus Christi -- except that rules prevent one ownership from controlling two teams in the same league. So he solved that by buying the AAA team that was located in Edmonton, Alberta and worked out an arrangement to transfer them to Round Rock (probably wasn't too hard to convince the PCL of the benefits of that move). At the same time he transfered the AA team from RR, Tex to CC, Tex and, presto, he had one team at each level.

Then there's also the problem of meeting the requirements for each level of play. Binghamton might not have the minimum size of either its market or stadium to qualify for the Int'l Lg. Brooklyn would have the city size but not the stadium size and then there's the whole problem with the Yanx having territorial rights (just because they agreed to a single-A team doesn't mean they'd agreed to let a AAA team in "their" city).
The Round Rock/Austin area had grown enough in recent years to where it became AAA sized but Ryan still had to expand the existing stadium to get it up to AAA standards as well as arrange for a new one to be built in Corpus Christi in order to make all the above moves work.

[Ceetar]

If the Mets do end up in the PCL I'm going to enjoy the overreaction to some of the Mets higher-up position guys suddenly having breakout years.

[Frayed Knot]

The PCL certain is a more hitting-friendly/pitching-tough league than the IL so everyone has to keep that in mind when evaluating those on both sides of the ball.

However that generalization doesn't apply evenly to every stadium.
New Orleans was actually more pitcher friendly than not. Not sure about OKC

[ashie62]

Put them in Roswell New Mexico..The 51'ers

[Frayed Knot]

Rochester, previously the only IL AAA franchise aside from Buffalo with its affiliation agreement up for grabs beyond this year and said to be considering replacing the Twins, instead re-ups with the with the Twins. This means that the list of AAA affiliate choices going forward includes Buffalo plus and any one of eight different PCL cities:

Alburquerque - current agreement = Dodgers for the last four years running but also for a number of years before that. Agreement said to be working well.

Fresno - Giants since 1999. Obvious logical local affiliation with Giants, although city hit hard by recession and attendance down significantly.

Las Vegas - Blue Jays since 2009. Jays expected to opt for move to Buffalo. Vegas said to be the most out-of-date stadium in the PCL

Memphis - Long-time Cardinals affiliate in the middle of Cardinals country. Unlikely to change.

Nashville - Brewers. Change called unlikely. Possibility of new stadium in the works makes market attractive.

New Orleans - Marlins since Mets left. Change possible

Oklahoma City - Houston since 2011. Change possible.

Tuscon - Padres. Whole franchise is in question since it's owned by outgoing Padres owner Jeff Moorad and had been in Portland, Oregon through 2010.


The two-week "Free Agency" period when teams can begin negotiations with un-attached affiliates begins on Sept 16

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Speaking of Triple A affiliates, here is a trivia question.

What do these Triple A baseball team have in common (MLB affiliates in parentheses)?

Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis)
Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh)
Lousiville Bats (Cincinnati)
Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee)
Columbus Clippers (Cleveland)
Sacramento River Cats (Oakland)

I stole this question from Slate's Hang Up and Listen podcast, so recuse yourself from the trivia question if you've heard it before.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

state capital teams

[Chad ochoseis]

Memphis and Louisville aren't.

AAA teams located on the same interstate highway as the parent club? Memphis and St. Louis are both on I-55, Columbus and Cleveland are both on 271. Not certain about the others.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Chad Ochoseis wrote: Memphis and Louisville aren't.

I totally sorta knew that.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Nope, but Chad is on the right track with the relationship of the minor league cities to the major league cities.

[bmfc1]

Here's an idea that won't happen because the Wilpon's are in financial trouble: build a AAA-sized ballpark in Suffolk and put the Mets AAA there. The Mets own the team so they aren't moving, it's close to home, and it helps build/reinforce the Mets fanbase in Suffolk County. Heck, call them the Ducks. But since the Wilpons don't have money, the Mets JV will be 3/4 of the way across the country, playing in a league with inflated stats.

[Frayed Knot]

bmfc1 wrote: Here's an idea that won't happen because the Wilpon's are in financial trouble: build a AAA-sized ballpark in Suffolk and put the Mets AAA there. The Mets own the team so they aren't moving, it's close to home, and it helps build/reinforce the Mets fanbase in Suffolk County. Heck, call them the Ducks. But since the Wilpons don't have money, the Mets JV will be 3/4 of the way across the country, playing in a league with inflated stats.

Read some of the above posts and see the several reasons why your scheme CAN'T happen - none of which having anything to do with the Wilpon finances.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Nope, but Chad is on the right track with the relationship of the minor league cities to the major league cities.

All are in the demarcated major-league "territory" of their respective parent clubs?

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Mets � Willets Point wrote: Nope, but Chad is on the right track with the relationship of the minor league cities to the major league cities. All are in the demarcated major-league "territory" of their respective parent clubs?

Milwaukee/Nashville is the stumbling block here - and for most of the other connections I can think of.

[seawolf17]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Mets � Willets Point wrote: Nope, but Chad is on the right track with the relationship of the minor league cities to the major league cities. All are in the demarcated major-league "territory" of their respective parent clubs?

All of them could beat the Mets right now?

[bmfc1]

Frayed Knot wrote: Here's an idea that won't happen because the Wilpon's are in financial trouble: build a AAA-sized ballpark in Suffolk and put the Mets AAA there. The Mets own the team so they aren't moving, it's close to home, and it helps build/reinforce the Mets fanbase in Suffolk County. Heck, call them the Ducks. But since the Wilpons don't have money, the Mets JV will be 3/4 of the way across the country, playing in a league with inflated stats. Read some of the above posts and see the several reasons why your scheme CAN'T happen - none of which having anything to do with the Wilpon finances.

I know--but it would be nice if it could happen.

[Ceetar]

on the other hand, like I need another excuse to go to Vegas?

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Speaking of Triple A affiliates, here is a trivia question. What do these Triple A baseball team have in common (MLB affiliates in parentheses)? Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis) Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh) Lousiville Bats (Cincinnati) Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee) Columbus Clippers (Cleveland) Sacramento River Cats (Oakland) I stole this question from Slate's Hang Up and Listen podcast, so recuse yourself from the trivia question if you've heard it before.

One more hint: it would be impossible for any team that affiliated with the Mets to join this group.

[MFS62]

You can't get a good pastrami sandwich there?

Only other thing I can think of is that I was stuck in their airport at least once.
Later