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MLB proposal seeks to eliminate 42 minor league teams

Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:21 pm
Posted by Warheel
Member since Aug 2011
2235 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:21 pm
SI.com

Pretty radical proposal by MLB. It could be posturing since their agreement with MiLB is expires next year, but it looks like MLB is looking to increase minor league salaries by reducing the number of minor league players.

It would do away with two entire leagues (rookie level Appalachian and Pioneer).

Other proposals (not in this article) are reducing the number of rounds in the draft to 20 or 25 and moving the draft later in the summer.
Posted by kengel2
Team Gun
Member since Mar 2004
33577 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:23 pm to
They should add promotion/relegation like soccer.
Posted by Mr Sausage
Cat Spring, Texas
Member since Oct 2011
15537 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:26 pm to
Hoping that Sugar Land team becomes the Astros A ball team!
Posted by Trauma14
Member since Aug 2010
6483 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:26 pm to
This times a 1000. At minimum, they should do it at the minor league level. Reward teams and cities that produce good teams and stadiums.
Posted by fillmoregandt
OTM
Member since Nov 2009
14368 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:27 pm to
quote:

They should add promotion/relegation like soccer.





Would love to see this in the NBA especially
Posted by FightnBobLafollette
Member since Oct 2017
12204 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:31 pm to
quote:




Would love to see this in the NBA especially



Lol

Who you promoting?
Posted by ProjectP2294
South St. Louis city
Member since May 2007
75938 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:32 pm to
quote:

Hoping that Sugar Land team becomes the Astros A ball team!


Because of where the leagues are, it would probably have to be double A at least. It would fit nicely in the Texas league
Posted by blowmeauburn
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2006
8051 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:35 pm to
Would be cool but how do they make it work with player allocation and team affiliation considering mlb controls the talent pool coming up and down.

For instance, let’s say the Angels triple A team gets relegated but the Oakland As double A team is in line for promotion. That would mean the As would have 2 Triple A teams and Angels 2 Double A teams.

Obviously this is not ideal so they will need to reassign teams every year.

It’s not an issue that is unsolvable but I just wanted to point it out as an issue.
This post was edited on 10/21/19 at 12:36 pm
Posted by Bestbank Tiger
Premium Member
Member since Jan 2005
79502 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:39 pm to
My question is if there are only 120 teams that gives each MLB team one affiliate at each level. So how do you manage to allow 5 affiliates and 150 prospects? That would mean there are major league teams with no A or AA, for example.

Also sounds like short season A ball, such as the New York Penn League, will be toast.
Posted by LSUGrad9295
Baton Rouge
Member since May 2007
37022 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:41 pm to
quote:

MLB proposal seeks to eliminate 42 minor league teams


Good start.

Now how about eliminating a couple major league teams.
Posted by Quidam65
Q Continuum
Member since Jun 2010
20484 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:49 pm to
quote:

Now how about eliminating a couple major league teams.


Both Florida teams would be a good start.
Posted by Quidam65
Q Continuum
Member since Jun 2010
20484 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:50 pm to
quote:

They should add promotion/relegation like soccer.


That would turn the Texas Rangers into a perennial AAA team (at best).
Posted by teke184
Zachary, LA
Member since Jan 2007
103166 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:50 pm to
Problem is that some prime candidates won’t be considered for a variety of reasons.

Miami has been a dumpster fire the vast majority of its existence but would survive through a combination of two World Series wins and the amount that the city and county forked out for their new stadium.
Posted by Quidam65
Q Continuum
Member since Jun 2010
20484 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:51 pm to
quote:

Miami has been a dumpster fire the vast majority of its existence


Same problem with the Rangers. A glorified AAA team for most of its existence (even before Jon the Moron), but DFW is a "top 10 media market" so it gets to hang on.
Posted by nicholastiger
Member since Jan 2004
54227 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:51 pm to
Players want a better experience than what they are getting.
This should help improve the working conditions for all minor leaguers.

It's not an easy life, especially for high schoolers that sign.
Posted by High C
viewing the fall....
Member since Nov 2012
59596 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 12:59 pm to
quote:

They should add promotion/relegation like soccer.


You could relegate some rookie league teams to travel ball based on their players' names.
Posted by timbo
Red Stick, La.
Member since Dec 2011
7900 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 1:01 pm to
quote:

moving the draft later in the summer.


That's a move that should have been made a long time ago. It's stupid to actually hold the draft during postseason college baseball games. Could you imagine the NFL Draft going on during a bowl game? Or the NBA Draft happening during the Final Four? Virtually none of those college players getting drafted are gonna sniff an MLB roster right away, so just put the draft back until after the CWS.
Posted by ShaneTheLegLechler
Member since Dec 2011
63064 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 1:03 pm to
quote:

My question is if there are only 120 teams that gives each MLB team one affiliate at each level. So how do you manage to allow 5 affiliates and 150 prospects? That would mean there are major league teams with no A or AA, for example.

Also sounds like short season A ball, such as the New York Penn League, will be toast.


I’m sure they would balance them out by level but in general I’ve seen proposals arguing you could have less minor league teams and just put players in a youth development type program at an organization’s spring training facility

So I wonder if this is a move toward that
This post was edited on 10/21/19 at 1:04 pm
Posted by teke184
Zachary, LA
Member since Jan 2007
103166 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 1:08 pm to
Agreed.

The last player like that was in 2010 (Mike Leake) and there have only been a total of 8 in the past 40 years.

While not a completely dead phenomenon, it is close enough that it shouldn’t be a concern.
Posted by LaLadyinTx
Cypress, TX
Member since Nov 2018
7141 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 1:12 pm to
I heard this discussed on mlb radio and reducing the number of minor league teams makes sense. The lowest levels get paid very little and many of those players have a slim to none chance at ever making the majors. Instead, there is going to be a "dream league" that will have players that still want to keep trying but are undrafted. It will still be under mlb, but not an individual team. They are also going to restructure to make the geography make more sense between teams and their affiliates.
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