Bye Bye Auburn Doubledays?

[SWC75]

They have stories on the local news that Auburn could lose their team under a restructuring of the minors being proposed by MLB. But the reports have no details. I found this article:
New Proposal Could Reportedly Slash Minor League Baseball

I would think the majors would want to kept the rookie leagues and half season A level teams as an intro to pro baseball. I could see setting rid of the full season A level teams but why even do that? the minors are baseball's lungs. The teams are the alveoli. The more of them you have the more talent you can develop.

 

[donniesyracuse]

There is pressure on MLB to significantly increase minor league players’ wages. With this plan, they will have fewer players to pay.

I wonder if this could result in the growth of independent ball, although running a successful franchise in a New York - Penn league market without the support of MLB does not seem realistic.

 

[SWC75]

There is pressure on MLB to significantly increase minor league players’ wages. With this plan, they will have fewer players to pay.

I wonder if this could result in the growth of independent ball, although running a successful franchise in a New York - Penn league market without the support of MLB does not seem realistic.

For decades, the minor leagues were independent and survived through their attendance and by selling the contracts of their best player to the MLB - when they wanted to. They could make schedules and playoff formats any way they wanted and, if they had a guy on pace to hit 50 home runs, They could keep him until the end of the seasons and he would hit 50 home runs. The most successful run franchises would win the most and have the biggest fan base. It ended not because the minors failed but because the majors started buying up the clubs, figuring it was cheaper for them to control things.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Just heard about this up here as well. Looks like we will be losing our Lake Monsters...

 

[MSOrange]

donniesyracuse is right about the reasoning but it is sad if it happens. I grew up going to the Chiefs games and watching those minor league games is where I developed my love of baseball.

 

[Alsacs]