Mets are buying the Chiefs

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Fresno also has about the worst air quality in the country, maybe the worst if you factor in airborne pesticides.  Ick. 

[HalfSmokes]

I think we could handle it the best way possible and still come out on the short end of the stick. Someone was/is gonna get screwed. I was looking at some of the affiliations and there's so many of them that just don't make sense. The whole set of assignments needs to be reset.

Smart teams buy affiliates and move them to locations that make sense for the major league team

[DPMOmaha]

Smart teams buy affiliates and move them to locations that make sense for the major league team

Seems that may be the next trend, but that is still more the exception rather than the rule. Also is probably much easier said than done.

I'd love to see the Nats do that, of course.

[bluestreak]

Seems that may be the next trend, but that is still more the exception rather than the rule. Also is probably much easier said than done.

I'd love to see the Nats do that, of course.

Why Don't They. If they get stuck in Fresno, just buy it and move it to Pawtucket. Or wherever.

[comish4lif]

Smart teams buy affiliates and move them to locations that make sense for the major league team

Finding an affiliate that wants to sell and having a place to move to is easier said than done.

Furthermore, you wouldn't be able to move a franchise from the PCL to the Int'l League.

[Natsinpwc]

Why Don't They. If they get stuck in Fresno, just buy it and move it to Pawtucket. Or wherever.

Have to find a place that doesn’t have a team. Richmond would be good. The Lerner’s could build a stadium there. Of course they won’t.

[DPMOmaha]

Why Don't They. If they get stuck in Fresno, just buy it and move it to Pawtucket. Or wherever.

Well, for one, they'd have to switch leagues. That's not gonna be easy, probably. It's nice in theory, but there's no way it's that simple.

[comish4lif]

Have to find a place that doesn’t have a team. Richmond would be good. The Lerner’s could build a stadium there. Of course they won’t.

Richmond has a AA team.

However, if a AAA team wanted to move there, I believe that the higher level (AAA > AA) can claim priority.

Pawtucket is still likely in Worcester/Boston territory and they would deny the relocation.

[dcpatti]

Just promise the Sounds they can have 2 months of Juan Soto in 2019.  That'll slow his service time clock AND tie up the AAA deal for 2 years till the Nats can figure out which of the IL teams will be easiest to buy.

[UMDNats]

The Sounds could rake in the cash when a rehabbing Harper comes to town as a member of the Iowa Cubs

[dcpatti]

Womp Womp.
From John Blake, the Executive Vice President of Communications for the Texas Rangers.

Texas Rangers and Nashville Sounds enter into four-year Player Development Contract through 2022. New triple-A affiliate.

[UMDNats]

[imref]

Richmond has a AA team.

However, if a AAA team wanted to move there, I believe that the higher level (AAA > AA) can claim priority.

Pawtucket is still likely in Worcester/Boston territory and they would deny the relocation.

IIRC, the stadium in Richmond would require upgrades to be usable for MLB.

This really sucks for the Nationals. 

[UMDNats]

I don't see any way we send any decent call-up candidates to AAA. Harrisburg should be loaded. AAA should be the turds.

[imref]

I don't see any way we send any decent call-up candidates to AAA. Harrisburg should be loaded. AAA should be the turds.

let's buy the Orioles, send them to Freso, and use Baltimore for our AAA club!

[Natsinpwc]

let's buy the Orioles, send them to Freso, and use Baltimore for our AAA club!

Yay!

[imref]

Yay!

they'd probably end up with higher attendance.

[DPMOmaha]

There are many, many, many PDCs that expire after 2020.

[imref]

I'm losing track of the musical chairs.  With the Rangers going to Nashville, who took Round Rock?

[DPMOmaha]

The guy from WTOP that wrote the story connecting Texas to Nashville last week evidently worked for both the San Antonio and Fresno organizations. He says the facilities and organization itself are great, but the location and travel are obviously not ideal. Can't see this as more than a 2 year engagement.

[DPMOmaha]

I'm losing track of the musical chairs.  With the Rangers going to Nashville, who took Round Rock?

Houston.

[imref]

One option I've seen in chatter is the Nats buying Fresno and moving them, possibly to Colorado Springs or Charlotte.

[imref]

Washington Nationals
@Nationals
The Washington Nationals have signed a two-year Player Development Contract with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

[DPMOmaha]

The Nats should take Richmond in 2020, the Giants should take Fresno, then swap the class designations and bring Memphis or Nashville to the IL. None of that will ever happen.

[Natsinpwc]

Fresno it is.

Let’s be honest. Most of the top prospects don’t spend much time in Triple A. It’s for former MLB players and fringe players. Guys like Adrian Sanchez. So it’s a shame the team is not closer but not the end of the world. How many Nats fans went to games when the team was in New Orleans?