Ocean League as another Triple-A

In my imagination, the International League can expand by 2 teams, one being Ottawa, so that it's truly international again.  When MLB has expanded much more, more around the year 2100, we might think about an Ocean Division or League.

For snips and wiggles, I'm making expansion of MiLB alongside MLB.  Coast to coast America is covered.  The Mexican League is there, though MLB affiliated it is not.  De facto is overseas, where we tend to draw from some of their best.  Not a lot of baseball in Hawaii and Alaska, America's ultra West Coast.  Let's do some of that.

Hawaii was home to a Triple-A team for nearly thirty years till 1987.  They were also home to a Winter League which was loosely affiliated with the major leagues.  Even more tourism it would be.
Alaska as a short season stint would make for beautiful backdrops.

click: Should Short-Season Baseball leagues become Split-Season with Honolulu ? or Alaska?
In the form of another AA league, I've thought of a fictional New Mexican League including more international Latino talent.

Alaska backdrops.  More Mountains!

An Ocean League would include some Aussie and Asian talent, even to include African talent down the line.  I'd say at least 2 stadiums in Hawaii and one in Alaska, all the others abroad would be good exploration.


Perhaps the Trip'-A teams in the Ocean League can take on the parent club name in the future?:
Major League Baseball International click


Tokyo Zillas
Sydney Roos
Manilla Waves or Mighties
Beijing Players     Hong Kong Conkers     Jakarta Fish     Seoul Slammers       On and on.
Maybe let them pick.  Might be better.
 

New Mexican League. New Double-A

New Mexican League - new Double-A League 

With the Eastern, Southern, and Texas Leagues, a new league could be had at the Double-A level.  Much in the fashion of the Arizona and Cactus Leagues, a New Mexican League could be formed.  While not necessary, it's still a COULD.  And so here I shall...

I read that a de facto Trip'-A league, the Mexican League (All-Stars), had players and a team in the Arizona (Rookie) League years ago.  Maybe some similar arrangement could be had with this imagined Dub'-A league.

I see desire on the rise for New Mexico in, around and in between the 50 or so miles of Santa Fe and Albuquerque (housing the Univ. of New Mexico).  For the sake of easy math, let's say 10 teams occupy this league.

NM Junior College.  Build more stands?

Not 300 miles away is Las Cruces (home of New Mexico State) and El Paso's million folks in Texas.

Plenty of ball yards can be had in these stretches.  I see MLB/MiLB funded majorly renovated ballparks for the university to share (in order to accommodate a better professional play).  Albuquerque already has such an arrangement with UNM and a Trip'-A affiliate.  And so build more, maybe something more....campusy'.  ENMU looks like it could use a boost.

I see existing pro parks in the already-mentioned cities of New Mexico, not forgetting the Pecos League park at the 'Fe (I'm not from there, can I say that?) and the Trip'-A park in Tejas El Paso.  And I even see the occasional play over the border in the likes of Nueva Laredo and Monterrey.

Some retirement in New Mexico

Having new parks between Santa Fe and Albuquerque could serve plenty of activities, not skipping over ...."ballpark walking becoming the new mall walking".


Arizona hosts spring training, a rookie league, the Arizona Fall League.  New Mexico could be a twin cousin.  I think something cool would be the hosting of an Asian-Australian tourney of some sort in the fall.

So much one can dream up on any of this.

Barnstorm League. Minor League Expansion A-Advanced

                              When many more Big League teams/cities are in MLB, I have imagined another league for the level A-Advanced:  the Barnstorm League 

Would the Dakotas and very middle of America be best for this league's play?
Would it share with at least some of the American Association's independent league ballparks?

There's an independent pro-league in Michigan on the north side of Detroit.  But it's one stadium for the entire league, so far, with a lot of booked time on the field
link:  United Shore Professional Baseball League
Perhaps an MiLB Barnstorm League could build a few more parks in the combined statistical area of greater Detroit and be able to house what I envision amounting to travel teams.

While I'm not the biggest commercialist, these teams can be commercialized like NASCAR.  Coca-Cola Drinkers.  Budweiser Teamsters.  Bud Frogs.  Walmart Wally Worlds.  Little Caesar Pizza Pizzas.  P&G Soapies.  McD Clowns.  On and on.

Or traditional geography,...the whatever whatevers.

In previous posts I dreamed up a team Bakken Fields, in the spirit "Field of Dreams" to play in the Rookie-Advanced level Pioneer League.  (You can see it here: Is this my Minor League Expansion ? )
I also utilized existing MiLB parks with made-up MiLB teams with future big league expansions.

Since the state of Kansas is somewhat underrepresented, I see some infrastructure sprouted out there.  Put something at Fort Riley so that the troops can use it for pastimes.  Call them the Riley Red Ones.  Share American Association parks

Any input?

American Assoc. Independent League.  Wikipedia.  Add Milwaukee and Rosemont (ILL.)

West League. A-Ball MiLB Expansion

As it stands at the A-ball level of minor league there is the Midwest and South Atlantic League.
While there are short-season leagues with clubs on the ample (crowded) Northeast Seaboard in the form of the New York-Penn League, and the Northwest League, there's no A-ball in the Southwest.
Should I call it the Southwest League then ?

Let's have something out west by the time MLB expands in the range of 40 or so big league clubs.  As it stands, there are plenty of fields and stands in Cactus League Arizona and the Phoenix region.  And of course given the presence of such Spring Training facilities and the Pecos League, there's not necessarily a need to build more, although accommodating updates to existing ballpark structures is welcome.

   Just whipped up a dozen baseball squads from California, AZ and to New Mexico

Phoenix Field Team
Phoenix Fire
Arizona Force
Tempe Turtles
Tucson Talls  (Cacti)
El Paso Pythons

Southern Cali Poseidons
North Cali Nomads
Arizona Rangers (they could be a travel team or pick your stadium)
San Diego County Syndicate
Santa Fe Deputies
Albuquerque 'Hands (Ranch hands)

Expansion could include stadiums built and/or revamped for the Imperial County Kings, California Bajas, Tijuana Juanas, Nuevo Laredo Intercontinentals.

MLB/MiLB growth could foot the Bill for Independent League Stadiums

North League. Maple. Another MiLB (Rookie-Advanced)

In a daze' far far away, when the big leagues have expanded to 40 or more franchises, with bases in Montreal and Vancouver covered with those Blue Birds, there will be dozens and dozens more minor league affiliates.  And so, I've had a lot of posts covering these expansions and places they could be (like: Is this my Minor League Expansion ? )

So, let's for giggles say there will be a North League to supplement the Pacific and International Leagues.

In my blogblab post (Much More MiLB in Canada) I started to throw out some cities and team names.  Here they are:

London Ontario could house the Ontario Horsemen.
                                                      or Gold Shoes
Windsor Casinos
           Quebec Nordes 
BC Westerners
          Edmonton Fielders                       


Calgary Coldies
             Halifax Citadels
Hamilton Zambonis
           Winnipeg Winnies or Manitoba Manshees sound funnier than BC Banshees
Brampton Boaters           
Saskatchewan Big Feet             
Sudbury Suds  


And here are more teams below.  And remember some of my minor league expansion theme - two teams at least can share a field (less away games for fans to think about without live baseball, popcorn and hot dogs).  The Big Feet and Saskaroos can play home at the same place.  Double decker locker rooms and clubhouses, whatever.

Saskatoon Saskaroos
Surrey Settlers
Regina NecksWinnipeg      
Quebec City Queensmen    
Mississauga Magicians

I would throw some Alaskan teams in there, but they're already in the West Coast division of the Ocean League.  

Check out my post and tell me whether a Canadian located league should be Trip'-A or the lower rung in the form of this Rookie-Advanced League I present.
And I know a lot of Triple-A parks are 10k seats.  If you wanted this North/Maple League to be AAA....well, it's Canada, it's up north.  Do 5k.  Set up a ton of community outdoor classics in the diamond's off season.  Double up your parks with squads representing heavily traveled Ocean League and Maple League clubs.

Puerto Rican League. Rookie Level Expansion

The games between Dominican and Puerto Rican based squads would be nifty indeed.  Sure, those rookie teams housed in Grapefruit and Cactus turf are swell as well.  A championship playoff and series would be in order.  Perhaps we can make this the Winter ball after Fall ball.

 Perhaps it can be slowly be expanded as the Caribbean League

mlb.com/mlb/events/winterleagues

8 Youth Academies MLB

New Orleans is only a Triple-A market.

https://www.mlb.com/mlb-youth-academy

What do you think so far?
Eventually all the markets, right?  Hotlanta?  Baltimore.....

Shouldn't MLB Youth Program be helmed more by Minor League Teams?

Could there be CFL/NFL Minor League Collaborative ??

And would the highest bid from either the CFL or NFL land the player ?

Both leagues would draw from these farm teams.  Or could CFL or NFL franchises have farm share agreements like the NHL does with some AHL/ECHL squads in the past?  Would there be a first year developmental salary cap ?

Check out some posts below...

Minor League Football

The Future of CFL Expansion/Relocation. In America? 

 

'Uh Football Mad N. America in the Future ?

 

NFL, Get to Canada. CFL, get to America

 

 

XFL and more

usatoday.com/story/sports/2018/03/20/new-aaf-pro-football-league-set-2019-described as complementary....to NFL

"The XFL won’t be the only new professional football league set to launch over the next couple of years."

espn.com_new-pacific-pro-football-league-debut-summer-2018 

Whether Alliance of American football or Pro Pac league, I've seen chatter of failure as a business model.  But could it develop into a minor league for the NFL or CFL instead?

I've preached it before. 

Minor League Football. The Better Idea?

Minor League Football. The Junior Varsity so to speak

Cincinnati American Association Team: Where and what to call it

Action up north in Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Paul (of Twined up Minneapolis fame) are starting to make me jealous with multiple leagues in their cities, Chi-town having 3.  Other towns like Kansas City have another team, them having the T-Bones.

So for this Independent pro baseball league, I'd like a Cincinnati squad.  And I could see them playing in Florence Kentucky (Greater Cinci) as the Tri-State Riders.  Or they could play at a 3k seater on the UC Bearcats campus field.  These are existing places of play

I like the name Cincinnati Collegians.  But Daddies might be better.  Is that rhyme-literation?  The Cincinnati Daddies.

The Where

Okay, so I'm at it again, many times fixated on some of the same spots.

 TOP OF THE KEY (of 275 loop)

Old Forest Fair Mall (Cincinnati Mills) 

Build a multiplex mixed-use development everything.  Arena, 4 - 8k seat ballpark, high-rise luxury apartments, bars etc and so forth.

   Heart of Town

Ross/Tennessee Avenue in Cincinnati that used to be a centrally located movie theater and is now some big business office plex health plex paper pushing thingy (...since hospitals are hogging the centralized locations because of ummmmm yeah location for the greater good; not like guaranteed payments via big business bipartisan bluffing mandate).  Rant over.  That ship has sailed, much like it did with the Ballpark at Broadway Commons.

                                                                UPTOWN on Campus
How about on campus at UC.  Currently there are about 3,000 seats along the foul line.  Add up or add to the outfield?  Or keep it the same and pack the place?

Not big, but still beautiful....., what about some kind of upgrade of stands on the Xavier campus 'cross town?

West Side or Cincinnati Commons

What about something else in the city limits like the west side and use it as the Cincinnati Public Schools stadium or Greater Cincinnati P&G stadium that doubles for baseball games and tourneys?  High School ball, Roy Hobbs and other community leagues.

Pete Rose Should Coach Baseball in Cincinnati

Name your Team Now !

Have the brand precede the bid acceptance.
...whether that be Major League Baseball in Charlotte or Portland.

The NBA in Louisville.
The NHL in Indianapolis.
The NFL in Toronto
or MLS in San Diego.

Have the T-shirts worn.  Some logos ready.  MLB-style caps rally capped on your domes.

Take a vote.  Wear the movement.

College Ball Fields for Pro Teams

9K seats are at Werner Field (pro) and  24K (35 expansion capable) seats at TD Ameritrade (college).  Creighton University and the AAA Omaha Storm Chasers do not share fields there in that Nebraska metropolis.  Their stadiums are 19 road miles apart.  Some legal stuff was at hand for the place that holds the College World Series there in Omaha.  So no pro ball there yet.

The U. of Nebraska Omaha though, use the pro team's Werner Field for some of their D1 games.

Salt Lake City does it right, too.  Trip-A Bees and college Utes play at none other than Smith Field.  Double-A ball in Richmond is shared with Virginia Commonwealth U..

Mississippi State, one of the launching pads for Will the Thrill Clark, has one of the bigger college venues that could house some fun other than the state's pro baseball team of the Mississippi Braves.  Maybe someday they can take on something like a Dub-A squad in the pros.  Also in state, Ole Miss has a ball field of about 10k seats (which is like a lot of Trip-A teams).  Well, there you have it.  A lot of room for more bigger time baseball nestled in the Deep South.


I know there are pro teams in Arkansas, and northwest Arkansas, but I had no clue the Razorbacks were NOT in Little Rock.  I just assumed.  Well, their venue does NOT hold the double-A team.  Springdale, AR has their own for the pro team Naturals of about 7k seats.

LSU's baseball field doesn't double professionally.  More baseball could be in Baton Rouge.
Another ball stadium in Tucson used to house the Rockies and was turned over to the NCAA's Arizona Sun Devils.  Phoenix Municipal has a long pro history, currently housing the Arizona Wildcats.  They even have the light poles from the old Polo Grounds of Golden Era lore!  So many stadiums in the Cactus League state.

Only about 3k seats in this tidy stadium uptown, ....but fill it up.  Cincinnati college baseball.

I mentioned Omaha before.  The Lincoln-Omaha area touts more.  There's a Lincoln Saltdogs non-MLB affiliated pro team which shares with the college Cornhuskers.  In a previous blog post, I expanded a MLB affiliated future farm club to Lincoln, called the Loggers.

All of the above Pac Twelve Wack' West SEC/Big Ten stadiums are big ones.  Check out more of the list on the wikipedia link.

There is room for sharing facilities.

                              wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_baseball_venues

usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/05/08/minor-league-baseball-better-business-not-bigger-business

Alternative Names. Pacific Woodsmen Portland MLB

I was considering alternative names for the Major Leagues in Oregon.  I love my West Coast Athletics name first.  I like the sound of Oregon Redwoods also.  But there is a little too many red legs and socks (sox) in the league.  What about Portland Blue Sox or Oregon Frontiers?

Portland Green Sox sounds good also.  Blue Jax is something.  What about West Coast Woods?

Battlers.  Plates.  Ships.  Winds.  Greens.  Blues.  Monsters.  Big Feet.

Portland Flock?  West Coast Waves

Portland Talls    Portland Pacifics?

What is it?  Chew the fat with me.

Future Big League Baseball Cities

Who did I snub?

Particularly with a sizeable population

Columbus?
And will you be named Ohio, gaining fans who attended maybe 4 years in the C-bus area, Buckeye style?  Ohio Bucks deer apparel would work for the baseball squad.

Will Albuquerque have the market by 2100 AD?

Or will we have a bunch more team twos in the other league, like the Dallas Diamonds, San Diego Madres and Philadelphia Baseball Eagles?

Tier I:  Is this my Minor League Expansion ?
Tier II: MLB New Orleans Parades affiliates et al. ....Teams I Missed ?
Tier III: Teams I missed..... Imagining Even More MLB/MiLB Expansion

click: Triple-A Scoreboard

Teams I missed..... Imagining Even More MLB/MiLB Expansion

WAY WAY IN THE FUTURE OF COURSE

Jacksonville Sails
New Jersey Knights
Sacramento River Whales

Here's the more than dirty dozen squads I posted in two posts

before the above teams:  Is this my Minor League Expansion ?

MLB New Orleans Parades affiliates et al. ....Teams I Missed ?

That evens out that league map I had of 13 teams more, to 16.  More?

Virginia Blackbirds.  How's that sound?  Or Steeds?

Have I snubbed Louisville growth in the 21st Century?  Is this where the awesome-sounding Louisville Lumber comes into play?  I hope the NFL in Louisville uses Kentucky Downs.  Horsemen sounds good too.  A lot of team names to spread across imaginationland and the blog.

*shared stadium of existing pro team
***shared stadium built in blog-land

SACRAMENTO River Whales  ...affectionately called the 'Rails

AAA: San Jose Trollies*

AA: Bakersfield California Blue*
A-Advanced:  Monterrey Madres*      both California

A: Monterrey Motherloads*

Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, Florida

Rookie-Adv.:  Spokane 'Slickers*

JACKSONVILLE Sails:

AAA:  San Jose Hippies*

AA:  Mississippi Navy
A-Advanced:  McD Clowns

A:  Michigan Anchors*

Rookie-adv.:  Saskatchewan Big Feet

NEW JERSEY Knights:

AAA:  Youngstown Rustbelters

AA:  Youngstown Townies ***
A-Advanced: Topeka Bud Train Teamsters*

A:  Jersey Jolts*          take your pic of existing ballparks (6) in NJ

Rookie-adv.:  Richmond Night Hunters*

LOUISVILLE Lumber:

AAA:  Ketucky Stable (Lexington*)

AA:  Baton Rouge Pride (tigers)*
A-Advanced:  Little Caesar Pizza Pizzas*

A:  Green Bay Ghosts (*Appleton)

Rookie-adv.:  Ontario Gold Shoes***

                                       Who Else ???

Mexico's team finally.  The logistics spell out Monterrey ?  The Sur Toros?

You may have noticed I did a geographic leap for some A-Ball play. Well, there is some short-season play in the Northwest League.

Make Expos Montreal Again. Make Marlins Florida again ???

Expos via relocation: draysbay.com-montreal-expos-ownership-group-positioned-for-mlb-relocation

Eat my ass, GettyImages (registered trademark)

I've said it before.  And I'll say it again.
And again and again and again.

The Marlins should be a part-time team in Tampa.   The Rays are a bust.  And the Miami fish dress like a Gloria Estefan caravan.  I like her music.  I just don't like their uniforms.  Or massive amounts of empty seats.





Rays should rebrand and relocate to a new charming ballpark in Montreal.

Look at them old Andre Dawson homegrown uniforms.
Go Florida Marlins

Imagining Future NHL Teams and Affiliates

Here are two maps, one AHL (Like Triple-A) and ECHL (...Double-A)
Here's ECHL

wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHL#Future

theahl.com/team-map-directory

Colorado Eagles now set to play.

Around the turn of the century, Cincinnati housed an ECHL team (as it still does) at the same time as an AHL squad ('97-2005).  Look at the northwest.  I don't care if Seattle lands the NHL next year, there should be some minor league pro representation there ... and in Portland.  Toronto 2 and Quebec City are more deserving.  With those 2 in, the amount of NHL franchises is an odd number so maybe that'd bode well for Portland.  But if Indianapolis provides more  geographical balance in some expansion, Portland should be the high farm field for NHL Seattle.

Sioux Falls could host a Dakota Diesel brand.  Perhaps an Omaha-Dakota Diesel (tag) team could be more economically viable.  Problem more these days is television market money, and no doubt some bean counters figure better for Houston than Dakota.  Maybe the league will be the first to land Austin (if they're smart).

While the AHL is one for one per NHL franchise farm-wise, the ECHL has 27 teams and a handful of NHL teams not claiming whole second-tier minor league affiliation.

Hey, what about some more AHL and ECHL teams in Canada?  Or is the major Junior levels enough for them?

Will Oakland proper only Stand for MLS?

San Fran or Oakland have their soccer in the form of a 40'ish mile drive.  Same with the NHL.

Oakland is losing the Raiders to Las Vegas.  The Warriors are jumping river from Oakland, making them wade across to get their live glimpse.

And I believe, most especially with the presence of the Giants not 20 miles away, the A's could very easily become anything from the Sacramento A's, to that of Portland or even San Antonio.  If you've read my blog before, you might've scoped my obsession with them becoming the West Coast A's, whether they stay, or spend some times away in the likes of westerly Las Vegas.  Either way, MLB's patience certainly won't be forever, though I'd be in favor of Coliseum renovation.  We're overly wasteful in America, and with these major leagues insisting on their own home to share with nobody else, we all just seem like taxpaying taxfunded asshats.

But I read some chatter about Elon Musk and his Tesla looking into the current stadium site and bringing in some form of pro soccer, no doubt with an eventuality into big time soccer for the Oakland site.

Will Oakland eventually be left with just Major League Soccer...  The Oaks franchise?

Baseball Double Dip, some American Association Cities

Milwaukee, the expansion team will share their newly built 4k seat home with the Univ. of Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers.  Love it.

wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Association_of_Independent_Professional_Baseball

Kansas City T-Bones.  How's that for some backyard chatter?

Cubs Sox Country has representation in the league.  Throw in another 30 miles from downtown and Gary Indiana has it also.

Twins territory resides here too.

Dallas metro wraps two clubs


Houston, Denver, St. Louis and Cincinnati are the nearest big league cities to all this.
Makes me want to talk about having..... like a Cincinnati Amer. Assoc. team.  ............more to follow on that.

Shouldn't MLB Youth Program be helmed more by Minor League Teams?

Shouldn't Little League be inspired more by MiLB Teams ?

First off, the Youth Academies are successful and awesome.  And it's apparent that demographically, even if based on population densities stats alone, there a need for more Urban Youth Academies.  I give kudos to big league baseball.  Growing the game is good for everyone.

Let the Reds use their farm clubs to inspire little leaguers and teens to do more in their farm areas like Dayton and Louisville.  Sometime into the future I could even see college programs inspiring kids to play more.  Ian Happ was a Bearcat.  Ditto homegrown Josh Harrison.

But here's why I'm thinking more along these lines of "not necessarily the big league clubs".  Let's be realistic - that's why.  Aspire to be Red, sure.  But what's wrong with being a Bearcat?  Or a Bat.  Or Dragon for these kids.  Pro players at the farm teams get a lot of development.  And they can part some of that wisdom.  Might even discover they want to be a coach at any number of levels of ball, pro or amateur.  More kids might be able to leverage some DI, II or III level to get into the books.  Aiming for the highest is great.  But the town is at the base of the mountain for most.

Indoor........... all year long.

I'd say, have the minor league teams sponsor knothole teams.  Make the kids feel part of the farm.   
ie.  Dayton Dragons have age groups, each one having a Bravo, Charlie and Delta team, etc for signups.

More for Chicago

We got the base pads covered.  The market, only fairly recently not the second largest market in America, could sustain a second franchise in each sport.  That's easily demonstrated through two MLB teams, the league requiring twice as many billions in an annual economy than the nearest requirement of any of the other Big Five sports leagues.  Blog beat wise, I'm more for expansion than insular market growth, in the spirit of spreading the love, but let's go with it.

So, here we have Paulie's guess for a name:
                     NBA                   NHL                MLS                 NFL

 What do you think?

Blog Blurb: Vancouver/Portland/San Antonio MLB; Cinci/Nashville MLS

MLB

Portland       San Antonio       Vancouver

Which would be better baseball in the northwest for MLB and a Seattle regional rivalry?
Sometimes I wonder this:  Does Portland even care about MLB?  Personally, I haven't seen enough lust for a Triple-A team (realizing there's no Dub-A action out west).
                 star-telegram.com/sports/mlb
Whiles sometimes I wonder if Austin and San Antonio's proximity too each other makes for a good crowd source, in addition to Texas Rangers claim, I wonder if it's harder to make a decision to award a team to either/or Austin/S.A..  With talks of the Columbus Crew seeking Austin instead of San Antonio (even though Austin seems deserving of something right now, I say NHL) I wonder even further.

MLS

Cincinnati       Nashville

I read rumblings of Nashville thinking of a location change for the field.  And that would be a breach of terms.  And I am wondering indeed about two things.
     1.)  Do officials understand or respect Major League Soccer?, and
     2.)  Does MLS deserve any?
Downtown means downtown.  It has been said time and time again.  Speaking to Cincinnati, while there are plenty of arguments and opinions on ambiance of a location, there are Blight Power politics holding up a business no-brainer.  It made MLS officials look a little bad on a promised announcement.  And Blight Power partiers have an inexcusably amount of folks doing what they do - incentivizing and running blight.  In 'cinderella Nashville and Cincinnati, it seems like the mayoral offices have been barely listening to conditions, while greater Boston, Seattle and Atlanta are permitted by MLS to be eco-friendlier than Cincinnati, Nashville and Detroit.