Map Gaps in MiLB major league affiliates

When looking at this gorgeously convenient Wikipedia supplied map of the MLB minor league landscape, some gaps jump out.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_League_Baseball

Even though Wikipedia acted like a non wiener-chop transvestite by making it hard to have a clean image, it’s their image.

To me, it’s Colorado Springs and Boise.  I’d like the Wyoming Truckers in Cheyenne.  Baseball back in Montana would be very un-sad.

The triangle side of Boise to Colorado Springs is the better part of 900 miles.  The Colorado Springs to Billings side, which runs through Cheyenne is about 620 mi.

Places like Boise and Billings are covered thanks to the independent Pioneer League, but even still that organization is an MLB partner, like a side piece.  But honestly, it’s good that pro players have a place to land.  With the official minor league draw-drawn (contraction), I’m curious if more dudes will opt for college ball.

What do you think?

Should the Athletics go to Las Vegas or Nashville?

 Or maybe even Portland or Charlotte?  

That’s an easy no for Portland.  Portland might as well be in California, and not even in America anymore.

If it’s going to go east, Nashville seems better magnetized and growing.

Austin or San Antonio seem like a good Central Texas wild card. Maybe so for Sacramento too.

Las Vegas already has enough abrupt newness to chew on in the form of Golden Knights and Raiders.  But out of all options I’d stick to my original want of the West Coast A’s splitting time between Oakland and Vegas.  I respect a taxpayers stance on not funding pro sports houses.  Though I have to admit, Nashville wouldn’t crush me if it happened.  The Bay is crowded with teams and crappy politics.

American Empire needs Change

 This guy says it all:

floridapolitics.com/archives/philip-suderman-tampa-bay-rays-can-and-should-finance-their-own-new-stadium

I say pitch them in the trash to Canada.

Muppethead Football League may expand to St. Louis, but then where else?

It seems as though pro elbow hand ball is about to get their ovaryballs sued the hell off by the shitty of Santos Louey for leaving to LaLa land.

San Diego is a good candidate to balance the league out in expansion.

Portland cannot. It is in the USSR.

San Antonio is candidate worthy.

So is Louisville.  And I’ve talked about Canadian Power before

But yeah, just move the Jaguars there, even if it’s ghettoer, …well especially if it’s ghettoer.

Cspan in the Sports cancels viewership

 It doesn’t usher nerds in.  FC Cincinnati, doesn’t ban the music, it instead set a separate rule for a European in America.  So, before their first MLS kick, I’m gone forever.  Add up all of the other sports kneeling in surrender to some supposed “white flag”, I’m out, big openings in my schedule for time to come.

New name: the Cleveland Conquerors

 The Progressive Field agenda knows not what it does.  To Rome!

Named after the guardian occupying conquerors, ya know…..to bridge relations.

Bye bye Native Americans and Indians

 Guardians is a word of European decent, the stalwart of this first world good thing going.  You can go now, nothing to be proud of apparently.

Okay Cleveland

https://www.wcpo.com/sports/baseball/clevelands-baseball-team-goes-from-indians-to-guardians?fbclid=IwAR12DKy0xo2ix7PYjtu-h2v0GYl28jGQ9uDs5my04xFgFQhWkXa4kfSPfRE

Minors baseball realignment

https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-affiliates-for-2021

https://www.mlb.com/news/reds-invite-four-for-minor-league-affiliations

The Broad Breadth of Pro Baseball is Changing

And it's getting tighter.

baseballamerica.com/stories/evaluating-the-new-minor-league-landscape-from-a-fans-perspective

Ballpark Digest, stadium in Charlotte

And check this out:

vindy.com/news/local-news/2020/12/safe-at-home

Imagine some Tennessee Sounds taking on some sort of Carolina Mountaineers MLB

Let's hope sports like baseball drop the Lying Lives movements, so we can be Americans again.

Is baseball for the likes of Charlotte on the horizon?  Does a franchise from Nashville AND/OR Memphis sound good as the Music City Mountains, or perhaps the Tennessee Sounds ?

We've all given up on soy boy Portland.  It's little more than a USSR embassy.  It's little more than an emo furby pony play campout.  I used to be all up on the coasts boasting more baseball.  But now, to hell with Oregon.  Nashville first.  Oregon never, a chaotically gay Mayberry.

The likes of Hootie and the Blowfish frontman and future country music Hall of Famer Darius Rucker is on board, alongside a lot of folks, including some ex- A's.

bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2020/12/11/music-city-baseball-pursuit-delayed-covid-mlb-team

communityimpact.com

Is Rooting for Two Teams better for one's health ??? .... Pretend Wisconsin for instance

Green Bay, which is the state's third largest city, doesn't sustain the Green Bay Packers franchise with just Green Baybians or even Greater Green Babyians.   It no doubt breathes on Milwaukee with a substantial dose of Madison.  Considering the weekly occurrence of American football for a portion of the year, we can all figure that Wisconsin could have another NFL team coexist with the likes of Milwaukee.  

sliced from cdn.chatsports

Of course NFL expansion has its eye set on other markets, some more substantial than hugging the drawn line between Packers and Bears.  And the bigger question would be if there'd be another Chicagoland franchise before a standalone Wisconsin or just Milwaukee one.

Nonetheless, as a Milwaukian, or Madisonian, or Appletonian, or Waukeshan, ....wouldn't it be better for their health to have a backup to root for on a down 'Backer year?  A backerupper would be nice.  Call them the Wisconsin What?  Warriors, Whoppers, with obvious sponsor?  We will let logos on jerseys soon.  We're pushovers and we will allow it.  I mean, I won't be watching the blight power league by then, but whatevs'.

As a Bengalian, sorry, but my backup isn't a Brownie.  So, if it ever happened for me I'd like an Ohio-named team, if ever a franchise were to land in Columbus.

More Minor Leagues for the Leagues PLEASE !!!

 

Wikipedia: Des Moines

It would be a shame for overall minor league contraction.  It has more affordable seats, and a more Americana feel.  The NFL needs a minor league instead of a bunch of half-literate childbrained strung-out congoheads inexcusability gunking up academic grounds.  Farm systems are getting aesthetically, and many times, geographically more coherent.  If in Iowa, you are closer to the big league Cubs to the east, and the Wild and Timberwolves to the north.  It makes teams from Minnesota and Chicago more regionally/geographically palatable.  

We should see expansion, not contraction, of the minor leagues.  Baseball had the good thing going for the longest time.  Now they're cutting back on inhouse bulk development.  MLB/MiLB will argue quality not quantity.  But it might just come off as some Lean Sigma Six stuff.  Perhaps this will boost college ball, which I'm for,.... as long as it isn't some 16th grade bs scam.  The NBA got woke to the development and affiliation.  Unfortunately, the NBA is a slut with some NCAA agreement that patronizes higher learning of the 13th thru 16th grade.  I don't want baseball to be as embarrassing as football and basketball.  

Perhaps we can have an Iowa Bears in some minor league football soon ???  That'll probably translate into more hometown kids getting educated closer to home.  Root for it.  Let's try to stay away from mercenary big league ball as much as possible.  Let them be barnstormers.

Canada's NBA Champs to Join Kentucky Fried Chicken League ???

 

If the Raptors can't play in Canada per the ebonic plague, ...or rather Kung Flu, just like the Buffalo Blue Jays 2020, the Raptors could go to Louisville temporarily.  Well, in theory.

cbssports.com/nba/news/raptors-considering-louisville-as-alternative-site-for-2020-21-season-if-they-cant-play-in-canada-per-report/

However, there are apparently conflicting reports:

wdrb.com/sports/bozich-add-raptors-to-louisville-to-list-of-nba-false-starts

We illiterate?!  Or we're efficient?

MiLB's Contraction Likely College Baseball's Gain

 ....but that'll also mean more illiterate morons in American colleges.

And with the Minor League HQ moving to the Big Apple there's a heavy loss in the feel of Americana with America's pastime.  

www.wtsp.com/article/sports/mlb/report-minor-league-offices-moving-to-ny-after-nearly-50-years-in-st-pete

The Portland Potties

 That's the name of their next pro team.  Not sure when they'll ever get another team.  Maybe there'll be rainbow derbies or something.

Buffalo Blue Jays

.....Since they can't play in Toronto this year.  MLB Buffalo

artvoice.com/2020/07/28/ok-blue-jays-lets-play-ball-by-andrew-kulyk/

Seattle's name in NHL is the Kraken

nhl.nbcsports.com/2020/07/23/seattle-kraken-nhl-expansion-team-name-logo-jersey-uniform-colors

Kraken is an octopus monster from some movie

Release the Crackheads!

Hopefully they won't be singing O'Africa and kneeling before the white flag before games, ...and it's worth mentioning that Portland is entirely that much more femmy to deserve any franchises in anything anymore.

Divide Turf

If there's a Black National Anthem, then there are Black Nationals.
Good job, N Football League.  Just nifty.

It's not just OVI Lives that Matter.  You M.A.D.D., bro?

Hear about Blue Jays having to play Elsewhere ???

The gamesmanship of baseball is being banned in the Land Up Over.  Rules in Canada.

nytimes.com/2020/07/18/sports/baseball/coronavirus-blue-jays-season , even if it's many times a commie-opinionated rag.

So, likely Buffalo.  Their Trip-A city.


And here is some dreaming and scheming (a request) for Nashville:
calltothepen.com/2020/07/19/toronto-blue-jays-should-take-talents-to-nashville/
Like a 2020 only Nashville Blue Jays of sort.

Cleveland Whites and Washington Warriors

And for something like maybe a Washington Warriors, make sure to do the "white effigy" with a white nose, I guess.  Real pride in sensibility and math again.

ftw.usatoday.com/2013/10/washington-redskins-new-logos-names-contest

I'm for some Fightin' Krauts and Euros.

Technological Expansion

For the virtual clapping deal with speakers:
Should they limit it to phones with local area codes to do the clapping?  It's "home" game attendance after all.

bbc.com/news/technology-28484536

Are these the rudimentary days of our future virtual interactions?

Arkansas Democrat-Gazzette

MLB.com Alternate History

mlb.com/news/featured/the-story-of-the-los-angeles-browns-changed-baseball-forever

Those old St. Louis Browns...

but in Los Angeles.

Any other two-team towns you can see leaving for a new television and apparel market in these economically questionable times?

Mets/Yanks

Angels/Dodgers

Giants/Athletics

Orioles/Nationals

White Sox/Cubs

To another potential two-town market?  Dallas National League?  Philadelphia American? Boston National?
Does that picture evoke some Cincinnati Reds for Bengals baseball 'daze?

Or just Portland/Montreal/Charlotte?

On my mind: Hard Times, Stadiumlessness and Downsizing

I stare at lists and maps sometimes, looking for gaps and holes.  Wyoming doesn't have a baseball stadium.
baseballpilgrimages.com/ballparks

Montana has 3 with over 3k seats, and both Dakotas boasts a ballpark with over 4k.  And on a site where I've mentioned some contraction, but overall gabbed on expansion, in most cases having one team splitting time between two stadiums, MLB and their MiLB agreements look to downsizing the overall number of minor leage baseball squads.

We must all try to look forward to the future and so I won't let my mind stop wandering.  Know what a good name for a baseball team is?  The Micropolitans.  So I stare localish.

What about the Wapakoneta Micropolitans v. the Warren County Suburbanites?

Past Dayton, also in between Toledo and Columbus is the city of Lima Ohio, with a ballpark population of 50k people.  That would be a good spot of play for an Ohio Micropolitans
ballclub.  They could split time in Athens at the OU Bobcats ballfield for 4k seats.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Wren_Stadium

That would take care of western and eastern Ohio, respectively.  We could go more towards the center with this multinode team.  In Chillicothe, a collegiate summer team called the Paints play in a stadium with over 3k places to park fans to watch.

I could run my mouth further on some of the bigger city metro area counties in Ohio and how the Micropolitans ball fields could be used by community baseball teams as well, but
I'll save it for another time.  I'm allowed to wish Merry Christmas to the Easter Bunny if I want.  It's America.

And something folks in the likes of Portland to Charlotte can do is invent your own phantom brand of MLB franchise logos,..... in this long meantime.  

American Amazeballs

American Amazeballs, Batman!

No Baseball ?!?!???

I stumbled across an article about a Big Ten school 

without a baseball team, and I thought, "Is this America?"

Here's some wikilove:

wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_college_baseball_teams

2 balls.  And painful strikes

Florence Yalls

There's a team independent of MLB that played in northern Kentucky called the Florence Freedom.  And in the spirit of rogue pro baseball fun, they have changed their name to Florence Yalls.

A water tower by the Florence Mall had to swap the "M" for a clever "Y" in order to cover the legality of the tower being taxpayer funded.  Drive down I-75 and you see it, just south of Cincinnati across the ol' Ohio.

fox19.com/video/2020/01/22/introducing-florence-yalls

citybeat.com/news/sports/blog/21111411/the-yalls-the-gogoettas-the-no-sox-what-should-the-florence-freedom-baseball-teams-new-name-be

www.wlwt.com

www.wlwt.com

No Big Time

Two-Town Teams MLB

Or Multi-nodal tag teams

What do you think about these?

2019 ProSportsExpansion Blog Year in Review

Big time.

A two-place team was announced in Major League Baseball, that being Montreal and Tampa.  Two-birds with one stone.  Or a bird flying between two rocks, stones, 
hard places or some such.

The inaugural FC Cincinnati took to the field in MLS.  From seed to leaf it happened very quickly.  Other non-frontrunners were added.  Finally Sacramento.  Arizona is still in talks.  Seemingly only Detroit isn't going to get big buzz with other big timers like St. Louis and Charlotte.  Raleigh may be a cross state rival in years to come.

But alas, welcome to the big time, Austin, a fast growing Texas metro.

MiLB, for all its attendance success, is looking to downsize for overhead and efficiency.  In its place, may arise a deemed "Dream League", or perhaps bolster leagues independent of MLB affiliation.
Triple-A is leaving New Orleans for Wichita in Kansas.

The NHL, and now MLB have been getting better about expanding to other venues for the sake of ambiance.  Baseball from Fort Bragg to the Field of Dreams has been neat.

Those Town Golden State jerseys may cross the bridge with the Warriors to San Fran.
The North jerseys have been the type of simple-step marketing I've been vying for on the world wide web.  I wonder how many old Vancouver Grizzlies fans touted those nifty Toronto Raptor tops.

By the way, when will Seattle NHL and St. Louis MLS get their nicknames ?
The Seattle AHL affiliate will be in Palm Springs, California.  Whatever, I guess.  Seems as though it's encroaching on Kings and Ducks territory but what the hell do I know.

AAF and XFL not fairing so well it seems.
WNBA is looking all Euro style owned by corporate brands.  Will people ever be rooting for some Coca Cola polar bears?

Las Vegas is about to welcome the Raiders move.

MLB Record breaking revenue Despite 4% Drop in Attendance

Well, we've seen expansion moving fast, particularly for MLS.  Las Vegas got an exponential double dose in a few years.  We're welcoming Austin to the Bigs.  Only one left is Louisville.

Collaborative Nations. A mashup

247sports.com/college

MLS going into 2020

Brought to you in reference by one of the greatest websites in the universe:

www.wikipedia.com

MiLB (Minor) League Contraction. Downsizing and a Dream League

cbssports.com /mlb/news/mlb-discussing-potential-overhaul-of-minor-league-system-that-would-cut-more-than-40-teams-report-says

ballparkdigest.com /2019/12/05/the-last-great-milb-contraction

Let me tell you what I've been hot stoving, simmering on my proverbial stove:  I was thinking of a consolidation on baseball in the city of Las Vegas.  Perhaps this place could hub the Dream League.  

I was thinking of almost 3 shifts of baseball almost around the clock in town.  I think there's a good mix of touristy' Americans and baseball fans that attend to town for perhaps an unconventional boost and timing of their fun.

Future National Flagball League Visual

In an alternate universe

The San Diego and Cincinnati Zoos are neato.
I'm not disparaging Minnesota or Indianapolis.  I do like a white guy effigy for the future Washington Warriors.  And in another sport, the Cleveland Engines is appropriate.
The Sur Toros, or "Southern Bulls", in Monterrey would be a good Mexican balance to the NFL landing in Toronto and/or other CFL stadiums as a Nord Force (Mounty nod), or Canadian Power.  A move and rebrand of the Jags in Louisville as the Kentucky Downs.  Joe Montana Biden seems to be staring at the Jets mobility alongside Udapimp, Idaho.
And I'm not making a happy joke about Rice-uh-Roniville.  But Oakland should get a nod in the rename to California 49ers.

Oilers again?

Feetball

Go Bengals Go ?

Birmingham or 'Bama has a ring

Map Gaps: The Non Population

There's a barren wall from the stretches of Alabama and Mississippi, through Oklahoma, up to Idaho.  It's a slash through the middle of the country.  The NBA has a flag planted in OK, but not MO with its two pro towns.  Sure, if this slash splatters we can talk about the likes of New Mexico and Kentucky, but I'm thinking about contiguity right now.

ProSportsExpansion.blogspot.com         GapMaps

A fissure in the map.  A slice of America.  A sliced up America.  A river of wild and wheat, and high hills.  Some places tote one or more big league teams.  One day Oklahoma will get their big want - football.  And the NBA can bounce around KC and St. Louis once again.  And with Omaha again.

Is there a travelling team to hoist a flag for these people who have to stretch out for their embrace of the big time?
Is there an Omaha-Dakota Diesel on ice?
Could there be a Wild West Drive?  Could the last leg of that squadron's home be Portland?
A West Coast brand could take on time in San Diego and Seattle on the hardwood, with some preseason action in AK or HI.  Use your imagination to get your town in on it, even if it's the minors.

A river of representationlessness runs through it.

Okie Sooners and Cowboys unite

Soccer and Team Name Scramble

St. Louis is seeking input from the crowd: mls4thelou.com
The ball moves fast in today's MLS.

Maybe one day something will culminate in Detroit or Arizona, such as the Drive or Arsenal.
Traditional names are okay, but they can also be played out.  If another team lands in Texas, I'm all about the unconventional, like some American smartassness such as Texas Divided.  Missouri Divided may be a bit much for St. Louis, and Sporting is an alliteration stolen by its cross state rival, but I also dig one-word tagging a town's team.  GATEWAY would be the bees' knees.  Or Midway.  Or Expedition.  What about something cool for Charlotte one day such as Air Charlotte?  Team Carolina.  There is always city-name insert animal_________.

Say my name.  Say a name.

Am I a baseball traditionalist unwilling to deviate from the standard naming in the smaller sport of roundball?  Do I have a single unconventional team name suggestion for future baseball.  Baseball really is the only sport without regional name, so something cool like New England will be Boston's future NL team.  A common expansion theme in my blog is two-place teams.  Tennessee Sounds would be a great MLB team splitting home camp time in Memphis and Nashville.  Southland Band would be a neat name for a Nashville Charlotte connection/collaborative.

For the NHL I've mentioned the success of the ice game in Atlanta splitting time w/ Austin as the Southlakes Fisherman.  Or Truckers.  Think about that wide swath of geographic viewership, but especially apparel sales.

Seattle NHL.  St. Louis and Austin soccer.  Your future second team.  Whatcha' got?

TV Markets. Bigger factor than the stands.

Aesthetics for less of a crowd is another thing.

Where the next markets will root big time.
Check out the TV markets.  It's the saving grace for places like Tampa, and Florida baseball in general.
wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_stations_in_North_America_by_media_market

foxbusiness.com/features/on-declining-mlb-attendance-former-executive-says-substantive-changes-must-be-made

They make money if you watch.  Here, there, or anywhere.  And if you don't know what I'm talking about, since 2012 television revenue for the sports leagues pretty much exceeds that made from ticket (gate) money.

Dayton Dragons brand should get an Upgrade

How about Reds switch Affiliate brands to new Minor Leagues?

The Dayton Dragons brand can go Double-A and be in the Eastern League or Southern.

This Reds affiliate can come up from a Low-A brand, up a couple notches, switching places with the Chattanooga Lookouts (who are currently Dub-A for the Reds again).  I know this would require moving some pieces around.  Which parts of the board would you move?  But I'm all for the Lookouts playing the Hot Rods team in Kentucky as part of the eastern division in the Midwestern League.

Ballpark Digest, Dayton

Less minor league clubs?

It surely would ease up on baseball logistics for the professional system map-wide, especially with concerns to expansion clubs coming up with 6 to 8 new teams.  It would be harder to run a hockey-like shared team system for baseball and player time.  But I've always said the facilities in Florida and Arizona could always get more use, morning, noon to night.

fivethirtyeight.com/features/do-we-even-need-minor-league-baseball

Moneyball through tech ball efficiency ??

Could be a CFL ticker tape future. Versus American CFL Franchises

West Coast host the Blue Bombers this year in Portland
Southern Musicals take on the Stampeders

Wild West Drive have their bye based in San Antonio
Ohio Squardrons  v Roughriders


Brooklyn Trollies v. Alouettes
Tiger-Cats take on the Upstate Icers

Lions @ Southlakes Fishermen.  This year it's in Austin.
Eskimos host the Oakland Talls
Redblacks play Omaha Trucking
Argonauts play home against Alabama Elephants

wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Football_League