Minor League locations

[Sticky Stuff]

I’m not sure if it’s been discussed before on here, but I was wondering why minor league affiliates aren’t located closer to where the major league team is? I know the “other” team in the city has Iowa and South Bend as a couple locations that are within reasonable driving distance, so the actual team fans can go see them. Maybe it’s because the Sox Minor League teams are more interesting than our big league team that makes me want to watch them develop in person. Being in Carolina and Alabama make it hard to plan a trip. It takes me 40 minutes to get to Kane County Park, but I have no interest in watching the Diamondbacks low A team. I’d assume that there’s others on here that would go to a few games to watch a Kopech or Jimenez, or Hansen, Cease, and Dunning (pre injury) if they were in a drivable location. Is there any other reason than financially that makes sense why the teams are so far away from there major league teams?

Edited June 24, 2018 by DH in the NL

[GenericUserName]

From what I understand, the Sox wanted to keep most of their affiliates within a relatively close distance to each other so that players can be shuttled between them easier, as well as I assume for organizational scouting/training/coaching/medical reasons. For this to work, the teams would basically have to all be in the southeast or the western part of the country because there are very few teams around Chicago and not one at each level. So the Sox could have a team nearby, but not all of them would be able to be close and I guess the Sox don't see the added benefit of some people going to watch those games outweighing the costs of splitting up the concentration of teams, especially when the minors league could cannibalize our already low attendance. 

[ChiSoxJon]

Philly's whole system is right by PHI which I admire (aside from their FSL ream at their ST facility)

[HoosierSox]

Back in the 90's the Sox had an A ball team in South Bend. Now it is a cubs affiliate. 

[Buehrle>Wood]

From what I understand, the Charlotte operation is as impressive as it gets. I doubt they want to give that up anytime soon.

 

But yeah they want them closer together and in warmer weather for convenience from my understanding.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Buehrle>Wood

[Sticky Stuff]

7 hours ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

From what I understand, the Charlotte operation is as impressive as it gets. I doubt they want to give that up anytime soon.

 

But yeah they want them closer together and in warmer weather for convenience from my understanding.

To me, all fans of MLB teams in general miss a golden opportunity to see in person what is on the horizon for their own Major League teams. I know for a fact that I would go out to many minor league games if the Sox affiliates were around the Chicagoland area. 

It’s wishful thinking, but I’d suggest the minor league system be just like MLB where the teams are at least located in the state, or within reasonable driving distance in which the big league team is in. Have a NL Central-AL Central division. Same goes for east and west coast.  

I get that you wouldn’t want to move from a place like Charlotte when the returns are beneficial, but how many of those people going to the games in Charlotte are Sox fans? If any of them are actual Sox fans I doubt they’re making trips to Chicago to see games here. 

[GenericUserName]

54 minutes ago, DH in the NL said:

To me, all fans of MLB teams in general miss a golden opportunity to see in person what is on the horizon for their own Major League teams. I know for a fact that I would go out to many minor league games if the Sox affiliates were around the Chicagoland area. 

It’s wishful thinking, but I’d suggest the minor league system be just like MLB where the teams are at least located in the state, or within reasonable driving distance in which the big league team is in. Have a NL Central-AL Central division. Same goes for east and west coast.  

I get that you wouldn’t want to move from a place like Charlotte when the returns are beneficial, but how many of those people going to the games in Charlotte are Sox fans? If any of them are actual Sox fans I doubt they’re making trips to Chicago to see games here. 

Keep in mind that we don't own the minor leagues teams. Most of them, for all MLB teams, are just player development contracts where someone else owns the team and stadium and everything else while the organization just provides the players. 

[southsider2k5]

8 hours ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

From what I understand, the Charlotte operation is as impressive as it gets. I doubt they want to give that up anytime soon.

 

But yeah they want them closer together and in warmer weather for convenience from my understanding.

Easier player movement.  Easier internal scouting.  Easier movement of coaches and staff as needed.  Easier allocation of resources in general.

While it might be nice to see the Sox in a place like Indy or South Bend, it makes a lot of sense for the organization to be tightly knit the way that it is now.  Also it really isn't easy to swap teams around, as MiLB teams only give up affiliations very rarely.

[Sticky Stuff]

19 minutes ago, GenericUserName said:

Keep in mind that we don't own the minor leagues teams. Most of them, for all MLB teams, are just player development contracts where someone else owns the team and stadium and everything else while the organization just provides the players. 

This right here is key for me. I would love the chance to see them develop in person other than reading the recap and box scores online. Minor League games are such an intimate setting. The closeness to the field and players is much greater experience than MLB parks. Having that connection from the early stages of a player’s career is what I think we miss out on not having them in our backyard.

I caught a Kane County game a few weeks ago to watch them play Cedar Rapids, which is the Twins low A affiliate.  Royce Lewis and Alex Kiriloff were on the Cedar Rapids team. I was able to get both their autographs as well because of the accessibility. I’d love to have that experience with our prospects, but being in Carolina and Alabama make it difficult.

[Heads22]

MILB.tv is probably your best bet. Hopefully more is put into the product in the future, but I'd be surprised if there was.

[Sticky Stuff]

27 minutes ago, Heads22 said:

MILB.tv is probably your best bet. Hopefully more is put into the product in the future, but I'd be surprised if there was.

Guess that’s our loss

[kitekrazy]

On 6/25/2018 at 8:33 AM, DH in the NL said:

This right here is key for me. I would love the chance to see them develop in person other than reading the recap and box scores online. Minor League games are such an intimate setting. The closeness to the field and players is much greater experience than MLB parks. Having that connection from the early stages of a player’s career is what I think we miss out on not having them in our backyard.

I caught a Kane County game a few weeks ago to watch them play Cedar Rapids, which is the Twins low A affiliate.  Royce Lewis and Alex Kiriloff were on the Cedar Rapids team. I was able to get both their autographs as well because of the accessibility. I’d love to have that experience with our prospects, but being in Carolina and Alabama make it difficult.

I have the opportunity to watch baseball year round.  I live down the street from the Sox facility.  It's a bit difficult to go and watch when it's 105 at night.  I've only been to spring training night games.  My favorite is the fall league. When MLB is over there's still some baseball to watch.  Kids also play baseball in Nov. and Dec.