What a 29-2 score says about the state of low-level minor-league baseball — and why MLB fans should care

The complex leagues are a vital part of the sport's talent pipeline, yet experts agree that the quality of play on has reached an all-time low.

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/what-a-29-2-score-says-about-the-state-of-low-level-minor-league-baseball--and-why-mlb-fans-should-care-222056306.html

The fear among industry insiders is that the continued decline of low-level ball will lead to MLB feeling empowered to contract the minor leagues even further when the current minor-league CBA expires after the 2027 season. There’s a growing sense that the league would prefer to effectively outsource aspects of the development process to top college programs. Why spend money, the thinking goes, to make players better when Clemson and Mississippi State will do it for you?

But besides eliminating affiliated baseball from 30 more minor-league towns, such a cost-cutting measure would lead to a further reduction of team employees, particularly on the scouting side.

In recent years, multiple teams have slashed their pro scouting departments, relying on video and data to evaluate minor leaguers. Some clubs, such as the Dodgers, Rays and Royals, still run substantial scouting apparatuses. Unlike other owners, theirs believe it's well worth the cost.

At the end of the day, that’s what this entire discussion is about: money. Fewer levels, fewer players, fewer employees — that’s all more cost effective for the billionaires running these organizations. But it’s a short-term gain for a potential long-term loss, one that could damage the fabric of the sport at the big-league level. While the ACL Giants’ 29-2 blowout will likely fade into the dustbin of baseball history, its causes will live on and grow stronger.

It might not happen soon, but eventually, something will have to give.

Edited Tuesday at 06:03 AM5 days by caulfield12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_A_Short_Season

The biggest impacts are being seen in those communities that lost A and short season teams over the last 15 years or so, as well as the increasing takeover of minor league baseball by private equity groups such as Diamond Baseball Holdings.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Baseball_Holdings

Not to mention the increasing drive/desire to push more and more of the talent development responsibilities onto the NCAA/NIL for profit system and away from scouts/coaching staffs/and the mlb teams themselves.

Part of this about increasing profitability, with Covid 19 as the driving force behind restructuring.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30486689/mlb-120-farm-teams-40-cities-dropped-affiliates

Going back to when I worked for Augusta in the 90s, the Pirates had the Erie Seawolves in the NY-Penn League as well as a team in Windsor/Ontario.

Then there was the Pioneer League (Indy mixed with some affiliated kids) as well as the Appalachian League, where the White Sox had a team in Bristol for many many years, for example.

But most teams had at least 2-3 different places to park mid summer draftees as well as those mostly 18-21 year old kids moving from the complex leagues in AZ FL and especially the Dominican.

Pretty sure there were once 168 different teams at one point, and now it's all the way down to 120 (4*30).

Edited Tuesday at 06:24 AM5 days by caulfield12