Brewers and their Affiliates - Player Development Contracts

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Sounds - Milwaukee (signed through 2014)

 

Rumor has it Brewers will land in Fresno for 2015-16 (see prior post)

 

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Huntsville Stars - Milwaukee (signed through 2014)

 

Indications are strong that the Biloxi ownership group is going to stick with the Brewers for 2015-16, although nothing is formalized as of yet. What is more muddied is the status of the team's home for the first half of next season, as the new Biloxi ballpark won't be ready until July at the earliest (recent updates here).

 

***

 

Brevard County Manatees - Milwaukee (signed through 2014)

 

Manatee ownership, which is out of Orlando, badly wants to find a new home there, but have run into their own roadblocks in that regard. It's been quiet on the renewal front, and though a renewal is expected, a surprise breakup can't be ruled out.

 

***

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - Milwaukee (signed through 2016)

 

No worries about this dream partnership...

 

***

 

Helena Brewers - Milwaukee (signed through 2014)

[Mass Haas]

Latest from Helena:

 

Hello All,

 

The Helena Brewers and Milwaukee Brewers will be holding a joint press conference on Thursday, August 14th, beginning at 1:30 PM at Kindrick Field (2:30 PM Central).

 

The press conference will be held to address the relationship between the two teams and Helena’s affiliation with the Brewers’ Minor League system. It should last no longer than 30 minutes and will include a Q&A segment.

 

Speakers will include Gord Ash, Paul Fetz and owner of the Helena Brewers, D.G. Elmore. Mr. Ash serves as the Assistant General Manager for the Milwaukee Brewers and led the Toronto Blue Jays as their General Manager from 1995-2001.

 

Dustin Daniel

Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

Helena Brewers

[Mass Haas]

You would think with Gord Ash in attendance, this is a renewal announcement. Renewals can be for two or four years, a two-year renewal is more likely, the four-year deals are often reserved for the obvious relationships (like Milwaukee-Timber Rattlers).

[Mass Haas]

Helena and Milwaukee agree to four year player development contract

 

MILWAUKEE, WI -- The Milwaukee Brewers have announced a four-year player development contract extension with the Rookie Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League through the 2018 season.

 

"Our affiliation with the Helena Brewers has been very positive and we're excited to extend our player development contract with the franchise," said Brewers Vice President - Assistant General Manager Gord Ash. "Many players on our big league roster started their professional careers at Helena, where they developed and honed their skills to play at the Major League level."

 

Ryan Braun, Khris Davis, Mike Fiers, Jonathan Lucroy, Jimmy Nelson and Tyler Thornburg each began their professional baseball careers with the Helena Brewers. Wily Peralta played the majority of the 2008 season at Helena.

 

"The Brewers have been flexible and appreciative of the efforts that we make, and I believe that the long relationship over the years has made this the best partnership it has ever been," said Helena Brewers President/General Manager Paul Fetz. "We know each other, we know what to expect and we work well together. There is a mutual respect. When I went to Spring Training a few years ago I really felt a part of the organization. I wasn't just some executive from the outside."

 

Last season, Helena advanced to the Pioneer League championship and finished a win away from claiming the league title, dropping a best-of-three series to Idaho Falls. Helena won the Pioneer League title in 2010, the franchise's first championship since 1996 (won back-to-back championships as a Brewers affiliate from 1995-96).

 

The Helena Brewers are located in Helena, Montana and have been a Brewers rookie affiliate since the 2003 season. Helena was also a Milwaukee farm team from 1985 through 2000.

[Mass Haas]

Via Adam McCalvy --

 

Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash joined the Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Friday after spending time this week in Helena, Mont., where he helped announce a four-year extension of a player-development contract with the Rookie League affiliate there.

 

The Brewers have similarly expiring agreements with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and Double-A Huntsville Stars, who are each moving to new stadiums as soon as 2015. The Sounds are getting a new ballpark in Nashville; the Stars are moving to Biloxi, Miss.

 

"In Huntsville, we pretty much have an understanding that we will go with the move of the team, but that's up in the air at the moment because of stadium considerations," Ash said. "We just don't know when it will be finalized."

 

With Nashville, "No news," Ash said. "Conversations to be continued. Nothing of any substance."

[DHonks]

I think what we could see is a change and more pitching prospects jump from AA to the majors. If a player is called up following a game on the east coast, he can arrive in just a few hours. With a call up from podunk California (been through Fresno a lot and it's not impressive), a player may be lucky to arrive in Milwaukee by game time the next day.

 

I sure hope this isn't true. And I also don't get the argument. Currently there is a franchise in Nashville, but the article is written proclaiming that there is no tenant.

[guylanderfridancies]

I think what we could see is a change and more pitching prospects jump from AA to the majors. If a player is called up following a game on the east coast, he can arrive in just a few hours. With a call up from podunk California (been through Fresno a lot and it's not impressive), a player may be lucky to arrive in Milwaukee by game time the next day.

 

I sure hope this isn't true. And I also don't get the argument. Currently there is a franchise in Nashville, but the article is written proclaiming that there is no tenant.

 

New York to San Francisco is 6 hours non-stop. Around 4:20 from SF to MIL.. I don't think the it's going to affect the situation too much.

[DHonks]

guylanderfridancies,

You're forgetting that Fresno to SFO is probably 3-5 hours depending on traffic. The shortest itineraries from SFO to MKE are 5.5 hours + a 2 hour time change. I think there's only one non-stop, so that would cut down on my 5.5 hr timeframe assuming a player can make the flight.

 

Will it affect things a lot, no. But it could mean we see more callups from AA like many other teams do.

[Mass Haas]

Here's the latest in terms of all across baseball - list of all PDC agreement terms, and conjecture about the future - Ballpark Digest lists the Rockies as wanting to move out of Colorado Springs. Fresno (for ballpark effects) would be a more reasonable fit for the Crew (see prior rumor), should be fun. A few desirable options may free up at High-A, where it's been oddly quiet from Brevard County re: the Brewers.

 

Affiliate Dance: 2014

[Mass Haas]

Via MLB Trade Rumors:

 

"The Dodgers will change their Triple-A affiliation from Albuquerque to the Oklahoma City RedHawks next season, Michael Baldwin of the Oklahoman reports. Oklahoma City is currently affiliated with the Astros. Mandalay Baseball Properties will reportedly sell the RedHawks to a group tied to the Dodgers for a sum in the $22MM to $28MM range.

 

Baldwin writes that the Dodgers are trying to get out of Albuquerque, a difficult environment in which to evaluate prospects because its park is so favorable to hitters.

 

The move is part of what could be a big shakeup in the Pacific Coast League, with the Athletics also moving from Sacramento to Nashville (currently a Brewers affiliate) and the Giants moving from Fresno to Sacramento. It’s unclear where the Astros and Brewers will end up in such a scenario."

[Mass Haas]

Fresno is relatively neutral for a PCL West location, and would be more appealing for the Brewers than Colorado Springs or Albuquerque. But yes, big turnover in the PCL for next year.

[Mass Haas]

From Ballpark Digest - Mets will renew with Las Vegas, which leaves this --

 

"We're seeing some major shifts at the Triple-A level. Insiders say it's a virtual certainty that the San Francisco Giants will affiliate with the Sacramento River Cats (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), that the Los Angeles Dodgers will shift its affiliation to the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) after a Peter Guber-led group buys the team, and that the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) may part ways with the Milwaukee Brewers. These moves would leave the Fresno Grizzlies (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) seeking new parents."

[jerichoholicninja]

From Ballpark Digest - Mets will renew with Las Vegas, which leaves this --

 

"We're seeing some major shifts at the Triple-A level. Insiders say it's a virtual certainty that the San Francisco Giants will affiliate with the Sacramento River Cats (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), that the Los Angeles Dodgers will shift its affiliation to the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) after a Peter Guber-led group buys the team, and that the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) may part ways with the Milwaukee Brewers. These moves would leave the Fresno Grizzlies (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) seeking new parents."

 

Prepare for at least 3 years of posters over reacting to how good our AAA hitters are and how bad our AAA pitchers are.

[brewmann04]

Darn wanted LV for the Crew

[And That]

It's a shame there's not much available back in the International League.

 

Hopefully the Brewers can make a big push to keep Nashville, whether that means chipping in on the new stadium, subsidizing staff salaries and promotions, etc.

 

I've also never understood why more teams don't own their upper-minors affiliates. In theory prime minor league team values would generally appreciate enough to add value to the ownership group of the parent club. Stability is a nice thing to have, also.

[TheCrew07]

I agree 100%, there are multiple organizations which own many of the teams in their minor league chain, I would like to see the Brewers move in that direction as well. The T-Rats seem like a good fit being in state, I wouldn't mind seeing the AA and AAA relationships made permanent as well.

[brewmann04]

that would be nice just think how hard it took for them to get their Dominican Academy goiung

[Mass Haas]

Really surprised the Cubs aren't renewing their Midwest League Kane County affiliation and even more surprised they're not renewing with Daytona in the Florida State League (link to reasons on both via Ballpark Digest).

 

The "Daytona Cubs" probably won't be able to re-brand quickly enough to create their own identity for next spring, maybe a generic "Daytona Brewers" in 2015?

 

It's been awfully quiet on the Brevard / Milwaukee front.

 

Makes me wonder if the Brewers are looking to escape the madness that is FSL rainouts. Three Carolina League affiliations are in play: Carolina (Zebulon, NC, was Cleveland), Lynchburg, VA (Braves looking elsewhere), and Myrtle Beach, SC (looking to move on from Rangers affiliation).

 

Here's your timeline update:

 

Sept. 11: Teams must notify MiLB between end of the season and this date if they intend to terminate a player-development contract.

 

Sept. 12-15: Teams are notified about open affiliations.

 

Sept. 16-Oct. 7: Teams can negotiate for new player development contacts.

 

Oct. 7: MLB and MiLB will pair any unaffiliated teams.

 

And here's the updated complete "Affiliate Dance" breakdown via Ballpark Digest.

[Mass Haas]

Ballparkdigest (and Baseball America) reporting Brewers have re-upped with Huntsville/Biloxi & Brevard County, just not announced yet.

 

LINK

[TGOTJ]

I read today that the Giants were "99%" moving their AAA club to Sacramento. I was hoping Milwaukee might have had a shot here in Sacramento - great stadium and the River Cats have always had good attendance.

[Baldkin]

Maas, I just want to say thanks for all of this. You are an amazing resource of knowledge

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Really surprised the Cubs aren't renewing their Midwest League Kane County affiliation and even more surprised they're not renewing with Daytona in the Florida State League (link to reasons on both via Ballpark Digest).

 

Cubs affiliating with either South Bend or Fort Wayne does make sense. The Fort Wayne stadium is a gem right downtown. (Parents live there, so I've seen several games when visiting them.) Not too far of a drive to Chicago from there.

 

Unsure about the South Bend stadium situation, but it would be a way to further cement the region as Cubs territory, since the Western Suburbs [Kane County] are pretty much already theirs. (South Bend had been a White Sox affiliate for quite a while.)

[AlMaFi]

There's still a good change that Kane and Cubs renew, but I could see South Bend as a viable option due to market proximity and what I've heard is a very nice stadium. South Bend is with the Diamondbacks and you can bet they'd jump at the Cubs. South Bend hasn't been with the White Sox for a while--bizarrely they keep renewing with Kannapolis of the Sally League.

 

This will all be interesting to watch. My pipe dream is that the Crew buys a AAA team with a bad stadium situation (Colorado Springs, Las Vegas, etc.) and moves them to Wisconsin in much the same way that the Braves have Gwinnett. Triple-A in Green Bay? Now that would be fun.

[coolcool]

Really surprised the Cubs aren't renewing their Midwest League Kane County affiliation and even more surprised they're not renewing with Daytona in the Florida State League (link to reasons on both via Ballpark Digest).

 

Cubs affiliating with either South Bend or Fort Wayne does make sense. The Fort Wayne stadium is a gem right downtown. (Parents live there, so I've seen several games when visiting them.) Not too far of a drive to Chicago from there.

 

Unsure about the South Bend stadium situation, but it would be a way to further cement the region as Cubs territory, since the Western Suburbs [Kane County] are pretty much already theirs. (South Bend had been a White Sox affiliate for quite a while.)

 

I've actually been to both. The South Bend one is okay. We were in the newer built group area in left field. From what I remember, the area around it is kind of dumpy, however. South Bend is half beautiful college town, half run down rust belt town. The stadium is not downtown like the Fort Wayne one, which smack dab in the middle of the city.

[Warning Track Power]

This will all be interesting to watch. My pipe dream is that the Crew buys a AAA team with a bad stadium situation (Colorado Springs, Las Vegas, etc.) and moves them to Wisconsin in much the same way that the Braves have Gwinnett. Triple-A in Green Bay? Now that would be fun.

 

Triple AAA Sheboygan, Triple AAA Green Bay or Triple AAA Madison all have nice rings to them.