Brewers purchase Carolina Mudcats

[patrickgpe]

great news to start the offseason

 

https://brewers.mlblogs.com/brewers-finalize-purchase-of-carolina-mudcats-11071894a9eb

 

brewers can now focus on finding a AAA affiliate next fall and have a solid spot for many years in high A

[TURBO]

Awesome news! Tales away the guess work in the future, now if they can only get their AAA affiliate figured out for the future. I can't wait to get them out of Colorado Springs.

[bork]

Let me see if I have this straight. Nothing changes next year for any affiliates.

 

AAA - Sky Sox move to San Antonio in 2019. Brewers probably won't end up there.

AA - Seem to have a good relationship with Biloxi. Hope to stay there long term.

A+ - Brewers now own Mudcats, so that's locked in.

A - They would seem to be in Appleton for as long as they want

R+ - Moving to Colorado Springs in 2019. Do they rethink their rookie level teams at that point or stay with Colorado Springs?

R - Depends on where their spring training facility ends up.

[patrickgpe]

Brewers under contract in Biloxi and Appleton until after 2020. Not guaranteed that the brewers will move rookie ball to Colorado Springs as that PDA is up after next season, but seems like a good chance. You are correct on triple A ball. Most likely outcome is Fresno.

[MadThinker88]

After reading the article, my mind dreamed up one more possibility. Definitely "out of the box" but worth kicking the tires on. ...

 

The idea: The Brewers hook up with a different Carolina league site for 2019 as Carolina moves back into AA (was noted in the article) and Biloxi moves up to AAA.

 

If Biloxi is in the PCL, the PCL would need to juggle the divisions around to make sense.

If Biloxi goes to International league, someone else shifts to PCL & divisions get realigned..

[KeithStone53151]

After reading the article, my mind dreamed up one more possibility. Definitely "out of the box" but worth kicking the tires on. ...

 

The idea: The Brewers hook up with a different Carolina league site for 2019 as Carolina moves back into AA (was noted in the article) and Biloxi moves up to AAA.

 

If Biloxi is in the PCL, the PCL would need to juggle the divisions around to make sense.

If Biloxi goes to International league, someone else shifts to PCL & divisions get realigned..

 

I'm not entirely sure Biloxi has the capacity to be a AAA club. Maybe someone with more knowledge can correct me on that if I'm wrong.

 

Tip of the cap to Mark A for making this happen. We seem very settled at most of our minor league affiliate locations at this point, especially considering we should have high level talent coming through the system pretty consistently...so these affiliates can look forward to watching good players.

 

I don't think it's nearly as important to avoid CS as a rookie league team as it is to avoid having that as our AAA location. It's easier to send a guy to Arizona or Wisconsin if needed at such a low level if you want to avoid throwing a specific pitcher in CS.

[MadThinker88]

While I agree, Biloxi would be smaller capacity (5k with ability to add 1k more) than all other AAA parks, there are already 7 (including Colorado Springs) under the 10,000 person suggested capacity.

 

It might be worth it to work with them to update and increase the capacity in order to move 'closer to home'...

[TracyThom]

There is a zero percent chance Biloxi becomes a AAA affiliate. They are near the bottom of the league in attendance. Only Jackson and Mobile drew less than the Shuckers. I'd like to see the Brewers stay with Biloxi as long as possible. Logistically, it would then make sense for the Brewers to make a run at the AAA affiliate in New Orleans in 2020 since Biloxi and New Orleans are so close.

[KeithStone53151]

There is a zero percent chance Biloxi becomes a AAA affiliate. They are near the bottom of the league in attendance. Only Jackson and Mobile drew less than the Shuckers. I'd like to see the Brewers stay with Biloxi as long as possible. Logistically, it would then make sense for the Brewers to make a run at the AAA affiliate in New Orleans in 2020 since Biloxi and New Orleans are so close.

 

That's kinda what I'm looking at as well. I honestly thought there was a mandate that your stadium has to hold x fans or yoi can't be an aaa affiliate. I would be on board with a run at new Orleans. I made a trip down to Biloxi in April and drove to new Orleans from there. I remember it being 1.5 hours or so by car, much better than flying out to Colorado or Fresno. Fresno would be something of a nightmare for big league callups from a logistics standpoint.

[patrickgpe]

. I would be on board with a run at new Orleans.

 

that would mean getting a new affiliate for 2019, and 2020 and then trying to get New Orleans, which history has shown its very hard since most PDC's are renewed before the brewers can start talking to clubs.

 

I would hope that the brewers focus on a stable triple a affiliate in an environment that would allow the brewers to develop their top minor leaguers and not worry about if its a 4 hour plane ride or a 2 hour drive to bring up a player.

[balsamlaker]

Sometimes I think as fans we focus more on where the affiliate is than the major league team does. With that said and with arrangements in place with Biloxi and Carolina, you do wonder if they will try to get back together with Nashville and/or add another affiliate like Greeneville for rookie-ball. I would think that Nashville is still a more likely destination than New Orleans (partly because New Orleans is locked in for 3 more years) and the Brewers have a much different farm system than when Nashville joined the A's. As I have mentioned previously I also wonder how a city like Wichita may get involved with either AA or AAA baseball sooner rather than later.

[folly412]

Let's get that AAA (and spring training) situation fixed and we'll be set up well. Good move on the Brewers part here. Well positioned A+ franchise, good facilities, in a good league, and in a fast growing market so it's not just a cost.

[monty57]

I love that the Brewers are taking an ownership position, and I hope they will be able to do more of that in the future. History has shown that minor league ownership groups will do what they perceive to be in their best interest, leaving the Brewers out in the cold. That can't happen if the Brewers are the owners.

[folly412]

Noticed here: https://ballparkdigest.com/2017/10/04/milwaukee-brewers-buy-carolina-mudcats/

 

The line "This may not be Milwaukee’s last foray into MiLB ownership, as there has been talk of the team partnering with an existing MiLB owner on the purchase of another affiliate. Those talks may take a while, however."

 

 

That's got to be Biloxi, right? Colorado Springs/San Antonio and Helena/Colorado Springs don't make sense, and not really sure what buying Appleton would accomplish that's not already gained by each party from the affiliate relationship. Thought there may have been a mention at the time they relocated that there may be interest in selling eventually.

[MadScientist]

Noticed here: https://ballparkdigest.com/2017/10/04/milwaukee-brewers-buy-carolina-mudcats/

 

The line "This may not be Milwaukee’s last foray into MiLB ownership, as there has been talk of the team partnering with an existing MiLB owner on the purchase of another affiliate. Those talks may take a while, however."

 

 

That's got to be Biloxi, right? Colorado Springs/San Antonio and Helena/Colorado Springs don't make sense, and not really sure what buying Appleton would accomplish that's not already gained by each party from the affiliate relationship. Thought there may have been a mention at the time they relocated that there may be interest in selling eventually.

 

It would be good to lock in Biloxi, since it is a nice, new facility and the low attendance has to be a bit of a concern on the renew. Another out of the box idea is that they could be looking at a different AAA team, with the idea of moving from CS to there. Not sure if there are rules preventing this.

[MrTPlush]

Biloxi would be the best bet.

 

There is nothing wrong with buying the Sky Sox etc. Don't get stuck on them being in Colorado right now, that means nothing. If you own them you could move them pretty much wherever you want. I don't think the hint there is owning a AAA team, but location of said team doesn't me anything.

[patrickgpe]

Personally I hope if they are going to do this again it’s a triple a team. I really would hope the brewers avoid a pcl or California league team. Most clubs in double a seem fair so I would be less worried about other options if Biloxi moves on. That being said I hope they don’t seems like s good relationship minus s small stadium and attendance which I really don’t care about. Just want a good environment for players to develop.

[MadScientist]

Biloxi would be the best bet.

 

There is nothing wrong with buying the Sky Sox etc. Don't get stuck on them being in Colorado right now, that means nothing. If you own them you could move them pretty much wherever you want. I don't think the hint there is owning a AAA team, but location of said team doesn't me anything.

It is a lot easier if you have a team where the location / facilities are already good. Sure you would have the right move a team you own from a bad location, but it is not a trivial task to find a suitable landing spot. You need find a city that wants to get a minor league team and is willing to do what it takes to get one. That city would also need to be good with the affiliation would be with the Brewers, since there would be no chance to change it. If they already had a place lined up, then buying CS or Vegas or the like would work.

[balsamlaker]

It sounds like the Brewers are out of the running for the Greeneville team. Regarding the talk of the Brewers working with another MiLB owner to get something done, hopefully it will involve something at the AAA level. The Biloxi owner has connections to two AAA teams, I believe, and the Reno team ownership group would not be surprising either.

[patrickgpe]

I would think it would be the triple a team as that has been the brewers biggest Achilles' heel. That being said if it happens it would probably go down like Carolina did. Brewers will have to wait for their PDC to expire after the 2018 season and try to link up with a team that is interested in selling and try to buy after the 2018 season. Judging on how things went the last 2 times the brewers needed a new affiliate i am not holding my breath. That being said it seems to be clear ownership knows this is a problem and is willing to use resources to fix. Im OK with having another low payroll in 2018 if that means triple A is stabilized and the brewers continue to focus on international signings.

[MadThinker88]

It sounds like the Brewers are out of the running for the Greeneville team. Regarding the talk of the Brewers working with another MiLB owner to get something done, hopefully it will involve something at the AAA level. The Biloxi owner has connections to two AAA teams, I believe, and the Reno team ownership group would not be surprising either.

 

FYI... Announced today

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/new-york-mets-to-purchase-triple-a-syracuse-chiefs/c-258019052

 

The above article means Reno will be open come 2019 & Washington will be looking for a place in '19 as well..

[balsamlaker]

The Mets will be leaving Las Vegas. If Las Vegas can complete a Summerlin stadium deal, they could be a nice option for Milwaukee at the AAA level.

[Never Outhustled]

I would think it would be the triple a team as that has been the brewers biggest Achilles' heel. That being said if it happens it would probably go down like Carolina did. Brewers will have to wait for their PDC to expire after the 2018 season and try to link up with a team that is interested in selling and try to buy after the 2018 season. Judging on how things went the last 2 times the brewers needed a new affiliate i am not holding my breath. That being said it seems to be clear ownership knows this is a problem and is willing to use resources to fix. Im OK with having another low payroll in 2018 if that means triple A is stabilized and the brewers continue to focus on international signings.

 

Mark made over $110 million the last 2 years, that's plenty to buy a AAA team. No need to sacrifice any 2018 payroll.

 

Also, no need to wait until PDCs are up. They can start working on buying their next AAA team now.

[MadThinker88]

The Mets will be leaving Las Vegas. If Las Vegas can complete a Summerlin stadium deal, they could be a nice option for Milwaukee at the AAA level.

 

Your absolutely right on that. Don't know why I read the article and believed it said Reno...

[Brewer Fever]

The Mets will be leaving Las Vegas. If Las Vegas can complete a Summerlin stadium deal, they could be a nice option for Milwaukee at the AAA level.

 

As someone who lives in Summerlin, I'm all for it! Bring the Brewers to Vegas!