MiLB Agreeing to Reduce Teams?

The world has changed dramatically over the past six months, especially now that the coronavirus pandemic has halted sports. When MLB and MiLB negotiators convene on a teleconference on Wednesday, multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiations say MiLB will indicate that it agrees to 120 affiliated teams in a new PBA.  Read more here.  In a joint MLB-MiLB statement, that parties said the following:

“The respective negotiating teams of Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball held a constructive meeting on Wednesday. The parties are continuing their discussions, with the goal of concluding a mutually beneficial long-term agreement in the near future.”

Statement from Minor League Baseball

PRESS RELEASE – Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) issued the following statement regarding a pair of articles published in recent weeks regarding the state of the Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA):

MiLB Statement Today Regarding RBA Negotiations and Letter to MLB Commissioner

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) issued a statement today regarding the state of the Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA) negotiations with Major League Baseball.  Read statement here.  A letter was also sent last week by Minor League Baseball to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.  Read letter here.

The Future of Dutchess Stadium

The long-term future of Dutchess Stadium and its tenants, the Hudson Valley Renegades, remains uncertain pending a new agreement between Major League Baseball and its 162 minor league teams.  Read more here.

Minor League Baseball Position on Key PBA Issues

PRESS RELEASE – During this week’s Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego, representatives from Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and Major League Baseball (MLB) engaged in formal and informal discussions regarding the Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA) that were cordial and productive. Following those meetings, MLB has repeatedly and inaccurately stated the position of MiLB with respect to several key areas under consideration in the PBA negotiations. To correct the record, Minor League Baseball’s positions on the key areas are as follows:  Read more here.

Petition to Save the Appalachian League

It didn’t take long after Major League Baseball announced a proposal to eliminate 42 teams from the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) line-up for someone to step up to the plate and launch a petition drive to save certain franchises. Click here for a petition to save the Appalachian League.  What?  Didn’t MiLB just announce Pulaski as the winner of the President’s Award?  ‘Thanks for the memories, Pulaski!”

MLB Proposes Radical Restructuring of Farm System, Would Eliminate 40 Teams and Cut Draft in Half

The Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA) between Major League Baseball and minor league teams expires at the end of the 2020 season.  But if a new MLB proposal were to become reality, more than three dozen cities with affiliated minor league teams will lose those teams a year from now and thousands of minor league players will be out of work as well.  Read more here, here and here.