Oakland fans hoping minor league baseball to replace Athletics

[PCSPounder]

Part of it is that the area has a big American Legion baseball following and they'd like to maintain the indirect pipeline, plus the Mariners and a possible Portland MLB franchise are in that region.

The problem would be where to put another six team league, as many of the teams that were dropped were abandoned due to having really old stadiums in towns that would have never been able to upgrade, especially in time for 2025, which would eliminate the old New York Penn League. You could, instead, add six expansion teams to that division's two other leagues.

Considering how Boise was absorbed by the Pioneer League from the Northwest, I'd say that the answer is likely probable on most of those teams.

MLB has left hints about further reductions of MiLB teams. I know that this can’t happen for several years due to collective bargaining. But keep that in mind.

The only relocation location anyone talks about is Vancouver, Washington, for Hillsboro. Funded by whom? Thpppppppppt. They don’t have anywhere near a ballpark to the old standards, never mind the new ones. And it’s clear from testimony in other markets that baseball is using this to maintain public funding more than protect markets. They don’t care about American Legion ball.

In any event, the Portland Pickles have more buzz in greater Portland than the Hops anyway. That’s probably more relevant to Legion ball.