I have a lotta questions about this...
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Pretty full schedule and significant travel. Are they arranging for transportation, lodging and food?
I like it. Last year was tough. I think this will be good but I think college coaches aren’t going to like it
Thanks @Francis7.
That's good additional information. I just wish that is was completely separated from the youth baseball organizations. Just my opinion.
Interesting. Curious if it will have an effect on collegiate summer leagues.
I have a few conclusions. PBR continues to expand its operations and visibility. (For a while it was a distance third behind Perfect Game and Baseball factory, more of a regional operation.) Also it sort of reminds me of the NFL combine where several of the draftees are brought together. Some of the "high stock" draftees may opt out if it can hurt their standing. Other lower visibility players (from non P5 schools ) could help themselves in terms of their draft position. This could be another way MLB is branching out (like affiliating with cities that may lose Milb, forming an independent league for nondraftees). Francis7's article also ties in with diversity goals which is good all around, especially to grow the sport.
@baseballhs posted:Interesting. Curious if it will have an effect on collegiate summer leagues.
I was thinking the same thing. If anything, it opens more spots since this is a newly created league and will draw players that would have played elsewhere.
Seems to me like this would put a significant dent into the talent playing in the Cape, then trickles down to the other summer collegiate leagues from there as the talent shifts around.
The new league would be another potential addition to a crowded summer wood-bat circuit. Under the proposal, MLB would try to route rising freshmen and sophomores to the Appalachian League. Rising juniors would be encouraged to head to the existing Cape Cod League and the NYPL would be the top destination for draft-eligible rising seniors.
Not saying these two things are even comparable (they are not) but this came to mind.
In 1987, our 1st year of the Area Code games.
All our 6 teams were from California and before the Games in Lodi, we played a series of games with the teams and the scouts, who coached provide "great" teaching of baseball skills, including the 6th Tool for the players, who desire to improve.
MLB is searching for a solution to the reduction of the Minor Leagues cities, reduction of scouts, coaches and "front" office personal.
It will be interesting to see if the attendance matches the previous year when the cities were Minor League city's.
"Where is the San Diego "Chicken" when we need a promotion?"
Bob
It has always been...and will continue to be...the Cape's unparalleled tight geography that causes it to remain preeminent among wood bat leagues; that, plus a tremendous support structure underneath it. The fact that scouts can readily observe several innings in multiple locations every day is such an attractive drawing card.
It's the very same dynamic that makes events like the WWBA Championship so popular and successful; but spread over an entire summer in the Cape's case. It makes scouts so much more efficient than they'd be, otherwise; and also makes it economically feasible for clubs to commit scouts to the area for the entire season.
Well, trying to think about this more like a baseball fan and spectator in these towns, I wondered how the news was being taken. As an actual casual fan of the Brooklyn Cyclones, who so far don't have a team, I'm not too happy. Even if they eventually get a team, I'm thinking it's going to be weak tea - a couple notches below the previous level of play.
In Williamsport, PA, other than the LLWS, the low A Williamsport Crosscutters are the only game in town, and the club at least is wearing a game face.
https://www.sungazette.com/new...ble-in-mlb-pipeline/
But what if you live in Trenton NJ and root for the Yankee's AA affiliate there?
Answer: You are not happy. At all.
"The good news: The Trenton Thunder will be playing baseball this summer
The bad news: Well, if being a minor league team affiliated with a Major League Baseball team is like sitting at the main table, and being an independent minor league team is sitting at the kids table along with your weird cousin, what the Thunder got is more like not even being invited until the last moment because your mom was like, “I really think you should invite the Trenton Thunder,” and you’re like, “Fine, mom,” but in an angry way, and then when they get there the only available seat is more or less in the coat closet and you’re like, “sit here.”
and
What is the MLB Draft League? Glad you asked. It’s a 68-game season — the Thunder, when they were a AA team of the hated New York Yankees, played 142 — that will mostly feature nobodies going nowhere. It is affiliated with MLB, so that’s nice, but whatever.
and
Oh my god do I hate the Yankees. Seriously. Right now my hatred list looks like this:
1) COVID-19
2) The Yankees
3) I have nothing else to hate. That’s it.
@JCG posted:Oh my god do I hate the Yankees. Seriously. Right now my hatred list looks like this:
Epic post JCG. Love it.
@Consultant posted:In 1987, our 1st year of the Area Code games.
All our 6 teams were from California and before the Games in Lodi, we played a series of games with the teams and the scouts, who coached provide "great" teaching of baseball skills, including the 6th Tool for the players, who desire to improve.
MLB is searching for a solution to the reduction of the Minor Leagues cities, reduction of scouts, coaches and "front" office personal.
It will be interesting to see if the attendance matches the previous year when the cities were Minor League city's.
"Where is the San Diego "Chicken" when we need a promotion?"
Bob
Consultant will PBR have a say in scouting/selecting Area Code Game players? And BTW thanks for all you've done over the years. I think you once told me you were from Jackson which was once my home town!
Actually Adrian, MI and MSU. The MLB Pro scouts have always been the selection process, however I am observing "from a distance" changes which will benefit the MLB.
When I operated the games for 17 years the pro scouts were amazing partners. Many continue to communicate.The "unsung" hero.
As Scatchel Paige said "Don't look back someone is gaining on you"!!!
The major question: will the HS seniors who have draft potential play in the new Leagues? What will the agent [advisor] recommend?
Bob
@JCG hilarious.
And does this top PDP for hs seniors? Or does PDP go away...it just started? That was all in one place and the kids were housed.
Financially a smart move by mlb. I think long term the goal is to outsource player dev into amateur ball like nfl did and by creating such a league you gain some control over this without having to pay the players like in minor league, maybe they even make some money with this.
The ideal scenario for mlb would be an mlb controlled amateur player dev program that the players parents pay for
.
@Dominik85 posted:Financially a smart move by mlb. I think long term the goal is to outsource player dev into amateur ball like nfl did and by creating such a league you gain some control over this without having to pay the players like in minor league, maybe they even make some money with this.
The ideal scenario for mlb would be an mlb controlled amateur player dev program that the players parents pay for
Thankfully (as a players parent) the costs are covered. I have already started the conversation with my son as this might help his draft stock (he has an elite cutter that makes firewood out of wood bats). As a pitchers parent I am just worried about arm fatigue and no rest after the college season. https://www.mlb.com/mlb-draft-league/about/faq
This is a pretty comprehensive breakdown of how the leagues will work. It does seem (from other conversations) that the MLB teams are still figuring out all the details. Sorry it’s a tweet. Couldn’t get to the source article online:
Here, I got it @PTWood. https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-l...lb-pipeline-coverage