MLB eliminates L. A. County’s lone minor league team
The JetHawks, which had been a Lancaster fixture for 24 years, joins fate of dozens.
On Wednesday morning, the Lancaster JetHawks were alive. By Wednesday afternoon, they were dead.
After more than a year of working to consolidate the minor leagues — and eliminating dozens of teams in the process — Major League Baseball on Wednesday unveiled a list of 119 teams invited to retain affiliations with major league clubs.
The 120th and f inal spot was reserved for Fresno or Lancaster.
Within hours, Fresno officials scheduled a news conference to announce their Grizzlies would accept MLB’s offer to take Lancaster’s spot in the California League.
Lancaster, the lone minor league team in Los Angeles County, lost its spot after 24 years and two California League championships.
In restructuring the minor leagues, MLB prioritized geographical considerations.
The Washington Nationals wanted out of Fresno, and all the West Coast teams chose to retain their current affiliations in the triple- A Pacific Coast League.
At the same time, the Colorado Rockies wanted out of Lancaster.
The stadium is optimally located within the Class A California League, but major league teams dislike the high- desert winds that complicate the development and evaluation of pitchers.
The solution: Move the Rockies’ California League team to Fresno.
Fresno initially balked at moving from triple A to the California League, which will be dropping from highClass A to low- Class A next year. In a letter dated Nov. 25, MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem gave the city of Fresno and the Grizzlies a Nov. 30 deadline to accept a Class A team or be left out entirely.
The deadline was extended, and the city and team worked on negotiating a new stadium lease that could trigger acceptance of a move to the California League.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said publicly that the league would work to make sure baseball still would be played in every market that loses an affiliated minor league team.
In recent weeks, MLB has provided some teams with spots in amateur prospect leagues and professional independent leagues.
JetHawks Executive Vice President Tom Backemeyer said, MLB had not approached the JetHawks about any other form of baseball in Lancaster.
Dodgers, Angels keep top aff iliates
The Dodgers announced they intend to keep their top four affiliates — Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Great Lakes ( Midland, Mich.) and Rancho Cucamonga.
The Angels also didn’t change their top four teams. They retained the Salt Lake Bees ( Utah) as the triple- A affiliate and the Rocket City Trash Pandas ( Madison, Ala.) as the double- A team. The Inland Empire 66ers, the Angels’ California League affiliate since 2011, will be low Class A and the Tri- City ( Pasco, Wash.)
Dust Devils will be high Class A.
The Orem ( Utah) Owlz, previously one of two domestic rookie league teams run by the Angels, were purged from the farm system.
They will relocate to Colorado to join the MLB Partner League.
The Burlington ( Iowa) Bees, who had been the Angels’ Class- A partner since 2013, was one of 11 fullseason teams not to receive an invite.
The Dodgers cut ties with the Ogden ( Utah) Raptors, their rookie- level affiliate since 2003.