Friday, October 11, 2013

Hagerstown in the Carolina League???

An interesting post today in Ballpark Digest mentions something that is a long shot, but one that could put Hagerstown back in the game for professional baseball.

I started this post yesterday, but with some personal things that popped up, this was delayed.

In any event, the Bakersfield franchise in the High A California League has watched its plans for a new ballpark fall through, and with recent changes in California restricting public funding for new ballparks is highly unlikely to be revived.

This then leads to the return of an idea from a few years back in which the California League would sell two of its franchises (Bakersfield and reportedly High Desert) to the Carolina League to increase the CL to ten teams.
Suddenly there would be two franchises available for two towns that had recently lost pro baseball in Kinston NC and yes, Hagerstown.
One of the reasons this idea did not work to begin with was a lack of cities to move those teams to and now, there are three cities (if you include Columbia SC, who wants back into affiliated baseball) that might have chances to grab these teams.

Imagine a scenario that sees Hagerstown go into the Carolina League, the league that returned baseball to Hagerstown and saw its greatest success along with the ability to create what locals have salivated over for years Hagerstown Suns and Frederick Keys in the same league.
Normally,I would say the Carolina League might not be thrilled about two teams in the same geographic footprint, but under these circumstances, they might not be so picky.

The CL could pair Hagerstown with Frederick scheduling-wise as they currently do with Potomac, but with an added bonus-with the two teams being closer together than the current arrangement, visiting teams could stay in the same hotel for six/seven days, save gas and lower the expenses all around.
Plus this could start a rivalry between two neighboring cities, see fans go to both ballparks and build interest in a high school turf type war.

Personally from a scouting and graphing standpoint, I'd be happy staying in the South Atlantic League, but this would be a great move on many parts and it also allows one more thing-the thrill of beating Bruce Quinn.
The man who said Hagerstown would be better suited for short-season baseball would not only watch the town he left to get a higher level of baseball but do it beating him as well.
If there is any one reason for the casual fan to get behind this idea, it might be to save baseball and beat Bruce Quinn to boot!

Another solution could be to work a deal where Quinn gets one of these teams in the Carolina League, sets up a similar setup with Potomac, and sells the Suns to gain capital to make the purchase.
I'd be fine with that as well!

This is a long shot, but I can dream, right?
Dave Gysberts needs to get word to the right people that Hagerstown will build a park for a team, provided it is given,
Gysberts doesn't strike me as the greenest bean in the pot, but perhaps someone can educate him and still keep baseball in town.
Hopefully, someone in the dimwitted city council will begin to explore this possibility and turn this into reality....


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