One day after announcing a new short-season A minor-league affiliate, the Nats and low-A Hagerstown Suns have also renewed their player-development contract. The organization made the announcement on Wednesday. From the press release:
“Our partnership between the Nationals and Hagerstown has fit well,” said [team president Stan] Kasten. “We very much appreciate the proximity and hospitality that Hagerstown and the Suns provide our players. We are pleased to have both town and team as members of our affiliate family.”
Recommended Stories
“We are very fortunate to have another two years with the Washington Nationals,” said Suns Majority Owner Bruce Quinn. “Through the Lerners, Stan Kasten and Mike Rizzo, the Nationals truly are an up-and-coming team in the National League.”
Hagerstown is located almost equidistant from Nationals Park (73 miles), Double-A Harrisburg (77 miles) and Single-A Potomac (85 miles). More than half of the 16 South Atlantic League clubs reside within a six-hour drive of the nation’s capital.
Makes sense to keep another affiliate close to home. The Orioles and Nationals have made this a key part of their player-development strategy. It’s easier for team scouts to see the organization’s players throughout all levels. It’s easier to get promoted players to their new teams quickly and efficiently and for local fans to see future stars at ballparks within reasonable driving distance. Think No. 1 overall draft pick/Yankees/Lakers/Cowboys/Duke fan Bryce Harper playing at Hagerstown – maybe as soon as next season – won’t be a draw for fans in the D.C. area, too?
One interesting note, though. The Nats signed two-year agreements with Triple-A Syracuse, Double-A Harrisburg, Single-A Potomac, Hagerstown and new short-season club Auburn (NY) in the New York-Penn League. Washington owns its Gulf Coast League affiliate in Viera, Fla., which plays its games at the organization’s spring-training home.
That means all of its affiliation contracts will expire in 2012, giving the team serious flexibility if it wants to make major changes. Say Richmond makes progress on a new minor-league ballpark over the next 18 months or moves back to Triple-A should a team at that level want to move. Or – pure speculation – maybe Washington is unhappy with the facilities of one of its partners and wants to find a better home. Apparently, that was the downfall for short-season Vermont, which had been an affiliatesince before the Nats even moved to Washington.
Not counting the Gulf Coast League or Arizona League teams, instructional-league affiliates owned by their respective major-league organizations, there are only four other big-league clubs that could have their entire system up for renewal in 2012. Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Arizona and the Chicago Cubs are the others.
Milwaukee will soon agree to terms with its final holdout, Double-A Huntsville, but isn’t happy with the affiliation, according to reports, and is likely to renew for just two years. There are no other Double-A spots open for them. Cincinnati has to find a Single-A affiliate with Bakersfield the likely landing spot from three openings left in the California League. Arizona has not yet announced its Triple-A, short-season-A and rookie league affiliates. The Cubs’ five major affiliates all end their player-development contracts in 2012.
Follow me on Twitter @bmcnally14
