Blue Jays Add 7th Minor League Affiliate

by Tom Dakers on Sep 7, 2010 12:24 PM EDT

The Blue Jays sent out two press releases this morning. One saying the have extended their agreement with the Lansing Lugnuts for two more years, 2011 and 2012.

The other announces a new Jay minor league team:

BLUE JAYS TO PLAY IN BLUEFIELD

Toronto to add seventh affiliate in 2011

The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have reached a four-year working agreement with the Bluefield Baseball Club of the Appalachian League (Rookie advanced). This addition will see the Blue Jays field a seventh minor league affiliate for the 2011 season.

The Bluefield Blue Jays will begin play with manager Dennis Holmberg at Bowen Field in Bluefield, West Virginia, a city rich in baseball history that can be traced back to 1882. The organization has been affiliated with the Boston Braves, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers and for the last 53 seasons, the Baltimore Orioles.

"This is another example of our commitment to Scouting and Development as the driving force to move our organization forward. The first step was to invest in our scouting staff, then allocating resources to the First Year Player Draft and amateur free agents. Next year we will take another step forward by expanding to seven minor league affiliates. Bluefield is a tremendous partner for us and presents a great opportunity for our young men to develop."

-- Tony LaCava, VP, Baseball Operations & Assistant General Manager

The Blue Jays affiliates in 2010 are,

Las Vegas 51's - AAA (Contract expires following the 2010 season)

New Hampshire Fisher Cats - AA (Agreement through 2012 season)

Dunedin Blue Jays - A- Advanced (Club owned team)

Lansing Lugnuts - A (2 year extension through 2012 season)

Auburn Doubledays - A - short season (Contract expires following 2010 season)

Gulf Coast Blue Jays - Rookie (Club owned team).

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Any more news with Auburn?

We’re supposed to be leaving them this season.

by TtD on Sep 7, 2010 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

So what happens if we dump Las Vegas?

I have always wondered about what happens when teams switch minor league affiliates:

What about all the players we have signed that play there? I assume their contracts will just stay with the Jays organization and they will report to whatever the new AAA affiliate is? Then, what will happen with the 51’s? They will have no players to field a team, and no big league club paying the bills – will they just fold?

by shuswapslugger on Sep 7, 2010 12:45 PM EDT reply actions

There are 30 Triple a teams

One for each team. It is up to the mlb teams to match with one. If the Jays take another team (example Fresno), then that teams parent (SF giants) would probably get stuck with Vegas.

by NHfishercatsfan on Sep 7, 2010 1:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

and by triple a i mean

PCL and I’LL only. Mexicos triple a level but no mlb team affiliations.

by NHfishercatsfan on Sep 7, 2010 1:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

and yes players just go

To the minor league team of their parent club. Vegas players would go to the new Jays AAA affiliate and the new parent clubs AAA players would go to Vegas.

by NHfishercatsfan on Sep 7, 2010 1:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

rats

I’m moving to Medicine Hat in a couple months I was hoping they’d go back there.

by ABsteve on Sep 7, 2010 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

Move the AAA team to St. Catherines.

by JayLo Biafra on Sep 7, 2010 3:36 PM EDT reply actions

So am I right

in thinking that the Bluefield Blue Jays will fit between Auburn and Dunedin and be afull season team rather than a short season outfit

by bankertuck on Sep 7, 2010 4:14 PM EDT reply actions

no

it’s advanced Rookie, a step up from the Gulf Coast League, so between that and Auburn, which is short season A ball. Like other rookie leagues, the season starts in June, after the draft.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Sep 7, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

so I’m assuming it’s to accommodate a plan that AA has to sign more of the Jays picks (similar to this season) in the next seasons?

by REMO on Sep 7, 2010 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions

or more international signings

they often start at rookie ball

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Sep 7, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Any international free agent buzz?

by Joey P on Sep 7, 2010 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Glad to see the Jays adding a seventh affiliate, which the Star’s Richard Griffin I think it was had given a heads-up on a month or so ago. Ties in nicely with the Jays renewed commitment to scouting, the draft and developing a wider talent base. So it’s good.

Thanks for the info on the status of the Jays other affiliates. So with Lansing now renewed through 2012, the Jays have some work this year on expiring contracts in Auburn and Vegas. Will be interesting to see if there’s any change on the AAA front – I’m not sure there will be.

Interesting to see that the Jays own two of their affiliates – Dunedin and Gulf Coast – though not much surprise I guess as both based out of their spring training complex. I wouldn’t mind seeing them owning more of their affiliates if the locations made sense for the long term.

by jabalong on Sep 7, 2010 9:12 PM EDT reply actions