Frederick Dropped

[weams]

 

[LookinUp]

Damn. The writing was on the wall but I was really hoping they kept the Keys.

[OFFNY]

o

 

I saw the Advanced-A Keys play numerous times, in Winston-Salem NC and Lynchburg VA.

I also have a Keys hat.

 

Too bad ...... now we have lost the Rookie-League Bluefield Orioles, and the Advanced-A Frederick Keys.

 

o

[DrungoHazewood]

That sucks.  Expected, but it sucks. 

In a perfect world this contraction would be an opening for real competitive, maybe even higher level independent leagues.  But I think that ship sailed a long time ago.  Way before I was born.  At best some of the dropped teams will join leagues like the Atlantic League, made up mostly of A- and AA-caliber talent in their late 20s.  Or this Draft League... I guess.

[TommyPickles]

Man this is a real bummer.  My mom lives in Frederick and the Keys are such a beloved part of that community.  I hope they'll still be able to employ as many people and draw as many fans in this new league, but I doubt it.

I've been to a couple games there.  Great times.

[billhatf]

This is yet another example of the bumbling deeds of the geniuses running MLB.  Into the ground.  

[Just Regular]

For Frederick's sake, I'd been kind of pulling for the Nationals to re-arrange some deck chairs.

I'm curious if this is a planted leak - I kind of imagined there would be a Pull the Band-Aid off at one moment in time saying, The 120 are...

[MCO'sFan]

I wonder how they will provide coaching staff and players for this new league. Does MLB/USA Baseball hire coaches and provide players similar to how a parent club would?

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

 

[Roll Tide]

1 hour ago, weams said:

 

Bad Orioles decision! I would have let go of Bowie as its closer to the Gnats

[Tony-OH]

7 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

Bad Orioles decision! I would have let go of Bowie as its closer to the Gnats

Me too. Bowie is a Washington suburb while Frederick is half way to both. Basically what they've done is lose an area that will now have young people moving toward the Gnats because they have been a winning team while the Oriole wallow in last place and battle for the 1st pick in the draft every year.

I am glad to see Aberdeen get picked up as a full season club. 

[fansince1988]

Sad to hear this news. I spent numerous afternoons and evenings watching the Keys at Harry Grove from early-2000s to mid 2010s . Billy Rowell, Jumbo Diaz, Manny, Big Bat Matt, B-Rob, and Markakis. Memorable moments for me include a towering, opposite field, Jason Hayward homerun off Brian Matuz (that cleared I-70 ) a random Mike (Joes Brother) Flacco homerun, and attending Mannys first game there in 2011 with my dad. If I remember it correctly he hit his first home run as a Key that day. Good times. 

Edited December 9, 2020 by fansince1988

[orioles22]

It would be nice to see the new alignment for Minor League Baseball. I wonder when that will be finished and available.

[Ripken]

Been to more Keys games than I can count.  Live a few minutes away.  Knew this was coming but a horrid decision regardless.  Not that I expected differently from this franchise.

[bpilktree]

14 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

Bad Orioles decision! I would have let go of Bowie as its closer to the Gnats

Yes but not sure any of the other locations have the size or facilities to be a AA team.  They also jumped Aberdeen to high A and kept Delmarva as low A telling me stadium and facilities played a bigger role in the decision then location.