Why can't the White Sox do this?

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by DumpJerry

The Chicago area is home to the highest number of minor league baseball teams in the country.

Yeah but they're all ****ty independent league teams.

[Fenway]

Originally Posted by DonnieDarko

For the sake of comparison here, what does the Knights' ballpark look like at dusk?

The team has trouble drawing as the park is actually in South Carolina

[Fenway]

Originally Posted by Daver

The White Sox have long preferred to keep their upper level affiliates in the same geographic area to cut travel costs for scouts and roaming instructors.

I had a long time scout tell me that clubs based in the north should have at least one minor league team play in a climate similar to the parent club to see how players adjust to playing in cooler conditions in the spring.

Boston has 3 teams in New England, and 2 in the south = Greenville, SC and Salem, Va.

When Atlanta pulled the AA team out, the City of Greenville decided to build a new stadium downtown to attract a team and it worked.

The old stadium still stands rotting away - it was built in 1984


The new ballpark downtown is a gem

[asindc]

Originally Posted by Iron Dragon2

The Sox used to have South Bend as their low A affiliate several years ago, I believe.

I live in Fort Wayne and, of course, would LOVE to see them become Sox affiliates.

Yes they did. The South Bend White Sox played in downtown South Bend for several years. Never made sense to me that the organization gave that up.

[Huisj]

Originally Posted by Fenway

The team has trouble drawing as the park is actually in South Carolina

Man, Charlotte's stadium looks like a piece of junk compared to the single-A stadium I go to a lot here in Lansing.

[A. Cavatica]

Originally Posted by asindc

Yes they did. The South Bend White Sox played in downtown South Bend for several years. Never made sense to me that the organization gave that up.

I think we had a team in Appleton before that.

[Corlose 15]

Originally Posted by Fenway

Futures at Fenway is one of my favorite days of the summer....

It is a win, win for everybody - fans and the kids who get a chance to play at Fenway.

I also don't understand why the White Sox don't have at least one minor league team close to Chicago (see Midwest League)

Indianapolis would be a great AAA market and in A you have Lake County, Kane County, South Bend, Ft. Wayne and West Michigan as possible places to expand the White Sox brand.

The Yankees and Mets even have A teams in Staten island and Brooklyn.


http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...at_fenw_1.html

West Michigan is the Tigers A team and I cannot see that changing.

[ewokpelts]

sox have hosted a few COLLEGE games, but nothing with thier minor league teams.

[getonbckthr]

What about the team in Gary are they affiliated with anyone?

[Soxman24]

Originally Posted by getonbckthr

What about the team in Gary are they affiliated with anyone?

If you are referring to the Railcats then no. They were part of the Northern League.

[Bucky F. Dent]

Bring the AAA team to Indy, PLEASE!!!!

[Moses_Scurry]

Originally Posted by Bucky F. Dent

Bring the AAA team to Indy, PLEASE!!!!

Yes. This needs to be done immediately!

[Hitmen77]

Originally Posted by Daver

Almost all of them are in unaffiliated leagues that are struggling to survive.

Originally Posted by doublem23

Yeah but they're all ****ty independent league teams.

Yep, only the Kane County Cougars are affiliated (Royals A-level team) with a MLB team in Chicagoland.

The Joliet Jackhammers have had financial difficulty, owed hundreds of thousands in unpaid bills and have now been sold and re-named.

The Schaumburg Flyers owe more than $900,000 in unpaid rent, are facing eviction, and are expected to be sold.
http://triblocal.com/schaumburg/2011...sale-expected/

I do wish the Sox would return to the Midwest League. It would be nice to go to a Cougars game to see Sox prospects when that team visits Kane Co.

[palehozenychicty]

I remember Mike Cameron and Radinsky coming through the Bend as a Midwest Leaguer. I was already a Sox fan from visiting Old Comiskey, but the A affiliate cemented my fandom. I can't think of an easier way to get more local support.

[fox23]

Originally Posted by Huisj

Man, Charlotte's stadium looks like a piece of junk compared to the single-A stadium I go to a lot here in Lansing.

It is. I went there last year to catch a game. Rather than build a place in Charlotte, they decided to build it across the border in South Carolina. You get off the highway and drive for a few miles through the middle of nowhere until you reach the park. Just a huge concrete lot surrounding the park with nothing else. The one nice thing about the place is that there's no seats downstairs past the bases. It is an open area for kids to run around and goof off while at the game. When I went there, there must have been 500 kids from little league teams at the game playing their own games in that area. Every foul ball was a crazy free for all!