Oh happy day
September 21st, 2006I open my Jackson Sun first thing this morning, and what do I see?
This means I can now root, root, root for the home team, and I can buy Jaxx stuff. It’s going to be a good day.
Looks like the new affiliate may be the Padres or the Diamondbacks.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to have the Cardinal’s AA team here with the AAA Team in Memphis! Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal has an article that explains how major league teams are beginning to consolidate their minor league teams closer to the parent MLB team. The idea is that they can call up and send down players much more quickly as well as build a fan base in the region.
Seems someone else agrees with you, Joel. At the bottom of the article in the comments section:
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It’s too bad that the St. Louis Cardinals don’t need an AA affiliate, especially with their AAA team doing well in Memphis. Besides, west TN is Cardinal country!
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:22 am
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Gag me with a spoon.
But isn’t there still a good chance the team will move out of Jackson? Affiliation doesn’t determine that, right? I’ve lost track of the plot, but the last I’d heard the team was in the process of being sold to a group in Florida…what does this do for that situation?
Yes, the team is in the process of being sold, and the purchase by a group in Florida will most likely go through. However, the Jaxx have contract with Jackson through the 2008 season, and almost certainly will stay here that long.
I’d love to see the city of Jackson support the team more so we could keep the Jaxx longer than that. If the Jaxx leave town, West Tennesseans have nobody to blame but themselves. The community’s support for the Jaxx has been nothing short of pathetic.
Anyone know if that new stadium in Marion has drawn a minor league affiliate yet?
Actually an attempt was made two years ago to move the Jaxx to the Greenville SC area. The only reason it lost out was that another team was also moving here and the financing arrangement was better. Ultimately the decision was made by MLB as to which proposal was approved.
I am pretty sure I read that the Frontier League is expanding and will add a team in Marion. The Frontier League is the same indepedent league that the Gateway Grizzlies are in. It has no major league affiliation.
I just checked the website (you can view here) http://www.frontierleague.com/teams.html. They do list the Marion team as an addition for the 2007 season.
The Chicago Cubs today announced a two-year player development contract with the Tennessee Smokies (AA) of the Southern League. The contract was announced this afternoon at Smokies Park in Sevierville, Tennessee.
“The Chicago Cubs are honored to be part of a first class organization like the one here in the East Tennessee Community,” said Oneri Fleita, Director of Player Development and Latin American Operations. “We look forward to a long affiliation with the Tennessee Smokies”.
The contract ended the Cubs’ partnership with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, the club had been a Cubs affiliate since 1998. The Smokies have been affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last two years.
The Diamondbacks would be fun, they have some of the highest regarded minor league talent of any organization.