Phillies' Farm team Moving?

[Griffey24-30]

Does anyone know if the Phillies' AAA team, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, relocating? I'm a soldier stationed in Iraq and I'm from the Scranton area. I heard a rumor about them moving and I was just wondering if this is true. I go to their games as often as I can and it would break my heart to lose them.

[Androctus]

Does anyone know if the Phillies' AAA team, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, relocating? I'm a soldier stationed in Iraq and I'm from the Scranton area. I heard a rumor about them moving and I was just wondering if this is true. I go to their games as often as I can and it would break my heart to lose them.

My understanding of the situation is this: The Red Barons are more than likely not moving. Their Player Developmet Contract with the Philiies is up after the 2006 season however, so its possible they will not be the Phillies AAA affiliate after then. They may become host to a new AAA operation after that, most likely from an East coast or New England team looking to move to the farm closer to home. Rumor here is the Yankees have expressed interest. It also likey that the Phils will sign a new contract with Scranton, though probably a short term one. Either way, baseball will likely continue on in Scranton/WB.

There will be a new minor league club opening in Allentown in 2008, however. This is what I believe started the rumor, but more accurate speculation is that this will play host to a new Orioles affiliate, who want to pull their AAA operation out of Ottowa (following the newest trend of Baseball leaving Canada) and bring it nearer to Baltimore.

[ed hardiman]

This is all much ado sputtering about the stadium lease as baseball extends its stadium extortion racket into the minors.
Their new model we pay and maintain they take all the 100% revenue right off the top.
We get the second 100% of the...wait a minute...let's see...ought times ought is ought...carry the ought...we get jacksquat.
End the antitrust exemption before they extort billions from A, AA, AAA the same way they do to sucker MLB host cities.
Thanks for your service to your country Griffey24-30.
NBC has a hit comedy called the Office based in Scranton and the opening credits feature a quick drive through the city if you get homesick for the Apple of your Eye, I know they have episodes downloadable on sites that let you download Tunes.

[sadiemae]

Phillies AAA

The way I understand it is that Scranton is guarnteed a AAA team. If the Phillies pull out, and it looks like they will, Scranton might get the Orioles who are in Ottawa and would like to get closer. The owner of the AA Reading Phillies built a brand new park in Allentown to lure the AAA team.
The Scranton park was designed as a mini-Vet (the playing field was virtually identical) It opened in 1989.

[johncap]

The way I understand it is that Scranton is guarnteed a AAA team. If the Phillies pull out, and it looks like they will, Scranton might get the Orioles who are in Ottawa and would like to get closer. The owner of the AA Reading Phillies built a brand new park in Allentown to lure the AAA team.
The Scranton park was designed as a mini-Vet (the playing field was virtually identical) It opened in 1989.

I read the Phillies had already committed to be part of the Craig Stein deal in Allentown and move their AAA franchise there next year. We talked about this just the other night in the Stadium Club in the Lackawaana ballpark while watching St. Joes beat Temple.