Fresno Grizzlies will have new parent club. That might not be the only change in 2021
The future of the Fresno Grizzlies remains perhaps murkier than ever.
Who will be the Grizzlies’ parent club affiliate?
Will the Grizzlies still compete at the highest level of Minor League Baseball and remain a Triple-A franchise in the Pacific Coast League?
Will the Grizzlies even play next year after their 2020 season was abruptly canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic?
Those are questions Grizzlies fans are wondering after Thursday’s news that the Washington Nationals are cutting ties with Fresno to partner with the Rochester Red Wings as their Triple-A affiliate.
“The Fresno Grizzlies would like to thank the Washington Nationals for their partnership over the past two years,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “As MLB and MiLB continue to discuss the future of player development, the Grizzlies are actively planning for our next season in downtown Fresno.”
The Nationals’ desire to move elsewhere certainly was not unexpected.
It never made sense from a geographical standpoint for the Grizzlies and Nationals to be paired the past two seasons
With 2,800 miles between the two clubs and no direct flights to link Fresno to Washington D.C., transporting players from one level to the other proved extremely difficult.
Minor league baseball reclassification
Finding a new Major League affiliate, however, might not be the Grizzlies’ biggest issue.
According to Ballpark Digest, the Grizzlies will be moving down levels of play — no longer a Triple-A team but to become a Low Class-A ballclub and a member of an eight-team Cal League.
Fresno’s reported reclassification is part of Major League Baseball agreement with Minor League Baseball that’s been in heated negotiations since the spring.
Grizzlies brass have been aware of the scenario of being dropped levels of play within minor league baseball, though they’d fought against that notion while citing their facility and success on the field.
Chukchansi Park, the downtown ballpark that opened in 2002, is considered one of the better venues in Triple-A both from a fan standpoint and player/coach point of view.
The Grizzlies spent more than $4 million in upgrading Chukchansi Park prior to the 2019 season after new ownership (Fresno Sports and Events) took over.
Fresno also has served as the grooming grounds of World Series-champion teams five of the past 11 years, including 2019 when the Nationals beat the Astros.
Nonetheless, the Grizzlies’ new reality might just be enticing fans to a new level of play and finding a new affiliation partner.
