Fresno Grizzlies get more time from MLB to find solution, as possible demotion looms
Major League Baseball has given the Fresno Grizzlies more time to work out the fate of the franchise, according to City Attorney Doug Sloan.
MLB said in a letter Wednesday the team must accept a demotion from Triple-A to Single-A baseball by Monday or prepare to go without affiliation to a team in the majors. That is a drop from one step below MLB to four steps below.
The Fresno City Council met Monday in a closed session meeting but took no actions to report publicly. Sloan issued a statement on Monday after the meeting.
“The city of Fresno is in communications with Major League Baseball and the owners of the Fresno Grizzlies, and we now have additional time to explore keeping professional baseball in Fresno,” he said. “We are optimistic we will reach an agreement that keeps baseball in Fresno for our residents to enjoy.”
Representatives for MLB did not return a request for comment Monday, and Sloan did not elaborate on what additional options the city might have — or how many days the additional time amounts to.
The Washington Nationals’ announced Nov. 19 the end of their alliance with the Grizzlies, and no other major league teams have expressed interested in the Fresno franchise as a Triple-A affiliate, according to the letter from Daniel R. Halem, deputy commissioner and chief legal officer for MLB.
Fresno Sports and Events LLC, which owns the team, has not released a statement related to the potential demotion. Grizzlies President Derek Franks has declined to comment.
Grizzlies management have said they were 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.
The Colorado Rockies are willing to add the Grizzlies to its minor league system — but at the California League level, which is set to switch from High Class-A to Low Class-A.
The Cal League’s eight-team alignment has teams in Visalia, Modesto, Stockton, San Jose and four Southern California cities.
Mayor Lee Brand and Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer issued a joint statement Saturday, responding to the Office of the Commissioner of MLB.
“The city of Fresno is decidedly united with the Grizzlies in this endeavor to maintain our Triple-A legacy of success,” the statement said.
Minor league baseball
Since the team began in 1998, the Fresno Grizzlies have been a Triple-A team. Fresno had a franchise in the Cal League from 1941 to 1988.
A change is coming to minor league baseball because at least two successful independent franchises have joined Triple-A and there only 30 affiliates at that level. In addition, MLB is cutting the total number of minor league affiliates to save money.
Chukchansi Park in downtown opened in 2002. The Grizzlies spent more than $4 million in upgrading Chukchansi Park prior to the 2019 season after new ownership took over.
Fresno’s ballpark has been connected to World Series-champion teams five times in the past decade, including 2019 when the Nationals beat the Astros.
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Fresno Grizzlies get more time from MLB to find solution, as possible demotion looms."
