Solving the Nationals' AAA Problem

[Dunphy1296]

So I'm a few years into a campaign as the Washington Nationals and the unfortunate AAA situation the Nationals fell into this year is starting to wear on me. While it doesn't actually affect my game in any way, having my AAA affiliate in Fresno is not something the real world Nationals are going to put up with once they can fix it. So as I am entering the 2022 season I want to switch up my affiliate team. I have a couple of solutions I think I might try and I want to know what the community thinks or if anyone thinks they might have a more realistic solution to the problem.

1) I can switch the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA-Nationals) and the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA-Giants). This makes a ton of sense geographically and I have even seen a few articles talking about the Nat's AAA woes proposing this as a solution. However, switching a AA and AAA team is unprecedented, and causes some problems with balancing leagues.

2) I can just move the Fresno Grizzlies to Charlottesville Virginia. This would put the Nat's AAA team right near Richmond (where the Nat's obviously want their AAA affiliate). However, I'm not sure how realistic this is as the MLB has very strict rules as to what markets minor league teams can move into. I also would need to move the Grizzlies into the International League.

I would love some input as to how I can fix this "problem" in the most realistic way. I also would love some ideas for how to re-brand the Grizzlies and maybe even some graphics and logos to go with that idea.

[NoOne]

if keeping the orignal city/nickname is important to you, then i'd swap with another AAA team near D.C. you could do a AA team too and make it a AAA team too. then, your previosuly AAA oncverts to AA, or play musical chairs with as many other teams as you wish to make the #s work out as they did before in each league.

if it's not important, i'd go the easy route and just change the city name. even if 2 mil teams in same city, but i'm sure you have more than one option for a nearby area that can support a mil team.

as far as finances it is irrelevant in ootp. no cost/revenue from mil games or tv contracts etc.

if you swap teams, just empty those two teams of all players, first. Then, change the affilliate in league structure for that AAA league. make sure to check disabled list... or do it in offseason for easier work.

the AI will fix it just as it was before -- assuming no new info like a new scouting report or traded players etc. you can either ask the ai to setup your mil system, or if you control that stuff, make a new shortlist with all the AAA players before you move them out of your AAA team. then you can simply select all onthat list and promote back to AAA when the affiliates are switched.

[Curve Ball Dave]

The easiest, fastest way is to simply re-name the teams and change their uniforms. The problem with swapping these two particular teams is Richmond is in the Eastern League, and making Fresno a member of the EL would make no sense.

What you can do is pick a currently unused city in the central part of the country (or Canada) for the Nat's AAA team, at least that would it closer than Fresno. The PCL has teams located there anyway like Omaha and Iowa (Des Moines). It's no more difficult than renaming the team. You won't have edit the league structure and there will be no schedule balance issues.

[Dunphy1296]

I think I want to move the Nat's AAA affiliate into Virginia because that is where the real life Nat's clearly desire their AAA affiliate to be. If it wasn't for the Richmond Flying Squirrels the Nats would have figured out a way to get their AAA team there, both because of the proximity to D.C. and because the Nat's want/need to expand their fanbase in Virginia.

What I want to do is move the Grizzlies into Richmond and switch them into the South Division of the International League. The problem is that will knock the 4 team-4 division balance of the PCL out of balance, so I'm not sure how to figure out that problem. Also, if I want to be realistic the Richmond Flying Squirrels are gonna need to go somewhere else. Unfortunately there are no west coast AA leagues for the Flying Squirrels to realistically move to Fresno and still play AA ball.

So basically I want the Nationals' AAA affiliate in Virginia (Richmond or Charlottesville) but I want to keep the schedule balance for the PCL and the EL, and I want it to be a solution that is at least somewhat close to what the real Nats are going to do in 2020 or 2022. I figured this might be an interesting topic for conversation, since the Nationals are clearly not pleased with the Fresno Grizzlies and it would be interesting to imagine how they are going to solve the problem.

[NoOne]

draw out the musical chairs and do it... map it out on paper, if complicated.

[Dunphy1296]

Originally Posted by NoOne

draw out the musical chairs and do it... map it out on paper, if complicated.

Yeah, I guess this is gonna requires some extra paper.

[BBGiovanni]

This thread is funny because the Nats have "suffered" from this for zero days. The Mets suffered with Las Vegas forever, and the Nats dodged that bullet only because the A's weirdly stepped in front of it.

Anyhoo, the answer here is: make Fresno into the Rochester Red Wings, and stick the Twins with Fresno.

[Dunphy1296]

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

This thread is funny because the Nats have "suffered" from this for zero days. The Mets suffered with Las Vegas forever, and the Nats dodged that bullet only because the A's weirdly stepped in front of it.

Anyhoo, the answer here is: make Fresno into the Rochester Red Wings, and stick the Twins with Fresno.

I'm a Red Sox fan, so I don't have any particular sympathy for the Nationals. The reason I want to dump Fresno is simply because I'm "roleplaying" the GM of the Nationals who in real life is gonna find a way to dump Fresno on someone else. You can see a lot of articles talking about how the Nats are none too pleased they ended up in Fresno. That is certainly an interesting "soloution" regarding the Red Wings, but I don't really want to just dump Fresno on the Twins.

So this is the solution that I have come up with after charting it out. Fresno has been a "bullet" that teams have been trying to dodge for a while now. It seems that whoever looses the biennial game of minor league affiliation musical chairs gets stuck with Fresno. It is simply too difficult of a city to move personal to and from, and makes it difficult for any team outside of California to deal with. Thus, in my game I have decided that it is time for AAA baseball in Fresno to end. These are the moves I am going to make:

1) Richmond Flying Squirrels move to Bridgeport CT, Once again become Connecticut Defenders, move to EL - Eastern Division
2) Reading Fightin Phils move back to EL - Western Division
3) Fresno (PCL-PC North) to Richmond VA (IL - South)
4) Indianpolis Indians (IL- West) move to PCL (AC- North)
5) Oklahoma City Dodgers (PCL- AC North) move to PC- South
6) Salt Lake Bees (PCL - PC South) move to PC - North
7) Buffalo Bisons (IL-North) move to IL- West

I recognize that this is far more trouble than the MLB would go through in real life to let the Nats have Richmond for AAA baseball. However, in real life if the Flying Squirrels do move for some reason I have no doubt the Nats will pounce on the city. I would be interested to hear any comments on my plan, and maybe any ideas for how to brand the new AAA team in Richmond.

[itsmb8]

Personally, I'd fix it by giving the Giants Fresno once again, giving Oakland the River Cats, once again, and then going from there.

Also, I think the Timber Rattlers should become Milwaukee's AAA team, that would make perfect sense.

[waittilnextyear]

Here's my solution:

AAA Fresno --> Dodgers AAA affiliate (same division)
AAA Oklahoma City --> Rangers AAA affiliate (same division)
AAA Nashville --> SF AA affiliate (EL West)
AA Richmond --> WAS AAA affiliate (IL South)
AAA Gwinnett --> ATL AAA affiliate (move to PCL Am South)

The pros are Fresno goes to a California team and you get Richmond. The most invasive thing would be sending Nashville down a rung to AA, but they were originally a double A affiliate at one point.

[mgom27]

This Game need MILB so we can have Minor League Teans been purchased by other Teams or relocating if contract is up if not renewed.

Marlins and Rays should have Triple-A teams in Florida but don't because Rays in Durham and Marlins in Wichita in the future.

[andyhdz]

Originally Posted by Dunphy1296

So I'm a few years into a campaign as the Washington Nationals and the unfortunate AAA situation the Nationals fell into this year is starting to wear on me. While it doesn't actually affect my game in any way, having my AAA affiliate in Fresno is not something the real world Nationals are going to put up with once they can fix it.

Hey the feeling is mutual bub. Not exactly doing backflips here either. Seeing the Astros prospects for four years was a joy and brought us 3 playoff runs and a National AAA Championship. I have low expectations for the next two years. But seriously don't move Fresno to the East Coast. The PCL is meant to be a west coast/midwest league.

You could do worse than catching a game at our ballpark the only reason we suffer is that we just can't quite get those direct flights out of our airport which is a shame for a metropolitan area of over half a million people. a population that puts most other AAA cities to shame.