WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today released the below statement regarding Major League Baseball’s (MLB) announcement of their minor league affiliate realignment. MLB has decided to restructure their relationship with Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and many of its existing teams. After a process to limit MLB affiliates to 120 teams, the minor league team in Charleston, West Virginia, was not included as an affiliated team.
“The decision to cut the West Virginia Power’s affiliation with MLB is disappointing and marks the end of a long and storied tradition. However, this is not the end of baseball in Charleston. In fact, I have been given the assurance by the MLB that we will have baseball in our state’s capital city. As I have throughout this entire process, I will continue to work with the teams, the cities, MLB, and everyone else involved to form partnerships that will enable families to hear ‘Play Ball’ again at Power Park.”
BACKGROUND:
West Virginia has been home to four Minor League Baseball affiliated teams. Earlier this year, Senator Capito announced that two of those teams were joining the MLB and Baseball USA-supported Prospect Development Pipeline to enable baseball to continue in Bluefield and Princeton. She then announced that Morgantown would be a part of a newly formed league. It is the hope that a similar league or partnership will enable baseball to continue to be played in Charleston.
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