BISCUITS BASEBALL TO RETURN IN 2021 (COVID permitting)
If reports are correct, Riverwalk Stadium will again be the home of the Montgomery Biscuits in 2021. The Tampa Bay Rays announced the affiliation with the city in a release on Wednesday. (Tim Gayle)
By GRAHAM DUNN
Montgomery Biscuits fans can breathe a sigh of relief. At least for now.
The Tampa Bay Rays organization announced on Wednesday that the Biscuits organization would be included as the Double A affiliate in 2021, according to a release from the parent club.
Officials with the Biscuits front office were unable to comment on the release but expect to make a statement in the coming days.
Montgomery has been a Rays affiliate since 2004.
The Biscuits are expected to continue in the Southern League although no official announcement has been made regarding the makeup of the teams in the league’s future.
Prior to the interruption of the 2020 season, Major League Baseball had announced plans to realign minor league operations and pare down leagues by eliminating as many as 42 franchises. The reasons given included limiting travel, which would improve player health and welfare.
On Wednesday, all 30 parent clubs announced their affiliates under the new player development structure beginning with the upcoming season. Montgomery will be one of four cities in the Rays system, including Durham (Triple A), Bowling Green, KY (Single High A) and Charleston, SC (Single Low A).
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to continue partnering with our friends in Durham, Montgomery and Bowling Green in developing the next wave of Rays players. They have been tremendous partners,” stated Carlos Rodriguez, Rays Vice President, Player Development and International Scouting.
“Likewise, our relationship with Charleston many years ago was very fruitful. The RiverDogs staff and fans create an environment where young prospects can flourish and grow, and we are excited to invite them back in to the Rays family.”
Charleston was originally part of the Rays organization until 2004 when it became a part of the Yankees system. It will revert back to the Rays beginning in 2021.
Following the new arrangements, the Rays did not offer an invitation to the Low A/High A League members Charlotte Stone Crabs, Hudson Valley Renegades or the Princeton Rays.
A report was released in March of this year by the Johns Hopkins Minor League Scheduling Research Team, which provided an in-depth proposal regarding the makeup of minor league baseball.
The analysis concluded that the Southern League should be reduced to eight teams (from the current number of 10) with contractions of Chattanooga and Jackson, Tenn. Also, the M-Braves (Braves), located in Pearl, Miss, would move to the Texas League while a new team in Bowling Green be added to the Southern League.
The minor league website, milb.com, provided a complete list of franchises that have been partnered with a Major League club for the 2021 season. But the list of teams associated in each league was not included.
Included on the list are previous Southern League members Tennessee (Cubs), Chattanooga (Reds), Birmingham (White Sox), Rocket City (Angels), Pensacola (Marlins), Biloxi (Brewers), Mississippi (Braves) and Montgomery.
Missing from the list is Jackson, which was the affiliate of the Diamondbacks last season. Instead, Amarillo, Texas is said to be the Double-A team for Arizona.
Jacksonville, Fla. is listed as the Triple-A affiliate of the Marlins. The franchise had been a part of the Southern League since 1970 and was the Marlins Double-A affiliate the last few years.
Rocket City (Madison) is a new franchise that replaced Mobile, which played its final season in the Southern League in 2019.