Thursday, December 3, 2020

Last Post: That's all folks

Since the West Virginia Black Bears are no longer part of minor league baseball, this will be my last post at Black Bears Tracker.  

As part of Commissioner Rob Manfred's grand plan to contract (shrink) professional baseball, the New York-Penn League has been eliminated. There is a lot of buzz about the new MLB Draft League and how baseball has been "saved" in Morgantown. I understand the reasons why and that some baseball is better than no baseball. But let's be clear, while the team is still "affiliated" with Major League Baseball, there will be NO minor league baseball going forward in Morgantown, West Virginia. Claiming otherwise is like putting lipstick on a pig. The new MLB Draft League is just a wood-bat summer league "focused on top prospects who are eligible to be drafted by MLB Clubs that summer". No doubt, there will be some good baseball played by future major leaguers.

I haven't posted anything here since January 31, 2019 (see: Complete Roster of West Virginia Black Bears, 2015-18). At some point, I may update the roster to include players from the 2019 season and post it on Blogger at New York-Penn League History. That's appropriate because the New York-Penn League is now just history.

For the sake of the fans in Morgantown, West Virginia, Williamsport & State College, Pennsylvania, Trenton, New Jersey, Niles, Ohio, (and a location to be determined), I hope the league is successful. Whether Major League Baseball will be committed to its long term viability remains to be seen.

See you at the ballpark.

Black Bears Tracker is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League, or any of its teams. 

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