By Lawrence Lang
With the recent talk of Major League Baseball wanting to expand to 32 teams, the question is, where does MLB go if they were to expand to 32 teams. Here are my top five cities that I think deserve an MLB team. Las Vegas and Montreal would be excluded since Vegas will most likely be the new Home of the Oakland A’s and Montreal be the new home of the Tampa Bay Rays if MLB approves the relocations of both Teams. For now, we leave both cities alone since they are the two major cities that would get a major league team again; let’s get to the list.
5. San Antonio, Texas – Since 1888 baseball has been in San Antonio with the San Antonio Mission being there since the inspection of the Original Texas League and have been there ever since and are currently the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. San Antonio has other sports teams in the area as well. The Spurs( NBA) and Stars (WNBA). Now with Houston Astros and Texas Rangers being MLB teams in the league, would that make a case for a third team in the Lone Star State? Well, Travel could be one from San Antonio to Houston is about a three-hour drive, and going from San Antonio to Dallas is just over a four-hour drive. Also interesting enough, when looking at a Texas map, the three cities create a triangle so that it could make for a great major league baseball trip. Plus, you could cut travel time for the other half of Texas if they want to see Major League Baseball. Baseball does exist on the west side of Texas, with El-Paso having the Chihuahuas sister farm team to the Mission and Triple-A affiliate to The Padres. Having Texas Get another team would be cool, especially in San Antonio since they have had baseball since the 19th Century, and it has remained for over 134 years. It shows that baseball can last, and MLB should pull the trigger here.
4. Indianapolis, Indiana – Now Minor League baseball is in Indiana having three teams that are affiliated with MLB teams. Fort Wayne Tincaps High-A affiliate to the San Diego Padres and the South Bend Cubs High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs both play in the Midwest League. Then in Triple-A, The Indianapolis Indians are the Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Indians were a part of the original member of the minor league American Association in 1902 and have been around ever since. Interestingly enough, the Indians play at Victory Field, a 15,000-seat stadium, and according to 2019 Attendance records, they were ranked fourth in attendance for the year. Now other sports do exist in Indianapolis. The Colts (NFL) and Pacers (NBA) are located here, and the famous Indianapolis motor speedway where the INDY 500 takes place. MLB can have a team here, especially if a minor league team is in the top five of attendees, and it also can bring some new rivalries in MLB. Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, Cincinnati, Ohio, and St Louis, Missouri are in the surrounding area.
3. New Orleans, Louisiana. Interestingly, there is no Minor League Baseball team in Louisiana, and do you think either Baton Rouge or New Orleans would have at least a team? New Orleans is already a sports city with the Saints (NFL) and Pelicans (NBA). Adding baseball would be great because it would increase the tourist city’s revenue. It could also help bring minor league baseball to the state by adding the minor league teams in the state and having the teams in cities like Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and Shreveport. Plus, if baseball can succeed in New Orleans, the National Hockey League might also consider an expansion team for them. Also, could you imagine an MLB All-Star Game down in New Orleans it’s already a fun week to watch, but it would be a big party as well because we all know New Orleans like to party!
2. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Now here is an interesting case because Jersey does have its sports team. It just happens to be that it’s pretty much minor league baseball. Granted, you have the New York Giants (NFL) and Jets (NFL), who play in East Rutherford. Yes, we can debate why they aren’t called the New Jersey Giants and Jets different time and place for that. So for them, it’s a hop and skip across the Hudson River. The New Jersey Devils (NHL) lost to the Nets (NBA) when they went across the Hudson to Brooklyn. So with the NBA out of Jersey, let’s give MLB a shot. New Jersey ready does have minor league baseball in Lakewood. You have the Jersey Shore Blueclaws High-A Affiliate to the Philadelphia Phillies. Bridgewater has the Somerset Patriots Double-A affiliate to the New York Yankees. Augusta has the Susses County Miners, and Little Falls has the New Jersey Jackals. Both play in the Frontier League, a partner league to the MLB. Finally, the Trenton Thunder, a former Double-A affiliate to the Yankees, is currently not affiliated with any MLB team after the Minor League baseball realignment but is part of the MLB Draft league for top Collegiate players that are draft-eligible. So baseball can last in Jersey. Why hasn’t MLB pulled the trigger in Jersey yet? Atlantic City would be perfect because it would be a good trip for the family that wants to go to AC and not gamble. Plus, it brings life to a city that is just synonymous with gambling. Plus, the Trenton, Miners, and Jackals could be your minor league farm system, and everything would be all in the state, so it helps with that. Plus, you could have a beautiful ocean view wherever you put the stadium. Who wouldn’t want that view of the ocean and the sounds of baseball? It would have you feeling like you’re on cloud 9. Yes, the possibility of hurricanes is possible, but that is something that MLB already deals with the Marlins and Rays playing in Florida. Baseball can work here because baseball is doing well in other gambling cities like Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Like the other cities listed above, Nashville, Tennessee, has other sports to fill up Tennessee. Nashville, you have the Tennessee Titans (NFL) and the Nashville Predators (NHL), plus in Memphis, you have the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA). Nashville is perfect because the Titans and Predators are already successful in the city. Plus, they have existed since 1978. The MLB would be foolish not to pull the trigger here because if a minor League team can last almost for 45 years, then it can deffinietly work here as well. It works; it could make a case for the NBA to consider maybe putting a team here as well, then Nashville would have all four major sports. Currently, in Nashville, a minor league team called the Nashville Sounds is a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Nashville is already a tourist city with the Country Music hall of fame. Bumping the Sounds from Triple-A to an MLB team would probably boost revenue in the city, just a little as well, plus a payday in October. If the team were to make the playoffs, you could hit a three-run home run here and see the MLB team, the Titans, and Predators in a weekend getaway for sports. Now that to me sounds like heaven.
We will have to wait and see what MLB decides to do regarding an expansion. Any city that gets a team deserves it. Hopefully, it succeeds because if you’re able to bring a team to a city that doesn’t have one or upgrade persay a farm team to major league status. It just means they are expanding the game to give everyone a chance to see major league ball players play. Once again, these five cities are my thoughts, and me thinking outside the box. These five cities could work if done right, but for now, it is a wait-and-see game from MLB.
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