The Shady Grove Senators. The Gaithersburg Gridlocks. The Montgomery Monties. Minor league baseball may find its next niche in Montgomery County.
The incoming Washington Nationals owners have a not-too-minor decision to make in coming months over their farm system. New Orleans (Class AAA) and Savannah (Class A) are in the final year of their contracts and some Montgomery County officials are considering plans for a minor league stadium near the Gaithersburg fairgrounds or Shady Grove metro.
The Nats would be smart to ring the region with their minor league teams just like the Baltimore Orioles, who have affiliates in Bowie, Frederick, Aberdeen and Delmarva. The Nats have Woodbridge as a start, but the Maryland suburbs have long been the disputed fan region between Washington and Baltimore teams. Montgomery County may become ground zero for baseball.
Both the Nats and Orioles would like to move their Class AAA farm teams. Ottawa is across the border for the Orioles while New Orleans is more than 1,000 miles from Washington. Travel expenseand time needed to oversee those teams is costly. Putting either team in Montgomery County would be a real plus.
Think Baltimore owner Peter Angelos wouldn’t want the Orioles’ Class AAA team on the Nats’ doorstep? Just the thought probably makes him giddy. The Nats might need to move there first in self-defense. The wild card is the possible break with Atlanta’s Class AAA team in Richmond that would prove inviting to both the Nats and O’s.
Incoming Nationals president Stan Kasten said the farm system is among his priorities, though understandably not atop the list when taking over in coming weeks. The team has other hot buttons, but the minors matter shouldn’t be completely dismissed. Montgomery County is too good to ignore.
Kasten said he has worked with both close and faraway farm systems over the years, neither proving better or worse. But what Kasten likes is good facilities that further player development and Montgomery County can offer a brand new one. With all the I-270 corporations, naming rights alone could fund more than a bandbox. Waldorf opens a $15 million stadium next year for an independent minor league team with nowhere near the private support Montgomery officials can muster.
Demographics? The county has more money and residents than some Class AAA outposts. Local residents include incoming Nationals owner Ted Lerner and Redskins owner Dan Snyder, who certainly made friends with his Potomac neighbors by clearing all those pesky trees that blocked the river’s view.
“This area would be tremendous,” said Tom Doyle of the Sports Council of Montgomery County. “There’s no doubt this would do well.”
Montgomery County officials have talked with Ripken Baseball over a stadium and team, according to sources, though one Ripken official claimed it was only a modest measure. The Maryland Stadium Authority is also involved in facility talks that might include an indoor arena.
A new stadium would take at least two years to complete, but a new team could always share Shirley Povich Field in Rockville with the Bethesda Big Train for a season.
If a Class AAA team seems too ambitious, certainly the Nats can move Savannah to Montgomery County. They could also send their Class AA team in Harrisburg, Pa. to Montgomery County and move New Orleans to Harrisburg. The only problem would be if Angelos dangles his Class AAA team instead.
It’s election time in Montgomery County with a $4 billion local budget that can be used for political campaign promises. If officials correctly maneuver two neighboring major league teams into competing for a minor league home, more baseball may be coming soon.
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
