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Savannah Single-A franchise moving to Columbia

There are cities in the same size range as Columbia that have AAA teams, so it isn't impossible someday. Here are AAA teams in metro areas similar in size to Columbia. Many of these MSAs are smaller than Columbia's.

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Allentown - Bethlehem-Easton)
Rochester, NY
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Syracuse
Durham
Toledo
Colorado Springs
Des Moines
Omaha
Fresno
Reno
Albuquerque
El Paso
 
I have always enjoyed Single A. At one point, when I was really into baseball, I would call the visiting team ahead of their visit to Columbia and ask who the stars were on their team. Often, these guys turned out to make into the majors and you had an opportunity to see them early in their career. I saw Benji Gill once in Columbia and several weeks later he was playing for the Houston club. You just never know. While on this subject, as a Carolina fan, I follow our baseball team, but enjoy the minor league side to because they use wooden bats. This brings the inside pitch/broken bat scenario into play, which is different than the composite bats used at the college level.
 
For many years Greenville had a AA team associated with the Braves. Now that the downtown stadium was built the team is only A.
I don't waste my time ...
 
There are cities in the same size range as Columbia that have AAA teams, so it isn't impossible someday. Here are AAA teams in metro areas similar in size to Columbia. Many of these MSAs are smaller than Columbia's.

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Allentown - Bethlehem-Easton)
Rochester, NY
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Syracuse
Durham
Toledo
Colorado Springs
Des Moines
Omaha
Fresno
Reno
Albuquerque
El Paso

 
For many years Greenville had a AA team associated with the Braves. Now that the downtown stadium was built the team is only A.
I don't waste my time ...
4 the luv of the game.

no doubt that extra level makes a huge difference in the quality of play, but more & more today these single a kids are comin' from good ncaa teams.....much less how to u give up $1 beer night:)
 
There are cities in the same size range as Columbia that have AAA teams, so it isn't impossible someday. Here are AAA teams in metro areas similar in size to Columbia. Many of these MSAs are smaller than Columbia's.

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Allentown - Bethlehem-Easton)
Rochester, NY
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Syracuse
Durham
Toledo
Colorado Springs
Des Moines
Omaha
Fresno
Reno
Albuquerque
El Paso



Practically all of those towns have infintely better weather in July that Columbia, SC. Might not matter but I doubt I would sit outside in Columbia, SC to watch a baseball game in July.
 
There are cities in the same size range as Columbia that have AAA teams, so it isn't impossible someday. Here are AAA teams in metro areas similar in size to Columbia. Many of these MSAs are smaller than Columbia's.

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Allentown - Bethlehem-Easton)
Rochester, NY
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Syracuse
Durham
Toledo
Colorado Springs
Des Moines
Omaha
Fresno
Reno
Albuquerque
El Paso
None of those cities have a major university in town that has a rabid fanbase. These cities are without big time college athletic, especially baseball.

Yes, Fresno won a NC, but their fan support is nothing like USC's and that NC team was more of a fluke
 
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