OT: Lexington has another semi-pro baseball team.

[BlueRaider22]

The Wild Health Genomes will join the Lexington Legends. Both will play at Whitaker.

What do you think? Is a good idea? What do you think about the name?

Name of Lexington’s new baseball team revealed

The Wild Health Genomes will join the Lexington Legends as the second professional baseball team in Lexington.

www.wkyt.com

 

[Chimaera717]

Do we really think this knock-off minor league scheme by MLB is going to work out? It just seems like an afterthought, given the well-documented struggles of MiLB.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Do we really think this knock-off minor league scheme by MLB is going to work out? It just seems like an afterthought, given the well-documented struggles of MiLB.

My first thought is no.......but who knows? I do think that the Lexington soccer team we have coming could do well if they run it properly.

 

[3632]

I don't see how this works

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Is the 2nd team a farm team for one of the major league teams? I am a little surprised the first team was ok letting the 3rd team use the stadium, maybe they didn't have a choice.

Going to a minor league game is actually not a bad way to spend a day, a fraction of the cost of big league game, pretty good baseball, maybe a future superstar and sometimes a current superstar coming off the DL. Got to see Chipper Jones play in a rehab game with a Braves farm team about 45 minutes from my house and traffic no worse than a hs football game.

 

[3632]

Is the 2nd team a farm team for one of the major league teams? I am a little surprised the first team was ok letting the 3rd team use the stadium, maybe they didn't have a choice.

Going to a minor league game is actually not a bad way to spend a day, a fraction of the cost of big league game, pretty good baseball, maybe a future superstar and sometimes a current superstar coming off the DL. Got to see Chipper Jones play in a rehab game with a Braves farm team about 45 minutes from my house and traffic no worse than a hs football game.

I got to see Clemens in a rehab game several years ago. Some 20 year old kid homered off him and I’ll just say you didn’t have to guess which person in the stands was his mother after that. I just don’t see being able to support two minor league teams. I mean the existing team does fine but they don’t overdraw or anything now that it has been around a while.

 

[vhcat70]

I'd always thought the Legends were a Class A minor league team with a major leagues affiliation. This is all news to me.

 

[maysvilleky]

I'd always thought the Legends were a Class A minor league team with a major leagues affiliation. This is all news to me.

Unfortunately MLB made the call on which teams got cut out. Not sure how that all was decided.

 

[CB3UK]

I go to several Legends games a year. It's cheap and it's a good time. The Astros ownership was much better about making sure they advertised than the Royals ownership was.

 

[StubbornPenny]

With the legends moving so low down in the minor league ranks (no MLB affiliation, random independent league), they need a second team to play against WITHOUT TRAVEL. I would assume wild health has ownership stake in both teams at this point.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

With the legends moving so low down in the minor league ranks (no MLB affiliation, random independent league), they need a second team to play against WITHOUT TRAVEL. I would assume wild health has ownership stake in both teams at this point.

I don't keep up with baseball, I always thought minor league teams were part of a major league team, so this is news to me. The team near me is a Brave's team. Really

 

[StubbornPenny]

I don't keep up with baseball, I always thought minor league teams were part of a major league team, so this is news to me. The team near me is a Brave's team. Really

A couple years ago they severely contracted the minor league system, stripping about half the teams of any MLB designations. Many folded, some are still trying such as the legends. Oddly
Enough the legends won two league titles before being folded, but minor league titles means very little. It does really suck, as we’re unlikely to see any pros except one on the long way down.

 

[Tskware]

^
Correct, the Legends are no longer a MLB affiliate, nor is this new team. They just needed another team in this league to even out scheduling. I go to UK games, but haven't been to a Legends game in years - last one I saw was when Bryce Harper was on the visiting team. Just not interested in Class A baseball, and definitely not interested in unaffiliated semi pro league.

OT, but also think there are 1000 better purposes for the land on High Street next to Rupp than a minor league soccer stadium. Performing Arts venue, like Ky Center for the Arts in Louisville, would be my top choice, for Broadway, smaller concerts, rallies, lectures, and other civic purposes.

 

[yoshukai]

I’m a lifelong Reds fan . If the Legends were a reds farm team I believe there would be a lot more interest . It would be cool to watch a kid develop in the minors and become a major leaguer for your favorite team . I couldn’t give a crap about what happens to them when they go to Houston or the the Royals . That’s why I’ve never had interest in the Legends.

 

[Seth_C]

My understanding is this team is likely to only be in Lexington on a temporary basis. 2 years or something while they find a permanent home. In that context it makes sense and means there will be baseball in town nearly every night.

 

[StubbornPenny]

My understanding is this team is likely to only be in Lexington on a temporary basis. 2 years or something while they find a permanent home. In that context it makes sense and means there will be baseball in town nearly every night.

wouldn’t make a ton of sense with Wild Health sponsoring the teams and having naming rights to the stadium. That being said while I love that stadium (it’s better than a lot of minor league ones even being 15 -20 years old), it’s in a dumb area that does not drive the economy at all, and they’d be better off to find a new home.

 

[CB3UK]

I’m a lifelong Reds fan . If the Legends were a reds farm team I believe there would be a lot more interest . It would be cool to watch a kid develop in the minors and become a major leaguer for your favorite team . I couldn’t give a crap about what happens to them when they go to Houston or the the Royals . That’s why I’ve never had interest in the Legends.

Same here. I still go to several Legends games a year because it's a great a time. But if they were a Reds affiliate I would actually keep up with and follow the team and moves and such.

 

[Tskware]

wouldn’t make a ton of sense with Wild Health sponsoring the teams and having naming rights to the stadium. That being said while I love that stadium (it’s better than a lot of minor league ones even being 15 -20 years old), it’s in a dumb area that does not drive the economy at all, and they’d be better off to find a new home.

It is a nice stadium, and was all privately funded, state and Lexington did not support it financially, if I recall correctly and Alan Stein and others had to raise the money themselves. But the location was OK, I am sure they picked a less expensive parcel of land, but tbh, don't see how a class A minor league team would ever be expected to drive the economy. Just won't draw big crowds under any set of circumstances. It did land the state HS baseball championships, plus several concerts, so it has been a nice addition to the city.

I thought at the time (20 years ago) that UK and Stein and the Class A team should have partnered up and built a stadium both teams could use, but again, IIRC, UK rejected that overture out of hand, wanted their own on campus facility, which has now also hosted the state baseball playoffs.

 

[JC CATS]

I'd always thought the Legends were a Class A minor league team with a major leagues affiliation. This is all news to me.

Actaully they are, a low A team, used to be for Royals, don't think that's true anymore. So no, it's not a semi pro team

 

[bthaunert]

Actaully they are, a low A team, used to be for Royals, don't think that's true anymore. So no, it's not a semi pro team

They no longer have any affiliation with MLB, so they have no designation as a low A team.

 

[JC CATS]

They no longer have any affiliation with MLB, so they have no designation as a low A team.

So no affiliation? They aren't drafted minor league players? What level of player, plays for them? Just amateurs having fun?

 

[Tskware]

So no affiliation? They aren't drafted minor league players? What level of player, plays for them? Just amateurs having fun?

Pretty much

 

[bthaunert]

So no affiliation? They aren't drafted minor league players? What level of player, plays for them? Just amateurs having fun?

Yeah. When I lived outside of Philly, I would go to the Camden Riversharke games. They were independent (same league) just like this Lexington team. A lot of journeymen who hadn’t been in the big leagues in awhile not wanting to hang up their cleats or young guys who couldn’t catch on with a Minor League Baseball team. There are also some guys that might hold out after being drafted for more money and play a few games before they finally sign. These teams do not participate in any draft, nor are players assigned to them by a MLB team. It’s all free agents.

 

[3632]

Same here. I still go to several Legends games a year because it's a great a time. But if they were a Reds affiliate I would actually keep up with and follow the team and moves and such.

With MLB looking to cut minor league connections even more in this bargaining agreement I think it’s pretty clear the minor league system as it has been is going to fade out even faster

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

With MLB looking to cut minor league connections even more in this bargaining agreement I think it’s pretty clear the minor league system as it has been is going to fade out even faster

I am guessing this is a cost cutting measure by MLB.

Do the players for the teams in Lexington get paid? Do they have to furnish their own equipment and pay travel expenses? Minor league teams not being affiliated with a major league team is news to me. If a major leaguer need a few games rehab, does the major league team just rent a spot on minor league roster?

 

[TheBlueMax]

The Wild Health Genomes will join the Lexington Legends. Both will play at Whitaker.

What do you think? Is a good idea? What do you think about the name?

Name of Lexington’s new baseball team revealed

The Wild Health Genomes will join the Lexington Legends as the second professional baseball team in Lexington.

www.wkyt.com

For one year I am told.

 

[THE_HOOK]

The Wild Health Genomes will join the Lexington Legends. Both will play at Whitaker.

What do you think? Is a good idea? What do you think about the name?

Name of Lexington’s new baseball team revealed

The Wild Health Genomes will join the Lexington Legends as the second professional baseball team in Lexington.

www.wkyt.com

Is the name a joke?

 

[BlueRaider22]

Is the name a joke?

Unfortunately not.

 

[LosGatos]

I am guessing this is a cost cutting measure by MLB.

Do the players for the teams in Lexington get paid? Do they have to furnish their own equipment and pay travel expenses? Minor league teams not being affiliated with a major league team is news to me. If a major leaguer need a few games rehab, does the major league team just rent a spot on minor league roster?

Each major league team still has four farm clubs that are affiliated, one at each level. Thus they have a AAA, AA, and two A teams, one high A the other low A.

Far as I know, players are pro and do get paid. In addition to pro leagues there are several college summer leagues. These play a short summer schedule using college players. There is one such league with teams mainly in western Ky. https://ohiovalleyleague.com/landing/AboutUs/team_info A number of these cities can trace back to the class D Kitty (or Kity) league that was formed about 1905.

 

[maysvilleky]

I am guessing this is a cost cutting measure by MLB.

Do the players for the teams in Lexington get paid? Do they have to furnish their own equipment and pay travel expenses? Minor league teams not being affiliated with a major league team is news to me. If a major leaguer need a few games rehab, does the major league team just rent a spot on minor league roster?

Grumpy…there will still be MLB affiliated teams. Just about 33% of the teams are being cut off. It’s absolutely a cost move by MLB.

I was just surprised the Legends were one of those teams. Like someone said, winning minor league titles evidently had very little pull in the decision.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Grumpy…there will still be MLB affiliated teams. Just about 33% of the teams are being cut off. It’s absolutely a cost move by MLB.

I was just surprised the Legends were one of those teams. Like someone said, winning minor league titles evidently had very little pull in the decision.

Thx for the replies, I am not a huge baseball fan, but the Braves winning the WS was exciting and I do take in 4-5 games a year if their class A team in Rome, Ga. It's about 40 min from my house and cool entertainment.

I am still in awe of that first HR the guy hit in the final game of the WS, I can't remember his name, but I don't know if I have ever seen a ball hit harder, guy was SEC OLB size and he crushed it.

 

[ekywildcat]

Daryl Strawberry played in Paintsville on a Yankees farm team many years ago. I never went to a game, I was in HS, too cool to be seen at a baseball game. Think they were in the Appalachian League?

 

[KingsportKat]

Daryl Strawberry played in Paintsville on a Yankees farm team many years ago. I never went to a game, I was in HS, too cool to be seen at a baseball game. Think they were in the Appalachian League?

He was in the Mets system, started in Kingsport (Appy League) in 1980, Lynchburg 1981, Jackson 1982, started out in Tidewater in 1983 then got called up to the Mets. So he played for the visiting Kingsport Mets against the Yankees farm team in Paintsville.

 

[ekywildcat]

I yield to your knowledgeable response Kingsport, I just remember about him playing in Paintsville, and about 10 yrs later than i thought evidently. I certainly wasn't in HS in the 80's.

 

[KingsportKat]

I yield to your knowledgeable response Kingsport, I just remember about him playing in Paintsville, and about 10 yrs later than i thought evidently. I certainly wasn't in HS in the 80's.

Thanks, I looked it up. I moved to Kingsport in 1982 and the locals talked about him being there. He later called Kingsport a “one-mall town”. Actually there were 2 at the time but it certainly wasn’t a big city.