The California League could end Modesto in the long term, but professional baseball seems to stay.
The independent Pioneer League is in talks to place a team in John Thurman Field, the current house of Modesto Nuts.
In a closing session On Tuesday, the Modesto municipal council discussed the potential terms of a lease under negotiation between the municipal director and the president of the pioneer league, Michael Shapiro. The council took no measure Tuesday, and neither Shapiro nor a spokesperson for the city immediately returned messages asking for comments.
The history of the California League of Modesto dates from 1946 – Field John Thurman Opened in 1955 – but nuts are reduced to their last three homes.
After Negotiations for a renovated stadium And a new lease collapsed, the team was sold last December and Will Move to San Bernardino Next season, part of a California League mixture which includes the Dodgers affiliate New stadium in Ontario.
A Modesto team would give the League two new teams next year and 14 in all; The leagues prefer an equal number of teams for planning purposes.
The other new team play long beachIn what would be the first entrance to the city in an independent league since 2009.
On Tuesday, the Long Beach municipal council unanimously approved the pursuit of an agreement with a team of extension of the pioneer league which would share historic Blair Field with the Baseball of Long Beach State.
“A team from Long Beach is a chance to show what makes Beach great brilliant: our diversity, our passion and our community spirit,” said the mayor of Long Beach, Rex Richardson, in a press release.
Paul Freedman, the co-founder of Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League, would be one of the owners of the Long Beach team. In a story of the Times last year on the balls and how they filled the baseball vacuum created in Oakland by the departure of athletics, Freedman already had an eye on Long Beach.
“I think Long Beach should have a team from the Pioneer League,” Freedman then said. “Long Beach has its own unique identity. If I come from Long Beach, I don’t want to be told that I must be a fan of Dodger or Angel. “
