Status of Lexington’s pro baseball team still up in the air after latest meeting
Discussions are ongoing about a significant realignment of minor league baseball that could have a major impact on the Lexington Legends.
A meeting was held Wednesday to negotiate the parameters of a new Professional Baseball Agreement, which governs the relationship between Major League Baseball franchises and their minor league affiliates. The current PBA expires on Sept. 30.
The two sides released a joint statement on Thursday:
“The respective negotiating teams of Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball held a constructive meeting on Wednesday. The parties are continuing their discussions, with the goal of concluding a mutually beneficial long-term agreement in the near future.”
No specific terms were announced after the meeting. One of the key issues in the talks is last year’s proposal by MLB to remove the major league affiliation of 42 minor league teams. The Legends were among the 42 teams on the initial list proposed. But it appears no decision has been finalized regarding exactly which teams would lose their affiliations.
Baseball America reported Wednesday that the list of 42 teams continues to change, with clubs moving on or off based on various factors. Some have been moved off the list because they’ve received approval for facility upgrades while some have successfully leveraged political clout.
In early April the Kentucky Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Legends, urging MLB to let the team retain its status as the Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.
“The Kentucky Legislature hereby urges Major League Baseball to rescind the ill-advised proposal that threatens the future of professional baseball in Central Kentucky and the benefits in tourism, job creation, quality of life, and charitable assistance that our citizens and communities now enjoy because of Minor League Baseball in Central Kentucky,” the resolution concluded.
Legends President and CEO Andy Shea said Thursday he could not comment about the negotiations at this time and had no new information to convey.
The Legends have been playing minor league baseball in Lexington since 2001. They are coming off back-to-back South Atlantic League championships. The team was scheduled to open its season April 9 at Whitaker Bank Ballpark but the 2020 campaign has been put on hold amid efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
