The Blue Jays will play their home games for the 2020 season at their Triple-A site in Buffalo, reports Dan Connolly of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Jays have been searching for a home site since government regulations in Canada ruled out Toronto’s Rogers Centre. They thought they’d reached a deal with the Pirates to utilize Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, but the Pennsylvania Department of Health quashed that plan. The Blue Jays also explored the possibility of playing at Camden Yards in Baltimore, which the Orioles reportedly approved, but that arrangement was also pending government approval in Maryland.
All the while, the Jays have reportedly been working to upgrade their facilities at Buffalo’s Sahen Field, bringing the clubhouses lighting up to par with MLB standards (or at least as close as possible). The organization’s strong preference has been to play its home games at a Major League facility, but it seems they’ll instead settle in a familiar setting for many of the club’s young players.
The Jays have since officially confirmed the report, issuing a statement which indicates they’ll stage the “majority” of its 2020 home games in Buffalo. Said president and CEO Mark Shapiro within the release:
“This process has no doubt tested our team’s resilience, but our players and staff refuse to make excuses – we are determined to take the field on Opening Day today, and for the coming months, with the same intensity and competitiveness that our fans expect.”
The Blue Jays appear to have set a deadline for a response from the government of Maryland and, having not heard back, decided to move on to Plan C. Can’t leave this stuff in limbo forever!
Technically, plan D
Total Bush League
Try plan AAA.
its time for the Government. in Canada to forfeit their Jays games if they can’t have ML teams playing in Toronto. This is beyond insane, I guess baseball doesn’t go far in Canada. I can hear all the complaints coming out of their AAA field including the condition of the field, the lighting, etc.
The players have already let it be known to the GM they wanted to play in a MLB park. And are not happy.
Prepare for a slew of nagging injuries that keep players out.. they will not rush back especially considering if they play one game and are “injured” they get paid for the whole 60 game season.
With that attitude the Jays are lucky you have nothing to do with the team either on the field or in management.
Canada seems to be too busy not getting every aspect of the pandemic wrong.
In a related story, Toronto appears close to completing the complicated 5-team SkyDome megadeal with Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Buffalo, and Dunedin. The trade is rumored to also include cash considerations in exchange for a Stadium to be Named Later…
I guess that makes the most sense
It really does. In Pittsburgh or Baltimore there could be a double booking issue once the playoffs start. Then you have to wait for the Orioles or pirates to finish their playoff game before you can play…. it would be a hassle.
I don’t think any of those teams are making the playoffs
youtube.com/watch?v=s2R2sH2ScBM
There could be a 28 team playoff and the Pirates and Orioles would be the 2 teams to not make it. Heck, they’d likely somehow miss a 30 team playoff where college teams beat them out
lol…i see what you did there
the best choice
They could have played in ct
The blue jays were just greedy going after a mlb stadium
Yeah, how dare they want to play in a professional major league park! GREEDY!
Right WiffleBall, how dare they look for a better option? The audacity.
Nope greedy
Instead of repeating yourself, tell us why it’s greedy for an MLB team to want to play in an MLB calibre venue?
bluejays92
He can’t. His position is not justifiable.
Low talker and low brain function
Nope NOT greedy
wouldn’t it be more greedy to play in their own park because then they wouldn’t be paying another team to play in their stadium?
Enough with the logic already!
They shouldn’t have any problems playing in a minor league stadium – They’ve been playing in a minor league country for years.
If Canada is minor league, are we technically middle school right now?
In the Blue Jays defense, if what you are saying is true, they are a major league baseball team. Why wouldn’t they look to having an MLB stadium?
Where will their alternative training site be now? Was scheduled to be in Buffalo
New Hampshire?
Guessing Manchester NH, home of the Fisher Cats, their AA team.. We will surely find out.
From what I’ve read, it’ll be Rochester.
Too bad it wasn’t Syracuse.
Is there a player that hasn’t played at a AAA park? They can deal with it.
Play as many day games as you can.
there have been some but would say not a lot. Some AAA parks are not much different than AA Parks. .
HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!
I’ve lived in a AA town, I now live in a AAA town. Night and day.
Depends on how new the stadiums are. The Pirates AA stadium is fairly new and from all accounts very nice and not far off from AAA stadiums. Pirates are using it for their alternate home now. I do not disagree with you about the players will be ok with it because they can play in just one stadium for home games. Will be just fine. I also agree with the day games as would be good for TV adding more time slots for live games.
That extra A makes all the difference.
I lived in a AA town, I now live in a AAA town. Same ballpark. Where do I live?
San Antonio?
You might want to look that up. A quick look at some Red Sox players from 2019 show:
Bogaerts:
AAA–61 GP
AA—79
Devers
AAA–15
AA—77
Betts
AAA–46
AA—55
Benintendi
AAA–0
AA—34
JD Martinez
AAA–52
AA–143
Eduardo Rodriguez
AAA–96.2 IP
AA–190.2
Price
AAA–53.0
AA—57.0
Darwinson Hernandez
AAA–17.0
AA—48.1
Sale
AAA–10.1
AA—0.0
I just picked a few players from the team I follow, starting with younger ones but adding in a few with more experience. What you are seeing is a move from players working their way up to the Majors through Triple-A and Double-A becoming more of the feeder. Triple-A players tend to be ones who have bounded back and forth between the Majors and Minors, ones who need more work in a certain area but the club doesn’t have enough room for them in Double-A, or ones working off injuries.
One of the main factors is college ball and the draft; the players are ready sooner. In earlier days, most of the prospects came from town ball or factory leagues.
Another thing that has changed how prospects move through the system is the players signed from other countries. They’re playing a higher level of ball that many of our high school students who don’t make college.
I think you’re overlooking the logistics and the prospects successes moving through the origination, but yea I see what you’re saying
It’ll be fine.
I need to ask the most important question. Is that a hitters park? For fantasy purposes I need to know.
Seems like a below average hitter friendly park when comparing to other minor league parks. 38th percentile.
baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-park-fact…
You gotta wonder if the first few months of buffalo weather effect these stats tho.
True. Also, maybe minor league ball parks in general are hitter friendly relative to MLB parks. So, even at 38th percentile that could be hitter friendly MLB park.
Dodger – April and May are tough months of spring weather shows up late. Happened the last couple seasons, especially 2018.
Based on what I could see, 325 each foul pole seems a little short. 400 in center field. Not sure about elevation.
This will definatley be the easiest for them to do, and I’m happy they did it. Despite my dislike of the Jays, I’m glad their players aren’t having to sit around in limbo on opening day.
Who else is pumped for opening day? I am totally going to be cheering on the Texas Dissapointers tonight, (hopefully they can finally make it to the postseason with 16 teams being thrown into it).
Ranger fan has a dislike for the Jays? I wonder why? 😛
All kidding aside, I’m glad you can put it pass that to be happy for the players finding a home.
I was curious why Texas Rangers old stadium didn’t seem to be an option
The schedule. Because of the virus East is playing East etc. making the Jays travel to Texas is not fair
I can’t confirm this but I’ve also heard that the old stadium Globe Life Park has already been reconfigured for XFL and is no longer viable for baseball.
They did reconfigure it to the XFL, but it can be changed back to a baseball field.
Some bright mind decided to sink concrete in all over the old stadium to where it could never be used for baseball again.
Three baseball teams in NY for the first time since 1957!!! Golden age of baseball.
That’s a small park. Going to be a lot of home runs hit there
Seems like poles and power alleys are favorable to hitters but deep center is 404. That is a decent size. We also don’t know how the ball carries there. It was actually only 38th percentile in last year’s Baseball America minor league park factors. That said, maybe minor league parks in general are smaller and hitter friendly relative to MLB parks. So, maybe the ball will fly out after all. I believe that this park was more pitcher friendly before, but then they brought back center field from 410 to 404 and lowered the fences by almost 50%.
baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-park-fact…
Thanks for the info.
Did they get approval from NY state to play in Buffalo? Apologies if I missed it.
Doesn’t say government approved…..
If it’ll help advance Cuomo’s career, it will be approved. That will be the main consideration.
Problem solved
Buffalo BlueJays? It’s got a ring to it. Maybe they should just stay there permanently
Bills have also played in Toronto before.
Watch the Jays win the World Championship and next year every team asks to play in their AAA stadiums.
Temporary name: The Buffalo Sabre-Matics!
To be renamed “Buffalo Wings” . . .
The Bleu Jays?
The Buff Jays
Yay for Buffalo!
In Buffalo they will just have to wing it.
Daytime baseball wow!! What a concept!! Leave the stadium lights alone
Orioles fans still angry about Ceto Gaston’s snub of Mike Mussina in ‘93 All Star Game!
Yes we are!
Seriously??
They should be mad about being snubbed by the last 35 World Series
This could give the Jays a sneaky advantage. Not sure how many players on other teams have played in Buffalo, but the young core of the Jays has plenty of experience playing there. The article touched on it but didn’t elaborate. Lets go!! Baseball is back!!!!
This is totally bush league, if they forfeit their games or if some ML players end up injured because of the field conditions then who’s going to lose. Can’t even believe this so ridiculous.
Bush league comment. What makes you think field conditions will be substandard?
Field conditions? But its safe to play during a pandemic.
It’s safe to protest and vandalize, so yes.
Long story I’ll make as short as possible…
In 1957 or ’58, the Buffalo Bisons…my hometown’s Triple A team…was facing a financial crisis. They needed people to invest in the club to make sure they stayed in Buffalo. My dad bought me a share of stock in the team…I think it was $1. And I’ve got that stock certificate some place. I was part owner of the Bisons.
1959 – Branch Rickey (God bless him) got in back of a plan to start a third major league…the Continental League. Franchises would be located in cities that didn’t have major league teams…like Dallas, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Toronto and Houston…Buffalo would be added to the list. New York was also supposed to get a team to replace the Dodgers and Giants.
Well, the major leagues expanded…partially, at least, to keep the league from starting. And Branch Rickey, who said on national TV, that the Continental League was “as inevitable as tomorrow morning” would disband it about a year later.
Eventually, 7 of the 8 cities scheduled to get Continental League franchises would get teams in the major leagues…every city except Buffalo.
1969 – Major league baseball gets ready to expand again. The American League votes to give franchises to Seattle and Kansas City. The National League holds its vote. For a city to be granted a franchise, the vote has to be unanimous. San Diego…to be run by old Dodger General Manager, Buzzie Bavazi, gets the support of Walter O’Malley. They get the 10 votes needed. As for the second new National League franchise, Buffalo was said to be the strongest candidate, but when the vote is taken, it winds up 9-1…the one ‘no’ vote came from O’Malley. Ultimately, the only city he would vote for was the one where the Dodgers had their Triple A franchise for years…Montreal. Seeing that they couldn’t sway O’Malley to vote for Buffalo, all the other owners voted for Montreal. So, Walter O’Malley kept major league baseball out of my hometown. (a large reason, among other large ones, I wanted to start a website called “Shoot O’Malley Twice”.)
Within a year after that, the Bisons had no place to play. Their old ballpark, War Memorial Stadium (built during the Depression and called ‘the rockpile’), falling apart and in a rotten neighborhood, drew nobody. And the Bisons parent club…ironically, the Montreal Expos…moved the franchise to Winnepeg. And for the first time in 93 years, Buffalo had no baseball.
Luckily, Bob Rich…of Rich Products (God bless him, too)…bought a Double A Franchise in 1979, moved the team to Buffalo and the city had baseball again. Six years later, Rich was awarded a Triple A franchise and the Bisons were back in the International League.
The team had been playing at the rockpile since returning to the city, but that would change.
in 1985, Pilot Field would open. Not a stadium. A ballpark. In fact, the first of all of the ‘retro’ parks to be build…Yeah, before even Camden Yards.
With that, the Bisons became the pacesetters in minor league attendance…regularly drawing a million fans…to watch minor league baseball…setting records year after year…including 1991 where they drew more than 1.2 million people.
That, as the city aged, industry left and jobs disappeared.
Buffalo is not now even in discussions when baseball talks about franchises moving or expansion. It was the 10th largest city in the country in 1960. Now, it’s #55.
But, today, even as it looked like the Blue Jays…who aren’t allowed to play in Toronto because of the Covid 19 Virus…were going to go to Pittsburgh…then Baltimore, it was announced that the team is headed to Buffalo to play its 2020 home schedule.
Not exhibition games, not spring training games, but major league baseball.
It may only be for 60 games…in a season full of asterisks, but I have lived to see Major League Baseball being played in my hometown.
Sometimes God takes a while to answer those prayers.
Oh, and about that line…”Shoot O’Malley Twice”…
It comes from an old joke that they told in Brooklyn…and probably still do.
“You’re in a room with Hitler, Mussolini and Walter O’Malley and you’ve got a gun with only 2 bullets in it. What do you do?”
“Shoot O’Malley Twice”.
Someone move the Mets to Buffalo
Interesting read…thanks for sharing the history.
BUFFALO BLUE JAYS
IN THE HEART OF AMERICA
STOLEN FROM CANADA, BROUGHT THEM TO AMERICA