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With the Twins’ recent front office turnover, their Triple-A affiliate Rochester Red Wings may become available, the Democrat and Chronicle reports. If so it could be a geographically convenient new landing spot for the Mets’ farm system.
After the twins fired GM Terry Ryan, Naomi Silver, chief operating officer and president of Rochester Community Baseball, told the Democrat and Chronicle that the Wings will step back and examine what Minnesota’s new front office does before making a decision. Ryan negotiated the Twins’ Triple-A move to Rochester in 2003 and both teams have renewed their agreement in two-year increments ever since.
Meanwhile, the Mets’ lease with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League will also expire after this season, and the front office will likely be on the lookout for a closer Triple-A club.
New York signed a four-year deal with the 51s in 2012 after their former Triple-A club, the Buffalo Bisons, chose not to renew their agreement and instead joined the more geographically convenient Toronto Blue Jays.
Las Vegas has proven undesirable not only because its distance has made coordinating call-ups logistically difficult, but also because it is one of the most offensive-friendly environments in professional baseball, making it hard to judge whether a prospect’s performance is real or a thin-air illusion. In 2014, for instance, Eric Campbell, Matt den Dekker, and Taylor Teagarden each had an OPS north of .940, while Noah Syndergaard had a 4.60 ERA.
The Twins, however, said they have no reason to leave Rochester. If they don’t, the other potential relocation sites for the Mets if they choose to break with Las Vegas are Colorado Springs (Rockies), El Paso (Padres), Fresno (Astros), Lehigh Valley (Phillies), Tacoma (Mariners), and Toledo (Tigers).
Toledo and Lehigh Valley are the only teams significantly closer than Las Vegas, but there is little indication that the Phillies, Tigers, or either of their affiliates have any interest in changing partners.