MAY 1, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9
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continued from Page A10
they
were
considering
starting up operations in late-
June and playing games in
their home stadiums without
fans.
But there is a realistic
possibility that the MLB will
indeed cancel the season due
to the virus.
After making $10.7 billion
in revenue last season, MLB
could handle the loss of one
season. But it’s likely that a
season cancellation would
be a death sentence for some optimistic about the pros-
minor league teams — the pect of a season in 2020,
money or-
Walker admit-
ganizations
ted that people
make
via “ The
in MiLB don’t
sponsorships,
share the same
ticket sales, coronavirus
sentiments.
merchandise drastically
“It does feel
and conces-
like people in
sions are all changed
Minor League
d e p e n d e n t Minor League
Baseball
are
on the team
pessimistic at
taking
the Baseball’s
best that there
fi eld.
will be any
leverage on
“If
the
kind of season,”
season gets the situation
Walker said.
canceled, a
In the event
and the MLB
lot of organi-
that the MiLB
zations might is taking
season gets can-
not survive,”
celed, Walker
advantage.”
Walker said.
believes
that
The Vol-
the
organiza-
— Mickey Walker
canoes
are
tion will still be
Volcanoes CEO
still prepar-
in good fi nan-
ing for there
cial
standing
to be baseball this summer thanks to their outside con-
and head groundskeeper tracts — such as In-N-Out
Rick Smith has done ex- — and the ability to rent out
tensive fi eldwork to keep their parking lot to shipping
the surface in top condition. trucks and RVs.
Although people within the
“We feel like we pretty
organization are still staying well positioned to weather
this storm. Not to say it won’t
take its toll, but because of
our outside contracts, we
would be in an okay situa-
tion,” Walker said.
Unfortunately for the
Volcanoes, the organization
doesn’t have much control
over the future agreement
between MLB and MiLB.
However, Walker said the
team is exploring different
options depending on what
happens between both sides.
Even if MiLB gives in and
agrees to MLB’s proposal to
cut affi liations with 42 minor
league teams, it’s not a full-
fl edged guarantee that the
Volcanoes will be on that list.
Although the Volcanoes
were on the original 42-team
proposal list by MLB that
was released last November,
according to Cooper, there
have been verifi able instances
of teams moving on and off
the list.
Cooper says there are
varying reasons for teams
moving on and off the list.
Certain organizations have
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gotten facility improvements
approved while others may
have proved to fi t better into
MLB’s goal of realignment.
“The fact that the list is
fl uid shows that the list is BS.
If you were so sure about the
negative details about each
team, like travel or facili-
ties, then there would be no
question and the list would
be set in stone,” Walker said.
According to Walker, the
Northwest League (NWL),
which has been the home to
the Volcanoes since their in-
ception in 1997, are in good
standing with the MLB,
which is why Walker and the
rest of the organization were
perplexed when they were
on the list of 42 teams, along
with the Tri-City Dust Dev-
ils of the NWL.
“MLB has made it pret-
ty clear that they love the
Northwest League and how
much they value its presence
in the Northwest, where the
only other professional base-
ball is the (Seattle) Mariners.
So why would they make it
a six-team league?” Walker
said.
If the Volcanoes do indeed
lose their affi liation with the
San Francisco Giants, Walker
mentioned the possibility of
the team going independent
— similar to the 1973 Port-
land Mavericks, featured in
the Netfl ix documentary The
Battered Bastards of Baseball.
While it’s unknown how
it would logistically work,
Walker said that the team
could serve as a chance for
players to be seen — which
would likely now be more
realistic because of the reduc-
tion of the MLB Draft. The
organization would provide
host families, but the players
would have to pay to play, as
opposed to getting paid to
play. Walker also mentioned
that, in this scenario, the team
would still want to be a part
of the Northwest League.
“It doesn’t mean baseball
will be gone. It just might
look different. We want to
explore every possible op-
tion,” Walker said.“There
are a lot of unknowns at this
point, but we don’t want
people to lose hope. We are
still optimistic about this
season and the future of this
team,” Walker said.
MYB fundrasing for
2021 McNary sports
Knowing it can be challenging to fi nd a face mask these days,
due to the COVID-19 outbreak, McNary Youth Baseball has
decided to start a fundraiser that benefi ts both youth sports and
high school sports in Keizer. A portion of funds raised will be
donated to the McNary High School athletic program for 2021.
People in need of masks can order then for $12.50 at
mcnaryfacemasks.itemorder.com/product/14115220.
Once the order is made, the mask will ship directly to your
home.
Submitted
McNary Youth Baseball is raising moneny for sports in Keizer
by selling masks.