Saints exit AA to become Twins’ Triple-A affiliate

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/12/2020 (1757 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes need a new rival.

It was made official on Wednesday that the American Association’s St. Paul Saints — the league’s premier franchise — will become the new Triple-A affiliate for the Minnesota Twins in 2021. The Saints were one of the founding members of independent professional baseball as they helped start the Northern League in 1993. The team won five titles, most recently in 2019 in the AA, and have been a league leader in attendance 17 times in 27 years.

“This was a deal they just couldn’t say no to, in my opinion,” said Goldeyes owner Sam Katz in an interview Thursday. “The Minnesota Twins really, really, really wanted them to be their Triple-A franchise. The opportunity doesn’t come along very often. Most people would’ve told you that opportunity would never ever come along, but obviously, you never say never. It’s a phenomenal opportunity for them.”

The Saints boasted an average attendance of more than 8,000 fans per game in 2019, doubling the Goldeyes, who have the second-best attendance in the league.

While losing such a successful franchise may seem like a negative thing, AA commissioner Joshua Schaub said that’s not the case.

“I think it’s actually a good story for the American Association because I don’t know any team in this league that wouldn’t probably take that same opportunity where you have a Major League team 11 miles away and you go to Triple A,” Schaub told the Free Press.  “I really think it speaks well to the American Association that those teams, including the St. Paul Saints, have that capability and I don’t think the Saints are the only ones that could move on.”

The AA now finds itself with 10 teams as the Texas AirHogs folded earlier this winter. But Schaub said they won’t be stuck at 10 teams for long and that fans can expect to hear an announcement by January. With MLB restructuring its minor league system, cutting the number of teams from 162 to 120, there are lots of clubs out there in need of a league.

“I think there’s actually a very good chance that we could be at quite a bit more (than 12 teams in 2021),” said Schaub. “Obviously everyone knows there are teams that weren’t included in the list of 120 affiliated teams. Some of those teams fit within our footprint. Some of those teams are just outside our footprint. We’ve had conversations with Major League Baseball regarding those teams. In fact, we’ve been in contact with some of those potential teams and they’re all in the process of getting their applications into the league.”

Schaub and Katz both added there’s a high probability the Goldklang Group, which own the Saints and several other baseball teams in various leagues, will return to the AA with a different club. But regardless of who joins the league, it’s hard to ignore that the Saints leave big shoes to fill.

“To be brutally honest, they’ve been in a league of their own since the new ballpark was built in St. Paul (in 2015),” Katz said. “It certainly leaves a void. Our big rivalries have always been with Fargo and St. Paul. It’s always been the three of us beating each other up to determine who would be in the playoffs. We’ve been doing that for a long, long time and I’m sure we’ll continue with the rivalries, but there’s no question it leaves a void on many fronts. They’re as good a quality of team you’re going to find in baseball.”

Katz was asked if there’s one memory from all the battles with St. Paul that sticks out above the rest. Surprisingly, his favourite one was in 1995 when the Fish lost to the Saints in the Northern League final. But perhaps it isn’t so surprising considering it features comedic actor Bill Murray, one of the Saints’ part-owners.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t win, and after we all went out. I used to own a nightclub called the Bank on Main and Bannatyne. Bill Murray came in, as he was there for the game. I actually have a picture in my office of me kneeling down on both knees bowing to Bill Murray for his team beating our team. He was very gracious. He bought everybody drinks. It was an awesome night and I’ll never forget that.”

Could Winnipeg be the next city to make the jump to affiliated ball? Katz said before the Goldeyes were born, he tried to bring a Triple-A team to town. It’s not that simple, though. With most affiliated leagues starting in April, plus the fact teams would have to cross the international border, it’s hard to envision Winnipeg following in St. Paul’s footsteps. However, with the AA announcing a partnership with MLB in September, Katz won’t rule anything out.

“Well, you never say never, but it certainly is an uphill battle… We should all have a dream, but it’s got to be a realistic dream,” Katz said.

“If you’re referring specifically to Triple-A, I certainly don’t see that happening in my lifetime. I’ll just leave it at that. Could there be a possibility of something else happening? Sure. But right now, (the AA) has a partnership with Major League Baseball, and who knows where that could lead.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31