Appy League Stuck At Nine
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.--Lee Landers' stay at the Winter Meetings held in the heart of Disney has been anything but magical.
The Appalachian League president has found no suitors in his search for a replacement for the Blue Jays affiliate in Pulaski, and he said a proposal to field a co-op team as the league's 10th member is no longer feasible.
"Optimism is waning fast," Landers said after a league meeting on Wednesday and two days of working the lobby to fill the void left by the Blue Jays, who reduced their affiliates to a Major League Baseball-minimum five after the 2006 season.
Landers has submitted proposals to several major league organizations to add an affiliate, but he said the league will likely be forced to run a nine-team schedule in 2007.
Go HERE to find out more about baseball in Pulaski, Virginia.
Calfee Park was built in 1935 by the WPA work force, and named after the Town of Pulaski Mayor of the time, Ernest W. Calfee. The original structures still standing are the covered stands and the rock ticket gate at the north end. Over the years, the park has been used for horse shows, fairs, concerts, exhibitions, and of course, athletic events. Calfee Park is currently home to the Pulaski Blue Jays, the Appalachian League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to the arrival of the Blue Jays in 2003, the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and even the Brooklyn Dodgers Minor League teams played at Calfee. Such notable major leaguers as David Justice, Javy Lopez, Mark Wohlers, Mike Stanton, Jeff Blauser, Steve Avery, Jason Schmidt and Brad Clontz got their start at Calfee.
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