VESTAL, NY (WSKG) - Elected officials in New York are reacting to a New York Daily News report this week that Major League Baseball is considering a plan to eliminate over a quarter of minor league teams.
Among the teams that would be cut are the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. This comes after millions of dollars in private and public funds have been spent to improve the team’s park, NYSEG Stadium.
It would also gut the historic New York-Penn League that’s been around since 1939. That’s had teams in Binghamton, Oneonta, Corning, Hornell and Elmira over its history.
Binghamton Mayor Rich David, State Senator Fred Akshar, Congressman Anthony Brindisi and New York U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer are among those officials urging MLB representatives not to make the change.
“I’ve heard from people in Binghamton, elected officials and citizens," Schumer said. "And they don’t like this and that’s why we want to have our meeting. Try to change it.”
The plan's part of MLB efforts to better organize the leagues and spend money more efficiently. Schumer said that’s not worth taking the sport out several New York communities.
“That’s going to be small consolation to people in Batavia or Binghamton or Staten Island or Auburn,” he added.
Along with Binghamton, those other communities stand to lose their minor league teams.
Major League Baseball has not commented publicly on the plan. It would reportedly go into effect in 2021.