Map of AAA Localities

Richmond currently has 14 shots to reclaim a Triple-A franchise. The opportunities could more than double in the coming years.

Discussion regarding the reconfiguration of Triple-A from two leagues -- the 14-club International League and the 16-member Pacific Coast League -- to one 30-team league encourages a potential local ownership group that hopes to eventually bring Class AAA back here after the Richmond Braves relocate in 2009 to Gwinnett County, Ga.

Richmond is part of the International League territory. Minor League Baseball guidelines dictate only IL franchises can move to Richmond. None is so inclined at this time, and there is no reason to believe that will change for several years. The landscape, however, could change because of Minor League Baseball's concerns regarding increasing travel and fuel costs. The PCL has clubs in California, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. The league also includes Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans.

Minor League Baseball may address those cost issues by creating one Triple-A league with divisions based on geography. That move could present 30 franchise possibilities for Richmond.

"That is something that has been talked about at numerous stages over the course of the last five years in Minor League Baseball, by their own admission," said Bryan Bostic, part of the potential local ownership group that continues to talk with Minor League Baseball representatives.

"Is it going to happen this year? No. Is it going to happen next year? Doubt it, but it is possible."

Dave Rosenfield is the general manager of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides and has been a vice president of the IL for 32 years. Rosenfield said discussion of merging the two Triple-A leagues "always comes up, and nothing ever happens."

He said there has been no serious discussion of a merger but, "at some point down the line, I could see Triple-A all being under one roof. . . . Nobody thought we'd cut down from three [Class AAA leagues to two in 1998], and we did it. Down the road, it's kind of a natural progression to go from two to one."

Bostic reiterated yesterday that his group feels Richmond is a Triple-A city. He added "but it may take a while to get back to that."

At this time, Bostic believes, it would be in the area's best interest to plan a new downtown stadium, begin building it and bring in a Class AA franchise, if one is made available by Minor League Baseball. That national organization will approve a relocation application of a franchise that wants to move here. Minor League Baseball executive vice president Tim Purpura recently said Class AA and Class A clubs have applied to relocate here.

Having a Class AA club, rather than Class A, would improve Richmond's chances of one day securing another Class AAA franchise, Bostic believes.

Minor League Baseball, which favors local ownership when possible, is concerned about recommending any franchise to Richmond without a new park in the works and is investigating Richmond's plans to replace The Diamond. Bostic's group has downtown stadium plans, though yesterday he chose not to reveal a specific location, capacity or financing structure.

"We've made it clear that we don't think the future of baseball in Richmond has real legs without a new facility," Bostic said. "A 21st-century, state-of-the-art facility is a must in any long-term success. It's a must for the character of our city as well as we look to the next quarter-century and beyond.

"We've got to stand up and the private sector participate with the public entities to create facilities that are commensurate with our capital city, our standing in the state and our standing in the country."

The Atlanta Braves, who own the Richmond Braves, are pulling their Class AAA club from Richmond due to dissatisfaction with The Diamond and the lack of a firm plan to replace it.

Four years ago, Bostic was part of the Richmond Ballpark Initiative, a group of local businessmen who hoped to build a stadium in Shockoe Bottom. That plan faded due to funding issues. Bostic said yesterday that his group, unnamed at this time, believes "the solution for the facility and the team must include the private sector. How that shakes out -- a public-private partnership or something else -- I'm not going to directly comment on details of that."
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or joconnor@timesdispatch.com.

Staff writer Tim Pearrell contributed to this report.