Just to clarify, the MLB teams don't move minor league franchises. Minor league franchises move for the same reason MLB franchises move - to get new stadiums and better attendance so the owners can make more money. I'm not sure there's more money in Richmond than there is to be made in Vegas.

MLB teams switch affiliations, but if no minor league team moves to Richmond, the Nats can't have an affiliate there.

Wow this relationship soured so fast, given Buffalo actually competed hard with Syracuse for the Mets affiliation when it was up.

There were rumblings early last season that Buffalo might link up with Toronto for 2013 (I couldn't find the articles, unfortunately), so the relationship the Mets seems to have gone bad almost immediately.

Keep in mind that the Madoff-Mets finances problems came to light late in 2008, after minor-league affiliations had been made. Syracuse lost the battle (for the Mets), but won the war (the Nationals have a better farm system and future). Anyway, central New York is traditionally more Yankees than Mets country; the Chiefs likely would still be a Yankee affiliate had it not been for Steinbrenner's infatuation with Ohio.

Richmond can't become an IL market simply by moving Las Vegas, unless you want two odd-numbered AAA leagues (and this isn't 2013 MLB, folks).

It may not be ideal, but it's not that hard. If the independent 13-team Amercan Association can play regular games against teams from the 5-team Can Am League, I can't see why Triple A teams couldn't do likewise.

Or Nashville could also become an IL team.

MLB teams switch affiliations, but if no minor league team moves to Richmond, the Nats can't have an affiliate there.

Actually, they can purchase the IL franchise, then move it to Richmond, so technically they can...I know the Cardinals own their AA Springfield franchise, and had looked at purchasing the AAA Memphis one, but backed out for some reason.

53: AAA leagues don't need to do the same stuff that indy ones do.

54: I think there's merit in franchise realignment, but that's easier said then done. For example, there have been off-and-on again rumors about two California League franchises transfering to the Carolina League for years - as well as a little bit of talk about the IL taking some from the PCL (Nashville among them).

I would think that you'd have to move both of the Tennessee teams together. They are far too close to each other to NOT have a rivalry.

Tucson is moving to El Paso, which would make them less desirable for the Padres, their current franchise, and more desirable for, say, a Texas-based team.

I think moving to El Paso would make them less desirable for any team. It's not like El Paso is within driving distance of Dallas or Houston anyway, so you might as well have players fly in and out of Tucson. And I don't know much about park factors, but El Paso's elevation is higher than Tucson.

Tucson is moving to El Paso, which would make them less desirable for the Padres, their current franchise, and more desirable for, say, a Texas-based team.

Arlington to Round Rock is ~180 miles.
Arlington to El Paso is ~620 miles.

Houston to OKC is ~445 miles.
Houston to El Paso is ~750 miles.

53: AAA leagues don't need to do the same stuff that indy ones do.

I wasn't speaking to the question of need, but of practicality. If the IL and PCL each had 15 teams, scheduling two interleague series weekly would not be difficult to manage.

I wasn't speaking to the question of need, but of practicality. If the IL and PCL each had 15 teams, scheduling two interleague series weekly would not be difficult to manage.

When the PCL only went as far east as the Rockies, the other owners hated the expense of the trip to Honolulu. Right now, the Nashville and Memphis owners aren't thrilled about going to California. The IL would be totally against interleague play. The American Association should be revived with the centrally located teams from both leagues. The original reason for having only two leagues was for a championship. Someone who knows better can whether the championship game has been worth the trouble. I think three leagues and two single-elimination games would be better overall. (I don't really favor one-and-done, but the AAA championship is already one game.)

When the PCL only went as far east as the Rockies, the other owners hated the expense of the trip to Honolulu.

While Tacoma isn't quite as far as Honolulu, it looks pretty isolated without Portland in the league. Travel to and from Tacoma has to be by air unless there's an off-day. Is Tacoma in any danger of moving, or does the affiliation with the Mariners ensure its safety?

61: What OsunaSakata said. You see that in indy ball out of necessity - interleague series increase costs, hence are impractical. And, indeed, while I personally prefer two AAA leagues, there's an argument for going back to three - and I've seen columns suggesting that very idea.

Incidentally, my understanding (could be wrong, could be outdated) is that a majority of AAA travel is by plane - depends on where you going to/from.

El Paso was a pretty big time hitters park, back in its Texas League days (a hitters league). And, yes, I imagine that that's not a desirable affiliate.

I'd guess that Tacoma (longest tenure in the PCL, by the way) is pretty safe - they recently renovated the stadium + the whole M's thing. Their attendance is pretty low by PCL standards, however.

61: What OsunaSakata said. You see that in indy ball out of necessity - interleague series increase costs, hence are impractical.

I'm not advocating two 15-team leagues DK. In fact, I hate the idea of doing at the major league level, so I don't want to see it in the minor leagues either. I'm merely disagreeing with the idea that scheduling would make it a dealbreaker. It could be handled with a single, two-city road trip per team. That's the extent of the travel that would be required.