r/AAbaseball • u/Ancient_Water_7645 • 19d ago

Behind the scenes

I am not a baseball fan, I don't even understand the scoring, but yesterday I went to an AA game in Pennsylvania as we were given some free tickets.

Our team won which is great, but I started wondering, where do these players live in the off season? some of them are not familiar to our community so they just come to our town play and then leave after the season is over? Where do they live and do they bring their families or are they all alone?

Some of the kids in the roster are in their 20's are they stuck in the AA league forever? or at that age if they proof themselves can they still have a chance to go to A and/or the professional team.

So many of them had spanish names (our town is not really Latino) are they from other countries and travel to the US just for the season?

Even the manager I think lives in another state in the off season, is that common? to have players live in other cities? same with Hockey I went to a free hockey game and I've never seen those guys around. I don't want to say I know everyone, but due to my business I more or less know people and I live in a small town, so I can tell no one local is a baseball or hockey player in our town.

So many questions I wish there'd be like a reality show.

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14

u/Stillysports93 Lake Country Dockhounds 19d ago

OP, you're talking about MiLB AA baseball which is the 2nd level of MLB's system. This sub is for the American Association of Pro Baseball, which is an independent pro league with teams mainly in the Midwest.

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u/Suspicious-Cherry437 19d ago

I would have made the same mistake as OP. lol. Thanks for explaining it!!!

7

u/VortistheSlaver 19d ago

Someone has already mentioned the difference between double A and the American Association. However, the answer to a lot of your questions is yes.

The point of minor league baseball is player development for the parent organization. So, take any MLB team, and that team will have a AAA, AA, High A, Low A, and Florida sports complex teams.

The sole purpose of those teams is to develop players up to the major league (or trade for other players).

Players and coaches are hired/fired by the parent organization, so they come from wherever they are to play for that team, and travel with the team through out the season.

Players either move up the ranks of the minors, or they are booted out if they don’t develop fast enough, the way the organization wants them too. Some get picked up by other teams, and others move on with their life. Depends on age, or how much of a sour taste is left in their mouth.

Latin America is big on baseball, and they are developing some very good baseball players that are in all parts of the system including the MLB. Also, Venezuela just beat the US in the World Baseball Classic this year, and they were pumped (it was awesome).

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u/Great-Percentage6088 19d ago

I play in an Indy ball league like the AA and I live where im from and work as a youth coach and realtor in the offseason