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Batavia may join Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League

Batavia Muckdogs 2018We may see a Batavia (NY) team in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, as another former NY-Penn League market transitions to the summer-collegiate world.

The community-owned Batavia Muckdogs were a longtime member of the Short Season A league, but in recent years the team skated on thin ice, subsidized by the Rochester Red Wings (Class AAA; International League) and run by the league in hopes of finding a buyer. And although there were buyers making bids on a team–a plan to move to the team to Waldorf, MD was killed by the Baltimore Orioles, and the Pittsburgh Pirates ownership made a lowball offer in anticipating of moving the team–the team remained in control of Genesee County Baseball Club until the bitter end, when MLB contracted MiLB to 120 teams and did not invite the Muckdogs as a member of the new farm system.

But there will be baseball in Dwyer Stadium this summer if a plan from Robbie Nichols is approved by the Batavia City Council. The Elmira Pioneers owner is seeking a Dwyer Stadium lease so his CAN-USA Sports, LLC can place a new Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League team there. The Pioneers are a top draw in summer-collegiate ball and was created in much the same situation as the current Batavia situation: the summer-collegiate team was created after Minor League Baseball left the market. From the Batavia Daily News:

“We have a team in the PGCBL already (in Elmira) and Batavia has a rich baseball tradition, and we just want to continue the tradition,” Nichols said. “We want to have a successful franchise in Batavia.”…

According to the city, a five-year lease will be implemented and the city would be paid $1 for each of the first three years, $7,500 in the fourth year and $10,000 in the fifth year, with CAN-USA, LLC. paying both the utility and field maintenance costs….

“My entire family toured Dwyer Stadium, it is a beautiful stadium, it needs some work,” Nichols said. “I have been through Batavia hundreds of times, the people have been friendly. I think with a lot of hard work we can make Dwyer Stadium the place to be in the summer.”

The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League includes teams in former Minor League Baseball ballparks like Donovan Stadium, home of the Utica Blue Sox, and Diethrick Park, home of the Jamestown Tarp Skunks.

Here’s the most up-to-date information about the statu of current affiliates and where former affiliates landed.

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