Lynchburg Hillcats May Move To North Carolina

The longtime Pirates affiliate (1995-2009) seems like it might vanish, as the Braves move the team to Wilmington, North Carolina. (There's already a Wilmington team in the Carolina League, but that one's in Delaware.) First the Pirates moved their Class A+ team to Bradenton, and now it appears the Carolina League could be leaving the town entirely.

Lynchburg had the second-worst attendance in the Carolina League last season. A mediocre attendance figure in the Carolina League would be a great one in the Florida State League, of course, but the Braves might well do a lot better in Wilmington.

If the deal goes through, Lynchburg will try to find a new team to host, but not in the Carolina League. A quote in the article suggests they could get a short-season team, which I imagine would put them in the Appalachian League.

4 months ago Charlie Wilmoth 11 comments 0 recs |

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Great news !

Living near Myrtle Beach, SC, it was great seeing the Hillcats when they were the Pirates team. I was pretty upset when the franchise moved to Florida. Maybe the Bucs can leap frog over the Braves all together and get into Wilmington.

Free Pedro

by Bruce A. Ketcham on Feb 9, 2012 6:53 PM EST reply actions

Read the article — that ain’t happening. Also, I’m pretty sure the Pirates are happy in Bradenton.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 9, 2012 7:36 PM EST up reply actions

I did, I was just hoping

Free Pedro

by Bruce A. Ketcham on Feb 9, 2012 8:21 PM EST up reply actions

Fair enough.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 9, 2012 8:43 PM EST up reply actions

I just picked up the Wilmington Sunday paper today

many people in the area don’t want the ball park to be built using public tax money. I think this would be an economic shot in the arm for the whole area.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120218/ARTICLES/120219690/1177?Title=Dueling-ideas-about-baseball-stadium

Free Pedro

by Bruce A. Ketcham on Feb 19, 2012 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

Why do I recall reading somewhere that...

…Lynchburg was a great spot for a minor league team?

s.zielinski

by steve_z on Feb 9, 2012 7:25 PM EST reply actions

speaking of short-season team possibilites

it would be nice if Morgantown had one. Heck Princeton and Bluefield do.

But it might take a major Hawley Field renovation for that to happen.

by BadAndy on Feb 9, 2012 8:08 PM EST reply actions

It probably would also take Morgantown being in geographical proximity to a short-season league, which it isn’t, or having people in it in the summer, which it unfortunately doesn’t.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 9, 2012 8:43 PM EST up reply actions

I should say “it fortunately doesn’t.” I love Morgantown in the summer, because it’s actually possible to get from one end of town to the other.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 9, 2012 8:47 PM EST up reply actions

in addition to that

we don’t have to deal with all those “Jersey Shore” punks in the summer as well.

As an employee of WVU it is absofreakinglutly my favorite time of the year and when August comes I REALLY dread them coming back.

by BadAndy on Feb 10, 2012 8:14 AM EST up reply actions

saw a couple of games in Lynchburg in 2009

Mostly to see Pedro play 3B. Weather was bad, but there were maybe 50 people in the stands, and it was a pretty gloomy place. I had to keep reminding myself, the next time I went to games at West Virginia and Lexington, that they were actually below Lynchburg in classification.

I get all my orthopedic advice from Dr. Rob Dibble

by Zadoras on Feb 10, 2012 3:20 AM EST reply actions