Team owners in the NAPBL's Triple-A American
Association (AA), Int'l League (IL) and Pacific Coast League
(PCL) voted yesterday to realign into two leagues. The
plan, subject to approval by NAPBL President Mike Moore and
review by MLB, would go into effect in '98 when two Triple-A
teams are added for a total of 30. Under the plan, one 14-
team league will be made up of the 10 current IL teams, plus
three AA teams and expansion Durham, NC. A 16-team league
will have the 10 PCL teams, five AA clubs and the expansion
Memphis club. Yet to be resolved are league and division
names, schedules, playoff format, location and structure of
league offices and league bylaws and constitutions (NAPBL).
REAX: In Edmonton, Gerry Prince writes that AA
President Branch Rickey "is a strong contender to take over
running the new [16-team] league" (EDMONTON SUN, 7/10). IL
President Randy Mobley, on a possible Triple-A World Series:
"Hopefully that will be one of the main positive outgrowths
of this change" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/10). Durham Bulls
Owner Jim Goodman, whose expansion team will be in the same
league as Charlotte, Richmond and Norfolk: "We hoped for
this move, being able to go against close natural rivals"
(NEWS & OBSERVER, 7/10). USA TODAY's Rod Beaton adds that
realignment gives fans "a broader array of future stars to
see [and] ... could create curiosity comparable to what
interleague play generated" (USA TODAY, 7/10).
