Dust Devils 2020 season officially ends after major league holds back players

Major League Baseball informed its minor league partners on Tuesday that it would not be providing any players for the 2020 season.

That ended any hopes — although they were very slim — of having any type of minor league season this summer.

That includes the Tri-City Dust Devils.

“It’s not surprising,” said Brent Miles, team president and co-owner of the Dust Devils. “It’s sad and disappointing.”

The question now, is what’s next?

The 20-year Professional Baseball Agreement between Major League Baseball and the minor leagues is set to expire at the end of September.

It would seem a fair temporary settlement would be to give every minor-league team this last year of the PBA agreement a chance to finish their affiliation agreement in 2021. Push it back a year, so for instance, the Dust Devils get one last season with the San Diego Padres.

But no, the PBA expires in 2020.

“COVID created an unfortunate situation for minor league baseball for 2020,” said Miles. “Obviously, the negotiations between Major League Baseball and minor league baseball will be important these next few months.”

And MLB wants to pare down the number of minor league teams by 42, and get rid of all of the short-season leagues such as the Appalachian League and New York-Penn League.

In December, a list came out that listed the likely 42 teams that may be cut from affiliated baseball, and the Dust Devils were on that list.

But Miles said things have changed since that list came out in December.

“There has been no new list, but both sides (MLB and MiLB) acknowledge that since December, that list is outdated,” said Miles.

Northwest League

As for the Northwest League? That could turn into a long-season league, and it could be six teams. It could be eight teams.

Miles is hoping that the Dust Devils will be in the equation.

“I think the Tri-Cities makes a lot of sense, due to geography,” Miles said. “We have the best weather in the months of April and May compared to other Northwest League cities. And we have an improving facility.

“I think LED lights are going to be mandatory in minor-league parks, and we are one of the few teams that already have them,” Miles continued. “We just got a new batting cage. The city of Pasco has been great working with us. We think we make sense in the Northwest League.”

But what Miles says he knows for sure is that there will be baseball here next year.

“We’re confident that Dust Devils baseball will be back in 2021. What that baseball looks like will be determined,” he said. “It could be an affiliated, long-season team. Or it could be a non-affiliated baseball team. We feel confident there will be Dust Devils baseball.”

Negotiations between MLB and MiLB will begin soon, but they’ll have to be finished by the middle or end of September, so that teams can begin work for the 2021 season.

For the Dust Devils, like many other businesses, this shutdown is painful.

“We’re gonna go 18 months without any revenue,” said Miles. “Any small business going 18 months without revenue, it’s tough to survive. Fortunately, we are in a financial position that we think we’ll make it through.”

It’s just another piece of life we all have to live without.

“Yesterday we heard from a lot of fans, telling us that they are going to miss minor league baseball this summer,” Miles said.

Missing out

Let me include what I will miss.

I will miss the sounds and the smells of Gesa Stadium.

I’ll miss the older gentleman barking out with program sales calls as I enter the park.

I’ll miss checking out the league standings board posted on the wall.

I’ll look up and miss the silly looking Venetian blind behind the first base grandstand that provides much needed shade in the early portion of the games.

I’ll miss getting a beer and a bag of peanuts before I sit down in my seat. Or the $1 hot dogs. Or especially those cheeseburgers they make on the third base side of the park.

I’ll miss the kids in the stands chasing after foul balls; or the kids down next the bullpen, pleading with Dust Devils players for their autographs and maybe a baseball.

I’ll miss the antics of Eric the Peanut Guy, leading the next team promotion on the field between innings

I’ll miss Dusty the mascot, and his Dusty’s Dash after the sixth inning, when he leads all of the kids (and some of their parents) in a sprint across the outfield grass from left field to the right field line.

I’ll miss my friend Matt and I wagering for a beer on how many kids will fall during that run.

Mostly, I’ll miss the chance of taking my 2-year-old grandson across that outfield grass for the first time this summer.

I’ll miss running into familiar faces that I only seem to see at this time of year, catching up with our lives.

I’ll miss following the players the Padres drafted or signed. Or who the new guy is who just arrived.

Or watching the two young umpires, who are trying to make their way up baseball’s ladder, and how their two-man mechanics are.

I’m gonna miss watching that grounds crew come out between innings to rake the infield, hoping that this might be the time they break out into a dance routine.

I’m going to miss a great on-field argument, and a better game ejection.

I’m going to miss September playoff baseball.

I’ll miss the seventh-inning stretch, and singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

I’m gonna miss the PA announcer playing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” after a team win.

There is a lot to like and love at a baseball park.

“It’s just not summer here in the Tri-Cities without Dust Devils baseball,” Miles said.

He’s right.

But won’t it be great when the first pitch of 2021 is thrown at Gesa Stadium?