HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE WILL 2410 MILES MAKE?
During the off-season, the Astros High A affiliate was relocated from Salem, Virginia to Lancaster, California. The move was the end product of the Salem franchise being purchased by the group that owns the Red Sox. The Red Sox moved back from Lancaster and the Astros, looking for High A home ended up in a partnership with the Jet Hawks. The move gave Houston their first California League affiliate since Modesto in 1964.
Aside from the obvious geographical difference, the move will affect the Astros and their fans in a few ways:
-- The California League has a reputation for being a hitters league. Statistics for pitchers and hitters will be looked at through this filter.
--The California League has 10 teams compared to the Carolina League's eight. One of the benefits of the smaller league was players saw opponents more often and were forced to make more adjustment more often.
--Games start later. For those fans who like to listen to minor league games on the internet the Pacific Time Zone is a factor.
--Last season on occasion, players had a short call-up to High A Salem from Low A Lexington. The same thing happened between Salem and AA Corpus Christi. With a cross-country trip involved, the short call-up may not be as common in 2009.
--The weather is different. One of the promotions the Jet Hawks have for early in the season is a polar club in April. Fans receive vouchers for hot chocolate during games and other incentives to get them to brave the cold. (I'm including a link to the Jet Hawks full promotion schedule for 2009).
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