Mudcats, Reds join forces

It's official, the Carolina Mudcats are the new Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds of the National League.

The Southern League member announced Friday afternoon at a press conference. The Mudcats' six-year association with the Florida Marlins ended last week and were being courted by the Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

Carolina, which lost the Southern League championship series in five games to the Mississippi Braves, will put a stamp on their new affiliation with an exhibition game against the Reds on April 3, 2009, in Five County Stadium.

Personally, I'm a little disappointed it wasn't the Giants. As an 11-year resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, I developed an affinity for the G-men and their American League neighbors, the Oakland Athletics. It would have been neat seeing the next-generation Giants come through eastern North Carolina on their way to San Francisco.

The Reds are a good choice though. They are the oldest major league team, dating back to 1882. I'm not sure about their current state. The most recent interest I had in them was when Goldsboro native Jerry Narron was the Cincinnati manager but he was fired last year.

Check out Saturday's print and online editions of The Wilson Daily Times for reporter Ryan Bisesi's coverage of Friday's press conference.

Report: Mudcats cut loose by Marlins

The Florida Times-Union reported early Thursday on its Web site www.jacksonville.com the Florida Marlins will cut ties with its Double-A franchise, the Carolina Mudcats, and have signed a two-year deal with the Jacksonville Suns.

The Suns, a Southern League affiliate with the Mudcats, had been the Los Angeles Dodgers' Double-A franchise for the past eight seasons. The Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Dodgers were also reportedly interested in the Suns.

That means, for the time being, the Mudcats have no major league affiliation. The team, which began play in 1991, has worked with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies prior to becoming a Marlins farm team in 2002.

Check Friday's edition of The Wilson Daily Times for Mudcats columnist Will Privette's take on Marlins' decision to drop the Mudcats.