According to a press release, the Staten Island Yankees are suing the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball for “false promises”. This comes after the Yankees restructured their minor league system and eliminated the SI Yankees from their affiliation.
“Accordingly, with great regret, we must cease operations. Earlier today we filed a lawsuit against the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball to hold those entities accountable for false promises. A portion of any settlement or jury verdict will go to the Staten Island Yankees Foundation to be distributed to local Staten Island charities like the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Person Centered Care Services. All outstanding ticket purchases will be fully refunded upon request”
With the new minor league structure, it eliminates Class-A Short Season ball as a whole, the class that the SI Yankees were in. The SI Yankees figured New York would reclassify them, however, the Yankees felt it would be best to end their affiliation with Staten Island.
Beginning in 2021, the Somerset Patriots will be the Yankees new AA affiliate. The Trenton Thunder have been the Yankees AA affiliate since 2003, but they will be shifting to a MLB Draft League team.
One of the other changes includes the Tampa Tarpons moving down from Class-A Advanced to Class-A. Filling their spot as the Class-A Advanced affiliate will be the Hudson Valley Renegades. The Renegades are located in Wappingers Falls, New York, just an hour north of New York City.
Many teams are still finalizing their 2021 affiliates, but the changes made by the New York Yankees give baseball fans an idea on how some leagues may be structured.
The entire press release from the SI Yankees is below: