(NEW YORK CITY) – Major League Baseball announced the Pittsburgh Pirates, one of professional baseball's oldest franchises, will be stripped of its franchise and relegated to club amateur status.
The decision was made after the team has consistently been a jobber, and for 20 consecutive seasons at the professional level, has been jobbing towards large-market teams. Without any hope for the future, MLB decided the Pirates must be relegated to the equivalent of football's Isthmian League, into amateur club status.
The club must win promotion in 10 consecutive years in order to return to Major League Baseball, and must advance though club levels, to rookie, then low A, high A, double A, and triple A, before being readmitted to MLB. ◙
