The 2007 minor league baseball season kicked off Thursday night, but the team with the longest continuous affiliation with its big league parent club won’t start playing for another 2 ½ months. The Rookie-level Appalachian League’s Bluefield (W.Va.) Orioles aligned with the Baltimore Orioles in 1958 and will mark their 50th year, a record, with that organization when they kick off their season on June 19.
Following are the minor league clubs that have enjoyed the 10 longest continuous associations with big league teams: |
| |
| Top 10 Longest Minor League Affiliations |
| 1. |
Bluefield (Appalachian) |
Baltimore (1958) |
| 2. |
Richmond (International) |
Atlanta (1966) |
| 3. |
Lakeland (Florida State) |
Detroit (1967) |
| |
Reading (Eastern) |
Philadelphia (1967) |
| 5. |
Omaha (Pacific Coast) |
Kansas City (1969) |
| 6. |
Pawtucket (International) |
Boston (1973) |
| 7. |
Billings (Pioneer) |
Cincinnati (1974) |
| |
Elizabethton (Pioneer) |
Minnesota (1974) |
| 9. |
Johnson City (Appalachian) |
St. Louis (1975) |
| 10. |
Syracuse (International) |
Toronto (1978) | |
| -- Allan Simpson |
|