Sox leave Sarasota

4-year development deal signed

By Fort Myers News-Press staff and wire reports

The Boston Red Sox are leaving the Florida State League.

The Red Sox, who hold spring training in Fort Myers, were unable to place their FSL team at City of Palms Park because the area is part of the Fort Myers Miracle's exclusive territory.

The FSL Red Sox played instead at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota through this past season.

Wilmington, Del., of the Carolina League, will be Boston's advanced Class A affiliate beginning next year, replacing Sarasota.

The Red Sox have signed player development agreements with the Wilmington (Del). Blue Rocks and the low Class A Capital City Bombers of Columbia, S.C.

The Blue Rocks, who play in 6,532-seat Frawley Stadium, had been affiliated with the Kansas City Royals since 1993.

Capital City, which plays in the South Atlantic League, had been an affiliate of the New York Mets for the past 22 years.

For the last six years, the Red Sox's South Atlantic League affiliate had been the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets, who now will become part of the San Francisco Giants' organization.

With the Red Sox's withdrawal, the closest FSL teams to the Miracle will be the Tampa Yankees.