With the departure of the Chicago White Sox to a new complex in the Phoenix area, Tucson is down to just two major league teams calling the Arizona city “home” for spring training: The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, who may be forced to join the exodus to Phoenix area to lessen travel costs. Add the offseason move of their city’s Pacific Coast League franchise to Reno, and it hasn’t been a good year for baseball fans in Tucson. However, help may be on the way…from Japan.
Former big league third baseman Mike Pagliarulo is heading a firm in discussion with local representatives to lure a Japanese team to Tucson to play a 13-to-15 game Cactus League schedule next year at Tucson Electric Park. The Baseball Group would also form a minor league team to replace the departed Sidewinders as well as an Arizona Fall League club in Tucson, and operate a year-round training program for youth and amateur players.
Pagliarulo’s firm has not announced which Japanese team would be recruited to Tucson. The Yakult Swallows trained in Yuma, Arizona from 1969 through 2000.
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