Pittsburgh Pirates purchase Sarasota Reds

The Pittsburgh Pirates have purchased the Sarasota Reds, the Cincinnati Reds’ High-A minor league team.

The Pirates will move the team to McKechnie Field in Bradenton, where Pittsburgh’s major-league team conducts its spring training. The team's first game at McKechnie Field in Bradenton will be April 8, 2010.

A new team name and logo have yet to be revealed.

Sarasota County will not be without a minor-league baseball team. The agreement with the Baltimore Orioles to bring that team’s spring-training operations to the Ed Smith Stadium site includes a renovation of the Orioles’ current minor-league facilities at Twin Lakes Park.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].