Rob Biertempfel writes that the State College Spikes are changing affiliations, and will move from the Pirates to the Cardinals next season. That means the Pirates won't have an affiliate in State College next year, and they'll need to find another team at the Class A- level.
↵The Spikes had previously suggested they might change affiliations if the Pirates didn't produce more wins for them.
↵Biertempfel mentions that Batavia or Jamestown might be possibilities. But these might be short-term propositions -- Morgantown is interested in a NY-Penn League team, and if they get one, it might make sense for the Pirates to set up shop there. Of course, the idea of putting a minor-league team in Morgantown is a little bit strange -- there's no shortage of organized sports there, and a short-season minor-league team would play its season at almost exactly the time of year when WVU students aren't around and the town is nearly empty. But Morgantown would have the advantage of being very close to Pittsburgh.
↵For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.