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Rockies Drop Springs Sky Sox For Albuquerque Isotopes

ALBUQERQUE, N.M. (CBS4/AP) — The Colorado Rockies have signed a deal to switch their Triple-A affiliation from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox to the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Albuquerque Isotopes Stadim
Albuquerque Isotopes Stadim (credit: milb.com)

Officials from both teams signed a 4-year player development agreement during a news conference in Albuquerque on Wednesday. The officials say the new relationship makes sense for geographic reasons and because Albuquerque feels like an extension of home for the major league team.

Rockies senior director of player development, Jeff Bridich, says he hopes Albuquerque fans will soon be able to bleed "Rocky purple."

"It's a six-hour drive from here into Denver. It's a one-hour flight," said Bridich. "Did that play into it? Absolutely. And the fact that this is a large city and growing city and hopefully it's growing full of Rockies fans."

Bridich says the Rockies were looking to do certain things and the move from Colorado Springs stems from business considerations. The Rockies and the Sky Sox had been affiliated for the last 21 years.

The Triple-A Isotopes had been affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008.

"This is the start of a new era," said John Traub, the Isotopes general manager.

Albuquerque finished the 2014 Pacific Coast League season on Sept. 1 with a 62-80 record.

"If you look at the fan base, the stadium, the ownership, from the player development standpoint, it would be a very attractive situation," he said. "It's certainly great to be wanted."

The team, which got its name from a "The Simpsons" episode, plays in 11,124-seat Isotopes Park, which opened in 2003.

In "The Simpsons" episode Homer tries to stop the Springfield Isotopes minor league baseball team from the moving to Albuquerque. There are statues of The Simpsons characters inside Isotopes Park.

Albuquerque Isotopes Stadim
A statue of Marge Simpson at Albuquerque Isotopes Stadim (credit: milb.com)

LINK: Albuquerque Isotopes

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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