Great news for the Frederick Keys franchise

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

May 25, 2011, 7:12am

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The news came out yesterday, not long after I wrote this story about concern over the future for the Single-A Frederick Keys. The City of Frederick yesterday selected the Keys over an Atlantic League team to negotiate a new lease with to play in Harry Grove Stadium starting next year. This comes as great news and should mean the Keys, who have played as an Orioles' affiliate in Frederick since 1989, should continue there and remain aligned with the Orioles - hopefully for many, many years to come. I say should because the process is not over. Now, the Keys management will work with Frederick officials on a new long-term lease. If the sides agree, and you would expect this negotiating to go pretty smoothly, they could have a new lease agreement in place over the next few weeks to a month. The politicians in Frederick likely realized that, in the end, there was no reason for any team to play in their city except the Keys. They have been a successful franchise with good attendance pretty much from their first season in Frederick. A huge first hurdle has been passed with this news. Now, if and hopefully when the new lease gets finalized, the Keys' future in Frederick for years to come will be officially secure.