Written by Brian McPeek

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Looks like for the first time since the early 20^th century the town of Kinston, NC will be without professional baseball.

 

In a somewhat convoluted maneuver the Kinston Indians will be moving to what was a Double-A town of the Cincinnati Reds. Zebulon, NC will be the new home of the Indians Single-A affiliate. Zebulon is about 30 minutes northeast of Raleigh and previously was home to the Carolina Mudcats.

 

 "To say that the Mudcats are leaving is not true," Carolina Mudcats owner Steve Bryant said. "We feel strongly about our brand. While the Double-A team will relocate, the Mudcats are going to be here."

Bryant is selling the rights to his Double-A franchise, which will move to Pensacola, Fla., and buying the rights to the high Class-A team in Kinston, where Historic Grainger Stadium was recently featured in Durham-based Baseball America magazine's Great Parks calendar.