Will Pitt be keeping Altoona as well? yes, so the Pittsburgh Short-A and AA teams will be just 42 miles apart. They are both owned by the same owners group I assume that's a deliberate attempt to get more central PA residents emotionally invested in the Pirates young players, who are going to continually account for a significant portion of the roster. yes, and give them two chances to watch their progress in person. I'm excited because, despite the old Short-A Pittsburgh affiliate (Williamsport) sucking this year, they have won the NYPL twice in the past 5 years. Might get a better team. Plus, the Pirates are far less aggressive about player promotion, meaning we're more likely to see next year's top draft picks stay in State College all summer, whereas any good player on the team last year shot right up to Quad Cities