Rumors of a Muckdogs move soon seem to be greatly exaggerated

The future of professional baseball in Batavia seems, for the time being, inexorably tied to the future of baseball in Binghamton and Ottawa, Canada.

Now it seems, contrary to a prior report, the Binghamton Mets will not be moving to Ottawa, which means the Muckdogs won't be moving to Binghamton.

Baseball America reported the move, relying on unnamed sources, and then ESPN reported the deal fell through.

The response from Michael Urda, president of the Binghamton Mets?

Urda, who said he was “tired of answering the same questions every two weeks,” insisted no one from the ownership group or the organization had talked to Silver. He called the idea that “city officials” inquired about acquiring Batavia “ridiculous,” saying, “Who are ‘city officials?’ ”

Urda added that the idea that city officials would pursue a team also does not make sense because the B-Mets ownership group signed a four-year extension on their player development contract (PDC) with the New York Mets in August, and a five-year extension with the city on the lease for NYSEG Stadium prior to last season.

The article points out, however, that those deals would not necessarily be an obstacle to moving the franchise.

On the other hand, the investment group in Ottawa seems to be distancing itself from the Binghamton rumor.

Richard Billings, chief operating officer of Beacon Sports Capitol, told the Ottawa Sun on Tuesday that ESPN’s report was “inaccurate. ... We’re not there yet with a deal, and hopefully we’ll have something announced soon.”

The bottom line: Go ahead and buy those 2013 season tickets, get your outfield sign for your business. Your team still needs you.