Jul. 28—Rep. Jim Hagedorn expressed disappointment today over the decision by Rawlings Sporting Goods and its owners, Major League Baseball and Seidler Equity Partners, to close the Miken Sports plant in Caledonia and move manufacturing jobs to China.

"I am incredibly disappointed that Miken Sports intends to shut-down most operations at its Caledonia plant and move jobs to China," he said in a statement released Tuesday. "This decision will result in significant job and wealth losses in southeast Minnesota. Moreover, moving production to communist China is incompatible with Major League Baseball's position as an American Sports League."

Hagedorn is the latest political leader to express concern about the closing of Miken, which Rawlings officials have said will take place within 18 to 24 months. Other federal and state legislators, from both sides of the aisle, have stepped forward to express support for Miken within the past couple weeks. They include U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, of Minnesota, state Sen. Jeremy Miller, of Winona, and state Rep. Greg Davids, of Preston.

"Baseball has long been considered America's national pastime, and Caledonia has been proud to be associated with production of MLB helmets and baseball bats," Hagedorn said.