Here are today’s reports quoting owners of certain Northern League teams joining the American Association for the 2011 season:
- http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/breakingnews/Goldeyes-join-American-Association-104879624.html
- http://www.regionsports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3603&Itemid=267
Here are the new teams entering the American Association:
- Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Gary SouthShore RailCats
- Kansas City T-Bones
- Winnipeg Goldeyes
This leaves the following 4 teams in the Northern League:
- Joliet Jackhammers
- Lake County Fielders
- Rockford Riverhawks
- Schaumberg Flyers
What will happen to the remaining 4 teams will become available in the ensuing days.
Should IndependentBaseball.net have any word directly from the commissioners, owners, or front office executives involved then such comments will be added on this site.
Interested in web3 and pro baseball? If so, get your own web3 (NFT) baseball domain name! Click this link to discover more information.
If you are looking for savings and free shipping on baseball equipment and gear then Click Here or click on this image:
Discover more about the available NFTs specific to affiliated and independent minor league baseball teams and players: Independent Minor League Baseball NFT non-fungible tokens and digital art
Get notified of upcoming independent baseball tryouts from either of these services: first service or the second service. Prospective players can find some helpful resources here
See the list of former / folded independent baseball teams since 1993 and get non-official merchandise featuring those teams: Former Independent Baseball Teams And Merchandise
Do you collect or sell baseball cards and other sports memorabilia? If so, then here are some helpful resources plus where to get independent baseball merchandise from folded teams. Click Here to discover more.
So much for consolidation to save on costs. Don’t expect the schedule to reflect more than one trip each way between Pensacola and Winnipeg. And I don’t care for the unbalanced alignment either. Two divisions of seven would have made sense…12 games each between teams within the division, with only four needed to play everyone in the other division. I presume the level of play for the four new AA teams will have to be downgraded, regardless of the renewed rivalries. Big deal!
Interesting though that it was four healthy franchises that moved, quite different from the Newark move, meant for survival like Nashua and Atlantic City tried before. If AC had built their stadium out next to the weak race track, I believe we’d still be seeing them in the Atlantic League today. Once again the slow to act AL will revive the traveling PA Road Warriors, when they supposedly had other irons hot in the fire and ready to go. NOT! NOW where do ex-MLBers go to play?
Yes, what will happen to Costner’s Lake County franchise…just when they were ready to start really turning a dollar. No way they go on as only a four team league. Will the Northern League expire in spite of being a great charter league? Will they downgrade themselves and join the Frontier League? That would make sense. Or can the NL draw away a few teams from the FL, and maintain a AAA level of play. Some of the FL teams that draw well are quite near the remaining NL teams, and could go on to do well even if Joliet folds. Maybe the AL will now go for a Northwest division with the remaining four, since they are crazy enough to be trying to do that in the Southwest. Will they try to pull the Texas teams out of the AA? We thought the indies were unifying, but it looks like those ideas have no root. More teams will die.
If Shreveport moves to Amarillo, that really puts Pensacola out on a limb at an economically bad time. I still think they jump at an affiliated opportunity in the Southern League, where I think there is an opening. They are too far again from the rest of the Florida League, which seems to have strong units going, and where others could be formed. What then in the AA; have a team in both Shreveport and Amarillo? Will anyone revive Alexandria or Jackson again? They should.
The indy season has barely cooled, yet the hot stove is cooking! One big shoe has been dropped by the AA. We’re waiting for the other.