Tim Johnson and Pete LaCock left the independent North American League for a second time, as an attempt to join Jose Canseco with the Yuma Scorpions was thwarted by league officials. The back story: Johnson was manager and LaCock coach with the Lake County Fielders (independent; North American League) when that team went through early-season […]
Archive | Independent Baseball
Saints: Tweet your wiener with us
Never let it be said the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) let a good scandal go to waste: In honor of National Hot Dog Day, the team is offering Tweeting Wiener Boxers Saturday night. Obviously inspired by Rep. Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former Congressman whose career went down in a string of naughty tweets, […]
Fielders’ Zaman quits on the air
Another casualty of the Lake County Fielders (independent; North American League) not paying bills: play-by-play broadcaster Qumar Zaman, who quit because he wasn’t being paid by the team — and took to the air to explain. Audio within. As you’ll recall, the Fielders released 14 players and traded nine others after an open player revolt […]
Slammers work hard to regain community trust
The Joliet JackHammers almost salted the territory after failing to pay bills the past few seasons, but the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) are working hard to regain community trust — and succeeding. The JackHammers folded after owing $400,000 to vendors and $200,000 to the city for rent at Silver Cross Field — a deficit […]
Rocky season for the Newark Bears
Legal disputes over ownership, unpaid bills, and plenty of empty seats have characterized the Newark Bears (independent; Can-Am League) this season, as the team struggles to find a following — and the answer may be a reality TV series. The Star-Register has a long chronicle of the many issues faced by the changing Bears ownership […]
Reevaluating Fair Grounds Field after 25 years
It was once the very model of a modern ballpark, but 25 years later Fair Grounds Field is showing the effects of time and a less-than-aggressive maintenance budget, as Shreveport evaluates the future of the home of the Shreveport-Bossier Captains (independent; American Association). Built for $3.5 million, Fair Grounds Field was designed to be a […]
Financing elusive for new McHenry County ballpark
After several years of work on financing for a new $18-million McHenry County K-Nines (independent; Frontier League) ballpark, team owners have returned bonding money to the county, as the project has stalled. The plan was to build the new ballpark as part of a development that includes a gravel pit and possibly the new grounds […]
Fielders continue blame game for financial woes, adding league to mix
After losing most of the roster because of nonpayment, the Lake County Fielders (independent; North American League) is admitting cash-flow issues but doubling down on criticism for how its ballpark issue was handled by Zion and throwing criticism of the league into the mix. Another attack — or positioning for future lawsuits, depending on your […]
Nueces County sues CB Thunder over unpaid rent
After evicting the Coastal Bend Thunder (independent; United League Baseball) for unpaid rent at Fairgrounds Field in December, Texas’s Nueces County is now going after the team’s owners for maintenance, cleanup and attorney bills totaling $142,000. A lawsuit was filed Monday against the now-defunct franchise. The team had been evicted from the Robstown ballpark over […]
Atlantic League All-Star Game completely sold out
Tonight’s independent Atlantic League All-Star Game is completely sold out, as host York Revolution sold the last of the berm seating to the match at Sovereign Bank Stadium. All-Star Games are notably hard to sell out for most teams. Today’s events kick off with the Stauffer’s All-Star Family Fun Festival on the Brooks Robinson Plaza […]
Fielders: Don’t blame us, blame Zion
Reps from the Lake County Fielders (independent; North American League) say payroll issues leading to a player revolt is not their fault — instead, they point the finger at Zion, Ill. for failing to provide an adequate ballpark. As you’ll recall, the Fielders released 14 players and traded nine others after an open player revolt […]
Unpaid players revolt in Lake County: 9 traded, 14 released
It’s chaos with the Lake County Fielders (independent; North American League), as the team releases 14 players and trades nine after missing payroll; manager Tim Johnson and interim coach Pete LaCock are gone as well. As it turns out, the decision by LaCock to field a team with pitchers in the field and position players […]
Yuma, Lake County swap pitchers, positional players
Last night’s Yuma Scorpions / Lake County Fielders (independent; North American League) game was an odd one: position players were sent to the pitchers mound and pitchers played in the field. Not quite sure how this plays into the integrity of the league, as Yuma won 8-3, with it being apparent NAL pitchers hit better […]