12th Team 2007?

[BumsTC]

Anyone alive out there. No one has posted anything in like a mont hand a half. Well lets talk 12th team in 07. Any ideas? Anything new on Northern League teams coming over. Whose are runor guy in here anyway....lol. Well just wanted to post something and see if nayone had heard anything say out of eastern pa, Missouri or Ohio. Lets get some info!!!! Im ready for 07 baby.

GO TC

[preeths]

Don't look for any teams moving from the Northern League. Their schedule is already out.

[Paintsfan]

I would post here more often if there were more activity going on at this point. :(

Okay, the 12th team will either be playing at Eastern Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh area or will be a traveling team in 2007.

I'm pretty confident about that considering that I have 2 reliable sources:

1) Stan Murray; he's involved in the Yahoo Group for the Rvier City Rascals, the team blog. Recently he said that it was going to be the above stated. He's a FL insider basically.

2) The commisioner himself, Bill Lee; I emailed him asking him where the 12th team was going to play at. He told me that the team will either be playing in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania (near the Wild Things), or it would be a traveling team. He agreed with me that he hesitates at the possibilty of a traveling team, but hey, that's how the ball rolls sometimes.


Okay, since I've last posted, the picture for the geography of the league has gotten more clear, alot more clear. Here's the lineup:

Johnstown? I absolutely doubt it at this point. The better possibility of Butler/Slippery Rock getting a team pretty much eliminates Johnstown from the running. (I think)

Owensboro? I'm not sure. The last I heard from the Owensboro party was that they made decent strides into acquiring land to make a ballpark. I haven't heard a single peep in who knows how long from them since...

Columbia, Missouri? (Mid-Mo Mavericks returning?) It's still possible, in spite of how negative the reports got earlier this year. Just recently, hopes have risen up, as the ballpark project in Mid-Missouri has gotten support. I expect the Mavericks to sit out the 2007 season, but 2008 is pretty possible.

Lorain, Ohio? Definately possible. A group of 25 people have made the commitment to become the core of the business/marketing part of the franchise. The people up there are serious in talks with the FL for a future team. I think they have a shot.

West Virginia? I think they should have a team...I mean the Ashland/Huntington area combined is like 300,000 people, so they can dfeinately support Indy League baseball. Do they have a facility? No, unfortunately, and the St. Cloud Commons is in bad shape. My Paints could use a rival team around them.

Other places:
Port Huron, Michigan
Holland, Michigan
Lee's Summit, Missouri (KC area)
Batavia, Ohio (Cincinnati area)
etc.

Forget Port Huron. Forget Holland. You can flip a coin with Batavia. Lee's Summit is still on the radar, but to a small degree. That's it for now.

By the way, I seriously mean no offense to all of the admins and mods here, but I'd really like to see an official message board for the Frontier League be made.

[heavesrock]

Would Butler play at a renovated Pullman Park? Johnstown getting renovations. I would like to see a team in Decatur or maybe another suburban Chicago team(Aurora,Oswego, Montgomery, Yorkville), that area is growing fast and can support more minor league teams than what is has.

[bswalley]

Just to get this out there, I am a part of a group working to bring Huntington WV a team for the 2008 season. We are working on a deal with Marshall University to share a new stadium.

As PainsFan stated, St. Cloud's Commons is in terrible shape. In addition, it's location is horrid. MU's new stadium will be on or near campus, which will make it very accessible.

For more info, visit our website at http://www.BringBaseballBack.com

[heavesrock]

St. Cloud commons is in a flood plain, no?

[Dilbert]

They should bring back the Ohio Valley Redcoats as a traveling team.

I have actually heard of Batavia, Ohio possibley joining the league a couple of years ago, however I dont think it would happen.

1. Batavia is about 30-35 minutes from Florence and that would be in Florence Freedoms territory.

2. Batavia is very small. The only thing that Batavia is known for best is a flea market. Its population is about 1,617

3. No ballpark has been built. I think it was brought up at town meetings but were shot down.

4. Most of the people in Batavia are Reds fans.

5. They did have a website, www.bataviablaze.com , however it no longer works.

Trust me on these things. I live about 10 minutes from Batavia

[bswalley]

St. Cloud's is very prone to flooding. Even if it was in a better location, the stadium would require an entire renovation, from the grandstand to the field surface (it is now skinned for softball).

[ca]

not on the rd but wyandotte , michigan is interested in minor league baseball and it has a MUNICIPAL park (with temp. and perm. poetential) thats CENTRALLY located within the eastern division !

[nksports]

Lee's Summit, Missouri

Too far from anywhere else in the league since Ozark, Mo., got forced out and Mid-Mo is questionable. Would work better in the NL with the T-Bones or the AA with Lincoln and St. Joe.
I don't think it has any facilities except for a couple of HS fields and a junior college ballpark.

[BumsTC]

So this question goes out to all your Frontier League Vets (Chilicothe, Evansville). In past years when a team was needed to make a even number of teams when was the decision made? Either a traveling team or anotehr expansion team. At this point I think it will either be a traveling team or maybe just a one year stop somewhere that has a stadium not being used. Any thoughts on Ohio Valley or maybe even Battle Creek, Mich as one year stops?

Mark

GO BUMS!!!!

[go_rascals]

Battle Creek is joining the Northwoods League. I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd lay money on a traveling team.

[E-Villan]

There was some discussion about Terre Haute getting a team. It seems like a logical step. Decent market, good geography, etc..I don't know about facilities, but the old Three-I team played for years at Memorial Stadium. The outfield fence is still there although the stadium has been modified for football only. Not sure what could be worked out there.

The other cities thrown out for the most part seem to have a little appeal. Of course, I would think there are many better places to expand in Illinois other than Marion.

Bloomington/Normal, nice size community which is successfully supporting an indoor football team.

Springfield-been there, done that but with a little sprucing up, the old park could still be functional.

Champaign/Urbana, not sure if any team that doesn't have U of I on it's uniform would be supported but still alot more potential than Marion.

[Dilbert]

Ive heard that a temporary team in Slippery Rock, PA might be the 12th team.

[patmc16]

not on the rd but wyandotte , michigan is interested in minor league baseball and it has a MUNICIPAL park (with temp. and perm. poetential) thats CENTRALLY located within the eastern division !

I've been within 1/2 mile of Wyandotte's municipal park probably 50 times within the last few years and had no idea it was there. I found it on TerraServer and Google maps (both use the same photo). The photo is from 2002 so it could have changed some since then. As much as I would love to have a minor league team in SE Michigan, there is no way I could see the Fronier League putting a team there based on what I see. I don't think it would even qualify as a stadium in the professional use of the word. It is not much more than a city field. I have visited a few FL stadiums over the years. The one that looked the least "professional" was Munson Stadium in Canton, OH when the Coyotes played there. Munson Stadium is leaps and bounds beyond what Wyandotte's field looks like. Unfortunately, there is nothing that would qualify as a professional stadium anywhere in SE Mich that is not in use other than Tiger Stadium and there is no way a minor league team would ever use it. Sooner or later it will be torn down. Not being able to get a suitable stadium built is why there have been multiple proposals fail in the area including 3 different ones in Mount Clemens, at least 1 in Troy, & Auburn Hills. If Wyandotte is interested in minor league baseball, they should build a stadium on that property. In the photo, it looks like there would be enough room to build a stadium around the existing diamond.

[Paintsfan]

Ive heard that a temporary team in Slippery Rock, PA might be the 12th team.

It turns out that you are exactly right. Slippery Rock, Pa. will be home to 32 games for the Slippery Rock team for the 2007 FL season. They will only have 16 extra road games. I have to say that that's more flexible than Ohio Valley 2005, when they bounced around 3 places.

The team website is here:
http://www.srprobaseball.com/index.html

I'd like to think of this as an audition. If it goes great, then I don't see why Slippery Rock can't keep the team for another season. If it goes bad, then well, you might go elsewhere.

[go_rascals]

I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd lay money on a traveling team.

And now we all know WHY I'm not a betting man!

[ca]

cant be as bad as a temporary team , in a smaller market and on a college campus for half a year. btw if one is going to play on a college field emu or mich. would blow sr's pk right out of the water !

[sillinois]

Slippery Rock? Wow, is this the best we can do? Nothing against Slippery Rock, but the university affiliation scares me. Slippery Rock University HAS a baseball team that will play on the same field. What, are they going to do double-headers with the college and frontier league teams. 2 for 1 admission? What are the chances that many of the players will be Slippery Rock alumni? Where are the people going to come from?

I guess the plan is to peak interest in the area and then move the team to Butler, PA?

[Paintsfan]

Slippery Rock? Wow, is this the best we can do? Nothing against Slippery Rock, but the university affiliation scares me. Slippery Rock University HAS a baseball team that will play on the same field. What, are they going to do double-headers with the college and frontier league teams. 2 for 1 admission? What are the chances that many of the players will be Slippery Rock alumni? Where are the people going to come from?

I guess the plan is to peak interest in the area and then move the team to Butler, PA?

As far as I know, Slippery Rock has a 1-year agreement with the FL to field a team, as it is only temporary. Anything would be an improvement over a traveling team, even if Slippery Rock was the answer. Yeah, that could be the plan after all, but I heard that the FL would like to have Johnstown back. However, Johnstown is so overloaded with their political issues and all that I think it's impossible to do that. Slippery Rock is a Pittsburgh suburb from the northwest, so it will help somehow.

As for the ownership and control of the franchise, I think it's basically an extra class for Slippery Rock students. It will be a 50/50 cooperation with the Frontier League and the students. The students will be kept in check, though. That's my guess. Also, Steve Tahsler is the GM of the new team. He has 11 years of experience and recently was GM for the Evansville Otters.

[heavesrock]

I am not impressed by this move. I just looked on their website, and the first thing I noticed was something on the side that said "Tickets now on sell". That doesn't impress me. Proofread whatever you post before you post it. Second of all, why would you buy tickets for something you know won't last? Look at what happened to the Titans when they tried to play in Memphis for a year. Look at what happened to the Braves their last year in Milwaukee. It could be the same thing.

BTW, is their any talk of putting a team in the NW Chicago suburbs? That area has largely been ignored by the minor leagues while everywhere is is being overflowed with teams. Try an Evanston or Waukegan team.

[ca]

tickets for something that you know won't last ? if one is smart they won't !

[Raptorov]

They should bring back the Ohio Valley Redcoats as a traveling team.

I have actually heard of Batavia, Ohio possibley joining the league a couple of years ago, however I dont think it would happen.

1. Batavia is about 30-35 minutes from Florence and that would be in Florence Freedoms territory.

2. Batavia is very small. The only thing that Batavia is known for best is a flea market. Its population is about 1,617

3. No ballpark has been built. I think it was brought up at town meetings but were shot down.

4. Most of the people in Batavia are Reds fans.

5. They did have a website, www.bataviablaze.com , however it no longer works.

Trust me on these things. I live about 10 minutes from Batavia

Dilbert,
I second your points and I live 5 minutes from Batavia!
The place they had picked out for the stadium next to the flea market was a nice spot. Its basically junk land. But they have that motor bike race thing there now. I really hope they dont ever push that again. When they first started talking it was about the time the Freedom started, and had their financial challenges. After seeing what happened with two minor league hockey teams in Cinci, I shudder at the prospect of what would happen with two minor league ball teams.

[bataviaboi-homegrown]

batavia should have a baseball team i live in batavia and i dont go to reds games so then i would be able to go to these games

[bataviaboi-homegrown]

Dilbert,
I second your points and I live 5 minutes from Batavia!
The place they had picked out for the stadium next to the flea market was a nice spot. Its basically junk land. But they have that motor bike race thing there now. I really hope they dont ever push that again. When they first started talking it was about the time the Freedom started, and had their financial challenges. After seeing what happened with two minor league hockey teams in Cinci, I shudder at the prospect of what would happen with two minor league ball teams.

i dont agree because the moto track is next to red barn(the flea market)and a huge feild right behind it that they never use but for parking for the taste of clearmont

[Minor League Man]

batavia should have a baseball team i live in batavia and i dont go to reds games so then i would be able to go to these games
What happened to the Muckdogs? Are they gone?

[heavesrock]

Wrong Batavia. The Muckdogs play in New York, not Ohio.

[rams80]

batavia should have a baseball team i live in batavia and i dont go to reds games so then i would be able to go to these games

You do realize this thread is two years old, right?