North American League

The Golden Baseball League (GBL) forum
riverrider35
Site Admin
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2010 5:38 pm

Post by riverrider35 » Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:30 am

Just heard OC is finally calling it quits, so that leaves Hawaii, Edmonton, Calgary, Yuma and maybe Chico. so 2 stable teams and 3 floppy teams left, I also think Portland doesn't have a chance til 2012, also when you look at united league they have 3 teams left and Northern what 2 teams left? SO any ideas how this is going to work this year or will these guys have the respect to tell the players and coaches to go find other jobs?
IMO I think the Gbl might be putting up a front to seem like they will be playing this yr so they can keep their Winter league in business and make money then maybe close shop after all those dollars are collected!
Any other opinions out there?

ca
Site Admin
Posts: 275
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 11:30 pm

the nal

Post by ca » Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:09 pm

imo the alberta clubs along with the nol clubs and a 6th team is probably the best the nal can hope for on an 11 slate . if it were me id go into se mi as the fl gaffed up this market with the mothballing of the cruisers BIG TIME !

User avatar
LaVidaLoca
Site Admin
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:19 pm

Post by LaVidaLoca » Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:52 pm

[quote=""riverrider35""]Just heard OC is finally calling it quits, so that leaves Hawaii, Edmonton, Calgary, Yuma and maybe Chico. so 2 stable teams and 3 floppy teams left, I also think Portland doesn't have a chance til 2012, also when you look at united league they have 3 teams left and Northern what 2 teams left? SO any ideas how this is going to work this year or will these guys have the respect to tell the players and coaches to go find other jobs?
IMO I think the Gbl might be putting up a front to seem like they will be playing this yr so they can keep their Winter league in business and make money then maybe close shop after all those dollars are collected!
Any other opinions out there?[/quote]

Who says Chico is in? They have no place to play as of now and Yuma is really a stretch even though they say they have re-signed DeLaVara....guess he didn't fair well in AAA. Then there is OC...you knew they were done with 3 owners leaving for Maui and no stadium, or fans to fill any seats. And Maui...who will travel to Maui and play there for a small sum of $20000? No one, and IF they have 4 teams what kind of schedule will that be...ridiculous. I feel for Edmonton and Calgary...2 very solid clubs that may now have to look at other leagues to survive or take off a year. As for the other 2 leagues, there is no way to play with 3 teams!

I was hopeful that they could make this work for a year and see what happened, but IMO they should close shop...not enough teams in the individual leagues to play against, too far apart, too much $$ to travel, and no leadership. The fans will not make it happen as they have been screwed enough. I also have spoken to several players who are going to the AA and FL teams now for fear of having no where to play in May.

Good luck to the players who are smart enough to bolt and find a good org in the AA or FL.

smallballfan
Site Admin
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:04 am

Post by smallballfan » Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:35 am

I think the Gbl might be putting up a front to seem like they will be playing this yr so they can keep their Winter league in business and make money then maybe close shop after all those dollars are collected!
Winner, winner...chicken dinner.

User avatar
LaVidaLoca
Site Admin
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:19 pm

Post by LaVidaLoca » Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:37 am

[quote=""E-TownCaps""]The NAL is not going to fold. Look for 12 to 15 teams for the 2011 season. Teams that you may see are Lake County, Omaha, Rockford, Schaumburg, San Angelo, Edinburg, Abilene, Calgary, Edmonton, Palm Springs, Orange County, Maui, Tijuana, Mexacali and maybe Chico.

We should all know who the teams are going to be by the new year, and then the speculation can end and we can start talking about the up coming season. ;) [/quote]

Etown...OC is out...Palm Springs, if there is such a team yet, needs to surface, not be a myth. If you really think TJ, and Mexacali will be there solidly, then you need help. So, reality check...how many times can Calgary play Edmonton...36, 48? Then Maui how many...then who else...that's nuts! 12 teams in 3 leagues will NOT get it done. Teams are already in dire straits and now you want them to play each other 24, 36 times? Wow...there are not enough miracles to make this work unless there are 5 or 6 teams per division...be realistic! Do the math...IT WON'T WORK!! None of these teams has the fan base, the travel expenses or the ability to make a profit except Calgary and Edmonton in the GBL bracket. The ULB never had $$, and, they will not be sustainable.

Where is the NAL follow-up meeting to decide the format...they already know they are in trouble. Let's hear the divisions and the teams for SURE before saying they can succeed...I didn't say they would fold, I merely see the realistic side having watched the GBL, NL and ULB for years...THEY DON"T MAKE $$, therefore they will not exist whether it's this year or next...what they all need to do is take a deep breath and work this out over a 2 year period and get their finances, fields and sponsors together.

The players will not wait, they want to play no matter how far they have to go to find a team.

nksports
Site Admin
Posts: 3669
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:53 am
Location: Newton, KS (the land of Oz)

Post by nksports » Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:59 am

[quote=""E-TownCaps""]Teams that you may see are Lake County, Omaha, Rockford, Schaumburg, San Angelo, Edinburg, Abilene, Calgary, Edmonton, Palm Springs, Orange County, Maui, Tijuana, Mexacali and maybe Chico.[/quote]

Many of the teams you list are why this league is facing long odds. A couple are locked out of their stadiums for back rent. TJ never made it through a whole season -- and they are bringing in Mexicali????
Omaha: They are going into a market against a well-financed 42-year old AAA team (Warren Buffett is a member of the ownership group) with a new stadium (OK a Royals farm team, so that makes them closer to AA).
Unless this team has plans for its own stadium or a facility at a small college or high school, it's going into a stadium that seats about 24,000, where it would be the third scheduling priority behind the college world series and Creighton. That place is going to be high, high rent. Your nearest rivals are in the Chicago area and Canada.

riverrider35
Site Admin
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2010 5:38 pm

Post by riverrider35 » Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:26 am

last 2 posts have this right sorry E-town no shot man, also like weve mentioned coastal bend locked out, Amarillo gone to the AA, Laredo closed shop to join AA in 2012 so the Texas division has 3 teams, they can try for Abilene but only field there suitable is a christian college so no alcohol which means no money. I would also tell you a little birdie would tell us that United ownership offered to take or buy however you want to put it 2 of the new Pecos League franchises Las Cruces and Roswell. They know they are in trouble, they have mentioned Tyler which I think is a dry county so no alcohol either. The United or Nal needs to push for other big cities to have a chance such as Pueblo and Lubbock, these actually would have a chance in a big league also I would throw Odessa in their.
I think to little to late for people with no money to pull it off. I feel bad for San Angelo a good franchise who will suffer as they will be left hanging while all this unfolds instead of being allowed to apply to AA and or Pecos or even the Texas collegiate league.
Atlantic league west has shot to pick up a few United teams int he future.
Also anyone know if GBl has given St. George up yet? Also herd laughlin and henderson Nevada rumored as well as Grand Junction Colorado. Too many cities and not enough credibility to keep up with this league haaa, any suggestions on what San Angelo should do?

elpaso
Site Admin
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:44 pm
Location: El Paso

Post by elpaso » Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:20 am

There is a Seth Eisenberg quote that will sum up this NAL.

"If it looks like *hit,
smells like *hit and feels like *hit,
you don't have to actually eat it to know it's *hit".

Anything the GBL is involved in should have a notice "buyer beware".

I will stay with the American Association, Atlantic and Frontier Leagues.

indyproball
Site Admin
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2005 4:54 am
Location: Arizona

GBL is alive?

Post by indyproball » Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:01 am

Several of our academy players called and left messages at GBL phone numbers. They are curious about playing in the Yuma Winter League. No person answers the phone and no call backs.....so maybe no Yuma Winter League? One player said the GBL office phone was disconnected..... any verification on that?

I do hear the California Winter League answers and is on the ball as far as taking player applications.

What about the United Winter League?
Last edited by indyproball on Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: grammer

User avatar
LaVidaLoca
Site Admin
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:19 pm

Post by LaVidaLoca » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:53 am

Indy...I wouldn't trust paying $3000 to POSSIBLY secure a roster spot in a league that may not even exist. You would be better to go to the team tryouts of different leagues that have a current future. Some players that are picked up from the Winter League sign, but many also are gone within a month due to lack of production...that is under the previous teams...not sure what this year will bring but I wouldn't send my son there for $3000. The competition levels are not up to even A ball...more like rookie or Div l...and the level of play in the old GBL is AA at least...hard to compete at that level and exist.
Just an old guys opinion, but I have seen the results over the years of those Summer and Winter league players surviving over a full season. As many have said about the GBL...Buyer Beware.

Post Reply

Return to “GBL”