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Fielders Keep Playing, Look to 2012

August 11, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Lake County Fielders News Release

Zion, IL. The Lake County Fielders, a minor league baseball team in Zion, IL, provided notice to the North American League yesterday that the team may be terminating its membership in the league for a variety of reasons that include the burdensome travel and expense of a schedule that included flying to Maui 3 times in one season. The Fielders will weigh its options to play in other leagues for the 2012 season, but in the meantime, the team is prepared to continue its 2011 home season schedule against a lineup of opponents that will be announced in the days to follow.

"The team had no choice," said team spokesman Bernie DiMeo of DiMeo Communications. "No independent minor league team could financially survive the expense of flying to play every opponent, and to Hawaii no less. The Fielders are the furthest team in the league from Maui, yet the league scheduled them to make 3 trips there compared to 1 trip for all the other teams in the league. That just makes no sense, and no team should be held to a schedule that is so financially inequitable."

"Its no secret that we're living in tough economic times, and the Fielders are doing whatever it takes to provide the community with its hometown team and an affordable time at the ballpark," continued DiMeo. "The Fielders are excited about the weeks remaining this summer, and will provide a unique and daring schedule that will include all the baseball and fun that fans are accustomed to enjoying.We'll be adding some twists along the way, but you'll have to come out to the park to see it for yourself!"

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