Lengthy Conference Call a New Step As Independent Leagues Try to Help Each Other

While Independent Baseball has 22 seasons of history since the modern version of the non-major- league-affiliated game started (1993), most every decision has been made by individual leagues.  Some type of governing body has been discussed from time to time, and the Independents have held a few offseason gatherings to exchange ideas and hear from the sport’s suppliers.

But the leagues always have their own separate issues which command the time of those who run the league offices so the industry has never truly organized to study such universal issues as uniform dealings with the 30 major league teams who buy their players or buying uniforms jointly or trying to figure out if a collective effort might somehow lesson the costly issue of workman’s compensation.

I do not know that any joint organization is in the offing now, either, but this corner has learned enough from various sources to report that top officials from the four primary leagues (Atlantic, American Association, Can-Am, Frontier)held a two-hour conference call this week to address many of their problems and opportunities.

“It was (basically) how do we work together,” Miles Wolff,the Independent game’s founder and current commissioner of the American Association and Can-Am League, told me.  “It wasn’t like anything was decided”, he added, although the group, which included top officials from all four leagues and some owners, plan to talk again, perhaps in person as early as January.

Wolff had praise for Atlantic League President Rick White, who has been in his position for nearly a year and brings a wealth of big-time marketing and licensing experience which potentially balances the individual team and on-the-field knowledge of Wolff and Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee.

This can be a very quiet time of year from the perspective of front office news, but from what we are hearing that is anything but the case these days with the confirmed sale of the Frontier League’s Windy City Thunderbolts (Crestwood, IL)to minority owner Al Oremus,surprising indications of multiple team sales in the Atlantic League, and the rumor that the Can-Am League may be adding a sixth franchise within the next few days.

* * * *

202 PLAYERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM INDY BASEBALL TO MAJORS

Obtain the Complete List at www.WirzandAssociates.com

* * * *

More Cuban Players Likely Headed to Can-Am League

The Can-Am League’slink to Cubaseems to be working out very well for all parties.  Quebec CapitalesPresident Michel Laplanteand Manager Pat Scalabrinihave returned from a week of meetings in Cuba, and have expectations of landing up to four more players for the 2015 season, Miles Wolff,the league’s commissioner, says.

Quebec landed outfielder Yuniesky Gurriel,the first player the Cuban Government ever approved playing in North Americain July, and the 32-year-old hit .321 with a homer and 11 runs batted in for the 30 Can-Am games he played.  Players coming from Cuba can only play for Canadian-based teams although they can travel to play the teams based in the United States.

Once a Long Ball Artist, Always a Long Ball Artist

Jeff Flagghas changed sports, but he still is hitting the ball a long way.

The onetime Mississippi Statestar and New York Metsfarmhand slugged 33 home runs in the Frontier League (Traverse City, MI)in 2011-12, but that power will be on display on Golf Channel on election night .  The first baseman, who turns 29 on November 7, is one of eight finalists in the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championshipvying for a $250,000 grand prize.  Flagg’s longest drive was a reported 463 yards.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are planned during 2014.  Fans may subscribe for as little as $6.99 at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)