Thought I would post this mostly for the benefit of the northern
posters, but certainly open to any and all. Minor league baseball
will finally be returning to NE Illinois / SE Wisconsin. Prices are
cheap and the stadium appears like it will be nice. It is only
10 minutes from my house so I am definitely going to check it
out sometime this summer to see what it is like. This appears to
be some type of independent league with some local/ regional
teams involved. What kind of quality are we talking here?
Anyone go to these games? Drawings of stadium seem nice.

Teams in the league:

Fargo/Moorhead
Gary, IN
Joliet
Kansas City
Rockford
Schaumburg
Winnipeg

http://www.lakecountybaseball.com/home.aspx

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

It looks like it's the same "Northern League" that's been around with Lake County and Rockford replacing Sioux Falls and Lincoln.

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I smell a road trip to Winnipeg to watch em play in the future

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i don't think the stadium is built yet....

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@audioidkid

I read that in the paper last week. They don't have much time to
start breaking ground. You better get these guys rolling Doug...

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Looks like I already have a favorite team in this Northern League.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

i've forwarded the article to the powers that be.

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@audioidkid

I live 5 mins from Schaumburg's stadium and it's cheap and fun entertainment but really bad baseball.

Yeah went to a Flyers game and the atmostphere is nice enough but the baseball is abysmal. Had to sit through an hour and a half 3rd inning....the pitcher couldn't throw strikes

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I'm up for some Gary Railcats baseball!


Maybe we can go to Rockford and find IKE

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You never miss your wealth, till your well went dry
Seem like only yesterday, you were here smiling
Now you gone away, but I know you in a better place
No traces of you, what can I do?
Alone and confused

Ok, this is kind of what I was expecting. These must be mid-level college guys who
don't want to give up on their dream of big league baseball. I'll give it a shot, probably
during the week and see what it is all about.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I've been to Road Ranger Stadium in Rockford (business function when I worked for Rockford's indoor football team) haven't been to a game...I've been the SilverCross Field in Joliet where the Jackhammers play...very nice stadium....I will go so far as to say it is as nice as some of the Midwest League parks.

Brant Brown played for the Flyers a few years back.

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You get a little bit of everything....Guys that were let go from minor league teams....Guys who played in the majors and trying to get back (I saw Brant Brown mentioned...Felix Jose and Matt Nokes both played for the Flyers) and guys who didn't get a slot in the minors after playing in college. A guy I played against in HS many times (Lyle Prempas) pitched for the Flyers for a number of years.

I've been to a lot of South Bend SIlverhawk games (A). It's cheap, there are always promotions going on (I like "All concessions are a dollar" night..even beer). No, it's not always the greatest baseball, but look at it from the other side. There's no such thing as a routine ground ball or fly out. You just never know if it'll be caught.

A couple of my buddies bought season tickets for the Fielders. They say they'll have the stadium ready in something 90-something day or something like that. I guess they're just doing one level this season, then add a second level for next season (if Costner hasn't run out of money by then).

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Just wanted to bump this for any northern suburbanites looking for something
cheap and fun to do. I guess the team has been playing at Carthage College
here in Kenosha and will finally open their new stadium. I hope they can get
those lights up soon as I don't see a lot of people going to 4:45 minor league
games. I'll probably go to a game in the next few weeks and report back my
findings in this thread.


Fielders open new digs early on Friday
4:45 starts until lights go up in Zion


The long-awaited home debut of the Lake County Fielders will be a couple hours earlier than initially reported.

Until lights are installed at the team’s new stadium — located at Route 173 and Green Bay Road in Zion — all home games previously scheduled for 6 or 7 p.m. will start at 4:45 p.m.

That includes Friday’s Northern League contest when the Fielders host the Gary SouthShore Railcats.

Fireworks, $5 tickets, on-field promotions and a post-game concert will be a part of the historic night.

“The team, the office staff and the community are really excited that the home opener is finally here,” co-owner Rich Ehrenreich said in a press release. “The groundswell of support has been terrific and we’re ready for baseball.”

Chicago-based rock/pop band, the Walk-Ins, will entertain fans immediately after the game with a live concert sponsored by Miller Lite. A fireworks show, sponsored by Sports Physical Therapy and Rehab Specialists, will take place after the concert.

Ehrenreich, a co-owner along with actor Kevin Costner, said that even though the stadium isn’t completed, everything is in place for fun at the ballpark.

“We’ll have food and beverage stands with all the staples — including hot dogs and beer — and much more,” he said. “It will be baseball in a carnival atmosphere all summer. Great family fun.”

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

It would be cool if these guys were actual prospects, but they're not. It's basically college baseball. It's fun for the kids and other people who don't actually care about baseball.

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I was at the "stadium" today. They think they will play a game there Friday? Good fuckin luck with that!

Took my son to a Railcatz game last August. To my surprise I discovered that Tommie effin Williams is the PA announcer.

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