We recently received several press releases with more information on the Desert League’s inaugural season. The releases include an explanation of the league, a team announcement and some promotional events.
PRESS RELEASE
The Desert Professional Baseball League, Inc. will become the only professional independent baseball league to play in the United States during the Fall and Winter months-starting their first season on September 24th.
The brainchild of former independent player Luke Powell of San Diego, the Desert League will center around the Yuma, Arizona area-an area with tens of thousands of part-time winter visitors seeking the sunny and warm climates of southern Arizona and California.
Dedicated to giving players a second chance at playing professional baseball, each of the four inaugural teams will have a mandated 12 rookie roster rule since the league is looking for players overlooked in the June draft and who have not been able to catch on with summer independent and professional teams.
All four teams will be located within an hour’s distance of each other making travel expenses minuscule and the league will offer compensation and medical coverage for the 8-week season.
Teams will be announced shortly along with promotions guaranteed to make waves and news throughout the country according to Marketing Director John Guy.
The league will hold their Training Camp in Chandler, Arizona from September 15th thru the 19th and information can be obtained by visiting the league website at www.desertleague.com.
SAN LUIS DORADOS
The Desert Professional Baseball League, Inc. is excited to announce the admission of the San Luis Dorados baseball club as the first of their teams for the 2016 inaugural season.
The Dorados will be managed by former professional Francisco Javier Villegas-a veteran of 14 minor league seasons that reached to the top of the Mexican League with the Mexico City Reds. He also played two seasons in the New York Yankees organization. His father Francisco will be assisting. He is a former scout for both the Mexican League and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Together they operate a baseball academy in San Luis, Sonora, Mexico called Sueno
Dorado.
The Dorados hope to play on both sides of the border during their season as the Mexican side hosts the San Luis Cottonmen of the Liga Norte de México-a minor league of the Mexican League. The Mexican city is building a new stadium while the Arizona side plays at Joe Orduno Park.
PROMOTIONS
Snowbirds beware! John Guy, the Marketing Director of the Desert Baseball League,Inc. has set a trap for you and if you are a baseball fan, you’ll have to pay $5 to see some of the wacky promotions this inaugural season.
Beginning September 24th and running through November 22nd, the only professional independent winter league will feature the following (barring a court order…):
NORTH KOREA NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK – everyone gets a single grain of rice
WITNESS RELOCATION NIGHT – come out and meet Jimmy Hoffa in the flesh!
CHEECH AND CHONG MEDICAL MARIJUANA NIGHT
DATE NIGHT – everyone receives a date from the Yuma date farms
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE NIGHT – free tater tots for everyone!
INCARCERATION NIGHT – salute Arizona DOC with Johnny Cash!
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE NIGHT – no stress and no loud noises
MOM ALWATS LIKED YOU BEST NIGHT – a tribute to the Smothers Brothers
More special nights saluting the Armed Forces, South Park, Breaking Bad, Ghostbusters, Zombies, the Blues Brothers, Kim Jong-un, Canada, the Upper Midwest, psychics, clowns gone bad, Animal House and the Church Lady.
Be prepared. The man who gave us such promotions as Ted Williams Popsicle Night, Lost Luggage Night and mimes doing instant replays has plenty of off-beat ideas swirling in his head and he’s bringing them to life for fans in Yuma, San Luis and Imperial County.
Indy Ball Island 
Any comments on the Desert League now that they are about half way thru their season. I understand that instead of host families or just mediocre living facilities the entire team is living in a single family dwelling. At least the Ghost Riders are/were. Also there are no stats posted on their website except for minimal hitting stats. Also I know of one player that was released at the start of the regular season and still hasn’t been paid in spite of many requests to be paid.
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Well… what used to be almost daily communication between me and a few of the guys running the league has practically stopped now that the season has started. It’s become either a “let me explain…” excuse or nothing at all. Keep in mind that I’m ridiculously busy at the moment with life outside of baseball and our schedules rarely line up, but there’s still been minimal communication all of a sudden. Yes, I’ve heard the same thing about the housing situation.
As for the player released at the beginning of the season… how much money could he really be getting anyway if he was released at the beginning?? Probably not even worth it for him go keep requesting because it can’t be very much and let’s be honest… they’re going to try to focus on the players still there when they pay so it doesn’t turn into Empire League 2.0
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I’ve asked the Desert League to please take a look at everything people are saying on this site and to address the issues in a press release I could post… we’ll see what happens.
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What is Going on with the Desert League?
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