Tag Archives: Arizona Winter League

Independent Ball

New Player Eligibility Rules for the Frontier League

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During the offseason, the Frontier League renewed their contract with the California Winter League.

This agreement between the CWL and the Frontier League has made the CWL the exclusive winter league of the Frontier.

To honor that agreement, the Frontier League has changed some of their eligibility rules for the 2018 season regarding pay to play leagues and any league that charges a fee to attend spring training.

From the official Frontier League website:

The California Winter League is the exclusive winter league of the Frontier League.

The Frontier League is proud to have extended our agreement with the California Winter League and to make the California Winter League the Exclusive Winter/Showcase League of the Frontier League.

Players who participate after May 1, 2018 in a pay-to-play league or a league that charges a fee to attend their spring training will be ineligible for the Frontier League unless the player has had contact with the Frontier League.

Contact with the Frontier League includes:
Having ever been under contract to a Frontier League team;
Having participated in a past Frontier League Tryout Camp and Draft;
Participating in the 2019 Frontier League Tryout Camp and Draft (for the 2019 Frontier League season)
Having participated in a past California Winter League season; or
Participating in the 2019 California Winter League season (for the 2019 Frontier League season)

Leagues that are covered by this provision are:
Arizona Winter League/Pro Prospect Winter Leagues, LLC
South Florida Winter League
Desert League
Pecos League
Empire League
Western League
Hudson Valley League
Thoroughbred League
Puerto Rican Instructional Baseball League
Urban League

Please note that this provision is not retroactive and only applies to players participating on one of these leagues after May 1, 2018.

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Independent Ball

An Off Season Start-Up… Is Anyone Even Surprised Anymore?

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Recently, I was contacted by the co-founder of the Arizona Winter League (AWL) warning me about a new start up that appears to be scamming players already. The National Urban Professional Baseball League (NUPBL) has a new website up and running.

Last year, when I first heard about this potential start-up through posts on Facebook and inquiries from various players, I asked (who I believe to be) the owner how they expected to run a league, pay the players, etc… I was promptly told off and blocked when I was trying to do my research as I always do with these leagues.

The tryout section of their new website lists the name “Arizona Fall League” which has been leading players to believe that it has something to do with the AWL. Many players were contacting the winter league to ask about their tryouts in Mississippi, but they obviously had no idea what was going on as they have no affiliation with this NUPBL.

The website says:

2017 Upcoming Tryout Dates:
Arizona Fall League
 Spring/Summer League May – August 2018 
But then right under that the page says that teams will be located in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
Tryouts are also listed to be happening in California as well as Mississippi and Tennessee.
But…. payments are to be sent to an address in Chicago, IL.
It also claims that all players will be paid including a paid winter league.
Their “About Us” profile offers some more information, although it’s nothing we haven’t heard before:
The league in its initial conception will consist of four teams with plans for future expansion.
 
Play a ninety game schedule between
May thru August in addition to play-offs
6 games per week
45 away games/45 home games
 
Team (s) will consist of
1 team manager
2 coaches
24 players per team
Targeted ages for the team will be players 17 years old and older (that have completed or will be completing their H.S. eligibility).
The players in this league will be paid
Tryouts will start in May 2017
Fall team in Arizona
The league starts in the spring of 2018
 
We will form the teams by selecting players (not withstanding their racial back round) from across the United State and the World by way of open try-outs to be held at a number of sites (see tryouts).
 
After the teams are formed the players that will makeup these teams will actively take part in preplanned promotion activities.
The website lists season tickets, job opportunities and a Go Fund Me (go figure…). There is also a contact us page where everyone working for the league appears to be living in a different state.
The website is unorganized and really weird to navigate… just like every other start-up we’ve seen over the last few years.
Players… just DO YOUR RESEARCH and watch out for leagues that pop up every off season.