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American Association 2020 Season Plans, Schedule

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On June 12th, the American Association unveiled their plans to play baseball in three hub cities, featuring six teams, for the 2020 season.

Today (June 15th) the league released the full schedule.

Press release from June 12th:

MOORHEAD, MINN. – The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball will begin a six team, 60-game season with fans in attendance on Friday, July 3, the league office announced today. The full schedule will be announced on Monday, June 15.

The American Association will begin the season operating out of three hubs, with games hosted by the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Milwaukee Milkmen and Sioux Falls Canaries. The Winnipeg Goldeyes will operate out of the Fargo hub, the Chicago Dogs will operate out of the Milwaukee hub, and the St. Paul Saints will operate out of the Sioux Falls hub. Each team will play 42 of their 60 games in their hub to limit travel. The schedule will allow any of the three road clubs to return home for games if local governmental restrictions allow for games with fans in attendance.

The American Association teams participating in the 2020 season were based on cities allowing for fans in attendance at stadiums, geography, and the COVID-19 restrictions that persist in certain American Association cities.

Each team and stadium will have in place and enforce COVID Readiness Plans, approved by local Health Departments and Government Officials. Stadiums will be configured to return to play with limited capacity in order to allow for safe social distancing while enjoying a live, professional baseball game.

A truncated Spring Training will begin on June 25, with Opening Day scheduled for July 3. The American Association will experiment with new roster rules in 2020, highlighted by the elimination of rookie, LS, and veteran minimums and maximums on rosters, and a draft of players from non-participating clubs to allow the best possible talent available to play this season. The regular season will end on September 10, with a five-game American Association Finals pitting the top two teams from the regular season.

“We are very happy to be able to return professional baseball to our fans, albeit in a different fashion than usual,” said American Association Commissioner Joshua Schaub. “We look forward to opening up our season on July 3 for a summer of high-level professional baseball and bringing America’s Pastime back to the fans.”

According to ESPN, each home team will be ” in position to sell about 25% to 33% of their ballpark’s capacities.”

Schedule and June 15th press release:

MOORHEAD, MINN. – For weeks, sports talk show hosts and baseball fans all believed the perfect time to begin the 2020 baseball season was the Fourth of July Weekend. The holiday, the fireworks, and baseball have always gone together. Fans were looking for a glimmer of hope that the national pastime would return

The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball are providing that optimism with the unveiling of the six team, 60 game schedule that will begin play on July 3 in the hub cities of Fargo-Moorhead (ND/MN), Milwaukee (WI) and Sioux Falls (SD).

The American Association season will run from July 3-September 10 with a Championship Series to follow in a best-of-five format. The league will consist of six teams based in three separate hubs. The Chicago Dogs are paired with the Milwaukee Milkmen at Ballpark Commons, home of the Milkmen. The St. Paul Saints will be grouped with the Sioux Falls Canaries at Sioux Falls Stadium. The Winnipeg Goldeyes are grouped with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Newman Outdoor Field, home of the RedHawks.

Each team will play 30 games as the home team in their pods and 12 games as the visiting team in their hub, meaning 42 of each team’s 60 games will be played at their hub site. The schedule will allow any of the three road clubs to return home for games if local health and governmental restrictions allow for games with fans in attendance.

Each team and stadium will have in place and enforce COVID Readiness Plans, approved by local health and government officials. Stadiums will be configured to return to play with limited capacity to allow for safe social distancing while enjoying live professional baseball.

With players around the country unsure of whether they would have a chance to play baseball this summer, the leaders of the American Association and its clubs were determined to find a way. As teams found ways to keep hope, and their business, alive and players found creative ways to work out on their own, the American Association knew they had to make a 2020 season happen.

Why? For Love of the Game.

This sentiment became so pervasive in the league’s approach that Baseballism, a lifestyle brand devoted to all things baseball and its rich history as America’s pastime, has been brought aboard

to promote the 2020 season with a retail offering commemorating the spirit of the effort via a “For Love of the Game” logo.

“Our goal is to put the best talent possible out on the field, and high-talent players are certainly available,” said American Association Commissioner Joshua Schaub. “There is no shortage of enormously talented athletes who need a place to play. After much patience and perseverance, we can provide an environment in which to play and watch baseball.”

The league will hold a dispersal draft of players from the six clubs not participating in the 2020 season on Tuesday, June 16. An abbreviated Spring Training will commence on June 25 prior to the July 3 Opening Day.

Get ready for the return of live baseball in a safe and fun environment this summer – For Love of the Game!

Independent Ball

Atlantic League, Sugar Land Skeeters Update

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The Sugar Land Skeeters (a team normally in the Atlantic League) recently announced their intent to host a four-team league of their own in Texas.

Skeeters Intend to Host Four-Team Pro Baseball League at Constellation Field

(June 10, 2020, SUGAR LAND, TEXAS). – The Sugar Land Skeeters today announced their intent to host a four-team professional baseball league at Constellation Field, beginning July 3 and running through Aug. 23. Each team is set to play 28 games for a total of 56 games during the season, with all games being played at Constellation Field.

The teams will consist of former Major Leaguers and an assortment of professional players who’ve appeared at affiliated minor league levels as well as independent leagues.

“It’s imperative that we continue to serve our role in the community as a family-friendly entertainment venue and now more than ever we realize how important that role is,” said Skeeters Owner Kevin Zlotnik. “It’s also going to be critical that it’s a safe environment for our fans, staff and players and we’re working with Memorial Hermann and our local and state officials to ensure we provide that safe environment.”

Skeeters manager Pete Incaviglia and the father-son duo of Roger and Koby Clemens have committed to managing teams in the league, with the other two managers yet to be announced.

“I’m incredibly excited to be a part of this and I think the Zlotniks and the Skeeters organization are providing a great opportunity for these younger players to keep their skill sets sharp,” Clemens said.

The league and Constellation Field will be adhering to guidelines from the state of Texas as well as the CDC in regards to stadium capacity and social distancing. Players will be tested for COVID-19 at least once a week, as well as prior to their arrival in Sugar Land.

The Skeeters are currently compiling a pool of players that are set to be drafted by the managers of their respective team prior to their arrival. Announcements regarding the rosters for the teams are forthcoming.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on being an organization that gives players another chance,” Zlotnik said. “Given the unfortunate releases of hundreds of minor league players over the last few weeks, we realized there was a major need for a league like this. Already, we’ve received commitments from guys with great resumes, former Major Leaguers, former first-rounders and high-caliber prospects. I know people are going to be really impressed with the quality of play.”

There will be a total of seven games played at Constellation Field each week from the Opening Day on July 3 through the conclusion of the season on Aug. 23.  The schedule is subject to change, but single games are anticipated to be played on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and doubleheaders will be played on Saturday and Sunday.

“This is something that is going to be really special and is going to serve as a huge boost to the baseball community by providing this opportunity for players,” Incaviglia said.

Tickets for the games are not yet on sale and an announcement will be made once they’re available for purchase.

For updates on the Skeeters, please visit sugarlandskeeters.com or follow the Skeeters on Facebook, Instagram (@sugarlandskeeters) and Twitter (@SL_Skeeters).

After that announcement, the Atlantic League put out a press release of their own today.

It does appear as though the decision on the 2020 season may come as early as next week. Lancaster Online reported that the general manager for the Lancaster Barnstormers (Lancaster, PA), Michael Reynolds, stated after the league meeting that the Atlantic League is working with state governments to decide on the fate of the upcoming season.

The AL will determine next week if there will be a 2020 season, Lancaster Barnstormers general manager Michael Reynolds said after Thursday’s meeting. That may depend on state governments.

Right now, the situation doesn’t look too great. There are two teams in Pennsylvania (Lancaster and York) where attendance for sporting events is currently capped at 250. The other teams in the league (High Point (N.C.) Rockers, Long Island Ducks, Somerset Patriots, and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs) all have different state and local restrictions as well.

Indy Ball Island will continue monitoring the situation of the Atlantic League and give updates when available.