Tag Archives: indy ball

So What Is This Site Really About?

I am often asked… “So what exactly do you and your site DO?” 

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Some people complain that there aren’t stats, game recaps and transactions on this site.  Well, that would be basically impossible (one woman show here!), boring and unnecessary.

This website was created to include independent baseball as a whole.  Just think, if I posted that type of information for every indy league (Atlantic, American, Can-Am, Frontier, United Shore, Pacific, Pecos, and the new Thoroughbred League), this site would be bogged down with information, and readers would lose the true story of independent baseball.

Stats, game recaps, and transactions can all be found on each league’s individual websites.  If you’re looking for that information, support their sites and check them out!

No. Indy Ball Island has been and will always be about the players.

This site includes tryout information for players who are looking to get into indy ball, advance to a higher independent league, or find a tryout after being released.

There are Q & A’s with front offices of various leagues to give players an insight that they normally wouldn’t be able to get in their position.

I’ve also tried my hardest to tell stories that give the players a voice and show a human side to this sport.

New this season, Indy Ball Island is featuring guest blogs from players and coaches all across independent baseball. These blogs aim to give both players and fans a real life look at what goes on behind the scenes throughout a season.

But what Indy Ball Island really does – what I do – outside of this website is so much more.

It’s giving out my personal cell phone number just to let players vent about this lifestyle and ask questions. It’s letting them know that even though it might seem like it, they aren’t alone.

It’s creating bullpen bags and care packages for teams and players just so I know they won’t go hungry until their next paycheck. It’s stockpiling coupons for free or cheap meals so the boys can eat without worrying about how much money they have left in their bank account.

It’s birthday cards and encouragement notes even when they’re a thousand miles from home just so they know that someone cares about them and their career. It’s cheering for them in the pouring down rain when there’s 50 people in the crowd on a week night because I want them to feel like they’re in the big leagues.

As a teacher (my day job), I educate, encourage, and help others follow their dreams.  I hope that I do the same through Indy ball Island.

Indy Ball Island is so much more than this website. It’s about the people I’ve met at every step of their baseball journeys. We’re all in this together.

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2017 Frontier League Draft Class – Opening Day

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Opening Day for the Frontier League has arrived. It’s time for our first official update of the 2017 Frontier League Draft Class.

Out of the 26 players drafted, 16 players are on an Opening Day roster in the Frontier League. This is up from last year when only 9 of 30 made it through to the start of regular season.

It was also a great year for rookies as well. Of the 16 players, 14 players are listed as a rookie (either R1 or R2).

Here are the 16 players that will be starting the season in the Frontier League this year along with their positions and classifications:
Pick 1: Schaumburg Boomers, Austin Goss (RHP) Rookie-1
Pick 2: Windy City Thunderbolts, Cody Mincey (RHP) Rookie-1
Pick 5: Normal CornBelters, Bob Wheatley (LHP) Experienced
Pick 6: Lake Erie Crushers, Nick Bozman (LHP) Rookie-1
Pick 7: Washington Wild Things, Aaron Burns (RHP) Rookie-1
Pick 8: Schaumburg Boomers, Cosimo Cannella (1B) Rookie-1
Pick 9: River City Rascals, Stephen Swagerty (RHP) Rookie-1
Pick 12: Southern Illinois Miners, Ryan O’Malley (3B) Rookie-2
Pick 14: Windy City Thunderbolts, Danny Britt (C) Rookie-1
Pick 15: Traverse City Beach Bums, Brook Clark (UTL) Rookie-1
Pick 16: Gateway Grizzlies, Chris Dula (RHP) Experienced
Pick 17: Normal CornBelters, Kyle Carter (OF) Rookie-2
Pick 19: Washington Wild Things, Matt Sabel (LHP) Rookie-1
Pick 22: Joliet Slammers, Brian McKenna (C) Rookie-1 *Now listed as a Pitcher
Pick 24: Southern Illinois Miners, Chris Amato (SS) (Traded to the Windy City Thunderbolts) Rookie-1
Pick 28: Gateway Grizzlies, Colin Kelly (RHP) Rookie-1

Catchers took the biggest hit this year with 5 of the 7 drafted catchers getting released, with additional drafted catcher now listed as a pitcher.

The list of drafted players released:

Pick 3: Traverse City Beach Bums, James Simpson (C) RELEASED
Pick 10: Joliet Slammers, Steven Pollakov (C) RELEASED
Pick 11: Evansville Otters, Andrew Bynum (C) RELEASED
Pick 18: Florence Freedom, Mark Fowler (OF) RELEASED
Pick 20: Lake Erie Crushers, Roman Gomez (RHP) RELASED
Pick 21: River City Rascals, Trevor Jaunich (RHP) RELEASED
Pick 23: Evansville Otters, Ryan Cheek (RHP) RELEASED
Pick 30: Florence Freedom, Lucas Owens (C) RELEASED
Pick 33: River City Rascals, Dillon Clift, (C) RELEASED
Pick 37: River City Rascals, Matthew Haskins (OF) RELEASED

Follow along and subscribe as we update the players’ progress throughout the season!