Atlantic League Boss Reveals Start of Licensing, and Talks Of MLB Meeting and Expansion as 17th Season Launches

The unveiling of the Atlantic League’s 17th season–Independent Baseball’s 22nd campaign–begins in earnest Thursday night with the usual suspense because teams have such a short pre-season to sort through roster issues although the on-the-field interest could be rivaled this time around by some of the board room planning which could change the league’s business dynamics in the not too distant future.

Hints of these changes emerged on the eve of the three opening night games when new President Rick White took part in a media conference hosted by the Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish, one of two continuous members from the inaugural 1998 season.

White, a former Major League Baseball executive and the league’s first president from outside of ownership ranks, revealed the league has started its first retail licensing program, has met with top MLB brass to see if there are ways the big boys might be able to work with non-affiliated leagues, offered that the league will use the same home-plate collision rule as the majors adopted this year, and opened up on expansion, saying the Atlantic League hopes to have four more teams “at least in the next 36 months”.

When asked to identify expansion targets, he confirmed discussions continue with Loudoun (VA) County in the Washington, DC area and Virginia Beach, then addressed the desire to have three more teams to join Sugar Land, TX in a four-team southwest or western division by saying “one place (under consideration) currently has an affiliated (minor league) team”, and that the Fort Worth, TX area is a possibility.

One topic which the meeting between major league executives and current Atlantic League owners produced was that some type of international opportunity may exist, White said, although it seemed to be more of a general discussion than anything specific.

White, with vast experience in licensing, said he has already signed some agreements for the Atlantic League program, indicating they have been primarily with current suppliers, and he believes the number of licensees could reach “75 to 100 by the end of the year.”

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Colabello Story Getting Better and Better

We might as well call this the Weekly Chris Colabello Reportsince the story on the seven-year Can-Am League vet continues to get better.

After his third game of four or more runs batted in already in April on Wednesday, Minnesota’s surprising second year opportunist leads the American League with 26 (five more than anyone else entering play Thursday and second only to Florida’s Giancarlo Stanton, who has 27, in the majors) and could be on his way to Player of the Month honors.

Colabello, who only had 17 RBI in 55 games in his rookie season, also shares the lead in the A.L. in doubles (9), is fourth in hitting (.346), and sixth in OPS (on-base + slugging) at .962 after playing in all 20 Twins games.   The right-handed batsman has driven in 12 runs his last eight games.

Schultz, Feierabend Sharp in Eight-Inning Outings

Bo Schultz and Ryan Feierabend seem to be strengthening their cases in Triple-A, both going a season-high eight innings in their most recent starts.  Schultz (Grand Prairie, TX, American Association) squared his record at 2-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.92 for Arizona’s top club in Reno, NV by limiting the opposition to four hits and one earned run and striking out half a dozen with no walks.  Feierabend (York, PA, Atlantic League) is 3-0, 3.32 in the Texas Rangers’ systemafter pitching five-hit, two-run baseball for Round Rock, TX.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are planned during 2014.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com, enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com, or comment to RWirz@aol.com.  The authorhas 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)