Independent league baseball
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a major league or an affiliated minor league. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major league teams without their consent. They have been around for many years and were once known as "outlaw leagues" due to their position outside the rules of the National Association.
The Northern League and Frontier League both started play in 1993, and the Northern League's success paved the way for other independent leagues like the Texas-Louisiana League and Northeast League. The Atlantic League has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including José Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Ozzie Canseco, Rubén Sierra, Carlos Baerga, and John Rocker. The Northern League alumni include Leon "Bull" Durham, J. D. Drew, and Darryl Strawberry.
Independent leagues have flourished in Northeastern states, where dense populations can often support multiple franchises. Because they are not subject to the territorial limitations imposed on affiliated minor league teams, independent clubs can relocate as close to affiliated teams (and one another) as they choose to. For example, the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania cannot have an affiliated team because of its proximity to the Harrisburg Senators and the Reading Phillies. So the Atlantic League placed a team, called the Lancaster Barnstormers, to fill the void. Another example is the greater metropolitan area of New York City, where there are many independent teams: the New Jersey Jackals, Sussex Skyhawks, Bridgeport Bluefish, Newark Bears, Long Island Ducks, and the Somerset Patriots; and three affiliated teams: the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees in New York City and the Lakewood BlueClaws in New Jersey. Not only is the Kansas City area home to the major-league Kansas City Royals, but also, the independent-league Kansas City T-Bones. The St. Paul Saints share a market with the American League's Minnesota Twins; both teams have frequently worked together to promote baseball in the Upper Midwest.
In September and October of 2005, the new American Association was formed. Four teams from the Northern League jumped to the new league.
