"You don’t like it, play better."

September 9, 2015 7:53 PM

"On the Road With the Unluckiest, Most Unloved Team in Professional Baseball."

The Greys are something else entirely: independent baseball. Spread out across the country, independent leagues—that is, leagues with no formal ties to the MLB—carry on as self-­contained baseball ecosystems, hosting their own all-star games, their own playoffs, crowning their own champions. One of the oldest indies in operation is the Frontier League, which began in 1993. And when a player joins, its commissioner, Bill Lee, will tell him this: “You’re welcome to stay as long as you want, but get the fuck out.” In part, he’s speaking to their passion—he knows they’d rather be in the affiliates. But he’s also being economical. The Frontier League positions itself as the place for the youngest, most determined guys—who, incidentally, are willing to play for the least amount of money.

[SLMaxim, but not Maxim-y]

posted by Charity Garfein (10 comments total)

And here I thought it was going to be an article about the Miami Marlins. Hell, the Greys probably draw better crowds than the Marlins...
posted by MikeMc at 8:01 PM on September 9, 2015 [3 favorites]

When people complain that professional athletes are paid too much, these are the guys I like to remind them of. The Alex Rodriguezes are the 1% (majors) of the 1% (affiliated minors) of the 1% (independent minors).
posted by Rock Steady at 8:19 PM on September 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

the owner of one of those new teams, the London Rippers of Ontario, ran into financial trouble and could no longer fund his new plaything. The Rippers disbanded, leaving a gaping hole in every other team’s schedule. So the league funded the former Rippers on a shoestring to make sure the rest of the league functioned normally

The Slammers, the Greys, the London Rippers--how are these guys not playing rollerball? Also, I wish that I'd seen this before they were in Normal, I'd have gone to see them just because.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:02 PM on September 9, 2015

Terrific article - thanks for posting.
posted by Thistledown at 5:18 AM on September 10, 2015

Great article - reminds of of Daniel Nava. The Red Sox bought his contract from an independent team for $1. He worked his way up through the minors, then hit a grand slam on the first pitch of his first at bat in The Show.


So believe kids, dreams do come true.
posted by COD at 6:05 AM on September 10, 2015 [3 favorites]

To be fair the $1 wasn't like a statement on his expected worth as a player, it's just that the Chico Outlaws weren't going to get in the way of his career so they only asked for a token amount.
posted by vogon_poet at 6:13 AM on September 10, 2015

Well, it kind of was. There is a reason the kids drafted in the first round get multi-million dollar signing bonuses. It is a statement on the relative expectations that the team has for the player's potential to eventually help them win games at the major league level.
posted by COD at 6:20 AM on September 10, 2015

In 2014, John Holdzkom was cut from an independent team in spring training. He finished the season pitching in the NL Wild Card game.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:08 AM on September 10, 2015

Thank you for posting this. Liked the article. Really like the kind of story where someone, anyone, works their way up the ladder through sheer determination and skill. I guess I am a sucker for the 'american dream' type of story.
posted by AugustWest at 7:27 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]

I think this Maxim writer's going to get a shot at The Show (i.e., the New Yorker).
posted by pjenks at 5:39 PM on September 10, 2015