Golden dreams on hold
The addition of a Golden Baseball League team in Hawaii doesn’t necessarily mean the minor-pro circuit will be skirting the grass of Norbrock Stadium, according to its commissioner.
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Updated: October 06, 2009 11:02 AM
The addition of a Golden Baseball League team in Hawaii doesn’t necessarily mean the minor-pro circuit will be skirting the grass of Norbrock Stadium, according to its commissioner.
“We will definitely have a team in Maui next season, but that does not replace Kamloops in any way,” Kevin Outcalt told KTW.
“We still want to get a team there and I’m hopeful that we will.”
The GBL, now a 10-team independent professional baseball league with the addition of the franchise in the Aloha State, already has teams in three Western Canadian cities — the Edmonton Capitals, Calgary Vipers and Victoria Seals.
Another squad north of the 49th — likely creating a four-team all-Canadian division — would simplify the league’s travel schedule, which will no doubt become more complicated once the Hawaii franchise begins play.
But, Outcalt said, for the GBL’s teams based in the southwest United States, trekking to Hawaii isn’t all that different than travelling to Edmonton or Calgary.
“It’s a similar cost for travel to Hawaii as it is flying to Canada for teams in the States,” he said.
“There isn’t an increased cost for any of the teams. We actually think it will be a net financial gain.”
Outcalt said he’s already arranged a “very good” lease with the City of Kamloops for the use of Norbrock, the 1,200-seat ballpark on McArthur Island.
All that’s left now is to find an owner.
“I think that Kamloops is such a good market, and it’s a real opportunity for somebody who wants to be a professional baseball club owner,” he said.
“If it’s done well, I think Kamloops could be a tremendous success.”
Aside from Kamloops, there have been rumours of expansion in other Canadian cities, including Prince George, Nanaimo, Surrey, Abbotsford and Saskatoon.
Though there have been a few nibbles regarding a team in the Tournament Capital, Outcalt refused to disclose whether or not he’s had any serious inquiries, saying only that none of the prospective owners were “local to Kamloops.”
As uncertain as the possibility of a Kamloops team might be, Outcalt said one thing is for sure: A decision will have to be made soon.
“We start drafting our schedule in November,” he said.
* The GBL
The GBL is an independent professional league, meaning its players aren’t affiliated with Major League Baseball teams. Its level of play is said to be comparable to double- or
triple-A.
Teams play an 82-game season that runs from May through August, with playoffs beginning in September.
In 2009, about 30 ex-Big Leaguers played in the GBL — including one-time MLB All-Star pitcher Jose Lima, who suited up for Edmonton. Previous
players have included Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco and Hideki Irabu.
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