WINNIPEG GOLDEYES DAILY CLIPPINGS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 30th, 2019

- Goldeyes Top RailCats— Sun, 8/30/19 - McGovern Marvelous as Goldeyes Win Fifth Straight— (Steve Schuster), 8/29/19 - August 29th Game Highlights (Video Link)—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Jason Young), 8/29/19 - RailCats Swept by Goldeyes in Final Road Game of Season—Gary SouthShore RailCats (Jared Shlensky), 8/29/19 - Plenty of Positives in Goldeyes’ Failed Bid for Playoffs—Winnipeg Sun, 8/30/19 - Garcia Simply Sensational for Goldeyes—Winnipeg Sun, 8/29/19 - Pitcher French Loving Life With Goldeyes—Winnipeg Sun, 8/28/19 - Willis Merits Consideration for Association Player of the Year—Winnipeg Sun, 8/27/19 - Fish Are Finished, No Playoffs This Year—Winnipeg Free Press (Taylor Allen), 8/26/19 - Shortlisting Potential Awards as Season Begins to Wind Down—Winnipeg Sun, 8/24/19 - Future of T-Bones in Question—Winnipeg Sun, 8/22/19

GOLDEYES TOP RAILCATS WINNIPEG SUN – FRIDAY, AUGUST 30th The Winnipeg Goldeyes beat the Gary SouthShore RailCats 2-0 at Shaw Park on Thursday night.

Goldeyes’ starting pitcher Kevin McGovern tossed eight shutout innings to earn his 12th win of the year. McGovern allowed just four hits, three of which were infield singles. The left-hander did not issue a walk and struck out six.

Victor Capellan pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to earn his 26th save.

Dominic Ficociello hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to account for the game’s only runs.

RailCats’ rookie starter Nile Ball took the tough-luck loss, allowing just two earned runs on five hits over seven innings.

FISH WRAP WINNING PITCHER: McGovern (12-7) LOSING PITCHER: Ball (2-3) SAVE: Capellan (26) HOME RUNS: WIN Ficociello (10)

THE SKINNY: In his final start for Winnipeg this season, Kevin McGovern pitched eight shutout innings to lead the Goldeyes to a 2-0 win and a three- game sweep of the RailCats.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: McGovern finishes 12-7 in 20 starts and is expected to join the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for the stretch run.

PLAY OF THE GAME: RailCats’ shortstop Hayden Schilling made a sensational diving play to rob former RailCat John Price Jr. on a hard hit groundball up the middle in the bottom of the fifth.

UP NEXT: The Goldeyes begin their final series of the year on Friday with the first of four against the Sioux Falls Canaries. First pitch from Shaw Park is at 7:05 p.m. Joel Bender starts for Winnipeg. The game can be heard on 93.7 FM.

MCGOVERN MARVELOUS AS GOLDEYES WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT STEVE SCHUSTER – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – THURSDAY, AUGUST 29th WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (54-42) beat the Gary SouthShore RailCats (37-59) 2-0 at Shaw Park on Thursday night.

Goldeyes’ starting pitcher Kevin McGovern (12-7) pitched eight shutout innings on just four hits to pick up the win. Three of the four hits allowed were infield singles. McGovern walked none, struck out six, and threw just 99 pitches.

Victor Capellan struck out two during a scoreless top of the ninth to earn his 26th save.

Kyle Martin singled on the 10th pitch of his at bat leading off the bottom of the second, and the Goldeyes took a 2-0 lead when Dominic Ficociello smacked a two-run home run to right-centre.

RailCats’ starter Nile Ball (2-3) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on five hits over seven innings. Ball walked none and struck out six.

Martin finished with three hits for the Goldeyes.

The Goldeyes conclude the 2019 regular season and open a four-game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries on Friday night. First pitch from Shaw Park is at 7:05 p.m. Joel Bender (2-3, 5.80) faces right-hander Sam Bragg (4-5, 6.82). Advance tickets are on sale now by visiting www.goldeyes.com/tickets or by visiting the box office at Shaw Park.

For information on 2019 season tickets, 10-game mini packs, and group tickets, call the Goldeyes’ office at (204) 982-BASE, or visit the Goldeyes’ official website at www.goldeyes.com

VIDEO: AUGUST 29th GAME HIGHLIGHTS JASON YOUNG – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – THURSDAY, AUGUST 29th LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amzD5iUbsFk

RAILCATS SWEPT BY GOLDEYES IN FINAL ROAD GAME OF SEASON JARED SHLENSKY – GARY SOUTHSHORE RAILCATS – THURSDAY, AUGUST 29th WINNIPEG, , — A career-high seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts from rookie right-hander Nile Ball wasn’t enough on Thursday night in front 4,694 at Shaw Park as the Gary SouthShore RailCats (37-59) were blanked by the Winnipeg Goldeyes, 2-0, in the final road game of the year. Thursday’s series finale was the shortest nine-inning game (two hours, seven minutes) of the season, drops Gary to a season-worst 22 games below .500 and hands the RailCats their eighth sweep of the year.

Winnipeg scored the game’s only runs in the second inning on Dominic Ficociello’s two-run home run to right-center. Kyle Martin recorded his first of three singles to begin the inning before Ficociello followed with his 10th home run.

Gary brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth after Hayden Schilling drew a leadoff walk off Victor Capellan. However, the All-Star closer retired the next three batters he faced to end the game and record his league-high-tying 26th save.

Ball (2-3) was tagged with his second straight loss despite recording his second straight quality start. The right-hander yielded just five hits, hit a batter and walked none.

Kevin McGovern (12-7) tossed eight scoreless innings in the win. The southpaw yielded four singles, walked none and struck out six.

Gary returns home to U.S. Steel Yard on Saturday to conclude the season vs. Lincoln. RailCats’ right-hander David Griffin (2-1, 4.43) makes his second professional start in the series opener while the Saltdogs have yet to announce their starter for the series opener.

Saturday’s game is at 4:10 p.m. and is Oktoberfest, presented by Berey Bros., and features a team card set giveaway to the first 1,000 fans. Sunday’s game is also another AccessAbilities Signature Saturday and Kids Run the Bases.

Ticket packages for the 2019 Gary SouthShore RailCats season are available online at railcatsbaseball.com and can also be purchased by calling the RailCats ticket line at (219) 882-BALL. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PLENTY OF POSITIVES IN GOLDEYES’ FAILED BID FOR PLAYOFFS WINNIPEG SUN – FRIDAY, AUGUST 30th The Winnipeg Goldeyes still have a lot to be proud of this season.

The club was eliminated from playoff contention following last Saturday’s loss at Fargo-Moorhead. The Goldeyes then bounced back against the RedHawks Sunday and Monday to take the season series from the North Division leaders 7-5.

Monday’s win also clinched a winning record for a 22nd time in the franchise’s 26-year history. Since the Goldeyes began play in 1994, only the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have produced more winning seasons.

“It’s hard to do this,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney. “It’s hard to make the playoffs. The last week to 10 days has been pretty difficult for me, because at times I really felt like we had a chance.”

Led by a complete game, two-hit shutout by Mitchell Lambson on August 12th at St. Paul, the Goldeyes moved into a tie with the Saints for the North Division wild card and had full control of their destiny.

The following morning, Winnipeg jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Saints in the top of the first. St. Paul, however, answered back with six runs in the bottom half en route to a 10-2 final, and hung on to beat the Goldeyes 6-5 in the rubber game the following night.

After the series finale in St. Paul, the Goldeyes endured travel complications that led to the Fish not arriving at Shaw Park until 7:00 p.m. for a game against the Chicago Dogs. Understandably fatigued, Winnipeg lost 13-0.

The Goldeyes lost two of three in the Chicago series before getting swept in a two-game set at home by the Saints, which left Winnipeg 6.0 games out of a playoff spot with only 13 games remaining.

The position in the standings is a reflection of the competitiveness of the North as much as anything else. Following Wednesday’s win over the RailCats, the Goldeyes are on pace to win 56 games. Of the 41 teams in American Association history that have finished with 56-plus victories, only five have missed the postseason.

“We’ve had a good team this year,” Forney said. “We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries. We’ve had four guys get picked up by Major League clubs that were playing a key role on our team. We had two of our best players leave for the Pan-Am Games and had to find a way to try and make things work, so it’s been difficult. I’m just disappointed that I wasn’t able to get a couple of more pieces in here that could help put us over the top and make the last week a little more relevant.”

The Goldeyes have a chance to win as many as 58 games, which would be the second-most for an American Association non-playoff team.

“For me, unless you’re winning the very last game of the American Association season—no matter if you make the playoffs, you make it to the semi- finals, win 70 games, or win 53 games—it’s still a little bit of a disappointment if you’re not winning the last game of the season,” Forney said.

GARCIA SIMPLY SENSATIONAL FOR GOLDEYES WINNIPEG SUN – THURSDAY, AUGUST 29th Goldeyes’ right fielder Willy Garcia has been among the American Association’s most productive players this season.

The former Major Leaguer went into Wednesday’s game against Gary SouthShore eighth in the league with 68 RBI and sixth with a .924 on-base plus slugging.

“He’s had a good year,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney. “He missed a little time because of injury, and obviously missed some time when he was at the Pan-Am Games. If he’s here and healthy the whole year, we’re probably looking at a guy with 80 RBI on the season.”

Earlier this month, Garcia represented his native Dominican Republic in the Pan-Am Games in Lima, Peru. The 26-year-old had a strong showing at the tournament, including a grand slam home run.

Over his last 34 American Association games, Garcia is hitting .360 with 29 runs scored, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 39 RBI.

Garcia homered twice against the RailCats on Tuesday, the latter of which struck the middle of the Shaw Park scoreboard in right-centre field. In the top of the third, Garcia cut down RailCats’ outfielder Colin Willis at second base after the Gary SouthShore all-star attempted to stretch a single into a double.

“He’s come in and been a presence in the middle of the lineup,” Forney said. “That’s what we signed him for. He’s also probably the best right fielder in the league with the best throwing arm in the league. He’s done a good job for us.”

TORRES FINISHING STRONG Goldeyes’ left-handed reliever Christian Torres has enjoyed a strong second half of the season.

The Canovanas, Puerto Rico native has a 2.84 ERA over his last 19 appearances spanning 31.2 innings.

Torres’ greatest strides have come in left-on-left situations. Opposing left-handed batters were hitting .393 against Torres going into July 4th. Since then, Torres has handcuffed lefties to a .059 average (2-for-34).

“He’s done a really good job for us,” said Forney. “Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to consistently use him in the right situations. Often times we’ve been forced to make up some things as we go along, and make sure we throw enough innings to complete some games. In the second half, he’s thrown really well for us. He’s got some versatility in his game. He came in (Tuesday) and threw strikes, attacked the zone, and kept the ball on the ground.”

Part of Torres’ versatility has come in his ability to pitch multiple innings. The 25-year-old has recorded more than three outs in 19 of his 34 appearances this season.

PITCHER FRENCH LOVING LIFE WITH GOLDEYES WINNIPEG SUN – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28th Goldeyes’ right-hander Parker French has enjoyed his first season in Winnipeg.

The right-hander takes the mound on Wednesday when the Goldeyes host the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the second of a three-game series.

“They treat us extremely well,” French said of the Goldeyes. “A lot of us are very far from home, and they treat us like family. The hospitality has been awesome. Then you go on the road to some of these places, and you’re staying in first-class hotels and playing at first-class facilities.”

French was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round in 2015, and spent the previous two seasons in double A.

The 26-year-old has walked three batters or less in 13 of his 16 starts, and struck out a season-high eight batters in a previous outing against the RailCats on June 11.

A groundball pitcher throughout his career, French has enjoyed the support of a Goldeyes’ defence that is likely to set the American Association record for fielding percentage. French entered the season with a 1.66 career ground-out-to-air-out ratio.

“It’s such a good defence,” said French. “The job that each of them has done individually and then collectively has been so impressive. It definitely puts you at ease as a pitcher. You just have to throw strikes and let them work, because they do their job at a high level.”

French has been lauded by teammates and coaches alike for his commitment to getting better. The University of Texas alumnus credits his parents for instilling that work ethic at a young age.

“(My parents) laid it out to me that baseball was my choice if that was something I wanted to do, but they wanted me to pursue it with 100 percent focus and intent,” French said. “That shaped me as a kid, and it’s stuck with me through my young adult years. As long as I play baseball, I’m going to give it my all. I know I’m not the most talented pitcher, but hard work can make up that gap.”

Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney believes French has all of the ingredients to enjoy greater success in the future.

“The velocity is good, the movement is good,” Forney said. “It all boils down to really developing a little more feel for a secondary pitch, something that he can pull a hitter forward with. The overall arm talent is there. He’s strong, he works his tail off. He’s a great kid, and he’s shown some flashes of having the ability to be really good in this league.”

French’s dedication transcends the baseball diamond. The Austin, Tex. native is a devout Christian who regularly attends Sunday chapel with Goldeyes’ teammates. Earlier this season, French served as a guest speaker during the Goldeyes’ annual Faith Night.

“Having that relationship has been huge for me,” said French. “I’ve gone through some really great times in this sport and some very low times. My faith has helped pull me out of those really tough times to get me here today. I’m just thankful for this opportunity to continue to play professional baseball and play here in Winnipeg.

“The relationship I have with Jesus is the most important thing I have in my life, and it always will be,” French concluded. “Baseball is a game, but that faith is something I’m going to be able to pass on to my kids, and my kids to their kids. That impacts generations.”

WILLIS MERITS CONSIDERATION FOR ASSOCIATION PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNIPEG SUN – TUESDAY, AUGUST 27th Gary SouthShore RailCats’ outfielder Colin Willis deserves to be considered for the American Association Player of the Year Award.

MVP awards are typically reserved for players on contending teams, and Willis’ candidacy may be hurt by the RailCats’ position in the standings.

The RailCats have had an uncharacteristically down year, and begin tonight’s series at Shaw Park in fifth place in the North Division at 37-56. It marks just the second time the club will finish with a losing record in 15 seasons under manager Greg Tagert.

Willis’ 2019 performance, however, stacks up with the league’s elite players.

The Wisconsin native is hitting .307 with 22 doubles, seven triples, 10 home runs, and 59 RBI in 89 games. Willis is a perfect 15-for-15 in stolen base attempts, and his 66 walks are tied for second in the American Association.

The 27-year-old Willis is also third in the league with a .958 on-base plus slugging, trailing only Chicago’s Keon Barnum (1.049) and St. Paul’s Brady Shoemaker (.983).

Having already tied the American Association’s single-season record with 30 home runs, Barnum is considered the favourite to win the award.

“We’ve had a couple of nice stories with Edgar Corcino signing with the Red Sox and Evan Marzilli signing with the Diamondbacks, but the biggest one for us is our homegrown hero,” said Tagert. “Colin Willis means so much to our franchise, and this franchise means everything to him.”

Willis’ has spent his entire four-year professional career in a RailCats’ uniform, and is part of a core group of players that helped Gary SouthShore reach the playoffs in 2017 and 2018.

Last month, Willis was named MVP of the American Association All-Star Game after collecting two hits and two RBI in the North Division’s 7-3, come- from-behind victory.

“The all-star MVP was just a great story,” Tagert said. “For a club that has had some tough moments, that was really exciting, especially for the players that have been with him for the last few years. We were getting ready to get on the bus (the night of the All-Star Game), and they saw it come across the Twitter feed. There were more high fives and yells than I had heard in the last month with the ballclub. It was a feel-good moment for the whole RailCats’ organization.”

From an analytics standpoint — and without regard to the RailCats’ record—Willis is the clear-cut choice for MVP.

As of last Monday, Willis led the American Association with 5.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), which was nearly one and a half wins more than St. Paul’s Dan Motl, who ranked second.

As a frame of reference, Jose Sermo finished with 5.5 WAR in 2018. Sermo was last year’s league MVP, and became the first player in American Association history to post 20 doubles, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in the same season. Willis, who plays outfield every day, nearly matched Sermo’s total with two weeks left on the schedule.

In addition to offensive production, WAR incorporates such factors as a player’s defence, base running, and home ballpark effects.

Barnum has played just over half of Chicago’s games at first base, while serving as a designated hitter the rest of the time.

US Steel Yard is the toughest hitting environment in the entire league, averaging 42 percent fewer home runs and 12 percent less scoring overall compared to the American Association average.

In contrast, Chicago’s has surrendered 55% more homers than the average park since opening in 2018.

Barnum has had a special year in his own right, and is certainly deserving of the award. There is also a degree of validity to the argument that an MVP should come from a contending team.

Nevertheless, the voting panel (made up of American Association field managers, general managers, and media members) would be remiss if it did not at least consider Willis among its top candidates.

FISH ARE FINISHED, NO PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR TAYLOR ALLEN – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – MONDAY, AUGUST 26th THE Winnipeg Goldeyes have gone from back-to-back championships, to back-to-back seasons missing the playoffs.

Despite rallying in the ninth inning to defeat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 7-5 Sunday afternoon, the Fish were officially fried and eliminated from the playoff race when the day came to an end. The final nail in the coffin came hours later when the St. Paul Saints beat the Chicago Dogs 5-4. With the win, the Saints, who currently own the second and final playoff spot in the North Division, improved to 58-34.

The Goldeyes, 50-42, don’t own the head-to-head series with the Saints as St. Paul was 8-5 against the Fish in the regular season. With a 3-7 record in their past 10 games, the Goldeyes simply didn’t play their best ball when they needed to.

The Fish also missed the playoffs last year with a 41-59 record — their worst mark in franchise history. This is the first time the Goldeyes have failed to make the post-season in consecutive years since they fell short in 2004 and 2005.

The Goldeyes will finish their three-game series with Fargo-Moorhead today at before returning to Shaw Park for their final seven games. The Fish will start their homestand on Tuesday as they open a three-game series with the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Then the Goldeyes will close out the year with four games against the Sioux Falls Canaries with the series and season finale going down on Labour Day.

Despite the Goldeyes having nothing to play for in the standings this week, the final games will still hold a special meaning. After years of flip-flopping on the idea of retiring, 39-year-old outfielder Reggie Abercrombie is expected to call it a career after this season. Abercrombie, who’s in his sixth season with the Fish, has played 20 years of professional baseball.

Abercrombie was a key part of the Goldeyes’ run to the American Association championships in 2016 and 2017. Abercrombie will be remembered as one of the best players in Goldeyes and league history. He’s the American Association’s all-time leader in base hits, home runs and RBI. The veteran slugger is hitting .254 with 12 home runs and 54 RBI this season.

SHORTLISTING POTENTIAL AWARDS AS SEASON BEGINS TO WIND DOWN WINNIPEG SUN – SATURDAY, AUGUST 24th The American Association season is winding down, and balloting for end-of-year awards begins next week.

Since teams are required to carry at least four classified rookies, there is usually at least one viable Rookie of the Year candidate on each roster, regardless of a club’s position in the standings.

The award also generates interest given the nature of the industry. The American Association is a jumping off point for players overlooked following college or that were deemed expendable by Major League organizations.

Four of the last seven winners had their contracts purchased by MLB teams that off-season (Robert Coe, Joe Weik, Michael Zouzalik, and Justin Vernia), while two others went on to have continued success in the American Association (Matt Chavez and Colin Willis).

Players do not necessarily have to be “pure” rookies to be classified as such, meaning those with prior professional experience can be eligible for the award.

The 2019 rookie class features a diverse group of players that have performed well on both sides of the ball.

Gary SouthShore RailCats’ infielder Thomas Walraven appeared the frontrunner before his season was cut short earlier this month due to injury. The New York native hit .300 with 10 doubles, six home runs, and a .409 on-base percentage in 62 games. Walraven managed those offensive numbers while playing all four infield positions.

Walraven may still have the best case given that he is just 24 and is a true rookie professional. Through Monday night, Walraven led all classified American Association rookies with 2.0 wins above replacement (WAR).

Texas AirHogs’ centre fielder Javion Randle ranks second among rookies with 1.9 WAR. Randle has compiled a solid all-around season for the last- place AirHogs, hitting .271 with 19 extra-base hits, 16 stolen bases, and a .361 on-base percentage. AirHogs Stadium in Grand Prairie suppresses offence (as does Walraven’s home at US Steel Yard), enhancing Randle’s numbers. Randle also ranks fourth in defensive WAR among all American Association outfielders.

Power hitting catcher Daniel Comstock has helped the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks to the best record in the league. Comstock is tied for third in rookie WAR at 1.4, and is hitting .238 with 10 home runs in 45 games. Defensively, Comstock leads all catchers with a 39 percent caught stealing rate. Comstock does have four prior years of pro experience, and has played in a smaller percentage of his team’s games compared to Walraven and Randle.

Michael Hart, a left-handed hitting utility player for the Sioux Falls Canaries, is batting .299 with 14 doubles, nine home runs, and an .868 on-base plus slugging in 67 contests. Hart is tied with Comstock in WAR, and has seen time at both catcher and in the outfield. Hart is a second-year professional who was in the running for the award last season after hitting a combined .309 in 66 games for the Canaries and Lincoln Saltdogs.

The Canaries have another candidate in true rookie catcher Graham Low. Canaries pitching coach Ben Moore coached Low at Macalester College in Minnesota, and recommended signing the 22-year-old after Low batted .452 during his senior season. In 63 games for the Canaries, Low has a .281 average with 10 doubles, four home runs, and 1.1 WAR. Low is also fifth overall in the league with a 27 percent caught stealing rate.

The remaining top rookies include Chicago closer Kyle Halbohn (12 saves with 1.51 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 35.2 innings), St. Paul reliever Tanner Kiest (2.20 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 41.0 innings), Cleburne first baseman Grant Buck (.297 average with 16 doubles in 55 games as a true rookie), Sioux City pitcher Tyler Fallwell (3.42 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 65.2 innings), St. Paul starter Ryan Zimmerman (7-3 with a 3.91 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 94.1 innings), and Goldeyes’ right-hander Kevin Hilton (4.66 ERA and only 39 walks while ranking fourth in the league with 116.0 innings).

FUTURE OF T-BONES IN QUESTION WINNIPEG SUN – THURSDAY, AUGUST 22nd On Monday, multiple news outlets reported that the Kansas City T-Bones would need to vacate T-Bones Stadium by Sept. 13.

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City (UG) cited missed rent and utility payments as the reason for the decision.

“We have been in close communication with the UG, keeping them apprised of our status as we work toward a sale of the club,” T-Bones president Adam Ehlert said in a press release. “We remain optimistic that a solution will be reached in the short-term, to retain baseball in a great market, for the long-term. The millions of fans who have enjoyed our product over nearly two decades should share our optimism for the future as we work to close the sale to the next operator of this franchise.”

As reported by Kevin Hardy of The Kansas City Star, T-Bones’ ownership has been looking to sell the franchise for several months.

In the team release, Ehlert expressed surprise at the timing of the UG’s announcement, and indicated there was a publically mutual understanding that a sale would not be completed or announced until after the baseball season.

The American Association regular season concludes on Sept. 2, with the playoffs potentially running through the 16th.

The T-Bones joined the American Association in 2011 along with the Goldeyes, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, and Gary SouthShore RailCats. All four clubs previously had played in the Northern League.

Any scenario in which the T-Bones do not play in 2020 would be a major loss for all stakeholders, including fans, the Kansas City community, and the American Association.

The T-Bones are the defending American Association champions, and entered Wednesday just a half game back of the South Division wild card.

Kansas City’s attendance has declined somewhat, but the club still ranked sixth overall in independent baseball in 2018 with an average of 3,958 fans per game. This year, the T-Bones are fourth in the 12-team American Association at 3,486.

T-Bones Stadium is prominently located in what is referred to as “The Legends,” a major shopping and entertainment district just outside of downtown Kansas City. The ball park remains state-of-the-art, and has been a choice destination for top players since opening in 2003.

After the Wichita Wingnuts were forced out of Lawrence-Dumont Stadium following the 2018 season, Kansas City became the American Association’s central travel hub.

If the T-Bones were to cease operations—even temporarily—it would create a 10-hour gap (by bus ride) between the Lincoln Saltdogs and the Texas AirHogs, who would become the next closest team to the south.

First-year American Association commissioner Josh Schaub released a statement as well, and like Ehlert, remains optimistic about retaining one of the industry’s key franchises.

“The league was aware the T-Bones were currently in negotiations with the Unified Government regarding the lease and had not been made aware of any ongoing disputes that would lead to (Monday’s) action,” Schaub said. “The American Association will be working with the T-Bones and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City to resolve this matter and ensure American Association baseball stays in Kansas City for years to come.”