The Pecos League television series

I watched this show earlier in the year, very interesting. These are truly players who love to play the game. A bit goofy, lol, but enjoyed watching and hope they bring it back.

http://indyballisland.com

They have quite a few articles on the Pecos league.

My son got an invite last season to go and play in this league. He wanted to see if he could still get on the bump and compete. Had a very successful summer and thoroughly enjoyed his time out there. The Author of that article contacted him to see what he had to say. Son then went to read her couple of articles to see what all she had written thus far. 2 things that stood out to him right away was 1- that she was a Frontier League groupie for one particular Frontier League team (knows all the players by drawing portraits of them all!! and, the article leaned mostly towards defaming the League, its Commissioner, and a myriad of other things. My son told me that while some of the things she wrote had some validity here and there overall her articles were from players who mostly had a bad experience out there by little playing time, not knowing up front what the pay scale was, traveling some distance to other teams, etc. Son told me that he contacted her back and said that he was going to decline her interview. When she asked him why he told her that he had nothing but great memories out there, grew up, saw the world, made some life long friends and brothers, saw some of the most beautiful scenery he had ever laid eyes on, and was afforded an opportunity to play the game one more time in which he learned he can still play and may have opened up even bigger doors for him.

 

I think he has learned the philosophy that I drilled in his head long ago. Anything you experience is what you make of it. I'm sure he had to learn how to rub 2 nickels together at times but, doing that he learned money management. How valuable is that?

 

YGD

Well... as the author of indy ball island, I can say that every one of those stories were confirmed by two or more players from each team discussed. I have also spoken to 3 different managers who echoed these statements and felt the same way.
Interestingly enough... when I did ask players, like the above poster's son, if they would talk about their GOOD times there, they shut up or declined. Not one person, no matter how much they told me they enjoyed it, would do an interview. Can't debate the negative if people with positive experiences won't talk. I know there are guys that are there and have a good time, do well, and may get promoted. But they're the exception, not the majority. $50 a week IF they get paid and little to no transportation and food is ridiculous no matter how much fun you have playing "professional" baseball. The treatment is still poor.
I detest the fact that the word "groupie" was also used above. I am a season ticket holder who, along with many others, is a member of the booster club to take care of our players. Yes, I have drawn pictures. It's a hobby. But I love baseball. I'm not a "groupie." I'm a fan.
It was never my intention to destroy the Pecos League, but... like I said, if no one gives me a decent story, how can I report it. As for their commissioner, he ignored every follow up question I asked him. He makes the league look bad by his own doing.

Indyball,

I can understand why people with a positive view might decline. Reading your articles on the Pecos league, while informative, I feel that they are more subjective than objective. If I had a player that was in that league and had a positive experience and wanted to continue to play, I would probably suggest they decline as well.

It would not take much to find out the players you interviewed and baseball is a small world. I might be concerned that my views may not be depicted accurately. And that influencing any future employers. 

 

Which I totally understand. But I can't even begin to put a positive spin on things if that's not what I've been told.
I think the part that I truly struggle with is the fact that I was called a "groupie." That would NEVER have been said if I was a male. I'm a baseball fan. I love this game. I write a blog... it's not official or formal... blogs are not designed to be... but I don't want people to think I'm not knowledgeable.

In case anyone is curious.. I had a player who DID want to talk on my blog... and use his name and story to say how the Pecos League helped him and basically saved his life. This is what I wanted all along.. to hear from every side. And I finally had someone willing to share the good with me. 

http://indyballisland.com/2015...in-the-pecos-league/ 

Indyballisland, 

 

You already have your own website for grinding your axe against the Pecos League, and I request that you not use this site to open a new front in that private war.

 

Frankly, I don't see the point. Anybody with a search engine can quickly figure out that the Pecos League is at the lowest rung on the pro ladder, a level where the distinction between pro and amateur isn't particularly meaningful.  

 

So what?  What's the point of kicking them? Who cares if they're a ragtag group?  Are you worried someone will mistakenly think they're on the level of better established independent leagues if you don't "expose" them?  Is there a realistic chance of them poaching players your league wants? Do you really think anyone could possibly deceived about where the league stands in the baseball world? Are you worried they might succeed if you don't put them in their place? Why do you feel the need?

 

It's great that you support the independent league where you live and celebrate the players on your local team. Enjoy them and cherish the occasional successes of the fortunate few alumni who jump from your preferred league to organized ball.

 

You are quite welcome to be an active member here who passes along constructive information about independent league baseball.  But leave your quarrel with the Pecos League to your own site.

 

You're welcome to send a "dialog" message to me if you want to discuss this further.

 

Regards, 

S

Okay. I understand what you're saying. And I didn't come on here to "continue my war" against the Pecos League. I came on here to defend my writing in general. So it's okay for someone to bash my blog and myself as a writer by calling me a "groupie" but I am not allowed to defend myself? That's all I wanted to do. Some one wrote an entire post about my blog, and I was just trying to get MY story on here.
I'll gladly give more independent insight on here, if I'm allowed to post what I think. I didn't want to start anything on here. I just had a couple people tell me that someone had bad mouthed ME as a person on here and gave my blog with it.
I write my blog and all the stories (good and bad) because I care about the players and what they go through.

I agree with all of the above.

 

However, I do have to say one thing and this in no way is disrespectful to anyone here. Its just my opinion.

 

I believe that ALL, yes ALL (including the frontier) independent leagues are in the business of baseball and they sell the dream to those who were over looked in the draft to make money, not because they care if their players will ever get picked up by affiliated ball. Been there done that and have seen how it works, even at the top of the independent food chain. 

 

This excludes ex milb players. If they are dropped or FA they have to go to play to keep up their game somewhere, if they want to get back to milb, asap. And many do get picked up, if not for affiliated ball then for winter ball. Then they go south with hopes they will get picked up and many of them do there as well.  However, believing that you are going to play in these leagues for a chance to get into affiliated ball for the first time, well, the chances are very, very slim even for the best of the guys who never got drafted out of college. if you can afford to play and pay your bills, then go for it, but be realistic with the odds.

 

I just don't think that many really understand what you have to do to get INTO the game or to get BACK into the game.

 

My opinion, for what its worth, there are so many other ways one can be involved in the game, without being exploited like these players obviously are.

 

JMO.

 

Players trying to make it somewhere in the game will never share unless they are done with the game or have moved on elsewhere.

You didn't go looking for the good, it just happened to fall into your lap.

 

Ironically, just watched the documentary, The Battered Bastards of Baseball before seeing this thread. 

 

If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's the story of how Bing Russell resurrected Indyball with the Portland Mavericks in the 70's.

 

It's on Netflix.

Yup, great documentary. It was the last indepenent team to compete against affiliated teams.