BREAKING: Costner’s Lake County Fielders Kicked Out of North American Baseball League

The team has not yet posted an official statement on any of their official communication channels, although that could largely be because of the fact that it’s 3 o’clock in the morning here in the Chicagoland area more than anything. Season ticket holders and corporate sponsors will undoubtedly be wondering about the future of the franchise itself once word starts to trickle out about the NABL’s decision. The team also still has an entire front office full of employees that are likely wondering how they’re going to be marketing a franchise that (as of early this morning) has no league in which to play.

As of right now, the team still has 28 games (counting the current four game set against Na Koa Ikaika Maui) remaining to be played. In theory, the team could finish up the season as a road team given that there is still a full roster of players and coaches under contract. Or the league could simply decide to award forfeit victories to all of the Fielders’ remaining opponents. 

The latter option would have a significant impact on the NABL’s standings. 15 of those 28 games were scheduled to be played against Na Koa Ikaika Maui, which currently find themselves 15.5 games out of first place in the NABL’s North Division. Giving them 15 forfeit victories automatically pulls them to within 1/2 game of the division lead, which is currently held by the Calgary Vipers.

Also standing to benefit (significantly, I might add) from the magic of scheduling would be the Edmonton Capitals. The Capitals are currently in second place with a record of 42-28, three games behind Calgary. With a seven-game season-ending series scheduled against the Fielders, the Capitals would automatically vault from three games out to four games ahead of the Vipers for first place, with the added luxury of not having to play out the final week or so of the season. The Vipers themselves would cut that four game deficit to two due to the fact that two of their recent games in Lake County were postponed, one due to rain and the other due to a lack of adequate baseballs.

What all of this means for the future of the franchise and for professional baseball in the city of Zion remains to be seen. The team issued a press release threatening to suspend operations and “pursue legal action” unless the city of Zion followed through on what the team claims was a promise to build a permanent stadium on the current site, which has been home to a makeshift temporary facility over the past two seasons. Right now, there is still no permanent facility on that site and no indication that one will be going up any time soon.

As it stands, the team reportedly still owes the city some $185,000 in unpaid rent accumulated over the course of the past two seasons. The Daily Herald is reporting that the team’s past two rent checks have bounced and that the city has issued a default notice for the amount owed.

We will continue to keep you updated on this breaking news story as more information is released.