If you have heard about the professional independent minor league baseball teams and leagues, sometimes called the "indy leagues", then you may have wondered why you should pay attention to them.  Since the leagues are not affiliated with the Minor League Baseball teams, many people dismiss these leagues and teams without much thought.  

Here are four reasons why you should pay attention to independent baseball:

First, independent baseball virtually guarantees that fans get something which they claim to want for a long time:  seeing professional athletes who make less than the fans do!  The players rarely receive any money during the off-season, and most have to work jobs from September through April in order to have the ability to play during the summer.  Many people do not know this, but a Major League superstar making million a year oftentimes makes more per game than the entire season's player payroll of an independent baseball team!  

Since many players in independent baseball get signed to contracts with affiliated Minor League teams, the perceived discrepancy in talent is not as wide as many may think.  This means that fans get to see quality professional baseball at a great price and have the opportunity to cheer for the underdog player who may have been overlooked.  Over 30 players who have MLB experience started their pro careers in the independent leagues, having never been signed to a Minor League contract before throwing their first professional pitch or at bat.  Kevin Millar and Chris Coste are just two examples of players whose careers started in the independent leagues.

Second, you may want to consider following independent baseball because you get to see players who truly play for the love of the game.  An "insider's secret" about professional baseball is that there are many guys sitting at home who, after a few weeks of getting in shape, could play in the independent leagues.  Whether the guys are beginning careers, families, have legal concerns, nagging injuries, or simply didn't have the funds to travel to several tryouts, they are not in uniform for one reason or another.  Many times, however, a player will not play because he believes - oftentimes incorrectly - that he is "worth more money" than what an independent team is paying.

This means that fans get to see players who genuinely care about playing baseball regardless of the financial situation.  The other benefit is that many independent leagues, depending on your geography, often offer a caliber of play which is superior to a lower-level affiliated team.  This claim is justified by looking at the rosters of several independent baseball teams which have lots of former Major Leaguers and Triple-A players.  Odds are that they would beat many "rookie" teams and other lower-level teams simply due to their physical maturity and level of professional playing experience.  Again, this means that fans get terrific baseball at a great price.

Finally, consider following independent baseball because you get to see former Major Leaguers who are managing these teams.  During the 2009 season there were at least 20 independent baseball team managers and coaches with Major League playing experience.  Many of these managers sign autographs, share stories with fans at games, and pass along some tremendous knowledge to their players.  Their experience lends credibility to the independent baseball industry and gives the fans reassurance that they are watching quality baseball.

The next time you read a story about an independent baseball team hopefully you will have a greater appreciation for the players and managers.  Should you have the opportunity to attend an independent league game then be sure to enjoy your time at the game and remember that you will be seeing some terrific baseball.

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Reasons Why Independent League Baseball Is Worth Following is a post from: Gepardby Sports

If you have always loved professional baseball, then it is possible for you to become involved with the industry in one way or another.  One avenue to pursue is employment with a team or league in the independent baseball league section of the pro baseball industry.  Independent baseball leagues and teams are not affiliated with any specific Major League Baseball organization, and their ultimate goal is to become a profitable enterprise.  Front office and league personnel have more flexibility in hiring people to help them reach that aim.

The question then becomes, "In what other way can I work in the professional baseball industry without being a player, manager, coach, or owner?"  Here are several starting points, each with a short description to help you better understand what is available to you:

League-level:  It is possible for you to work with an independent baseball league at the league office level.  Skills here include media relations, strategic planning, marketing, attracting major sponsors for league-wide exposure, and other similar duties. Entry-level (team):  Many independent baseball teams need help with game-day operations, ticket sales, community relations, and many other tasks to entice local organizations and individuals to spend money with the team.  You will need interpersonal, computer, phone, and event-planning skills.  In addition, the hours may be long and some physical effort will be required, especially if you work on game-day operations. Specialty skills:  You can join an independent baseball team with a number of specialty skills.  These could include online radio broadcasting, public address announcing, statistician, dealing with local and regional sports media, promotions development and implementation, online marketing, grounds keeping, stadium management, concessions skills, and merchandise/inventory management.  Even higher-level specialty skills include stadium design, graphic design for logos and sponsorship obligations, game scheduling, and raising capital for teams. Management (team):  You will need to be able to manage employees, interns, and have a good ability to deal with other executives, team owners, and the league executives.  You also will be working long hours overseeing items dealing with concessions, merchandise, stadium operations, stadium construction/renovation, speaking at the local service organizations, dealing with player contracts, and many other tasks.  You should have the ability to run a small/medium business, including accounting/payroll understanding, budgeting, networking, and many other senior-level tasks.

With over 50 independent baseball teams scheduled to play in 2010, there are several opportunities to join this industry.  Remember that your love for the game has to be tempered with the understanding that the team owner, league president, and general manager all want to turn a profit while maintaining a high standard of excellence in the local market.  If you are willing to do what you can to offer professional quality while focusing on making a profit and obtaining new fans then you have the first step needed to join independent professional baseball.

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Independent Minor League Baseball Jobs is a post from: Gepardby Sports

You may have recently heard about an independent baseball team near where you live, or near where you were traveling.  If so, you may have wondered what makes a team "independent" and if it is worth your money to go watch that team.

An independent professional baseball team is a team which plays in a professional baseball league that is not affiliated with any Major League organization or the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, which is now named (officially) Minor League Baseball.  These teams have complete control over the players they sign, the personnel they hire, and their players can be signed by any "affiliated" team in Minor League Baseball.  

Occasionally, an independent baseball player may make it to a Major League Baseball roster after having started his career in the independent baseball leagues.  Many players who make it to a Major League roster after having spent time with an independent baseball team usually had previous Major League, or high-level Minor League experience prior to joining a Major League Baseball roster.  

For the 2009 season, nearly 60 independent teams fielded a team in 8 independent leagues.  The teams play in the U.S. and Canada.  There are independent baseball teams in the Northeast, Quebec, Calgary, California, the Mid-Atlantic, Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and the Dakotas, just to name a few regions.  The players can range from just out of college, former "affiliated" minor league players who were released, players who could be in the minors but opted to play closer to home for family reasons, former Major League players, and occasionally international players.  Many teams have managers and coaches whom have previous Major League Baseball experience.

The question you may still have, however, is if an independent baseball team is worth your time and money.  In most markets this is a "yes."

Here are just some of the reasons why:

Prices are usually equal to or less than comparable entertainment, such as the movies
Concession prices are usually less than at higher-level professional sports
Kids and fans get participate in on-field and off-field promotions
Many teams offer incentives for you to bring groups
Many of the general managers and team executives have years of professional sports experience, so they understand what it takes to give you good entertainment for your money
Many of the players are accessible for autographs
The quality of play is considerably high, especially compared to other alternatives you may have in your area

Hopefully this article gives you a better understanding of independent baseball and helps you make a better decision for your entertainment dollar.

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Independent Professional Baseball Teams: What They Are is a post from: Gepardby Sports

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