Changes Brewing in Northwoods, Carolina Leagues

As of 2017, the Northwoods League and Carolina League will both be getting a little bigger.  It was announced a few weeks ago that the Northwoods League would be adding a franchise in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, which is about an hour northwest of Milwaukee.  The team will set up shop at a diamond on the Marian University campus, which will undoubtedly be rehabbed for the new tenant.  Including the new franchise in Bismarck, North Dakota announced earlier this year, this now makes a whopping 20 teams in the bulbous league.  I can't imagine the schedule and travel demands being able to accommodate any more teams, but granted I have said that before.  It wouldn't be entirely out of the realm of possibility to see another North Dakota or northern Minnesota team pop up to partner with Bismarck.  With teams now spread out across 6 states, 2 countries, and a 500-mile radius, the Northwoods League continues to establish itself as the country's largest summer collegiate league with by far the largest footprint.  I've now got my work cut out for me to make the long trek to the final cities I have yet to visit in the circuit.

Also, as anticipated, it was announced this week that two franchises will be shifting from the floundering California League to the Carolina League.  Nobody has confirmed where the franchises will be located, but Kinston, North Carolina has been widely speculated to receive one of them.  Kinston has already been a part of the league in the past with several iterations of the Kinston Indians, most recently in 2011.  I wouldn't be surprised to see either Savannah or Fayetteville get the other team.  Savannah recently lost their Sally League team and is now hosting a summer collegiate team, and Fayetteville has been in talks off and on for a new ballpark to draw a team.  This will now bring the total in the circuit to 10 teams and leave the California League with 8.  It's been no secret that many teams in the Cal League have struggled mightily with attendance and financial viability, and being on the west coast, many of the MLB teams are just too far away from the league to desire a team there.  The shift of these two teams to the east coast will help to solve the geography problem and place them in an area of the country that is already rich in minor league tradition.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 09.01:
Brewers 57-76, -28.5, -13.5 WC (3 @ Pirates, 3 v. Cubs)
Reds 55-77, -30.0, -15.0 WC (3 v. Cardinals, 3 v. Mets)
Twins 49-84, -27.5, -23.0 WC (4 v. White Sox, 3 v. Royals)

2016 GAMES ATTENDED:
Erik - 13 (+24 worked)
Peter - 29