The Frontier League Beat — May 31, 2021
By Dave Rouleau — Frontier League Journal
When I asked Southern Illinois manager Mike Pinto about the roster rules in the Frontier League, he answered: “It all comes down to what we want to do as a league and what we want our niche to be.”
Since then, I’ve made a point of asking every league executives and manager I’ve come in contact with that same question in order to make sense of that crazy mix that brings veterans (3 maximum), experienced players and rookies (10 minimum) on the same team for a whole season.
There are challenges and downsides to having a minimum of rookies or as much veterans as possible on board. The former have less experienced, a smaller track record and can be wild cards that either sink or swim. The latter can be a bit more costly, looking for a place to ride out their career and, as I’ve heard a number of times, a bit more complacent in their habits and daily regimen. This is obviously a rough painting of the situation, but to hide our heads in the sand and say it never is the case would also be a plain lie.
The Frontier League has evolved quite rapidly since its merger with the Can-Am League in 2019. Before, the minimum number of rookies was higher and there even was an age limit for players to be allowed on the roster.
If we look around at the two most prominent independent leagues, the Atlantic League and the American Association, their roster rules are much more relax and fans often mention this as a positive aspect for them, since they can get older, more experienced players and keep them longer. That can really play a huge part in growing a fan base when a player gets to stay in its community, as I’ve had the privilege to see in Quebec City over the last 20 years.
With that in mind, should the Frontier League automatically change its approach as far as the rosters are concerned?
No. And here’s my point.
It’s admittedly taken me a long time to make my mind up about it, but after careful deliberation and watching some the product on the field, there is no doubt that the model now in place is favorable to a long term growth and put on a damn good show.
The other two major independent leagues offer a quality product that suits their need and they do it well. The Frontier League, being the oldest and longest running of the three, but also the biggest and newest in term of composition of teams, has a golden opportunity to leave its own mark and, as Mike Pinto put it so well, make its own niche.
After speaking with a number or managers, there is one constant that I observe: they pretty much all love the idea that they need to find the next good player, because the rules dictate it. There is no going around it. It seems to excite them to no end and the Frontier League can become that incredibly fertile ground where rookies and talented players need to go to truly have a chance of going to the next level.
As for the veterans, you also have to earn your place and this is a tremendous opportunity for them to share their experience and insights with younger, hungry guys. That energy flows through, inevitably. You don’t want to be a drag on the team, so that drive can only lead the veteran to give its 100% percent every time and, as fans, that’s the only thing we desire.
If it were to try and become like the Atlantic League and the American Association, it would only dilute the available experienced talent and keep the door closed to rookies who only ask and need to be given a chance. When you also consider the fact that the MLB amateur draft will now be only 20 rounds, that leaves a lot of very good players on the outside looking in and thinking, “what are my options, now?”.
The Frontier League becomes that showcase. There could be some adjustments in the number of different qualifications, but the foundations are fundamentally strong and, if I may add, in as good or better position than its counterparts going forward.
As I mentioned often on this site and elsewhere, baseball is my refuge. I have trouble identifying with the society around me today and I take my energy for the Frontier League Journal from the baseball players who, day in and day out, try and conquer their dream in every way possible. They grind, I grind.
The Frontier League has the opportunity, at this very moment, to be a stepping stone for hundreds, if not thousands, of players. Let’s give it to them and, egoistically, let them give us the best show around.
POWER RANKINGS — Week 1
This first Power Rankings for the Frontier League was a challenge this week when you consider so many games were postponed and will be decided today.
We will wait until next week to fully explain the methodology, since the number of games played screwed with the model and we are still pondering a few factors in the equation.
