Goldeyes home field will be Fargo, N.D.

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This article was published 12/06/2020 (2229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The show will go on for the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball in 2020.

While the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to drop its original start date of May 19, a revised format with six of the AA’s teams — including the Winnipeg Goldeyes — will play games in three hubs this summer.

Faced with health regulations that limit crowd sizes and cross-border travel in Canada, the Goldeyes said Friday they are not expecting to host home games this season and will use Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, N.D., as their home base.

League directors have decided to use a six-team, 60-game schedule that will run from July 3 to Sept. 10. Each team will play 42 games at its home base to limit travel.

“We hoped that with the COVID-19 situation in Manitoba improving, we could host games at Shaw Park while safely abiding by the social distancing recommendations outlined by our governments,” said Goldeyes general manager Andrew Collier in a release. “Unfortunately, that will not be the case, and we cannot thank all of our loyal fans and corporate sponsors enough for their continued patience and support during these challenging times.

“We are obviously disappointed, but understand, and fully support, prioritizing the health and safety of all Manitobans. The Goldeyes front office will provide all ticket holders and corporate partners a variety of flexible options for those who made payments in advance. The organization is already building towards a full return in 2021.”

The Chicago Dogs, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Milwaukee Milkmen, Sioux Falls Canaries and St. Paul Saints will join Winnipeg as part of the six-team format. The top two clubs will meet in a five-game league championship series.

The six teams will be paired off into three hubs: the Goldeyes and RedHawks in Fargo, the Canaries and Saints at Sioux Falls Stadium and the Dogs and Milkmen at Milkmen Stadium in Franklin, Wis.

“We are thankful that American Association leadership was able to come to an agreement under the most unique circumstances,” added Collier. “The situation may not be perfect, but we are excited to offer our fans at least a small taste of why the American Association is such a tremendous league. We also extend our gratitude to the RedHawks and their staff for their willingness to take care of our players this summer.”

The Cleburne Railroaders, Gary SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones, Lincoln Saltdogs, Sioux City Explorers, and Texas AirHogs will suspend operations but all six teams are expected to return in 2021.

Should local health regulations be relaxed in coming months, the AA schedule could be adjusted to accomodate games at Shaw Park.

Spring training is scheduled to begin on June 25.

The league will experiment with new roster rules in 2020, highlighted by the elimination of rookie, LS, and veteran minimums and maximums on rosters and a dispersal draft of players from non-participating clubs.

A complete schedule will be announced Monday.

sports@freepress.mb.ca