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Here is the mlive article from January regarding Kalamazoo and the possibility of the Northwoods expanding and using Home Stryker Field.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/inde...start.html

Here is an article from Cedarburg, WI that details what Ryan Krill, former prep start at Portage Central and current MSU player, did last summer in the Northwoods.


What do you guys think? Can Kalamazoo support summer baseball again? Specifically a Northwoods franchise?

The baseball market is so saturated in Michigan right now. If I was a businessman I'd be pretty leary of adding a team. As a fan it would be great to see. I normally was good for about 2 trips out there a year.

PS EA3...I remember seeing you lay sod on that field during it's rebirth.........

(05-02-2013 11:26 AM)fbgab Wrote:  The baseball market is so saturated in Michigan right now. If I was a businessman I'd be pretty leary of adding a team. As a fan it would be great to see. I normally was good for about 2 trips out there a year.

PS EA3...I remember seeing you lay sod on that field during it's rebirth.........

Wow. I remember that day. I also had my first real job there when I was 16. Hosing down the bleachers after the Kodiaks played and picking rocks out of the dirt behind the grandstands was all kinds of fun :)

I have differing thoughts about summer baseball in Kalamazoo. Mainly torn about the location and history.

I played a significant number of games on that field. But I'll be the first to admit that the location isn't ideal if you want to sell summer baseball as a family fun day.

If it was promoted enough...I think it would be cool for the white caps to play a series or two a summer in kalamazoo. That way they can promote that they truly are west michigans baseball team. You can schedule it on a tigers off day so a couple of the players could come out for autographs. Maybe Horton and Kaline as well. Give huge discounts to local hs/little leagues. No reason you couldnt sell out a weekend series.

I've often agreed that the whitecaps coming down for 2 series or so would work too.

Actually to be completely true I always thought BC and Kzoo should split the A team BC had 50/50. Might have survived. But once it left I thought it would be nice for the caps to come down.

I understand the historic location, but it sure would be nicer if it was within walking distance of downtown, Burdicks etc. Tons more traffic to games. IMHO

Current location is an uphill battle. Not saying it can't work there. But it's more difficult.

Downtown would be ideal but I don't ever see that happening.

Best bet would be to use Hyames Field. It would need upgrades, but you could make it work....and more importantly, I think people would be more likely to show up.

I tweeted the Northwoods League and asked if Kalamazoo was still an option for expansion. They responded with a "yes".

(05-02-2013 02:14 PM)EA3 Wrote:  Current location is an uphill battle. Not saying it can't work there. But it's more difficult.

Downtown would be ideal but I don't ever see that happening.

Best bet would be to use Hyames Field. It would need upgrades, but you could make it work....and more importantly, I think people would be more likely to show up.

After the Viking Ship is installed, not sure if there will be room for any baseball upgrades.

Those Kalamazoo Kodiak hats were one of favorites.