South Coast League

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South Coast League

Founded	2006
Class	Independent
Based in	Bluffton, South Carolina
Chief Executive Officer	Jamie Toole
Official Website	South Coast League

The South Coast League of Professional Baseball, based in Bluffton, South Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Southeastern United States. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either.

The South Coast League exists so that professional baseball players who are not signed by a Major or Minor League organization could have another chance at playing at a higher level. Although the level of South Coast League play can be categorized as single A, players in independent baseball are usually not scouted heavily by Major League teams. Many Major League alumni have called Atlantic League teams home in an effort get back to the Majors. The league also caters to players who are not quite talented enough to play at a higher level.

1 History
2 The League
- 2.1 2007 South Coast League Teams
- 2.2 Other Possible Cities
3 References
4 External links and references

[edit] History

The league was formed in October of 2005. In a press release in October, league Chief Executive Officer Jamie Toole, a former Carolina League executive with a number of teams, cited the desire to field professional baseball teams in municipalities that lacked access to professional baseball. Also running the league is their Chief Operations Officer, Chris Allen, who previously worked in the upper management group of the Salem Avalanche in the Carolina League.

In the initial years, the league itself will act as owners of the individual teams until local ownership groups can be found. As Allen explained, it was important to "establish our product prior to individual/private ownership taking control of the operation."

The league made an initial public offering in October of 2005.

[edit] The League

The league is an independent baseball league, which means that their teams are not affiliated with Major League Baseball or its teams. The league's players will primarily come from the college ranks, although some former major league players as well as other professional players will fill the team rosters.

[edit] 2007 South Coast League Teams

Division	Team	City	Stadium
SCL	Aiken Foxhounds	Aiken, South Carolina, USA	Roberto Hernandez Stadium
	Anderson Baseball Team	Anderson, South Carolina, USA	Anderson Memorial Stadium
	Bradenton Juice	Bradenton, Florida, USA	Robert C. Wynn Baseball Field
	Charlotte County Redfish	Port Charlotte, Florida, USA	Charlotte Sports Park
	Macon Music	Macon, Georgia, USA	Luther Williams Field
	South Georgia Peanuts	Albany, Georgia, USA	Paul Eames Sports Complex

[edit] Other Possible Cities

Macon, Georgia was announced as the first team of the league.^[1]
Charlotte County, FL approved the addition of a South Coast League franchise on May 9, 2006.^[2] The team will play in Charlotte Sports Park, which once was a minor league park for the Texas Rangers, as well as their spring training facility.

Other franchise locations being finalized include Albany, GA and Aiken, SC. A franchise in Sanford, FL was explored, but, according to an outdated Orlando Sentinel report [1], was denied due to the town's preference for collegiate play.