SOUTH COAST LEAGUE PUTS UP BRAVE FACE THAT ITS DROP TO FOUR TEAMS IS ONLY TEMPORARY

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It was a swift and no doubt frustrating turn of events which led the South Coast League to trim its lineup to only four teams for its 84-game 2008 season. I can only feel for Chief Executive Officer Jamie Toole, who always strives to paint a positive picture, and everyone else involved.

It was less than a month ago when Toole told me "my outlook on our company (league's owners) is rejuvenated". While bringing up the fact no Independent league in the southeast has made it to Year 3, he was talking of the fact "we learned some invaluable lessons" in the first year, and expressed considerable confidence heading toward '08.

That was after Jackson, MS had been added and at a time when Charlotte County (Florida) still was in the mix. The Charlotte County Redfish now have been scratched for this season since improvements to Charlotte County Stadium, where the Tampa Bay Rays will play next spring training, and the SCL has delayed the addition of Jackson. It is said both teams should return in 2009, and the SCL says it hopes to add two additional franchises as well.

Meanwhile, the league hopes its telemarketing efforts out of a central office in Macon, GA will lead to increased sales and possibly even a presenting sponsor.

While I thought the Atlanta Braves' move of their Triple-A Richmond Braves to Atlanta's Gwinnett County might doom hopes of the SCL getting into that huge market, Toole believes it may actually open up opportunities in the area. He also expressed interest in such metropolitan markets as Nashville and Charlotte at some point in the future.

The four remaining SCL league teams are Peach State entries Macon and South Georgia (Albany) plus South Carolina teams Aiken and Anderson.

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