Less than two months into their season, the Lake County Fielders have seen paychecks bounce, a play-by-play announcer quit on the air, plans for a new stadium stall and nearly the entire roster traded or released.
Is this hell?
No. It's Kevin Costner's minor league baseball team.
The Zion-based North American Baseball League club — which never hesitates to promote the actor's partial ownership — has become a field of nightmares this summer, as the coaching staff and players have revolted against the front office over money. Fielders employees say they went unpaid for long stretches, while the club struggled financially and the city failed to deliver a promised stadium.
The team's former hitting coach, Pete LaCock, said the financial problems surfaced on the first day of a six-week road trip when a club-issued debit card was declined at the airport. Rather than ask the players to pay the individual baggage fees on their paltry salaries, he charged the $1,500 bill to his personal credit card.
www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-lake-county-fielders-players-20110721,0,417499.story