After ditching Damaschke Field in Oneonta (NY) and the summer collegiate Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, the former owners of the Oneonta Outlaws have returned to Saratoga Springs (NY) and East Side Recreation Park to re-launch the Saratoga Phillies — but this time as a new member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. This is the NECBL’s first-ever franchise in New York. Read more here.
Saratoga Phillies Are Back, Join NECBL
Filed under League & Franchise
ballparkbiz.wordpress.com 
Saratoga is one of the best communities and places to be in the summer months coupled with the fact that these guys in Saratoga have produced more MLB players than all of the teams combined in the NYCBL and PGCBL together are the two primary reasons, i would suspect. NECBL is all about the baseball side of things. Wish these guys good luck.
The way people rave about the Futures League, I’m surprised it is not #1 on this list.
According to perfectgame.org who is obviously widely respected, here is their ranking of the top 20 summer collegiate leagues across the nation in 2012. I couldnt find a ranking like this in Baseball America. Of course its subjective and Im not sure if this is based on just talent or includes stadiums, fan experience etc, but the list looks fairly accurate.
1. Cape Cod
2. Northwoods
3. New England
4. West Coast
5 Alaska
6.Cal Collegaite
7. Coastal Plains
8. Perfect Game Collegaite
9. Prospect
10 Cal Ripken
11 Valley
12 Great Lakes
13. Texas League
14 Florida Collegaite
15.Jayhawk
16. Atlantic
17. Futures
18 MINK
19 New York Collegaite
20 Southern Cal League
@Rankings, I believe this is purely a talent-driven rankings. We have our own rough (not ready for prime time) internal rankings based on business operations (attendance/facilities, etc.), and we would put it (1) Northwoods, (2) Coastal Plain, and (3) West Coast League after adding Victoria (BC), Medford (OR) and soon Yakima (WA). The Prospect League, NECBL, PGCBL, FCBL and TCL fall in after that (not in any particular order). The Cape Cod is a unique animal. The Alaska has lost its way and needs a strong leader who understands the business and changing landscape to right the ship. The others have a long way to go to be ranked in any summer collegiate rankings we put together.
Alan
seems to be from the same people. This group seems to move a lot. Interesting. Necbl has competition now with the Futures league, not sure what this means, that facility is awful in Saratoga. Good luck to them though, Saratoga is a fun spot in the summer time for sure… It will be fun visiting all the parks on the eastern side of the state.
@Billy, the facility in Saratoga is one reason the group moved the team to a real facility in Oneonta. With that in mind, it is odd that the NECBL let them in the league. I think it shows that the FCBL has gotten their attention. The NECBL refused to expand for years (I know this personally) and never seemed too interested in profit-driven franchises, which are two reasons the FCBL was formed. That said, I am told the NECBL leadership is not too worried at this point and have even laughed about the FCBL’s talent level. It will be interesting to see how things evolve.
Alan
Alan, well said, you folks seem to be right on top of everything. It is very odd that the NECBL would take a team with that geography and ballpark concerns. Especially since they couldn’t wait to get out of there, and, now return. Good luck to them though, let’s hope somehow they can make it work.
“The significance of this is it’s the second best league (NECBL) in the country behind the Cape Cod League.”
Hearing a lot of statements like this during the winter… Perfect Game vs NYCBL vs. NECBL…