Regular reader, commenter and contributor JohnU has become an invaluable asset to me and the Chicago Minor League Review.  I asked him if he would help me put together a mid-season review and he stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park.  He is a Northern League fan and a particular fan of the Gary SouthShore Railcats.  It’s safe to say I wouldn’t be able to do this site as well as I have (I like to think so, anyway) without his assistance.  Here is a Northern-League mid-season review.  Thanks John!!!

It’s not much of a stretch to see that the second half of the Northern League South Division season will be far less predictable than the first half.

The Gary Southshore RailCats dominated the first half, winning by 10 full games. The light-hitting ‘Cats used solid pitching, sound defense and strong fundamentals to pull away early and dismantle the division. Infrequent bursts of offense added to the excitement for Gary, the Northern League’s champion in 2005 and runnerup in 2006.

Expect a different scenario in the second half. All four teams in the South — Gary, Joliet, Schaumburg and Kansas City – are virtually locked. The second-half winner will meet the RailCats in a best-of-five to advance to the league finals against the North Division champion.

Calvary outlasted Fargo-Moorhead and Winnipeg to win the first half in the North.

Gary has solidified its pitching and will continue to rely on its defense and baserunning. The RailCats are vulnerable if their pitching breaks down. Not likely: WIllie Glenn and Josh Habel are two of the league’s best. Gary took a blow when reliever Chad Blackwell signed with the Toronto organization last week.

Gary plays well at home, and was more than adequate on its trips to Canada. Schaumburg continues to give the RailCats problems, but Joliet has not. Kansas City took five of six from Gary in the first half. The T-Bones are a crushing team. KC’s Rob Watson is a hitter to watch.

A player to watch is Joliet’s Juan Diaz. His home runs are typically tape-measure. Derek Nicholson is solid.

The race is wide open. Joliet, Schaumburg and Kansas City were all nearly equal in the first half. Overall record would determine the winner if Gary takes the second half as well.

In the North, defending league champion Fargo-Moorhead is off to a strong start and will be the team to beat in the second half. The RedHawks are an experienced team. They don’t make mistakes.

Winnipeg, the best-supported team in the league, is inconsistent. They’re tough at home.

Calgary’s Darryl Brinkley could hit .400 this year. The Vipers bring their bats and know how to use them.

Edmonton is having problems but the Cracker-Cats can score almost at will. You need 10 to beat them and they’re inclined to be generous.

Attendance across the league has been up, even at Calgary. Weekend near-sellouts at Joliet and Schaumburg are not rare this summer. Gary’s attendance is improving but still lags at times.

The Northern League has arrived and it’s here to stay. If the league can find two more solid franchises to help link it to its Canadian cities, quality of play will improve due to reduced travel strains.

The split-season format doubles the adventure. The parks are clean, the prices are right and the teams appreciate their fans. Come early, visit the bullpen, meet the players, get a few autographs. Enjoy the ride.

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