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Pote: "This is going to be one of the top places in the league"

North American League champion Lou Pote is applauding the news of an NAL franchise coming to Fort McMurray.

Pote, who now works as Fort McMurray Minor Baseball’s Director of Player Development, won the most recent NAL championship with the Edmonton Capitals, where he was named series MVP.

“A lot of guys in the league called us the Yankees of the North American League because we had all the money,” Pote chuckled.

“But it wasn’t the case – it wasn’t like we had guys that were making tons of money. Guys want to go play where it’s a good place to play and they’re going to to get treated well – and this [Fort McMurray] is going to be one of the top places in the league, in my opinion.”

He says there are plenty of reasons why a Fort McMurray team will be able to draw quality talent despite the location.

“The facility, for one. You look at the designs and it looks like it’s going to be unbelievable.”

And he says fans will enjoy the community-oriented natureĀ of independent baseball.

“Players will come here and be accepted by the community, and be out there and be seen,” he said. “That’s the best thing about independent baseball – you don’t learn how to become a major league baseball player in the major leagues, all that takes place in the minor leagues – you learn how to go out in the community.”

Pote also won the 2002 World Series with the Anaheim Angels.

The new NAL franchise has set up a temporary website at http://www.fortmcmurrayprofessionalbaseball.com to gather feedback.