The Dakota-Rice-Scott League will have a slightly different look next summer when teams take the field and the St. Patrick Irish isn’t one of them.
The Irish, a Class A team, announced earlier this month they were leaving the DRS and joining the other Class A teams in the River Valley League. An announcement the team posted on social media noted the move puts the Irish in closer proximity with Class A RVL teams like Burnsville, Chanhassen, Chaska, Eagan, Prior Lake, Shakopee and Victoria.
The social media post noted the RVL has “a strong contingent” of Class B (Eagle Lake, Jordan, Le Sueur) and Class C (Belle Plaine, Gaylord, St. Clair, St. Peter and a new team from Lake Crystal).
Teams in the DRS noted St. Patrick had assembled a team loaded with college players not from the area who played college baseball for Minnesota State, Mankato, St. Thomas, Concordia, South Dakota State, St. Cloud State, Valpariso University, other college programs and top high school talent from Lakeville while the Class B and C teams in the league have utilized mostly local talent.
“That’s where the big separation is,” said NP Orioles manager Nick Schoenecker.
A Veseli player said Class C teams in the DRS had a hard time competing against St. Patrick’s loaded Class A lineup. Neither team, he said, would use its best players.
The Irish’s departure leaves the DRS with only two Class A teams – Elko and New Market. Managers for their teams don’t see any reason to be looking to leave the league. They noted their teams don’t rely as heavily on top college talent as St. Patrick does.
Greg Faue, manager of the Prior Lake Mudcats and president of the DRS said St. Patrick’s departure and the future of the league would be discussed at a league meeting Oct. 28, 7 p.m., at the Doublewide in Elko New Market.
Faue doesn’t see the league needing another Class A team but might consider staying as is or inviting another Class C team to join.
“We might be heading toward a new normal,” Faue said.
