By J.J. Cooper
November 11, 2002

Faced with the need for a new name after ending its partnership with the Northern League, the former Northern League East decided to turn to the past. The league will once again be called the Northeast League, the name it used before its partnership with the Northern League.

"We wanted to maintain our original identity by keeping the Northeast League name," league president Miles Wolff said.

The league will field eight teams for the 2003 season, despite talk of expanding to 10 teams. The Adirondack franchise moves to Bangor, Maine, while the new North Shore Spirit (Lynn, Mass.) will also join the league. Albany-Colonie will not field a team in 2003.

While the Northeast League is returning to its roots, another independent league appears to be on its last legs. Though no official announcement of its fate has been made, the Western Baseball League appears unlikely to field any teams in 2003.

The two most successful teams in the six-team league, Sonoma County and Chico, have announced their departure, largely because of concerns over the viability of the league.