New Lake County team will be called Fielders

Ladies and gentleman, please give a warm welcome to your Lake County Fielders!

Lake County's first minor-league baseball franchise revealed its name and logo Wednesday night at the KeyLime Cove Water Park Resort in Gurnee.

Although the team's first pitch is still over a year away, applause and chants erupted as the team logo and apparel were showcased to an excited crowd of 100.

Inspired by the film "Field of Dreams," starring team owner Kevin Costner, the logo depicts a stoical 1920s-era slugger standing among khaki-colored cornstalks.

"Kevin told me he wouldn't be able to make it out to the stadium in Zion too often," said Fielders and Schaumburg Flyers President Rich Ehrenreich. "But his business manager winked at me and said, 'You won't be able to keep him out of there.' He's a great guy and a great ambassador for baseball."

Ehrenreich, a lifelong Lake County resident, was instrumental in bringing professional baseball to Zion. He is the managing partner of Grand Slam Sports & Entertainment, which will oversee all team operations.

"Rich clearly had a vision for Lake County and a strong relationship with the Northern League," said Delaine Rogers, Zion's Director of Planning and Economic Development. "The financial numbers work and the logistics make sense. It really is a dream come true."

Fielders Assistant General Manger Mike Beauvais said fans should expect a winning attitude on the field and a fun atmosphere in the stands.

"From the head coach and management down to the players, we want a strong product on the field," he said. "Our number one emphasis is to share the excitement of the new team."

Zion lies directly between metropolitan baseball markets in Chicago and Milwaukee. Ehrenreich is confident that Lake County's Northern League expansion team will draw fans from both markets and everywhere in between.

"It's the only baseball between Miller Park and Wrigley Field," he said. "Zion is a great location because it's a regional center. We had a willing municipality, and everybody's heart was in it."

Lake County Board President Suzi Schmidt expressed excitement and gratitude for Zion's commitment to the new team.

"I'm proud of the city of Zion. They've done a great job of bringing this team to Lake County," she said. "I know that the county is willing to do whatever they can to help."

WARS 1220-AM will broadcast every Fielders home game, a partnership station General Manager Karl Wertzler said he is "thrilled to death about."

"This team will bring many construction and staffing jobs to Lake County," he said. "There's a lot more to the experience than what happens on the field; it's constant entertainment."

Baseball: Zion location touted as a plus