Minor League Involving Kevin Costner, Jose Canseco, and Pete LaCock Devolves Into Extreme Chaos

One wishes there were a way to succinctly explain what the hell went on this weekend in the North American Baseball League. There isn't, but "mop-up catcher Joey Gathright" gets us pretty close to explaining the weird story of the NABL's Lake County (Ill.) Fielders, owned in part by Kevin Costner.

Read along with the Chicago Sun-Times:

What happened in Lake County over the last 72 hours has been a nightmare.

Fielders manager Tim Johnson resigned before the game Saturday against the Yuma Scorpions, and in a show of support, 11 players wouldn't play. The Fielders were upset about not being paid. The players remained on the bench.

Fielders hitting coach Pete LaCock, a former Cub who has seen many strange things, took over as interim manager. He put all listed pitchers in positional spots for the game. Non-pitchers pitched.

To even out the playing field, Scorpions player-manager Jose Canseco did the same. He also named himself starting pitcher.

(He threw six innings and won, too. You can, as always, call to congratulate him at 818-903-6598.)

LaCock was fined $2,500 for "making a farce of the game." (His father, Peter Marshall, hosted Hollywood Squares, so he takes games very seriously, we imagine.) Todd Rundgren's son pitched in relief.

Then the Fielders released or traded all but one of their players. We suspect Costner is putting the finishing touches on the script of a lifetime.

Fielders trade nine players, release 14 others [Chicago Sun-Times, h/t tomuban and Disco Choo]