The Scrap Yard Dawgs professional softball team is no more.
But its in name only.
National Pro Fastpitch has announced its shutting down the Houston-based franchise due to “repeated violations of the team’s franchise agreement, including the (club’s) repeated failure to make timely payments to players, vendors and the league.”
However, the Scrap Yard Dawgs are now Scrap Yard Fastpitch and will operate as an independent club playing national and international squads. Scrap Yard Fastpitch announced its intentions a day before National Pro Fastpitch officially bounced the Scrap Yard Dawgs from the league.
“The future for Scrap Yard Fastpitch is so bright, and we can't wait for our fans and supporters to see what we have in store," stated Scrap Yard general manager Connie May on the team's website. "2018 is going to be a year to remember!”
The Scrap Yard Dawgs, which play in Conroe, are the defending National Pro Fastpitch champions and made news worldwide in May 2016 when the club signed pitcher Monica Abbott to six-year, $1 million deal. Abbott became the first player in the National Pro Fastpitch’s 13-year history to sign a million-dollar contract.
National Pro Fastpitch also claims the Scrap Yard Dawgs, owned by Joel Bartsch, “repeatedly communicated efforts to start its own league despite the violation of the team’s obligations to the NPF, other team owners and players.”
Several players, however, supported Scrap Yard Fastpitch and Bartsch on Twitter.
Scrap Yard Fastpitch also released a statement:
National Pro Fastpitch now has five teams, but the future of the Akron Racers is in doubt, reportedly, due to financial issues.
This story has been updated to include Scrap Yard statement; corrected spelling of team nickname.
