I was reminded yesterday that the Milwaukee Milkmen exist. The Milwaukee Milkmen are not, unfortunately, a band of dairy carriers from Milwaukee. That entity might exist, but they’re not what comes up when you google “Milwaukee Milkmen.” The Milwaukee Milkmen are still something cool, though. They’re a professional baseball team. And professional baseball is cool.
As you may have heard, there was some minor league reorganization this offseason. It’s a long story, but some independent league teams (and the Milwaukee Milkmen were an independent league team) became affiliated with major league franchises, and some independent leagues became partner leagues with Major League Baseball.
The Milkmen are still independent. But their league—the American Association—became an MLB partner league. So how independent are they?
Anyway, if you’re looking to find the Milkmen, that’s where they are. They’re in the American Association, playing in its North division with the Chicago Dogs, the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, the Gary SouthShore Railcats, the Kane County Cougars, and the Winnipeg Goldeyes. I’m proud to say I can, if pressed, claim personal connection to four of those teams. Aspiring to five. Also, man. Bummed about the Cougars. They used to have some good prospects move through there.
Obviously, our primary rooting interest is the Milkmen, because milk. We hope Franklin, Wisconsin’s finest can repeat as American Association champions. (I forgot they won last year!) We hope the season goes off without any asterisks (last year’s only featured six of the league’s twelve teams). Milk ‘em, fellas. Milk ‘em.
