KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? Coming to a Kansas City stadium located closer to you than Kauffman Stadium are the T-Bones, a professional baseball franchise that will never be confused with the Royals.

Unless you consider the Royals a minor-league team. Yuk. Yuk.

The T-Bones are definitely minor league. Their roster will be composed of young unwanted wannabes, older no-longer wanteds and washed-up former major leaguers.

And you know what? YouâÂÂre going to love them. At least thatâÂÂs what the T-Bonesâ management hopes. They didnâÂÂt move their franchise from Duluth, Minn., to Wyandotte County in order to play in front of empty seats.

The T-Bones wonâÂÂt play an inning in their new under-construction stadium down the road from Kansas Speedway, CabelaâÂÂs and the Nebraska Furniture Mart until June 6, but on Wednesday afternoon they unveiled their new logo and an architectâÂÂs rendering of their new stadium and introduced manager Al Gallagher, a 56-year-old former major leaguer, mostly with the San Francisco Giants.

âÂÂAre we in competition with the Royals?â Gallagher asked rhetorically. âÂÂAbsolutely not. We both promote the greatest sport in America.âÂÂ

Furthermore, said Gallagher, âÂÂThere isnâÂÂt a player on our team who doesnâÂÂt want to play for the Royals, and not one member of the Royals who wants to play for the T-Bones at $750 a month.âÂÂ

Independent league baseball, only about a decade old, was fueled by a late 20th century renaissance of minor-league baseball. All over the country, crowds grew in the bush leagues when owners discovered fans would come to the ballpark Ãi¿½” even pay major-league concession prices Ãi¿½” if they had fun.

Thus evolved such between-inning frivolities as dizzy-bat races, kids racing the team mascot around the bases, trivia contests, guess the attendance, the dirtiest-car-in-the-parking-lot prize, and so on. Then they put in picnic areas and childrenâÂÂs playgrounds and the fans continued to come.

None of this has been lost on the T-Bonesâ management which promises its new, cozy 4,500-seat stadium Ãi¿½” still unnamed as the search for corporate sponsor continues Ãi¿½” will be accessible, comfortable and convenient.

âÂÂNinety-five percent of the tickets will be under $10,â said Adam Ehlert, the T-Bones general manager. âÂÂThereâÂÂll be free parking and most seats will be 21 inches wide. And there will be more leg room. You wonâÂÂt have to stand up so people can walk in front of you.âÂÂ

One of those seats was on display Wednesday and it was green. Can you imagine that? Once upon a time every seat in every baseball stadium in America was green.

Yet you wonâÂÂt have to buy a seat to a T-Bones game. You can bring a blanket and sit on a grass berm in the outfield. Most people would shudder at the thought of taking toddlers to Royals Stadium, but toddlers are a delight on outfield berms. Believe me. IâÂÂve done it.

Also, the T-Bonesâ facility will have the obligatory picnic and childrenâÂÂs play areas plus a childrenâÂÂs concession stand with a low window so the kiddies can make their own purchases.

Ehlert described the diamond itself as âÂÂquirkyâ because the left field foul pole will be only 300 feet from home plate, but will have an 18-foot high fence Ãi¿½” no berm watchers there, of course Ãi¿½” and will feature an incongruous notch in left between the bullpens.

âÂÂWe think there will be a lot of inside-the-park home runs hit there,â Ehlert said. âÂÂWe think weâÂÂll hit most of them because the other teamsâ outfielders wonâÂÂt be used to it.âÂÂ

New franchises in new stadiums are traditionally successfully and IâÂÂm sure many Lawrence people will contribute to the T-Bonesâ inevitable popularity next summer. You canâÂÂt overlook the geography factor. Kauffman Stadium is about twice as far from Lawrence as the T-Bonesâ ballyard.

My only complaint with T-Bones management is their overkill of the beef theme. TheyâÂÂre calling their ticket packages Choice, Select and Prime. TheyâÂÂre inviting you to âÂÂSteak Your Claimâ to inaugural season tickets. And their slogan is âÂÂFun Well Done.âÂÂ

Enough of the bull. LetâÂÂs play ball.