Indy Baseball Chatter

WHAT FRIDAY FUN WATCHING THE CARIBBEAN SERIES, SIGNINGS AND A FOOTBALL PROPOSAL

2012-02-03T11:43:00.005-05:00

What a busy start to the day, especially for the morning after subscribers got this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, but that is the way it goes with breaking news.

Anyone who cares about Independent Baseball will want to follow the Caribbean Series for the next few days (especially if they can see the games on ESPN Deportes or ESPN3)since about 25 per cent of the players on the four teams are current or former Indy players. New Newark, NJ (Can-Am League) coach Ken Oberkfell is even managing the Dominican Republic entry.

In fact, three of the four opening day starting pitchers in what turned out to be pitching-dominated games have Indy ties. The latest after the Insider
was put to bed last night was southpaw Kris Johnson, who limited Mexico to three hits and an unearned run in five innings to get the host Dominicans off to a good start in a 2-1 win.

Johnson pitched for the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones (American Association) much of last season after being released out of Triple-A with Boston. The 27-year-old has since signed with Pittsburgh, an organization that certainly can benefit from better pitching.

Nelson Figueroa, whose latest bid for fulltime major league duty will come with Toronto this spring, continued his exceptional work in the afternoon, winning for Puerto Rico at the expense of another former Indy hurler, Seth Etherton, who started for Venezuela. Figueroa spent a little Indy time with the Long Island (NY) Ducks (Atlantic League) while Etherton was with Long Beach, CA in what was then the Golden League.

I do not pretend to understand all of the roster qualifications, but Figueroa had pitched in the Dominican championship series for Escogido, that country's Caribbean Series representative. Figueroa has now won series games for three of the four countries. He had pitched for both the Dominican and Mexico in past years.

"I'm back here because I want the chance to keep pitching in the big leagues," the right-hander told MLB.com. "I could be sitting somewhere in an office and dealing with rush hour traffic, but instead the stadium is my office and I come to work and get to play and have fun."

NON-ROSTER COUNT UP TO 34

The Continental League is a thing of the past, but it cannot be forgotten because the latest Independent player to get a major league spring training invitation is left-hander Brandon Sisk, who started his pro career with Bay Area (Houston region) in that Texas-Louisiana-based circuit.

Sisk will be with Kansas City after the 26-year-old put up a combined 7-3 record and 2.52 ERA for 41 relief outings in Classes AA and AAA last season. He is the 22nd pitcher to get a non-roster invitation from a major league club. Twelve position players bring the overall count to an impressive 34.

SWEENEY RE-JOINS SEATTLE SYSTEM

Veteran right-hander Brian Sweeney, on the Venezuelan roster for the Caribbean Series, has signed as a free agent with one of his former teams, the Seattle Mariners. It does not appear he will be an official non-roster invitee although it is a pretty good guess he will get some major league exposure this spring.

Sweeney, 37, brings the long-departed Heartland League back to mind since he started his pro career in 1996 with Layayette, IN. He more recently trained with Southern Maryland of the Atlantic League and pitched one game for Somerset, NJ of the same league, both times then signing with major league organizations. He has pitched in the majors for San Diego and Seattle.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THIS NATIONALS HOPEFUL AND HIS CHEERLEADER FIANCE

Okay, here is a Super Bowl story. Well, NFL saga, anyway.

Another former Independent player to cheer for as he attempts to climb through the Washington Nationals farm system is right-handed pitcher Ben Graham.

The onetime Wichita (KS) Wingnuts (American Association) hurler made some news late in the football season when he popped up at halftime of a Tennessee Titans game in a Santa Claus suit, took off his beard and proposed to cheerleader Janae Kram. She and her mates also were dressed in Christmas outfits.

Guess what, the blond cutie said yes.

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WHAT INDEPENDENT PLAYERS WILL EXCEL IN CARIBBEAN SERIES STARTING THURSDAY?

2012-02-01T17:40:00.003-05:00
I am anxious for the Caribbean Series to get started Thursday, not only because we might get to see some live baseball on TV and certainly to read about it, but because either current or former Independent players often pop up in key roles.

For example, when the host Dominican Republic crowned its representative in what had to be a thrilling decision determined in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 9 in the championship series, onetime Can-Am hurler Raul Valdes turned in another outstanding start.

The lefty, who had pitched for the New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls) and Nashua, NH, was not on the winning side, but he did more than his share for Aguilas. Valdes, who has gotten considerable major league exposure in recent years and is a non-roster invitee for the Phillies this spring training, allowed only one run in six innings, leaving with a 4-1 lead. He struck out seven, and finished the competition with a 1.15 earned run average. Valdes was 4-4, 5.19 for the Dominican League season, starting nine times in 11 appearances.

Another former Indy hurler, Nelson Figueroa (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League), worked a scoreless eighth inning for champion Escogido, helping his team stay in the game. Figueroa will be in spring training with Toronto, bidding for a job with his fourth major league team since leaving the Ducks.

How about this description of the Caribbean Series by Cleveland Manager Manny Acta:
"Pandemonium", Acta told MLB.com."I've been part of it before, and it's a great opportunity for baseball. It's real competitive baseball, especially when it's played back home in the D.R."

PASCUCCI GETS METS INVITE

Valentino Pascucci, a power-hitting first baseman-designated hitter who got his first major league exposure in several years last September, will be back in major league camp with the New York Mets. Pascucci's Indy time was spent with the Camden (NJ) RiverSharks of the Atlantic League.

It seems a bit strange with spring training almost here (hooray), but several Indy players have been among those cut loose by major league farm systems in recent days. How tough trying to catch on right now? All of them have been from the Class A or AA level.

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AN HONOR, SIGNINGS, MAJOR LEAGUE INVITATIONS AND THE RUMOR MILL

2012-01-27T11:15:00.004-05:00
Honors continue to pile up for the Joliet (IL) Slammers, who won both a divisional title and the Frontier League championship in their initial season (2011) of play.

President Bill Waliewski will receive the Minor League Executive of the Year award at the star-studded Pitch and Hit Club's 66th annual banquet in Chicago Sunday night. The selection of Waliewski also gives nice recognition to Independent Baseball in a major league-dominated setting.

Among others to be honored are Hall of Famer Andre Dawson, major league general managers Dave Dombrowski and Doug Melvin, longtime Chicago-area baseball hero Minnie Minoso and New York Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson, a product of the area.

CORY ALDRIDGE BACK IN USA; TWO MORE NON-ROSTER INVITES

Among recent player signings, Baltimore has inked outfielder Cory Aldridge, who played in Korea last year. It would not be a shock to see the 32-year-old Aldridge get some time in the Birds' major league camp even though he was placed on the Double-A Bowie, MD roster. The lefty hitter spent most of 2008 with Newark, NJ before the Bears moved from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am League, and two years later he won a brief promotion to the Los Angeles Angels, playing in five games. Aldridge had made a big impression when he hit .395 (15-for-38) in 26 spring training games for the Angels.

Lefty James Paxton, who some feel could jump to the parent Seattle Mariners roster this season, has officially been invited to the team's major league spring training camp in Arizona. Paxton broke into the professional ranks with Grand Prairie, TX in the American Association, and recently was placed at No. 77 on a list of best major league prospects.

Cody Clark, who caught for San Diego in the Golden League's infancy and a longtime Kansas City farmhand, has once again been given a spring training invitation from the Royals.

The non-roster count for onetime Independent players is up to 32.

ODDS 'N ENDS

Onetime Northeast League president and Indy investor Jeff Kunion was recently named president of the upstate New York-based Perfect Game collegiate league...It was disappointing to learn that longtime major league first baseman-outfielder Daryle Ward was handed a 50-game suspension for use of banned amphetamines. Now 36, Ward played at Newark in 2009-10-11. He also was in the White Sox and Arizona farm systems last year. Ward is a free agent, but would have to sit out 50 games if he signs with a major league organization...The rumor mill is mentioning former Newark and Long Island, NY (Atlantic League) outfielder Jay Gibbons, a free agent, as a possible candidate to get a look from the New York Mets. Gibbons hit .255 in 55 at-bats for the Los Angeles Dodgers early last season.

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NOAH HALL ENTERS THE COACHING RANKS WITH RED SOX WHILE FOUR MORE GET NON-ROSTER INVITATIONS

2012-01-23T16:28:00.004-05:00
Anyone who follows this writer's work with the Independent Baseball Insider column or my blogs knows how much I like to see those who spend time in Independent Baseball get opportunities to work their way through major league organizations.

So I was delighted when I learned that Noah Hall will be coaching with the Boston Red Sox's team in the Gulf Coast League this summer. Hall played for 16 seasons, including 116 games last season with Camden, NJ in the Atlantic League, where he sneaked above his career batting average of .281 to .285 along with 15 homers and 64 runs batted in.

But at 34 and with only 74 games higher than Double-A even though he played in seven different organizations, the hand-writing was getting pretty solid he would not likely go any higher. Surprisingly, this California product never played in the Boston organization. His first Indy season was with St. Paul, MN when the Saints still were in the Northern League in 2001. He also has had three stints at Somerset, NJ, including 124 games in 2010.

NON-ROSTER COUNT CLIMBS TO 30

With still one more invitation--six in all--to players who were in Independent leagues only last season, the overall count of former Indy players with non-roster invitations to major league spring training camps has climbed to 30 with nearly a month before all 30 teams get going.

The latest addition from the 2011 Independent ranks is onetime prime Minnesota third base prospect Terry Tiffee, who will be in spring training with the Miami Marlins. The switch-hitting 32-year-old swatted 13 home runs in only 52 games with Butch Hobson's Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers in the Atlantic League last season. Tiffee hit .293 and drove in 46 runs and also hit .345 in 110 at-bats with the New York Yankees' top farm club in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA. He has 97 major league games to his credit with Minnesota and briefly in 2008 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mitch Lively, a 26-year-old who turned his career around in a month with the San Angelo (TX) Colts in the United League in 2008 (18 strikeouts without a walk in 12.2 innings during 11 appearances) will get a look from the San Francisco Giants after continuing his strikeout-an-inning performance last summer. The right-hander is 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds.

Two veteran right-handers also have new invitations. Scott Richmond (Edmonton, Northern League) and Nelson Figueroa (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League) both will be with Toronto. Richmond has been with the Blue Jays, but it is a new team for Figueroa.

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MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS KEEP ON SIGNING INDY TALENT

2012-01-16T11:22:00.005-05:00
Major league organizations reached into the Independent ranks for still more signings last week, with our count (which could be slightly behind) at 21 since the end of last season. These are new signings and do not include players who already were in one of the 30 farm systems or the total would be much higher.

Miami continues to be active in grabbing both players and coaches, the latter which will be one of our features in this week's Independent Baseball Insider column. The Marlins' recent signees include power-hitting Ryan Patterson, whose late-season acquisition nearly propelled St. Paul, MN to the American Association title.

The 28-year-old outfielder, who was singled out for the Pointstreak Star of Stars Award for producing the best statistical season in the league, banged 20 homers, drove in 90 runs and hit .325 in 99 combined games with Wichita, KS, Fort Worth, TX and finally the Saints. He was among the league leaders in most every offensive category, and even stole 16 bases. Patterson drove in 13 runs in only 11 games with St. Paul to help get the Saints into the playoffs, then drove in nine more runs in 10postseason games.

The Kansas City (KS) T-Bones, who already have seen recent hurlers Erik Hamren and Justin James reach the major leagues with San Diego and Oakland, respectively, hope lefty Kris Johnson could be next. Pittsburgh signed the 27-year-old after he went 6-3 with a 3.23 earned run average in 16 starts for the American Association team. He was originally a first-round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox when he came out of Wichita State in 2006.

Baltimore has gotten into the act, according the media reports. The Orioles are said to have signed second baseman-outfielder Peter Fatse, a Milwaukee draftee in 2009, after he hit .279 with five homers, 41 RBI and 17 steals for Pittsfield, MA in the Can-Am League last season. Fatse's contract was bought from Newark, NJ only weeks after the Bears took him in the dispersal draft of Pittsfield players.

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AMERICAN ASSOCIATION PLAYER OF YEAR GETS MAJOR LEAGUE INVITATION, INCREASING TO FIVE THOSE IN INDY BASEBALL LAST SEASON

2012-01-10T10:23:00.004-05:00
The story just keeps getting better.

I can now identify five players who were in Independent leagues as recently as last summer and will be in major league spring training camps next month.

Think about it; this is quite a jump. And don't think for a minute that all of these players are coming off injuries or getting a new start in Indy leagues. Three of the five do not have a single game of regular-season major league baseball experience on their resume.

The most interesting case may be that of American Association Player of the Year Lee Cruz.

The 28-year-old outfielder was a 10th round draft choice of the Chicago White Sox in 2006, but he never advanced beyond Class AA in four seasons. He tore the cover off the baseball while playing 17 games in the Golden League (Yuma, AZ) in 2010, which got him some additional affiliated time.

Cruz, a right-handed hitter, was back in Independent Baseball last season, hitting 38doubles, 18 home runs and driving in 94 runs while playing in every one of the 100 games for Amarillo, TX of the American Association. Baltimore signed the native Floridian recently, and has Cruz among only a handful of non-roster invitees identified by the media so far.

The other four 2011 Indy players all came out of the Atlantic League. Jerome Williams was at Lancaster, PA and could be in the rotation for the Los Angeles Angels
this season. Williams also played at Long Beach, CA of the Golden League earlier in his career. He and Logan Kensing are the two with previous major league experience. Kensing, coming off elbow problems, started last year with the Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish, and will battle for a job with Pittsburgh.

Lefty Scott Rice and right-hander Mike DeMark both spent part of '11 with eventual Atlantic League champion York, PA. Rice, who also has pitched in the league for Long Island, NY, and Newark, NJ, will be with the Los Angeles Dodgers. DeMark will go to spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Our total count of onetime Indy players with non-roster invitations to major league camps has jumped from the 13 we reported in last week's Independent Baseball Insidercolumn to 22. Another 17, including Williams, are on 40-man rosters.

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SIX MORE SIGN WITH MLB ORGANIZATIONS, BUT OUR UNSIGNED LIST IS MUCH LONGER

2012-01-09T12:14:00.005-05:00
Granted, it is not even mid-January, but a ton of talented former Independent players who finished last season with one of the 30 major league organizations are unsigned for 2012.

Our list shows 62 such players although a few will no doubt call it quits and some others almost certainly will return to play Indy baseball once more.

The only fulltime major leaguer unsigned is outfielder J. D. Drew, who came out of the Northern League (St. Paul, MN) and most recently had a huge contract with Boston. Five others got some action in the majors last season.

The list had six more names a few days ago, but that group has now signed. 3B Corey Smith (Newark, NJ, then in the Atlantic League) moved from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization to the Chicago White Sox, OF Leonard Davis (New Jersey Jackals, Can-Am League) switched from Washington to Colorado and LHP Derrick Loop (Camden, NJ, Atlantic, and Chico, CA, Golden League) transferred from Philadelphia to the Dodgers.

Another trio stayed with their 2011 organization, 1B-3B Mike Cervenak (Chillicothe, OH, Frontier League) with Miami, SS Anthony Contreras (Lincoln, NE, American Association) with San Diego and INF Argenis Reyes (Jackals) with Cleveland.

Those unsigned, by our records, with players who saw major league action last season denoted with an #:

PITCHERS (34): Ronald Bay, Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Nick Bierbrodt, Vince Bongiovanni, Nate Bump, #Greg Burke, Alex Caldera, Tom Cochran, Gabe DeHoyos, #Mark DiFelice, Lenny DiNardo, Justin Dowdy, Joe Esposito, #Nelson Figueroa, Justin Hampson, T.J. Hose, Justin James, Eric Junge, Randy Keisler, Logan Kensing, B.J. LaMura, Chris Mobley, Sam Narron, Tommy Palica, Paul Phillips, Mark Prior, Matt Rusch, Robby Scott, Brian Stokes, Brian Sweeney, Andy Van Hekken, Les Walrond, #Randy Williams, Clay Zavada.
CATCHERS (6): Andy Bouchie, #Robinson Cancel, Jeff Howell, Shawn Riggans, Travis Scott, James Skelton.
INFIELDERS (14): SS Angel Berroa, 1B Tagg Bozied, 3B Eric Campbell, Ozzie Chavez, Matt Cusick, 3B Pedro Feliz, SS Andy Gonzalez, 1B (also OF) Cyle Hankerd, 3B Jorge Jimenez, 1B-3B Mike Lamb, 1B John Lindsey, Anderson Machado, Raul Padron, SS Ed Rogers.
OUTFIELDERS (8): Brent Clevlen, #J.D. Drew, Jose Duarte, #Joey Gathright, #Jay Gibbons, Chris Lubanski, Drew Macias, Jon Mark Owings.

I encourage anyone who knows of signings (or retirements) that we have not noticed to email RWirz@aol.com.

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FORMER KANSAS CITY T-BONES PITCHING CONVERT SCHLICHTING AMONG THOSE WITH NEW MAJOR LEAGUE OPPORTUNITIES

2012-01-04T10:24:00.007-05:00
It continues to surprise me how winter league opportunities have improved in recent years for both current and former Independent players. It used to be almost a rarity for an Indy player to get significant playing time in the Caribbean or Mexico. Now, these players often rank among the league leaders.

One such player is right-hander Travis Schlichting, who has gone from a struggling reliever in Triple-A for the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer (5-3, four saves, 7.10 ERA in 51 games) to the earned run average leader in Puerto Rico (2-0, 0.92) and from a free agent to a new signee with Oakland that includes an invitation to the major league spring training camp.

Schlichting, now 27, started out as an infielder taken in the fourth round of the '03draft by Tampa Bay, and did not fully convert to pitching until he spent 2007 with the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones now in the American Association but a Northern League team at the time. The Round Rock, TX high school product was only 1-2, 5.29 with the T-Bones, but he fanned 47 hitters in 51 innings and was just getting the feel of pitching.

By 2009-10, the 6-foot-4 hurler got into 16 games with the parent Dodgers (1-0, 3.55). Now, he has a chance to rebound with the rebuilding Athletics.

We will feature several more of the outstanding winter league performances by Indy players past and perhaps future in Thursday's subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column. Several of them are free agents at present.

SHERRILL, COELLO ALSO HAVE NEW DEALS

It was hardly a surprise that George Sherrill, almost certainly the best pitcher to throw his first professional pitch from an Independent mound (Evansville, IN, Frontier League), got a new major league contract, but it was interesting to see the lefty specialist return to Seattle, where he got his first big-league time.

Sherrill initially joined the Mariners after stints in two current American Association cities (Sioux Falls, SD and Winnipeg, Canada) when both were in the Northern League. He was with the Atlanta Braves last season.

Robert Coello, who was in the Chicago Cubs farm system last summer, is another recent signee (Toronto) who now has an invitation to major league spring training. This righty, who toiled for the Canadian cities of Edmonton and Calgary when they were in the Golden League (Edmonton now is in the North American), got his first major league time (six games) with Boston in 2010.

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NEAR PERFECT GAME AMONG IMPRESSIVE FEATS IN WINTER BASEBALL BY INDY LEAGUERS

2011-12-28T16:05:00.004-05:00
As difficult it is for this writer to believe the Australian Baseball League's depth can match up with the Atlantic League (or, probably, most any U.S.-based Independent league), to get within two strikes of a perfect game is a wonderful feat.

That is exactly what happened recently for Nic Ungs (2-1, 3.25), who has reached Triple-A and went 4-7, 5.45 as a starter for the Somerset (NJ) Patriots of the Atlantic League this past summer.

Ungs, a 32-year-old right-hander from Alpharetta, GA, missed out on the perfect game when Brisbane's Brad Dutton shot a drive into rightfield. It was barely out of the reach of Melbourne first baseman Justin Huber, ironically, a teammate of the pitcher at Somerset.

Ungs is said to have already pitched one no-hitter in his career, which includes more than 70 professional victories.

INDY HURLERS 1-2-3 IN VENEZUELA

Former Independent pitchers Eric Junge, Mike Parisi and Austin Bibens-Dirkx hold down the top three spots in the earned run average race in Venezuela this winter. Junge, at last report a free agent after working in the Los Angeles Angels farm system last summer, has a fancy 1.78 ERA and has won three of four decisions. He has played at both Lancaster, PA and Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League. Parisi, signed last season by the Los Angeles Dodgers after a stint at Long Island, NY in the same league, is 1-3, 2.09. Bibens-Dirkx spent his Indy time with Victoria, British Columbia, in the Golden League, and is the league-leader with seven victories (7-3) while ranking third in the ERA derby at 2.19. After being released this fall by the Chicago Cubs system, he has been a hard worker, starting 13 times so far.

John Rodriguez, who has been with Long Island the last two seasons, leads the Puerto Rican league with seven home runs, and shares fifth in RBI (17) with onetime Ducks catcher Robinson Cancel. The hefty Cancel, who has had several trips to the major leagues including a couple of games with Houston last season, also has played for Somerset and the traveling Road Warriors in the Atlantic League as well as with Edinburg, TX, when that North American League city had a team in the United League.

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FORT WORTH ADDS TO NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE LANDSCAPE; BUCKNER, SWINDLE ALSO IN THE NEWS

2011-12-22T17:08:00.004-05:00
Christmas has come a bit early for fans of the Fort Worth (TX) Cats as well as for Bill Buckner and R. J. Swindle.

Cats fans can celebrate the news there will be baseball for their team in 2012 now that John Bryant and Byron Pierce have purchased the team from Carl Bell and landed as another Texas entry in the southern division of the North American League. Fort Worth had been dropped by the American Association when the team could not produce the appropriate league operational bond.

This addition also adds to NAL CEO Kevin Outcalt's declaration to us a few days ago that he is expecting "10 or 12" teams in the second year league even though our count today is only eight. Could the return of Fullerton, CA be next?

BUCKNER TO CUBS' BOISE FARM, CARDINALS INK SWINDLE

The rumor mill had long been grinding that Bill Buckner would not be back as the manager at Brockton, MA long before the Rox exited from the Can-Am League, and the longtime major league hit machine's next job is now known. He will be hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs' Northwest League farm club in Boise, which is only fitting since Buckner lives in the Idaho community.

Meanwhile, lefty reliever R. J. Swindle, who was 2-0, 4.15 in 39 appearances for Tampa Bay's top farm club in Durham, N.C. last season, has inked a minor league deal that includes an invitation to the major league spring training camp of the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Swindle, who toiled in both the Atlantic League (Newark, NJ) and the Northern League (Schaumburg, IL), still is on the short side of 30. He has had brief major league time with both Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

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BIG BLOW TO CAN-AM WITH LOSS OF BROCKTON; CHICO ALSO DOUBTFUL

2011-12-19T11:35:00.006-05:00
It has to feel like a dagger to the heart for many of those who have fought to keep the Brockton (MA) Rox alive--ownership and fans alike--to know that the team is not going to be in the Can-Am League in 2012, if, indeed, ever again. The league may feel the pain the most since it leaves this northeastern circuit with only five teams for the new year although it will have an exchange of games for the remaining franchises with some teams in the American Association, another Independent league with most of its roots well west of the Mississippi.

The North American League, approaching only its second season since the merger of portions of three Indy leagues, also appears to have lost one of its banner franchises in Chico, CA. Neither the league or Nettleton Stadium owner Chico State University has signed off entirely, but that appears to be the next step.

In both the Brockton and Chico cases strong local ownership could save the day, but that is not an easy-to-find solution most anywhere these days.

RECENT SIGNINGS WITH ANTOAN RICHARDSON IN A NEW HOME

Free agent Antoan Richardson, the fleet outfielder who once stole 66 bases in the South Atlantic League and pilfered 20 in only 27 games during his first Northern League stint (Schaumburg, IL, 2009), has joined the Baltimore organization.

Playing at 27, the onetime Palm Beach State and Vanderbilt University player spent most of last season with Atlanta's Double-A Mississippi club (.283-1-21 in 91 games) and got his first major league experience in September. Richardson went 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base in nine appearances during the parent Braves' stretch run. No word yet whether Richardson will get a non-roster invitation from the Orioles.

Two other players re-signed with their current organization, catcher Rene Rivera (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) with Minnesota and outfielder Mike Spidale (Kansas City, KS, when the American Association's T-Bones still were in the Northern League) with Philadelphia.

Rivera got considerable time with the parent Twins in 2011, but the solid defender only hit .144, and he likely will face a more difficult challenge to return to the American League with Minnesota bringing on a stronger hitter in veteran Ryan Doumit to back up Joe Mauer. The Twins also still have another defensive minded backstop on the 40-man roster in Drew Butera.

Spidale has been a fixture in the Phillies' system for several years, mostly at Class AA Reading, PA and occasionally a level higher at Lehigh Valley (Allentown, PA) without reaching the majors. He was a mid-year all-star in the Eastern League last summer, and hit .326 in 133 games with five homers, 35 RBI and 20 steals.

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PHILLIES SHOW SOME INTEREST IN GEORGE SHERRILL; OTHERS SIGN

2011-12-09T12:01:00.002-05:00
Veteran lefty reliever George Sherrill still is on the free agent market although Philadelphia has shown interest. General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. told MLB.com an offer is "not probable, but possible".

Sherrill is one of the very best to make his way from starting in Independent Baseball and getting sizeable time in the majors. He was with Atlanta last season. Sherrill started his pro journey at Evansville, IN of the Frontier League, and later pitched for Winnipeg and Sioux Falls, SD of the Northern League before his contract was sold to the Seattle Mariners.

BREWERS, TORONTO BUSY

Major league organizations continue signing former Indy players to new deals.

Shortstop/utilityman Erick Almonte (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League), who was so outstanding last spring training that he opened the National League season with Milwaukee, has signed a new Triple-A (Nashville) deal with the Brewers with a non-roster invitation to the major league camp in Arizona.

Pat Arlis also has re-signed with Milwaukee's top farm club. He caught for Kansas City, KS when the T-Bones were in the Northern League as well as playing for both Calgary and Orange County (Fullerton) of the Golden League. Another backstop, Mike Rivera (Atlantic City, NJ, Atlantic League), also has a new deal with the same Nashville Sounds.

Onetime Chicago Cubs starting prospect Robert Coello, a right-handed pitcher with Golden League time in both Edmonton and Calgary, is out of the free agent ranks after signing a Triple-A deal with Toronto.

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INDY PLAYERS SHUTOUT IN TODAY'S RULE 5 DRAFT

2011-12-08T12:48:00.004-05:00
I thought there might be news from the Rule 5 Draft today (Thursday) since five players with Independent experience were taken one year ago, but that was not the case. Not a single former Indy player was selected in any phase of the draft that took place on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Dallas.

Two of the five chosen by a new organization last December remain with their new team. Jacob Blackwood is with San Diego (see previous blog post) and right-hander Daniel Sattler, who, like Blackwood, had played for the Kansas City T-Bones when they still were in the Northern League, went 1-3, 5.40 with the Angels' Double-A Arkansas team this summer. He also made five appearances in the rookie Arizona League (0-1, 1.29).

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HOW MANY INDY PLAYERS WILL BE TAKEN IN RULE 5 THIS YEAR; RE-SIGNINGS CONTINUE

2011-12-06T11:14:00.003-05:00
With five former Independent players drafted to the Triple-A level (teams paid $12,500 apiece) last December, it will be interesting to see if more players are taken when the next Rule 5 selections are made on Thursday as part of the Winter Meetings under way in Dallas.

One of last year's draftees was infielder Jacob Blackwood, who was Most Valuable Player in the Northern League's final season (2010) and narrowly missed the triple crown. The Kansas City (KS) T-Bones star (the team now is in the American Association) had another productive season in '11 although he still was in Class A in the San Diego Padres system.

The now 26-year-old Blackwood, who recently was promoted to the Triple-A Tucson roster for the winter, hit 17 homers and drove in 76 runs in 131 games divided almost equally between Fort Wayne, IN and the higher-ranked Lake Elsinore (CA) Storm. He also had 36 doubles while hitting .269.

Blackwood had hammered a league-leading 31 homers for the 2010 T-Bones while also leading the Northern League in RBI (86) and finishing third in hitting at .331

PADRES RE-SIGN, PROMOTE CARLOS SOSA

San Diego also re-signed and promoted to Tucson free agent outfielder Carlos Sosa, a veteran of three Indy leagues.

The 30-year-old Dominican hit .312 (two homers, 13 RBI) in 28 games in Class AA after a powerhouse start with the Atlantic League's travel team, the Road Warriors, where he was hitting .330 with 17 homers and 55 RBI. Sosa had a .314-15-69 season with Worcester, MA of the Can-Am League in 2009 and also has played for New Jersey (Little Falls) of the Can-Am and St. George, UT of the Golden League.

BREWERS GIVE PAT ARLIS ANOTHER CONTRACT

Catcher Pat Arlis has been given a new Triple-A contract in the Milwaukee organization. He is another former Kansas City T-Bones product, and he has spent time with both Calgary and Orange County when they were part of the Golden League.

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ST. PAUL'S JASON COOPER HAS ONE SPECIAL MEMORY AS HE MOVES INTO FRONT OFFICE JOB

2011-11-30T17:02:00.003-05:00
Standout outfielder Jason Cooper, who has moved from playing (the last three seasons with St. Paul, MN of the American Association and briefly with Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League) to a front office opportunity with the Pittsburgh Pirates, only got into a few major league games and all of those were in exhibitions. But Cooper, who I will give considerable attention to in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column, has one really good memory.

He traveled to Philadelphia with the Cleveland Indians for the very first game to be played at Citizens Bank Park in 2004.

It was a cool, rainy day, but there was the predictable full house. The lefty swinging Cooper was on the bench until he was called on to lead off in the ninth inning, and who should the Phils bring in but southpaw flame-thrower Billy Wagner.

After fouling off some of Wagner's pitches, Cooper, then only 23 and less than two years removed from signing out of Stanford, was able to single to right field.

What a nice moment for any baseball player to experience.

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PROMOTIONS TO 40-MAN ROSTERS NOT HAPPENING BUT SOME ARE BEING JUMPED BY CLASSIFICATION

2011-11-23T16:19:00.004-05:00
One phase of baseball's offseason appears to have passed without the promotion of any Independent Baseball graduates making their way onto major league 40-man rosters.

The 30 teams have elevated on average three or four minor leaguers to protect them from next month's draft, but the good news did not come for any of those with Indy experience. That may be, in part, because of so many promotions during the 2011 season when a record-tying 40 onetime Independent players were on active major league rosters.

Players like Dylan Axelrod (Chicago White Sox), Justin Christian (San Francisco), Steve Delabar (Seattle), Eric Hamren (San Diego) and Jerome Williams (Los Angeles Angels) already hold down big-league roster slots.

JOSE YEPEZ GETS MAJOR LEAGUE INVITATION

The next step is the handing out of non-roster invitations to major league spring training camps. There likely will be some three dozen of those invites, and the first one (we have seen) belongs to catcher Jose Yepez (Pensacola, FL, American Association and Gary, IN, of the same league but in the Northern League during his time). Yepez became a free agent this fall and quickly signed with the Atlanta Braves.

Yepez, 30, hit .307 in 48 games for Triple-A Tacoma, WA this summer and spent several days with the parent Seattle Mariners although he is still looking for his initial major league game action. He had three full seasons (2005-07) in Independent Baseball.

MORE PROMOTIONS

Several more players with Independent experience have been promoted to higher levels as major league organizations set their winter rosters and, in some instances, protect their rights to the players unless another team is willing to pay a higher draft price. This group, with their former Indy teams, includes:

LHP Andrew Albers (Quebec, Can-Am League) from AA to AAA by Minnesota
1B Chris Garcia (New Jersey, Can-Am, and Shreveport, LA, American Association) from
A to AAA by Atlanta
*RHP Matt Kramer (Sioux City, IA, American Association, and Harlingen, TX, United
League) from Rookie to AA by Boston
RHP Robert Roth (McAllen, TX, North American League; Grand Prairie, TX, American
Association; Windy City, Frontier League; Laredo, TX, United) from A to AA by
Atlanta
OF Brandon Tripp (St. Paul, MN, American Association) from A to AA by Philadelphia
C Zach Zeneski (Midwest, Frontier) from A to AA by Texas

*First professional game was in an Independent league.

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NO, YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THIS STORY PREVIOUSLY

2011-11-18T15:36:00.006-05:00
Whenever we start thinking we have heard it all, then another bizarre situation comes along.

Such was the case this week when stories started coming our way about a minor leaguer (well, he had a little experience), Breland Brown, who had represented that he was the agent for the Pirates' Xavier Paul and wanted an opportunity for the 26-year-old outfielder to play in the Australian Baseball League this winter. The only catch, it seemed, was the condition that the Aussies also give one Breland Brown an opportunity, at the same time.

Cutting through the apparently false details, the situation is now under review by Major League Baseball's Department of Investigations.

And why does this interest this blogger? Lengthy stories on CBSSports.com and deadspin.com included information indicating Brown also played three years of Independent Baseball. As best we can find, Brown had a grand total of 39 at-bats between the American Defenders of New Hampshire (Can-Am League) and Evansville, IN (Frontier League) in 2009.

This probably at best reminds everyone in the game one cannot be too careful in checking on the credentials of would-be players or staffers.

INTRIGUING STEP FOR QUARTET JOINING PIRATES

I was able to confirm today that the four former Independent Baseball players I identified in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column have indeed been signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as player-coaches, enabling them to begin transitioning from being fulltime players to coaching opportunities.

This would seem to represent nice career steps, especially since all of them have hit the 30-year-old plateau.

The four include standout third baseman Vince Harrison, who was a solid hitter for three seasons (2008-10) at Northern League stops in Schaumburg and Joliet in Illinois and at Winnipeg, Canada, then hit .327 for Atlantic League champion York, PA this past season.

Another in the group is outfielder Jason Cooper, who, a regular at St. Paul, MN in the American Association for three years through this season (.284-9-68) and had a brief stint at Lancaster, PA (Atlantic).

Former York infielder Keoni DeRenne, who already has some two-way experience in the Philadelphia farm system, and onetime Somerset, NJ (Atlantic) outfielder Michael Ryan round out the contingent. Ryan has considerable major league experience, including 2010 with the Los Angeles Angels after leaving the Atlantic League. Ryan is the only one of the quartet who has played in the majors or has been in the Pittsburgh system (Indianapolis, 2007).

ATLANTIC, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION GRADS SIGN NEW PACTS

First baseman-outfielder-DH Valentino Pascucci (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) and right-hander Will Savage have signed contracts to remain with their 2011 organizations.

Pascucci was primarily with the New York Mets' Triple-A club in Buffalo, NY in '11 although he got 11 at-bats (three hits, one homer) with the parent club in September. The 6-foot-6 slugger had 29 doubles, 21 homers and 91 RBI while hitting
.264 at Buffalo. He turned 33 yesterday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Savage for Triple-A Albuquerque, which is one classification above Chattanooga, where he was a mid-season Southern League All-Star this season. The 27-year-old Savage was 12-6 with a 3.95 ERA in 25 games, including 23 starts. He spent most of 2009 pitching for Wichita, KS in the American Association, then finished the year with two appearances at Lancaster.

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SIX-YEAR FREE AGENTS ARE ABUNDANT, BUT SOME ALREADY HAVE NEW CONTRACTS

2011-11-13T18:20:00.002-05:00
My, how easy it is to fall behind when one takes a few days of vacation. But it will be back in gear this week with another Independent Baseball Insider column due for subscribers on Thursday.

This one is going to introduce a really novel undertaking for the Independent game, and stands to be a sizeable benefit for players and for major league organizations.

In the meantime, this is a very busy time of year for players who have left the Indy ranks and joined one of the 30 MLB systems. So many players are six-year free agents, as always happens this time of year, and there is the opportunity to try to sign with an organization where the path to the major leagues seems more promising. Of course, it also means the end of the major league dreams (at least for now) if players do not get picked up by their previous farm system or another one.

JAKUBAUSKAS, HERNANDEZ GET NEW DEALS

Chris Jakubauskas, who spent much of the season pitching for the Baltimore Orioles, has re-connected, this time signing a minor league pact with Arizona. I would imagine he will get an invitation to major league camp because of his experience with Seattle, Pittsburgh and the Orioles.

Jakubauskas's success means that much more to the Independent game since that is where he started his professional journey. He was in the Frontier League (Florence, KY and Ohio Valley) before going on to impress in the Golden League (Orange County) and in the American Association (Lincoln, NE). Technically, he is on the Reno, NV Triple-A roster.

Catcher Michel Hernandez, whose last major league opportunity was with Tampa Bay, became a free agent for a short time before returning to the Cleveland organization. The onetime Atlantic League backstop (Somerset, NJ) is on the Columbus, OH roster.

SIX-YEAR LIST IS LENGTHY

Onetime Chicago Cubs standout Mark Prior is, arguably, the best known of the group of players who became free agents by virtue of their lengthy playing history. The right-hander, who got back on the baseball map after lengthy sidesteps with injuries when he pitched for Orange County (Fullerton, CA) of the Golden League, was in the New York Yankees' farm system this summer.

Other prominent names with major league experience who now are free agents include third baseman Pedro Feliz and pitchers Nelson Figueroa and Scott Patterson. The latter just finished a stint with Team USA. Infielder Erick Almonte, who shocked most everyone by earning an Opening Day job with Milwaukee this spring, also is on the list.

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TWO BOOKS REMEMBER EARLY-DAY INDY LEAGUES; MORE PLAYERS GET NEW CONTRACTS

2011-10-28T15:50:00.005-04:00
I am among those who cannot wait for Game 7 of this compelling World Series, but that is not all I want to get off my chest heading into the weekend.

I received a telephone call this week from Hank Utley (he really is Robert Utley but loved Hank Greenberg so much he now uses the name Hank), an 87-year-young former third baseman at North Carolina State and two-time author.

Knowing about my Independent Baseball Insidercolumn, Utley was reaching out my way because of two interesting sounding books he has co-authored. These are books about early-day Independent leagues and are entitled "The Independent Carolina Baseball League, 1936-38" and "Outlaw Ballplayers".

The Society for American Baseball Research(SABR) liked the first of these two McFarland Press publications so much that Hank Utley tells me the organization voted it one of the top baseball books of 1999.

Both books delve into the good, bad and ugly of the Indy world of those years, but it could not have all been bad news for the players since Crash Davis of "Bull Durham" fame emerged to reach the major leagues as did 10-year big-league pitcher Buck Ross and infielders Dick Culler and Grey (Noisy) Clarke.

I could not recall how much time Crash Davis actually got in the majors until I opened the Baseball Encyclopedia and researched his three seasons ('40-42) when the Philadelphia Athletics finished dead last in the American League. Lawrence (Crash) Davis launched his only two home runs for the '42 A's, who finished 55-99, and he got enough playing time to drive in 43 runs while hitting .230.

Historians--and anyone else intrigued by those times--should pay a visit to Utley's www.baseballoutlaws.com, where it also is possible to purchase the books.

MORE NEW CONTRACTS, MORE FREE AGENTS

Southpaw Scott Rice, who started this season in the Atlantic League, and catcher Eddy Rodriguez are among the latest onetime Independent players to get both new affiliated contracts and promotions to Triple-A. The Dodgers elevated Rice to Albuquerque, NM, where the former York, PA, Long Island, NY and Newark, NJ hurler is only one step from the major leagues. Rodriguez is now on the Tucson, AZ roster for San Diego. He played in the American Association for Sioux Falls, SD and El Paso, TX as well as Bridgeport, CT of the Atlantic League.

Mike Parisi, purchased from Long Island this year, already was on the Albuquerque roster before inking his new contract. He is a right-handed pitcher. Catcher Cody Clark, who was at San Diego during early Golden League days, will continue his tenure as a contributor in the Kansas City farm system.

Meanwhile, another trio of former Indy players who have logged major league time have opted for free agency, presumably in an effort to find better deals. Pitchers Josh Kinney (River City, Frontier League) and Mark DiFelice (Somerset, NJ and Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) quit the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee, respectively. Catcher Rene Rivera (Camden) left the Minnesota Twins, with whom he spent a good chunk of this summer.

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CANADA NIPS TEAM USA IN GOLD MEDAL GAME, WITH INDEPENDENT GRADS STARTING FOR BOTH TEAMS

2011-10-26T11:31:00.004-04:00
Team USA dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to Canada in the gold medal game of the Pan American Games Tuesday night, but it was virtually a no-lose situation for Independent Baseball.

Both teams started pitchers who were signed by major league organizations out of Independent leagues in the last year and the closer for both was someone who not only emerged from an Indy circuit but got his first professional opportunity at that level.

The raw facts were that Canadian starter Andrew Albers (Quebec, Can-Am League) and closer Scott Richmond (Edmonton, then in the Northern League, now in the North American) shut down the USA on six hits. Albers, property of the Minnesota Twins, gave up a first inning run but also struck out eight (no walks) in 6.2 innings at Lagos de Moreno, Mexico. Richmond, a onetime starter for the Toronto Blue Jays and still in their organization, worked out of a first and third, two-out jam in the seventh and was perfect for the seven batters he faced, striking out three.

USA ace Andy Van Hekken allowed a two-run double in the sixth inning, but gave up only six hits in seven strong innings. The former Somerset, NJ (Atlantic League) hurler, soon to be a free agent after pitching in the Houston chain, finished the World Cup and Pan Am competition with a 0.96 earned run average for 28 innings and won three of his four decisions.

"Andrew Albers and Scotty Richmond came through for us tonight and my-gosh, it's just a dream come true," praised Canada's manager, former major league catcher Ernie Whitt. This was Canada's first-ever opportunity in the gold medal game of a major international tournament.

Catcher-first baseman Emerson Frostad, who was signed out of Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League during 2011, also was a member of Team Canada although he did not play in the title game. Former Edmonton infielder Stubby Clapp is a coach on the team.

Albers saved 17 games (3-0, 1.41) to help Quebec to the Can-Am League crown in 2010 before his contract was purchased by Minnesota. He was in 40 regular-season games for the Capitales, striking out 59 batters in 58 innings.

Scott Patterson, whose pro debut was with Gateway (Sauget, IL) in the Frontier League and later a reliever with Lancaster, was the Team USA closer. While he did not pitch in the finale, the right-hander had three saves in eight appearances (1.29 ERA) in the international competition. Randy Williams (Edinburg, TX, Central League) had a loss and a save in five appearances (6.00).

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FORMER INDY HURLERS TO SQUARE OFF TUESDAY NIGHT IN PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2011-10-25T15:37:00.003-04:00
Stop the presses!

Team USA and Canada were scheduled to square off for the championship of the Pan American Games in Mexico Tuesday night, and the game likely will pit two former Independent Baseball pitchers against each other.

Andrew Albers, the relief ace for Can-Am League champion Quebec in 2010, was set to work for Canada, and unbeaten ace Andy Van Hekken was the logical choice for the USA. Both are left-handed. Van Hekken, who has been in the Houston farm system although he will soon be a free agent, hurled in three different seasons for the Somerset (NJ) Patriots of the Atlantic League. Albers is in the Minnesota farm system.

The gold medal game will be streamed live at 8 o'clock Eastern Daylight Time on the official Pan American Games website as well as on USABaseball.com. We will have a recap here and on www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com Wednesday.

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NEED MORE BASEBALL AT THIS TIME OF YEAR? CHECK OUT THESE REPORTS

2011-10-21T10:57:00.005-04:00
We reported on the great success of former Atlantic League hurler Andy Van Hekken (Somerset, NJ) as the ace of Team USA in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider, but he is certainly not the only former Independent player making news on the diamond these autumn days.

Brandon Sing, who annually hits at least 20 home runs, is the early-season leader in the Mexican Pacific League with four round-trippers in his first six games along with seven runs batted in and a .409 average (9-for-22). Sing played in all 100 games for Sioux Falls, SD of the American Association this season, hitting .303 with 24 dingers and 70 RBI. He also has played for Bridgeport, CT (Atlantic League) and Pensacola, FL when the Pelicans were in the American Association.

FRONTIER LEAGUER SERATELLI HAS GOOD START IN ARIZONA

Infielder Anthony Seratelli, who played for Windy City (Crestwood, IL) in the Frontier League, is hitting .318 after his first 22 at-bats in the rugged Arizona Fall League. Seratelli is in the Kansas City organization.

Another Windy City product, Chicago White Sox minor league pitcher Brandon Kloess, has a loss and a 2.25 ERA after four innings in as many games in the AFL. Kloess started his pro career in Independent Baseball.

THREE MORE GET NEW AFFILIATED MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACTS

Left-handed pitcher Andrew Dobies has earned both a new contract in the Kansas City organization and a promotion to Triple-A Omaha. He was a reliever at Somerset last season and early this year until his contract was purchased by the Royals.

Two others getting new contracts in their organizations are catcher Dayton Buller (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) with Milwaukee's Class AA club and right-hander Cody Evans with the Los Angeles Angels. Evans, who has been with Amarillo, TX in the American Association and Schaumburg, IL, then in the Northern League, also won a promotion to Double-A.

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WHITE SOX TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT A PAIR OF FORMER INDEPENDENT PLAYERS

2011-10-18T16:39:00.005-04:00
The Chicago White Sox are continuing to give a solid look to former Independent players Seth Loman and Brad Furnish. They have new contracts, which is far from automatic when a season ends.

Loman, a 6-foot-4 first baseman, is being protected on the Triple-A Charlotte, NC roster after his fourth consecutive season of at least 19 home runs. The string started in the Golden League when the now 25-year-old hit 19 dingers at St. George, UT. He has been in the Chisox system the last three seasons. The lefty hitter swatted 23 homers between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem in '09, another 25 at Winston-Salem one year ago and stepped up to Class AA Birmingham this summer. He hit .277 in 122 games for the Barons, with 24 doubles, 19 homers and 65 runs batted in.

Furnish was signed out of Bridgeport, CT of the Atlantic League this summer, and the southpaw is being given another chance even though he was a combined 0-4, 6.05 in 41.2 innings divided between Winston-Salem and Kannapolis. The 26-year-old out of TCU only issued 10 walks.

Furnish had a 2-1 record and a 2.70 ERA in 15 appearances, including three starts, for Bridgeport. He had been with Gary, IN, then in the Northern League, in 2010.

SEVERAL OFF MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTERS

At least four of the 40 former Independent league players who spent time in the major leagues during the season have lost those jobs in recent days. This will be one story we will develop for this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, which is delivered to subscribers on Thursday.

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ONE TRIO GET NEW CONTRACTS WHILE ANOTHER FOURSOME FILE FOR FREE AGENCY

2011-10-11T16:13:00.007-04:00
Realizing that it will not be long until we see that long list of former Independent players (as well as those in the affiliated minors) who are six-year free agents hoping to land a new contracts with their old organization or a new one, it is nice to see some players getting new pacts already from their current major league organizations. This group includes (with Independent affiliations in parenthesis):

RHP Mike DeMark (York, PA, Atlantic League; Florence, KY, Frontier League), who started in Indy play, with Arizona.
SS Mike Hollimon (Grand Prairie, TX, American Association), with Minnesota.
LHP Matt Meyer (St. Paul, MN, American Association), with the Los Angeles Angels. Meyer was an invitee to major league spring training this past winter.

FOUR WITH MAJOR LEAGUE TIME OPT FOR FREE AGENCY

We can identify four former Indy players who got some major league playing time this season before going back to the minors and now have opted for free agency where they hope for better opportunities:

C Robinson Cancel (Long Island, NY, Somerset, NJ and Road Warriors, Atlantic League, and Edinburg, TX, United League) from Houston.
OF Jay Gibbons (Long Island and Newark, NJ, Atlantic) from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit .300 with nine homers and 48 RBI at Albuquerque after starting the season with the parent Dodgers.
LHP Mike O'Connor (Southern Maryland, Atlantic) from the New York Mets even though he struck out 66 Triple-A hitters in 60.1 innings when not in the National League.
LHP Randy Williams (Edinburg, TX, Central League) from Boston. Williams, who is traveling abroad with Team USA at present, had a 1.41 earned run average with 36 strikeouts in 32 innings for Pawtucket, RI when not with the Red Sox.

MIXED RESULTS IN TRIPLE-A

We were curious how several other players who spent some time in the majors this season fared as Class AAA players:

UTIL Erick Almonte (Long Island), who surprised most everyone by starting the year with the parent Milwaukee Brewers, hit .303 with six homers and 42 RBI in 244 at-bats.
RHP Mark DiFelice (Somerset and Camden, NJ, Atlantic) had a 2.17 ERA along with a 2-1 record and fanned 29 in 31 innings for the Brewers.
RHP Nelson Figueroa (Long Island) was 7-8, 6.05 in finishing at Indianapolis (Pittsburgh) after starting the year with Houston.
RHP Scott Richmond (Edmonton, Northern League) struggled to 6-9, 7.33 for Toronto.
C Jose Yepez (Pensacola, FL, American Association, and Gary, IN, Northern) compiled a .307 average with three homers and 26 RBI in 153 times at bat for Seattle. Yepez spent a few days with the parent Mariners although he did not get into a game.

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TV COMMENTS ASIDE, ONLY TWO FORMER INDY PLAYERS ARE IN CURRENT MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

2011-10-06T12:10:00.004-04:00
A comment during one of the telecasts of a National League Division Series game involving Milwaukee sent me scrambling to various sources. I take pride in being able to identify the former Independent players who are anywhere on the major league landscape, as regular readers here or with my subscription-only Independent Baseball Insider column can attest.

The TV voice said Brewers closer John Axford had played in an Independent league. (I also get somewhat annoyed when the commentators or writers say "Independent league" instead of identifying the league by name, but that is a different story.)

Alas, Axford did not pitch in one of the recognized Indy leagues. Back in 2006 before being drafted and signed by the New York Yankees, he pitched for a team called the Melville Millionaires of the Western Major Baseball League. This is a collegiate league in Canada.

Detroit's Max Scherzer and Brad Ziegler of Arizona are the only two former Indy players in the first round of playoffs although southpaw relievers Alberto Castillo (Arizona) and Raul Valdes (Yankees) are on standby for possible inclusion in the League Championship Series or World Series.

TIMO PEREZ, TWO COACHES SIDELINED

It was sad to see that veteran outfielder Timo Perez, who had played in the Can-Am League (New Jersey Jackals) at one time, was among those suspended for 50 games for violation of the minor league baseball drug program. The former major leaguer, 36, is a free agent after hitting .304 with Detroit's top farm club this season.

Former Indy managers Ken Oberkfell and Jon Debus were among those not renewed when the New York Mets made some changes to their coaching staff. Oberkfell had been the bench coach and Debus the bullpen coach.

ANOTHER UNITED LEAGUE

I have a feeling, without concrete knowledge, we may wake up one day soon and find the United League has returned, at least in some form. The three teams left standing without another home after 2010 plus the McAllen, TX team did not seem to fit when they were part of the North American League this season.

The Insider won't be dealing with this matter when it publishes later today, but we will be getting into some other interesting franchise developments.

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MORE REASONS TO CHECK OUT THE NFL, 'MONEYBALL' AND THE MAJOR LEAGUE POSTSEASON

2011-09-30T11:01:00.003-04:00
Some baseball fans do not watch the NFL with any regularity, as difficult as that may seem to football diehards.

Here is a story that may draw a few converts, at least when the Houston Texans are involved? The Texans now have a former Independent Baseball pitcher on their roster.

James Casey worked 26.1 innings (0-0, 6.84 ERA) for the Fort Worth Cats during the first season of the American Association (2006). He is now a tight end turned fullback in the NFL and caught five passes for 126 yards (both career highs) and scored a touchdown during Houston's 40-33 loss to New Orleans last Sunday. The 126 yards were a team record for a running back. The former Rice jack of all trades also had the first carry of his pro career, an 11-yard gain.

Casey had two huge gainers, a 62-yard reception and a 26-yard touchdown catch.

INDY TALENT SCOUT HAS ROLE IN 'MONEYBALL'

We made mention in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider that onetime Northern League infielder Stephen Bishop (St. Paul, MN, and Sioux Falls, SD, 1994) portrays former major league outfield star David Justice in the much-heralded movie "Moneyball", about the career of Oakland General Manager Billy Beane.

Thanks to a tip from Bill Tyler (www.aabfan.com) we also learned that longtime Independent Baseball talent boss and onetime St. Paul coach Barry Moss is Scout Barry in the flick.

NOT ENOUGH LEFTIES TO INCLUDE VALDES ON ALDS ROSTER

Based on various reports, we suggested in the Insider former Can-Am League pitcher Raul Valdes (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH) was likely to be on the New York Yankees' American League Division Series roster. The Cuban native obviously made an impression during the stretch run, but the Yankees decided to leave the lefty off for this round of the postseason since their opponent, Detroit, does not have as much left-handed hitting as the Texas Rangers would have offered.

New York is sending Valdes to its minor league complex in Tampa so he can stay ready for possible inclusion if the Yanks reach the A. L. Championship Series.

BROADCASTERS TAKE ON NEW ROLES

Radio voices Jacques Doucet and Josh Caray added big names to the Independent ranks this season--and could return--but they also have taken on new assignments.

Doucet, who has been doing Quebec Capitales games for several years in the Can-Am League after a distinguished career as the French-speaking voice for the Montreal Expos, returned to the major league scene when a new French language network started carrying Toronto Blue Jays games.

Caray, the grandson of legendary radio voice Harry Caray, did Southern Maryland (Atlantic League) broadcasts all summer, and now that the Blue Crabs are finished he has returned for a second year as a studio host for IMG College, which airs a great many collegiate football and basketball games. Caray will work out of the Winston-Salem, NC facilities of IMG College.

"It was really interesting," Caray said of his first Atlantic League season. "The play was good, the stadiums are good and guys are fighting to get out of here (when major league organizations come calling). It is pretty close to Triple-A."

Caray, who hopes to add his name to the three generations of his family who have made a name in major league baseball, is the son of the late Skip Caray and half-brother of current Braves broadcaster Chip Caray. His previous baseball work has included being in the United League at San Angelo, TX.

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THOSE CURIOUS TRADES AND A GREAT STORY ABOUT COMBINING COLLEGE AND BASEBALL

2011-09-16T16:32:00.003-04:00
Some weekend thoughts now that another Independent Baseball Insidercolumn is out...

I only smile when I see some of the transactions between leagues at this time of year. I chalk it up as one of the benefits of being "independent". For instance, three more players from the final round of the American Association Championship Series were added to Atlantic League teams before rosters became frozen for the playoffs even though the AA series was still not decided at the time the deals were finalized.

Southern Maryland added talented infielder David Espinosa from Grand Prairie, TX on the deadline day of September 12 and he still played for the Air Hogs that same day as they wrapped up the American Association title.

Grand Prairie closer Jon Hunton, who hurled two innings September 12, was acquired by Long Island on that same date and pitcher Tyler Walker of AA runnerup St. Paul, MN was picked up by the Ducks, also while the other league playoffs were being finished.

TRAVEL IS SIMPLE, RIGHT?

How is this for dedication?

Infielder Matt Rogelstad of Edmonton went round trip from the Alberta city to attend a class at York (PA) College and was back with the Capitals in time for their clinching win in the North American League championships in about 40 hours.

But it was complex.

Rogelstad left for the Edmonton airport at 3:15 Monday morning, flew to Chicago, then to Baltimore and rented a car to drive an hour to his evening class. (Keep in mind he had missed two weeks of classes because of the playoffs.)

For the return, he was up at 4 a.m. the next day to catch an 8 o'clock flight in Baltimore. After a mechanical issue, the plane returned to the gate. The enterprising player, who is due to graduate in December, learned his delayed aircraft would not get him to Edmonton until well after the game started. He found a flight from another Washington-area airport, took a cab and flew to Toronto. Once in Toronto, he had only 45 minutes to clear customs and make his next flight.

Rogelstad did all of this, and walked into the Edmonton clubhouse at 5:45 p.m., then went out and had two hits to help the Caps win the title-clinching game.

"We love the game, he told The Edmonton Journal. "That's exactly why we're here."

Amen.

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FORMER INDY STARS AMONG LEADERS IN AFFILIATED MINOR LEAGUES

2011-09-09T14:14:00.005-04:00
While I featured the 39 former Independent players who have worn major league uniforms this season and the nine who made affiliated minor league all-star teams in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column, I could not get to all of those who finished among the statistical leaders in those same minor leagues.

It was another impressive showing:

--Val Pascucci (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) showed why the New York Mets are giving him a look in the National League this month by placing third among International League hitters in runs batted in (91) and sixth in homers (21) with Buffalo. Pascucci had a single in his only at-bat so far for the Mets.

--Timo Perez (New Jersey, Can-Am League) ranked fifth in the International in hits (144) and eighth in average (.304) while playing in the Detroit system, and Daniel Nava (Chico, CA, now in the North American League) was eighth in runs (69) playing in the Boston organization.

--In the Pacific Coast League, Andy Van Hekken (Somerset, NJ, Atlantic) ranked second in earned run average (3.40) as a Houston farmhand and Justin Christian (Southern Maryland, Atlantic, and River City, Frontier League) was fourth in steals (36). He is now with the parent Giants.

--Tim Bascom (Bradenton, FL, South Coast League) and Mike Spidale (Kansas City, KS, now in the American Association) showed why they made the Eastern League all-star team. Bascom had the third best WHIP (walks plus hits vs. innings pitched) of 1.13 and fourth lowest ERA of 3.11 while representing Baltimore. Spidale, a Philadelphia minor leaguer, was second in hits (161) and third in average (.326)

--All-star Will Savage (Wichita, KS, American Association, and Lancaster, Atlantic) ranked first in wins (12) and had the second best WHIP (1.25) in the Southern League. He pitches in the Dodgers system.

--All-star Anthony Seratelli (Windy City, Frontier) was third in both runs (91) and stolen bases (35) with the Kansas City team in the Texas League.

--In Class A, Atlanta farmhand Keenan Wiley's .285 average was fourth best in the Carolina League. His Indy experience was at River City. A rookie league player who distinguished himself was Ryan Bollinger (Windy City), whose 65 strikeouts were good for second in the short-season Appalachian League.

LINCOLN HAD A BUSY, AWARD-FILLED WEEK

The Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs did not make the American Association playoffs this season, but they have stayed in the news in recent days.

General Manager Tim Utrup was honored as the league's Executive of the Year, an award he also received in 2006 which was the only other time it has been given out. He has been voted the top GM three times since Lincoln started playing in 2001.

The Saltdogs' Haymarket Park was named the top playing field in the league in a vote of managers, and it marked 11 consecutive times Lincoln has been No. 1, including the last six in the American Association.

And hitting coach Chris Miyake was promoted to manager for 2012, replacing Marty Scott, who returned to the major leagues as Vice President of Player Development for the Florida Marlins. Miyake, a former shortstop, managed Brockton, MA of the Can-Am League in 2007-08.

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INDEPENDENT RECORD TIED WITH 35TH GRAD IN MAJORS IN 2011

2011-09-04T20:33:00.004-04:00
The record was tied Sunday.

Independent Baseball added its 35th former player to wear a major league uniform, thus tying what is believed to be the record for any single season. The mark was set in 2005 and tied three years later.

The record-tying event took place in Atlanta when the Braves called up outfielder Antoan Richardson, who played in the Northern League (Schaumburg, IL) in both 2009 and 2010.

What is more, the switch hitter, who does not turn 28 until next month, was called on as a pinch hitter for starting pitcher Randall Delgado in the fifth inning with the Braves trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 and he delivered a bloop single. Atlanta did not score until the seventh, but eventually won, 4-3.

"It's exciting to get the opportunity to get to the highest level," Richardson told MLB.com. He had already received a congratulatory text from Tampa Bay ace David Price, a college teammate at Vanderbilt. Richardson spent the bulk of the season with Double-A Mississippi (Pearl, MS) although he also was with Triple-A Gwinnett, GA briefly.

The speedster, who Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez said would primarily be used as a pinch runner for the playoff-bound team, hit a combined .284 with 65 runs in 93 minor league games this season. He stole 17 bases in 21 attempts to elevate his career total to 252, including 20 in 27 games with Schaumburg in '09.

Atlanta purchased Richardson's contract from Schaumburg early last seasson.

With most minor league teams finishing their season this weekend and with major league rosters expanded, it is likely the record will be broken in the next few days.

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HURRICANE WATCH IS ON, BUT THE NEWS DOES NOT SLOW UP

2011-08-26T16:11:00.005-04:00
A few juicy tidbits while waiting out the hurricane on the East Coast, which has already led to a number of postponements or rearranged schedules in both the Atlantic and Can-Am Leagues...

Catcher Ken Howell has caused quite a stir in his first four games with Boston's Double-A club in Portland, ME after his contract was purchased from Lincoln, NE (American Association). The 28-year-old started with a triple and homer plus two RBI and two runs in his initial game, but the big explosion came in his fourth appearance (Wednesday) when he had a 4-for-5 performance, including two doubles and another homer. The Florida Southern product is 7-for-15 (.467) with 17 total bases which lead to a gaudy 1.133 slugging percentage.

While I made a point of Brian Daubach's continued attention to Independent Baseball in my interview with the Hagerstown, MD manager for yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column, I did not have the opportunity to mention the one Indy player with the Washington farm club. Ben Graham, who was in two games for Wichita, KS (American Association) last season, is a solid 4-3 with seven saves and a 3.09 ERA in 34 appearances. Daubach also was well aware James Leverton of South Atlantic League opponent Greensboro, NC had been purchased by Florida this summer from the New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls) of the Can-Am League, even though the southpaw was in the Chicago Cubs organization when Daubach was the Can-Am skipper at Pittsfield, MA last summer. "We beat him", Daubach chuckled.

Everyone seems surprised with another ownership change in Schaumburg, IL, which will be in the Frontier League next summer after a year off from pro baseball. The owner was originally going to be Alan Oremus, who started the new FL team in Joliet, IL this season. Oremus is now selling to Pat Salvi, who already owns Gary, IN of the American Association. The important part is city officials in Schaumburg have agreed to the change.

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I

ST. PAUL FINALLY GETS A SALE TO THE TWINS AND WE FOLLOW UP ON SPIEZIO, VALDES AND RANDY WILLIAMS

2011-08-19T14:35:00.005-04:00
There must be quite a few chuckles in the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis today. Well, at least on the St. Paul side of the river.

Everyone who has followed Independent Baseball from the beginning in 1993 knows how the Minnesota Twins tossed barbs in the direction of the startup St. Paul Saints in those early days.

The vaunted Saints reached a proud milestone a few weeks ago when they sold their 100th player contract to a major league organization. Well, No. 101 came Thursday when setup man Caleb Thielbar's contract was sold to, you guessed it, those same Twins, who probably wouldn't have made such a move if their life depended on it back in '93.

In fact, the Saints report this is the very first time the Twins have purchased one of their players. The first 100 sales were to other organizations. Thielbar takes some impressive statistics with him as he reports to Class A Fort Myers, FL, especially his 62 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. The lefty, originally a Milwaukee Brewers draftee, was 3-3 with a 2.54 ERA and walked only 11 batters in his 43 appearances.

SCOTT SPIEZIO GETS A NICE MOMENT

It has been well documented that Scott Spiezio had various personal battles about the time his lengthy major league career ended in 2007 so it is great seeing the Los Angeles Angels have invited their 2002 World Series hero back for a ceremonial first pitch on Sunday as part of the club's 50th anniversary celebration.

His father Ed, also a major league player, will be Scott's catcher and the younger Spiezio's sons, 11 and nine, also will be on the field.

Scott Spiezio, who also helped St. Louis to its World Series title in 2006, finished his pro career with 16 games for Orange County (Fullerton, CA) of the Golden League in 2009 and 52 contests with Newark, NJ, which still was in the Atlantic League, last year.

WILLIAMS, VALDES DESIGNATED

Southpaw relievers Raul Valdes, who played for both New Jersey (Little Falls) and Nashua, NH in the Can-Am League before ever reaching the major leagues, and Randy Williams, who got back to the majors after playing for Edinburg, TX of what was the Central League, have both been designated for assignment. This means Valdes and Williams, who spent time with St. Louis and Boston, respectively, this season, will be traded, released or returned to the minor leagues within 10 days of the action taken by their clubs.

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GARY GAETTI LATEST BIG NAME TO COME TO INDEPENDENT BASEBALL; ALSO, WHAT ABOUT THIS HOME RUN

2011-08-12T17:22:00.003-04:00
Another big baseball name is giving Independent Baseball a try after admitting he once looked down at it.

The Houston suburb of Sugar Land, which will have a new stadium (Star Tex Power Field) when it begins play in the Atlantic League next season, has landed longtime major league third baseman Gary Gaetti as field manager.

"I had no idea what it (Independent Baseball) was about--none," The Houston Chronicle quoted Gaetti, after the press conference introducing him. "I hadn't really heard a lot of good things about it, but that's just ignorance is what it was."

Gaetti admitted getting a different outlook after his son Joe played for the Atlantic League's Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers last season. The elder Gaetti called the quality of play comparable to what he saw while a coach for Triple-A Durham, NC in 2007-08. "I was shocked at the quality of the stadium, and I was shocked at the attendance. I've been at a lot of minor league stadiums, and it wasn't as nice or upbeat or positive," the Skeeters' new manager told The Chronicle.

Gaetti, 52, ranks 50th in major league history with 2,507 games played, and is one of six third basemen to collect at least 350 home runs, 1,300 RBI and 2,200 hits. He helped Minnesota to its first World Series title in 1987, and was hitting coach for the Houston Astros for their trip to the World Series in 2005.

A RARE HOMER

Norris Hopper had played in 1,353 professional games and hit a grand total of four home runs. That was until this week when Hopper had one of those memorable games, a three-run homer and a run-scoring bunt single to give Somerset, NJ a 4-3 Atlantic League victory at Lancaster.

Hopper's most recent home run had been struck on September 22, 2006 for the Cincinnati Reds.

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ANOTHER HEADACHE FOR NEW LEAGUE AS LAKE COUNTY THREATENS TO FOLD

2011-08-05T16:10:00.004-04:00
As if the North American League has not had enough issues in its maiden season, it certainly does not need to have a team threatening to cease operation prior to the September 5 regular season finale.

The wrangling over construction of a permanent stadium and the charges of overdue rent between the Lake County Fielders and the city of Zion, IL seems to be reaching a boiling point.

Zion officials insist the Fielders owe $185,000 in back rent (part of it for last season) and Lake County President Rich Ehrenreich is threatening to fold the team, according to various media reports including a lengthy story in today's Chicago-based Daily Herald.

"I think we're certainly within days (of folding) if they're (the city) not going to come to the table to discuss this (completion of the stadium) with us," the Daily Herald quoted Ehrenreich. "Why would we continue to lose money every day in this project."

The newspaper says Lake County has 29 home games scheduled between today and September 5 and also has what it is calling a "now-iffy" final trip to Maui for four games August 10-13.

Earlier this season, Fielders Manager Tim Johnson quit in a salary payment dispute and virtually the entire team was traded or released. The Fielders have a 27-33 record.

JOE THATCHER ACTIVATED BY PADRES

One of the five Independent Baseball graduates on a major league disabled list, left-handed reliever Joe Thatcher, has finally been activated by the San Diego Padres.

The Frontier League alum (River City, O'Fallon, MO) had spent the entire season on the DL because of a shoulder strain that required surgery in May. Thatcher had made nine rehab appearances, one with Class A Lake Elsinore, CA and eight with Triple-A Tucson. He allowed only three hits and one earned run in 8.1 innings while striking out 12 and walking three.

Right-hander Brandon Kintzler, who formerly pitched for St. Paul, MN, in the American Association and Winnipeg before that Canadian city moved from the Northern League to the American Association, had a screw placed in his ailing elbow recently and it is debatable whether he will be able to return to the parent Milwaukee Brewers this season.

Shortstop Stephen Drew (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) almost certainly has been lost to Arizona for the season while his brother J. D. (St. Paul) could get back to Boston. Lefty reliever Alberto Castillo also is on the Arizona DL. He worked for three teams in the Atlantic League (New Jersey cities Newark and Camden plus the traveling Road Warriors) as well as with Schaumburg, IL, which was in the Northern League.

LOANING PLAYERS

I doubt I am alone when I get tired of seeing teams, in effect, loan players to pennant-contending teams in their own league or another circuit when they fall out of contention. The transactions are frequently labeled as trades for a player "to be named later" only to see a reverse transaction after the season returning the same player to his former team.

Leagues could require the player to stay with the new team well into or throughout the next season.

The acquisition of players from the Mexican League (which ends early) is nearly as bad.

In each instance, a player who has been with the team--possibly all year--loses his job because the roster limit is unchanged.

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IT TOOK ERIK HAMREN LESS THAN A YEAR REMOVED FROM TWO INDY BULLPENS TO REACH THE MAJORS

2011-08-01T10:43:00.003-04:00
While it will not go down as one of the pennant-race biggies of trade deadline weekend, one of the subsequent transactions will forever be etched in Eric Hamren's mind.

The reliever, who split time with two Independent teams as recently as last year, is poised to be in the San Diego Padres bullpen when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night.

Hamren, who doesn't turn 25 until August 21, split 2010 between Kansas City, KS (now in the American Association) and Joliet, IL (which has a new team in the Frontier League). Both were Northern League franchises one year ago, with the right-hander working 37 games for the T-Bones (0-1, 2 saves, 3.94) and playing in seven for Joliet (0-1, a save, 0.84.

The 6-foot-1 Hamren was drafted in the 37th round out of Saddleback (CA) Community College by the Chicago Cubs in '08, and emerged in brilliant fashion in the San Diego farm system this season. He was 2-0 with a save and a 1.08 ERA at Lake Elsinore, CA, then moved up to Class AA San Antonio, TX where he won all three decisions in 33 appearances with a 0.92 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 49 innings. He was even better of late, allowing just one run and 10 hits plus three walks over 16 innings in his last 10 trips to the mound.

Hamren is the 32nd Independent player to wear a major league uniform this season, which is two more than in all of 2010 and within three of what is believed to be the all-time high set in '08.

BRAD ZIEGLER HAS A NEW HOME

Another former Northern League hurler, Brad Ziegler, who has been a strong influence in the Oakland Athletics bullpen since 2008, moved to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the weekend. Ziegler pitched for Schaumburg, IL briefly in 2004.

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KEEPING UP WITH THE FORTUNES--GOOD AND BAD--OF VARIOUS INDY LEAGUERS

2011-07-29T14:54:00.003-04:00
Some important leftovers after Thursday's Independent Baseball Insidercolumn:

--The hottest Independent team today may be the Gary (IN) Southshore Railcats, but that shouldn't be too shocking since Greg Tagert already has two championships in six previous seasons with the team, which now plays in the American Association. Gary (43-27) has won 10 of its last 11 games to lead the Central Division by 3 1/2 games.

--I keep hoping to see some good news about Matt Kramer, who previously played in both the American Association (Sioux City, IA) and United League (Harlingen, TX), but the Boston farmhand still is struggling in his conversion from catching to pitching. The 25-year-old Harvard product is being given an opportunity at the lowest possible level, the Gulf Coast League, but the right-hander has a 6.75 earned run average for his four innings of work with a frightful 10 walks and no strikeouts even though he has not surrendered a single hit.

--Lefty Raul Valdes is back in the minors (Memphis) after seven appearances with the parent St. Louis Cardinals. The 33-year-old Cuban lost his only decision and had an acceptable 3.38 ERA as National League hitters batted .273 against the onetime Can-Am League (New Jersey and Nashua, NH) hurler. Valdes debuted in the majors with 38 games for the New York Mets (3-3, 4.91) last season.

--Eleven former Indy players are currently active in the majors with another four, including brothers J.D. and Stephen Drew, on the disabled list.

--Wily Mo Pena (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic League) debuts with his new organization this weekend, joining Seattle's top farm club in Tacoma, WA. With a good start, the slugger could easily find himself with the struggling Mariners in a very short time.

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CLOSER TOSSES BOUQUET AT INDEPENDENT BASEBALL AS HE LEAVES TO JOIN ROYALS FARM SYSTEM

2011-07-22T14:58:00.005-04:00
It has to make Independent Baseball officials feel good when a departing player heaps praise. Such was the case this week when Kansas City purchased left-handed closer Andrew Dobies from Somerset, NJ of the Atlantic League.

While admitting it was a two-edged issue to be leaving his teammates yet getting a renewed opportunity in a major league organization, the 27-year-old Dobies told Ryan Dunleavy of mycentraljersey.com< "playing for Somerset helped revive my career. This is the purest form of baseball I've played in a long time."

'Purest form of baseball' has to mean Independent Baseball where the No. 1 objective is to win. We hear this time and again from managers, coaches and players who have been in both the affiliated and Independent minor leagues in recent years. I heard it directly (well, via telephone) this week from longtime major league star Bill Buckner, who was featured in this week's subscriber-driven Independent Baseball Insider column. Buckner is in his first season as a manager, working at Brockton, MA in the Can-Am League.

Dobies went to the Royals' Double-A farm club in Springdale, AR. It is called Northwest Arkansas. A former third-round draft choice of the Red Sox, who also played in the Chicago White Sox system, did not allow an earned run in 18.1 innings from May 28-July 10. He was chosen for the Atlantic League All-Star Game, and left Somerset with a 2-3 record, five saves, a 2.81 ERA and 31 strikeouts (only three walks) in 32 innings.

R. J. SWINDLE RELEASED

I have not yet been able to track full details, but it was surprising to see that Tampa Bay gave up on reliever R. J. Swindle. He had been a lefty with considerable promise, reaching the majors with Philadelphia in 2008 and Milwaukee the next season (combined nine games).

Swindle's age wasn't the major factor because he only turned 28 earlier this month. He did give up three runs in his last three appearances at Triple-A Durham, NC, including a home run, walk and two runs in his last outing six days ago. Overall, he allowed only 26 hits in 34.2 innings and struck out 36 with a 2-0 record, one save and a 4.15 earned run average.

Presuming he is healthy as the 39 appearances would indicate, someone will grab the Canadian native, who spent his second pro season (2005) and the start of the next year in the Northern League (Schaumburg, IL).

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WITH ADDITIONS OF ALFONZO AND WILLIAMS, INDEPENDENTS EQUAL FINAL 2010 TOTAL WITH 30 PLAYERS IN MAJORS

2011-07-18T16:33:00.004-04:00
A nice milestone for Independent Baseball was reached over the weekend.

Two players with fairly frequent visits to the major leagues got called up for the first time this season, and they became the 29th and 30th Indy grads to wear an American or National League uniform in 2011, thereby equalling the total for all of last year with more than two months still to be played.

Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, who played for the St. Paul (MN) Saints before they moved from the Northern League to the American Association, and left-handed relief specialist Randy Williams both contributed right away, too. Williams, whose Indy time was with Edinburg, TX, then in the United League (and now in the North American), delivered three key outs for the Boston Red Sox in a still tight game at Tampa Bay Saturday. Boston eventually won, 9-5. Alfonzo went 2-for-6 in a pair of one-run Colorado losses against Milwaukee.

Alfonzo has a .238 career average for 170 major league games, going 124-for-522 with 16 homers and 58 runs batted in. Williams has appeared in 91 games with a 3-3 record and three saves while compiling a 5.67 earned run average.

ST. PAUL SELLS ITS 100TH CONTRACT

Another highly-impressive milestone came about when Saints outfielder Brandon Tripp's contract was sold by the American Association team to Philadelphia. It marked the 100th such sale since Independent play started in 1993. Tripp, who had previously been in the Baltimore and Florida organizations, left St. Paul with a .314average plus 48 RBI in 60 games. He joins the Class A Clearwater (FL) Threshers.

.403 GAP IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND ORDER

If ever there were big shoes to fill they belong to Southern Maryland (Waldorf) because the Atlantic League team lost shortstop Yunesky Sanchez to Pittsburgh, taking his .403 batting average and 40 RBI in 61 games out of the Blue Crabs lineup. Sanchez was dispatched to Class AA Altoona, PA.

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THE STORY BEHIND AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR STARTER JERED WEAVER'S JOURNEY INTO INDEPENDENT BASEBALL

2011-07-12T15:31:00.007-04:00

We wrote in last week's Independent Baseball Insider about the added interest Indy fans should have in the major league All-Star Game because of former American Association pitcher Aaron Crow of Kansas City being on the American League team. Crow had pitched in a few games for the Fort Worth (TX) Cats before signing with the Royals.

There was another tie-in since the Angels' Jered Weaver was the starting A.L. pitcher, throwing a scoreless inning with a walk and a strikeout. While Weaver did not pitch in an Independent league he did train with the Camden (NJ) RiverSharks (Atlantic League) back in 2005.

Weaver and current Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew were in Camden while signing with major league organizations was up in the air. Drew, whose brother J.D. had played for the St. Paul (MN) Saints of the Northern League, got into 19 games, hitting .427 (35-for-82).

Wayne Krenchicki, who was Camden's manager at the time, told me later for the Insider the 6-foot-7 Weaver trained with the Sharks for "two or three weeks, throwing a couple of bullpens and working to get ready. It was a really good experience, at a very nervous time", Krenchicki explained, because a lot of money was on the table if the right-hander and the Angels could get together on a contract. Weaver ultimately signed on May 30 with his first Camden outing tentatively planned for two days later.

THIS WEEK'S 'INSIDER'

Topics we will examine in this week's Insider, which subscribers receive on Thursday, include the likely new Atlantic League franchise in Nassau County, NY (Long Island) now that Frank Boulton's bid has been chosen over a group that had wanted to place a New York Mets minor league team in that heavily-populated area and the chaos with Lake County (Zion, IL) maintaining its divisional lead in the North American League despite changing almost its entire roster virtually overnight.

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FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS TERRY TIFFEE AND LOGAN KENSING IN STARRING ROLES WITH YANKS' TOP FARM CLUB

2011-07-11T09:40:00.003-04:00
Vacations are wonderful, but they certainly throw you off schedule. So with that apology and while waiting for the Atlantic League and Frontier League All-Star Games on Wednesday, we will bring you up to date on some former Independent players now in the affiliated minor leagues.

We often talk about how many Indy grads are playing in Triple-A, just one notch below the majors. It may surprise some, but the powerful New York Yankees have been one of the most active teams at purchasing the contracts of Independent players again this season.

All five of the players below came out of Indy leagues (four this season), and are based at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA, that one step away from putting on the pinstripes at Yankee Stadium.

Recent signees Terry Tiffee and Logan Kensing are doing especially well.

Tiffee, a former major league third baseman who was one of those sold by first-half Atlantic League division champion Lancaster, PA, is hitting .338 after 18 games with three homers and seven doubles among his hits. Tiffee his a dozen runs batted in.

Kensing, also signed out of the Atlantic League (Bridgeport, CT), has a win and three saves in his first five Scranton/Wilkes-Barre appearances with eight strikeouts and only one walk in 6.1 innings while posting a terrific 1.42 earned run average.

Greg Smith, purchased from Grand Prairie, TX in the American Association, is starting and after six appearances (one was in relief) he has gone 2-2, 4.99. Fourteen walks in 30.2 innings have not helped his cause.

Veteran major leaguer Mike Lamb, normally a first baseman or third baseman, has hit
.255 in 11 games since leaving Camden, NJ (Atlantic League) with seven of his 12 hits for extra bases. He has driven in five.

Onetime Chicago Cubs star Mark Prior, who seemed to be a decent candidate for the Bronx at the end of spring training, has once again spent much of the year on the disabled list. Now 30, the right-hander worked three times for Class A Tampa, FL, but has thrown only one inning (scoreless) with the top farm club. Prior started his comeback with Orange County (Fullerton, CA) of the Golden League.

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IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE JOSE YEPEZ MAKE HIS MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT THIS WEEKEND

2011-07-01T21:29:00.003-04:00
It is my hope we will see 30-year-old rookie catcher Jose Yepez's name in a Seattle Mariners box score this weekend.

Indications were the three-season Independent Baseball backstop might only be with the M's a short time while starter Miguel Olivo overcomes hamstring issues, and it always seems such a heart tug when a first-time major leaguer does not get into a game before being returned to the minor leagues. One never knows if or when the next big-league call will come.

I know of three previous times this has happened, including earlier this season when Cincinnati elevated lefty Tom Cochran, a veteran of the Can-Am (Worcester), Atlantic (Lancaster) and Frontier (Ohio Valley and Washington) Leagues, from Louisville for two days without using him in a game. In the previous two cases, the pitcher never did get another major league opportunity. Those victims were Tim Bausher (Berkshire, Northeast League) with Boston and southpaw Brian Mazone (Zion, Western League, and Joliet, Northern League) with Philadelphia.

"I think he's (Olivo) going to be okay," Seattle Manager Eric Wedge told MLB.com. "He feels pretty good, but we wanted to get Yepez up here to make sure we were covered in case something happens."

Yepez, a Venezuelan native, played with Gary of the Northern League in both 2005 and 2007 and was with Pensacola of the American Association in '06. The 11-year pro was hitting .276 in 28 games for Triple-A Tacoma. Veteran Josh Bard, who also joined Seattle Wednesday, was listed as the starting catcher for Friday's game against the San Diego Padres. The regular backup, Chris Gimenez, is on the disabled list.

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D-BACKS COULD BE ADDING PENA WHILE CORDERO CALLS IT QUITS AND GULIN IS RELEASED

2011-06-21T16:07:00.003-04:00
Speculation has been running high that Arizona would add the potent bat of Wily Mo Pena today (Tuesday) as the Diamondbacks begin a stretch in which nine of 12 interleague games will be played in American League stadiums where the designated will be used. Nothing seemed to have been announced, however, by mid-afternoon.

Pena, who played a good chunk of last season (155 at-bats) with Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League, has been tearing up the Pacific Coast League all year. He has 21 home runs, 40 extra-base hits and 63 runs batted in for 63 games. The big right-handed hitter is at .363 with a .439 on-base percentage.

RETIREMENT AND A RELEASE TAKES TWO GOOD PITCHING NAMES

Former major league closing standout Chad Cordero has called it quits at the age of 29 after getting roughed up in the American Association. Pitching for the St. Paul (MN)Saints, Cordero struggled to a 13.50 ERA for seven outings.

Cordero's career was highlighted by the 2005 season when he saved a National League-leading 47 games for Washington, made the All-Star team and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He was not the same after shoulder surgery in 2008.

Southpaw Lindsay Gulin also could be nearing the end of the road after being released Monday by the Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs. Gulin, 34, did it all except reach the major leagues, compiling a 119-74 record and winning the American Association's Star of Stars award in 2006 when he won 13 games for Lincoln. He earned Pacific Coast League All-Star honors two years later, and reach Triple-A with two organizations.

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HERE IS A SUGGESTION: TRY TO VISIT THE STUNNING NEW CAN-AM BALLPARK

2011-06-17T11:18:00.004-04:00
It was just as pre-game ceremonies were starting when I asked Miles Wolff how many of these events he had been a part of in his 19 years as commissioner of an Independent league.

With little more than a shake of the head and a grin, it was obvious the Can-Am League boss had no idea of the answer.

One thing is certain: Not many could match the magnificence of the first-year Rockland Boulders stadium an hour north of New York City in Ramapo, NY.

Provident Bank Park, rushed all winter and spring to get near completion, attracted what was called a standing-room-only crowd of 6,317 (there were some open seats in both outfield sections) and the Boulders obliged with a sparkling 3-1 win over Brockton, MA. Dave LaPoint's team had to be happy to be home since its first 16 games (5-11) were on foreign soil, including eight defeats in a row.

But this game was much more about the new $38 million playpen tucked in the Ramapo Mountains. The plan to build the stadium had been disputed by many, as often is the case with such projects, but city fathers plus President Ken Lehner and his partners had their say.

The stadium seems to have everything: It has spaciousness for watching, chatting and eating, a lush, green playing surface and multitudes of fascinating touches. Want to see a handsome bridge. Got it. Need a kid's zone. Rightfield corner. Picnic area with a grand view of the diamond. Check. Crystal clear high-definition scoreboard complete with replays from the crew of at least 10. You bet.

My suggestion is that anyone within reach check it out for themselves because I have not included many of the amenities.

Oh, I did come upon a couple of blips. One concession stand was out of pizza by the fourth inning, and closer Adrian Martin, who got to nail down the first game win, admitted with a wry smile as he was waiting for his pre-game introduction that the 313-foot sign in front of the picnic area in the rightfield corner might be just a tad short to give pitchers comfort.

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SOME ODD 'N ENDS STARTING WITH HOT SEATTLE MINOR LEAGUE HURLER

2011-06-03T16:53:00.003-04:00
I would mark Steve Delabar down as a former Independent player possibly on a fast track toward the major leagues.

While the 27-year-old righty has been pitching professionally since 2004, he was only signed by Seattle in the third week of April and now the Mariners have promoted the 6-foot-5 hurler from Class A High Desert in the California League to Double-A Jackson, MS.

We wrote about Delabar earlier this season in the Independent Baseball Insider because he is coming back after what appeared to be a career-ending broken right elbow. He worked at Florence, KY of the Frontier League and for quite a while with Brockton, MA in the Can-Am League before Seattle bought his contract.

Delabar has struck out 29 hitters in 20.1 minor league innings so far with five saves, a 2-1 record and a 2.66 earned run average. He has been virtually perfect in the Southern League, and we will keep a lookout for more progress.

ODDS 'N ENDS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND: The New York Mets have sent lefty Mike O'Connor (Southern Maryland, Atlantic League) back to Triple-A Buffalo even though he had a 2.70 ERA for nine appearances. He took one loss, but also fanned eight in 6.2 innings and gave up only five hits...Milwaukee has Erick Almonte (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League) out on a rehab assignment at Nashville. He was perhaps the major surprise among former Indy players during spring training when he came from nowhere to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster as a utilityman and pinch hitter...It may not be the end, but Detroit has released former major league hurler Chris Oxspring, whose Indy time was at Cook County (Crestwood, IL) of the Frontier League...Corey Smith (Newark, NJ, Atlantic) is back at Double-A Chattanooga, TN after the Dodgers had moved the hot-hitting third baseman up to Albuquerque for a time. It still would not surprise this corner if he got a major league opportunity because of his bat...the pace of player sales from Indy teams to major league organizations has really picked up in recent days.

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TOM COCHRAN GETS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE OPPORTUNITY; CANCEL BACK UP WITH ASTROS

2011-05-31T11:35:00.004-04:00
Another longtime Independent Baseball pitching fixture can finally add his name to those who have made the climb to the major leagues.

Left-hander Tom Cochran, who needed a re-start on his professional career in 2005 after two undistinguished years as a Boston Red Sox farmhand, got the call from Triple-A Louisville in time to join the parent Cincinnati Reds in Atlanta Sunday.

Cochran spent three seasons in the Frontier League (Washington, PA and the road team known as Ohio Valley), then had a breakout season in 2008 in the Can-Am League (Worcester, MA) when Baseball America selected him as the top southpaw on its all-Independent team. He had just finished a 13-3, 2.79 season with the Tornadoes.

Now about to turn 28 (June 5), Cochran was at Lancaster, PA (Atlantic League) long enough to make seven appearances (3-2, 4.67) the next season before his contract was purchased by the Reds. That ran his Independent Baseball record to 37-24. The Wilmington, DE product was a Southern League all-star as well as the Cincinnati organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season(8-5, 2.69 at Carolina) and had started this season by going 5-1, 4.08 in eight appearances at Louisville before getting the call. He has not yet pitched for the Reds.

We expect to have more on Cochran in this week's Independent Baseball Insider, which gets to subscribers on Thursday.

ROBINSON CANCEL BACK IN MAJORS

Catcher Robinson Cancel, who was hitting a blistering .457 in his last 10 games at Oklahoma City, is back in the majors with Houston and is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday night for the major league debut of the Astros' top prospect, Jordan Lyles, against the Chicago Cubs. Cancel has minor league experience catching Lyles.

Cancel, 35, was in the Atlantic League one year ago at this time, on his way to hitting .304 with 14 homers and 81 RBI over 105 games with the Long Island (NY) Ducks. He hit .324 with two home runs and 11 runs batted in in 30 appearances for Oklahoma City this season. He has 43 games of major league experience (.213-1-10), most recently with the New York Mets in 2009.

Cancel's Independent experience includes the 2003 season with Somerset, NJ and the traveling Road Warriors in the Atlantic League, a brief time with Somerset the next year and '06 with Edinburg, TX, then in the United League and now playing in the North American League.

THE UPS AND DOWNS FOR MIKE RIVERA AND BOBBY CRAMER

Southpaw Bobby Cramer (Orange County, Golden League) spent part of the weekend back in an Oakland Athletics uniform although he did not pitch this time before being optioned back to Sacramento. And catcher Mike Rivera (Atlantic City, NJ, Atlantic League) is back in the minor leagues (Huntsville, AL) after spending several days with Milwaukee. He appeared in only one game, going 2-for-6 May 20 against Colorado.

In all, 23 former Independent players have been on active major league rosters already this season. This compares to 30 for all of 2010.

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EDDIE LANTIGUA STRIKES ONCE MORE, AND BRANDON LARSON HOPES TO DO THE SAME AS A COLLEGIATE COACH

2011-05-27T12:20:00.004-04:00
One of those "can you believe it" moments capped off opening night for the Can-Am League's Quebec Capitales Thursday. It delivered a crushing 3-2 loss for the defending league champions and a victory for one of the Can-Am's new teams, the traveling New York Federals, who get much of their roster from the two teams of professional hopefuls playing under the name of the New York State League.

Quebec had a 2-0 lead into the ninth inning when longtime hometown favorite Eddie Lantigua blasted a three-run home run. But this time it was for the visiting team.

Lantigua, who married a Quebec girl and has called that French-speaking city home for a decade or so, was the face of the Capitales for much of the last decade. He hit 117 homers while playing exclusively for Quebec from 2002-2009, and he had hit nine in his first stint in that city in 1999.

But with his overall skills diminishing and primarily only the ability to hit a fastball remaining, Lantigua, now 37, did not play last season. He is back now, but wearing a Federals uniform.

One can only imagine the thrill the Lantigua blow gave Manager Skip Nathanson and his roster of mostly youthful hopefuls on the Federals' first night in the league.

WHAT IS IN THE FUTURE FOR FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUE MVP?

It was only in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column when I had the opportunity to single out two-time Atlantic League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Jeff Nettles for becoming the league's all time leader in runs batted in.

Now for an update on another of the Somerset (NJ) Patriots' postseason MVPs who, like Nettles, played third base.

Brandon Larson, the Cincinnati Reds' top draft choice in 1997 and their opening day third baseman in 2003, ended his playing career by winning MVP honors in Somerset's fourth of five Atlantic League championships in '08.

With Richard Oliver of The San Antonio Express-News providing the details, we learned that Larson is finishing up a degree at the University of Texas-San Antonio and coaching a couple of select high school baseball teams as he eyes a career as a college coach.

"I'm just trying to be a good coach, a good daddy and an ex-good baseball player," Larson told Oliver. It seems he is well on his way. Larson and wife Denise are raising Denise's daughter and expecting their own baby girl come September.

While injuries helped limit the San Angelo, TX native to 109 major league games, Larson finished his 12-year pro career in style in that 2008 season with a 30-home run, 95-RBI regular season with the Patriots, then capped it all off when Somerset toppled Camden, NJ in the four-game Championship Series.

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JOLIET, ATLANTIC LEAGUE GRADS, BILL BUCKNER AND NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE EXPANSION ALL MAKE NEWS

2011-05-20T11:58:00.003-04:00
Picking up some pieces after this week's Independent Baseball Insider column went to press Thursday night...

What a nice way to start for the new Joliet, IL, Independent team, blanking Washington, PA, 7-0 behind onetime Chicago Cubs pitcher Billy Petrick. The 2,886 fans who turned out for the Slammers' debut in the Frontier League had to go away impressed with the fact the 6-foot-6 Petrick set down the last 19 hitters he faced.

SWEENEY, PASCUCCI ALSO IMPRESSIVE

The New York Mets must be pleased today to have their first reward for signing veteran Brian Sweeney out of the Atlantic League (Somerset, NJ) earlier this season. After two losses, the right-hander turned in six shutout innings in a 5-1matinee win at Indianapolis Thursday. Sweeney is now at 1-2, 6.35 for his first 17 innings.

Another Atlantic League grad, first baseman Valentino Pascucci, got the Bisons started with a two-run double in the opening inning. Pascucci took over the team lead in RBI with three for the game in which he was 2-for-2 with three walks. The former Camden (NJ) Rivershark has 19 RBI and is hitting .259.

Sweeney and Pascucci may get another teammate from the same league. Jason Botts had his contract purchased by the Mets from defending champion York, PA Thursday. Botts had hit safely in 13 of the first 14 games with a .370 average along with a team-leading four home runs and 13 RBI. If Botts is sent to Buffalo, he might cut into Pascucci's playing time, since both are basically first basemen and designated hitters.

NOT SO FAST WITH SECOND HAWAIIAN TEAM

At least one media outlet carried a story recently indicating the North American League could soon have a second team in Hawaii, this one in Hilo. Maui already has a franchise.

NAL CEO Kevin Outcalt sent us an email stressing that the league did not have a press release out discussing Hilo. It sounds like the Maui ownership is hoping for a second team in the Hawaiian Island chain, and who could blame them since it would bring in a partner so that week-long home series with teams from the mainland could be split into two cities. No one looks forward to a six-game series between two teams.

Meanwhile, the first steps are being taken toward building a 3,500-seat stadium in Fort McMurray, Canada. Speculation automatically includes the NAL as a possibility since Edmonton and Calgary, also in Alberta, have teams in the league.

PLAYERS GRATEFUL BILL BUCKNER IS TEACHING AS HE MANAGES

"I've been here (Brockton, MA, Can-Am League) for three years now and if there was one thing I was searching for, it was more knowledge of the game to get higher up and learn from these guys," shortstop Dominic Ramos told MassLive.com. "For them (Buckner and his staff) to come down to our level? What a blessing".

Buckner's Rox and the Pittsfield (MA) Colonials will play an exhibition game in Springfield, MA Saturday afternoon to get ready for next week's Can-Am opener.

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PLAYING IN OUTLYING AREAS AND KEEPING AN EYE ON WILY MO PENA GETS OUR ATTENTION

2011-05-13T12:50:00.006-04:00
I could not get it into this week's Independent Baseball Insider column because of so many other topics, but I hand it to the Independent Baseball teams playing exhibition games outside their own market. It is easier to stay right at home, but teams deserve credit for taking a pro game into the smaller communities which do not normally get a first-hand look at the faster game.

One such example this season was the St. Paul (MN) Saints' junket to Cold Springs, MN, where the population is about 2,500. Nearly half the town (1,200, I was told) turned out, and $15,000 was raised with most of that money no doubt going back into the ballpark or for youth baseball.

It was "perhaps the largest baseball crowd in Cold Springs in 25 years", The St. Cloud Times reported. "The giant throng enjoyed 70-degree, sunny weather and came to watch perhaps the first pro team to play in the vintage 1940s-style ballpark."

The story proudly pointed out that the Saints, who defeated a collection of Central Minnesota all-stars 8-1, had four former major league players, including outfielder Jonathan Van Every and hurler Robert Manuel, both of whom played for the Boston Red Sox as recently as last season. Former Kansas City Royals outfielder Shane Costa whacked a three-run homer.

PECOS LEAGUE UNDER WAY

The American Association started its new schedule this week, joining the Atlantic League as the most well known of the Independent leagues to begin the 2011 season. Also launching was the six-team Pecos League.

I applaud some of the Pecos efforts, especially its web site, which is full of news and photos and easy to navigate to find box scores. Some of the more established leagues could take notice. But it is going to be difficult for this corner to give equal attention to this Texas-New Mexico-based league since some of the players are not being paid. That has not been the case, to my knowledge, with any of the mainstream Independent leagues, dating all the way back to the start in 1993.

WILY MO PENA EARNS SECOND PLAYER OF WEEK HONOR

Arizona has not yet given hefty Wily Mo Pena a major league opportunity this season, but it is not keeping the 29-year-old from continuing to punish opponents.

Pena, who spent about half of last season with the Atlantic League's Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish, leads all of minor league baseball with 13 home runs in just 29 games for Reno, and the Aces star has been rewarded with his second selection of the young Pacific Coast League season as Player of the Week.

The right-handed hitting slugger, who likely is somewhat handicapped since he is not outstanding defensively at either first base or the outfield and the National League does not use the designated hitter, is hitting .366 with 34 runs batted in. He is making southpaws pay to the price of a .444 average although eight of his home runs have come against right-handers.

Maybe the start of major league inter-league play will help Wily Mo. Hmmm!

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CANSECO: 'I WANT YOU'; METS WANTED BRIAN SWEENEY

2011-05-06T11:10:00.007-04:00
It is an understatement to say that every Independent Baseball team is playing a great many angles these days to come up with the best roster it can field, especially if its season has not started.

But no one is more emphatic than Jose Canseco, who has gone from major league slugger and much-discussed author to manager with the Yuma (AZ) Scorpions in the new North American League. This was the statement attributed to Canseco that came out of the NAL office this week:

"I plan to win this league and I need talented players that love the game, are obsessed with winning, and want to be part of a fun and successful professional baseball team. This is an opportunity for anyone. I don't care how old you are, what language you speak, you're gender (presumably, the author meant your gender), if you played in major league organizations, or where you played in college or overseas. I just want the best players in the land. If you are one of those, I want you."

AT LEAST SOMERSET GOT ONE START THIS TIME

Brian Sweeney's stop-overs are getting a tiny bit longer in the Atlantic League.

The Seattle Mariners signed the veteran right-hander before the Somerset (NJ) Patriots even started the season one year ago. Sweeney had only worked in an exhibition game.

A free agent again during the offseason despite a decent 3.16 earned run average (1-2record) in 24 relief appearances for the M's last season (and an earlier 15 games for Triple-A Tacoma), Sweeney returned to Somerset.

He was the opening day starter for Sparky Lyle's crew, picking up the Patriots' only victory in five outings this year. The four-hit, eight-strikeout effort (no walks) over seven innings in which the 36-year-old only allowed two runs were enough for the New York Mets to step in. They are sending Sweeney to Triple-A Buffalo, but that, too, could be a brief stay on the way to Citi Field where the parent Mets could use some help.

Sweeney's signing also brings the old Heartland League back into play. He is the only player from the HBL (Lafayette, IN, 1996) still playing in affiliated ranks and likely the only one still playing in any form of professional baseball.

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FORMER GOLDEN LEAGUER BETTER SERVED BY STINT IN MINORS

2011-04-29T12:43:00.003-04:00
It obviously is not easy going back to the minor leagues after tasting the majors, but I have to believe Bobby Cramer is better off to be back in Sacramento instead of sitting idle in the Oakland Athletics bullpen.

The rust showed up in the left-handers' 2011 River Cats debut Thursday night when he was touched for two gopher balls and four runs in a starting appearance at Las Vegas which only lasted two innings. Still, the talented 31-year-old, who reached the majors via an '08 stint in the Golden League (7-4 for Orange County), showed some of his potential with four strikeouts.

Cramer had debuted in the majors in excellent fashion last September when he won two of his four starts (one no-decision) for the Athletics while compiling a 3.04 ERA. That stint launched talk of Cramer being a starter this season.

But when he did not land one of the starting roles during spring training Cramer got mired on the bench among Oakland's more experience relievers. He only got 3.2 innings spread over three appearances during almost the entire month. Cramer allowed only hit--a home run that cost the A's a decision. So, his future is better served by getting regular work in Triple-A and perhaps another major league opportunity later in the year.

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BELIEVE IT: 84 INDY GRADS PLAYED IN MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING GAMES IN 2011

2011-04-22T13:02:00.009-04:00
It took some time, but I believe I have taken the research about as far as I can go in determining how many former Independent Baseball players got into at least one major league spring training game this year.

There were 50 players in the 30 camps fulltime, either as 40-man roster players or non-roster invitees, including pitchers Chris Jakabauskas and Ryan Drese, who Baltimore added rather late. Jakabauskas has been with the parent club, of course, although he is now disabled with a groin injury. Catcher Shawn Riggans (Milwaukee) was the only one of the 50 not to appear in any regular exhibition games.

The count goes up by an astonishing 35--84 overall--when all of the players brought up from the minor league camp for at least a day are added into the mix. This total is only of those who actually got their name in a box score because a number of others were on the bench (or in the bullpen) if the manager needed them.

Here is the list, including major league team and position with the Independent affiliations in parenthesis:

Arizona: SS Ed Rogers (Bridgeport, Atlantic League)
Atlanta: OF Gavin Dickey (Lincoln, American Association); RHP Jason Lowey (River City and Windy City, Frontier League; Macon, South Coast League); OF Antoan Richardson (Schaumburg, Northern League)
Baltimore: LHP Nick Bierbrodt (Long Beach, Golden League; Bridgeport and Somerset, Atlantic); LHP Alberto Castillo (Newark, Road Warriors and Camden, Atlantic; Schaumburg, Northern)
Chicago Cubs: RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (Victoria, Golden)
Cincinnati: OF Brian Barton (Newark and Bridgeport, Atlantic); 3B Mike Costanzo (Camden, Atlantic)
Colorado: C Eliezer Alfonzo (St. Paul, Northern); 1B Jason Botts (Camden, Atlantic); RHP Chris Malone (Chico, Golden); LHP Josh Muecke (Somerset, Atlantic)
Florida: INF Mike Cervenak (Chillicothe, Frontier)
Houston: C Robinson Cancel (Long Island, Road Warriors and Somerset, Atlantic; Edinburg, United League)
Kansas City: INF Anthony Seratelli (Windy City, Frontier)
Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Stuart Pomeranz (New Jersey, Can-Am League); 3B Corey Smith (Newark, Atlantic)
Milwaukee: RHP Darren Byrd (Fargo, Northern); INF Anderson Machado (Lancaster, Atlantic); LHP Sam Narron (Camden, Atlantic)
New York Mets: LHP Justin Hampson (York and Long Island, Atlantic); 1B-DH Valentino Pascucci (Camden, Atlantic)
Oakland: RHP Jon Hunton (Fort Worth and Coastal Bend, American Association; Somerset and Lancaster, Atlantic; New Jersey, Can-Am)
Philadelphia: RHP Matt Anderson (Bridgeport, Atlantic); RHP Nate Bump (Camden, Atlantic); LHP Derrick Loop (Camden, Atlantic; Chico, Golden); OF Mike Spidale (Kansas City, Northern)
San Diego: INF Jacob Blackwood (Kansas City, Northern)
San Francisco: OF Justin Christian (River City, Frontier; Southern Maryland, Atlantic); LHP Justin Dowdy (Wichita and Shreveport, American Association; Alexandria, United; Calgary, Northern; Rockford, Frontier)
Seattle: RHP Scott Patterson (Gateway, Frontier; Lancaster, Atlantic)
Texas: OF Erold Andrus (York, Atlantic; Florence, Frontier; Tijuana, Golden)
Toronto: OF Jason Lane (Southern Maryland, Atlantic); RHP Vince Perkins (York, Newark and Camden, Atlantic; Joliet, Northern)

Andrus, Botts, Dickey and Hunton have since been released.

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RELEASED BY MAJOR LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONS, THESE PLAYERS RETURN TO INDEPENDENT TEAMS

2011-04-12T16:46:00.003-04:00
It is not taking much time for a number of players recently released by major league organizations to return to Independent leagues. Recent signings, with player returning to same Indy team unless otherwise noted, plus position, team, league and most recent major league organization:

RHP Federico Baez, Camden, NJ, Atlantic League, released by Cincinnati
RHP Tim Brown, Lincoln, NE, American Association, by Philadelphia
INF-OF Kody Kirkland, Southern Maryland (Waldorf), Atlantic, by Houston
RHP Matt Sartor, Fort Worth, TX, American Association, by San Francisco (previously
with Lewisville, TX, Continental League)
RHP David Trahan, Sioux City, IA, American Association, by New York Yankees (also
played with Kansas City, KS, Northern League)
RHP Preston Vancil, Florence, KY, Frontier League, by Seattle
LHP Edwin Walker, St. Paul, MN, American Association, by Houston (previously with
Chillicothe, OH, Frontier; San Angelo, TX, United League; Gary, IN, Northern)
1B-3B Shawn Williams, Brockton, MA, Can-Am League, by Tampa Bay (previously with Fort
Worth)

Lincoln also has signed veteran lefty Lindsay Gulin, who was with Milwaukee's top farm club in Nashville in 2009 and is believed to have sat out last season. He has pitched for the Saltdogs and St. Paul previously.

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JAKUBAUSKAS MAY GET A START WITH ORIOLES

2011-04-08T10:11:00.006-04:00
It is good to see that Independent Baseball veteran Chris Jakubauskas has not gotten lost in his move to the Baltimore Orioles.

The Baltimore Sun is reporting the right-hander may get the parent Orioles' start Sunday against Texas if Jeremy Guthrie has not recovered from his bout with pneumonia. Jakubauskas is currently at Triple-A Norfolk, VA.

Jakubauskas, now 32, is coming back from the frightening line drive off his head in his very first inning with Pittsburgh last season. It cost him much of the year.

He was a non-roster invitee with Baltimore this spring, working 6.1 scoreless innings, all in relief, while giving up just four hits and a walk and striking out seven.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder was primarily a first baseman and outfielder at the University of Oklahoma. It was only when he got to the professional ranks that he turned to pitching fulltime. He was a combined 14-1 his last two Indy campaigns, going 8-1 for Fullerton, CA (Golden League) in '06 and 6-0 in seven starts for Lincoln, NE (American Association) the next year before his contract was sold to Seattle.

Jakubauskas was in the majors after less than two full seasons in the Mariners' farm system, going 6-7, 5.32 in 35 appearances, including eight starts, in 2009 before the Pirates claimed him off waivers.

Jakubauskas's first three seasons were spent in the Frontier League, two at Florence, KY and one with Ohio Valley, a traveling team.

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GREAT NEWS: ALMONTE, KINTZLER TO OPEN REGULAR SEASON WITH BREWERS

2011-03-29T12:28:00.004-04:00
This could be the best news of the spring for avid followers of Independent Baseball.

Erick Almonte, who has not played in a major league game since 2003 and never has started a season in the majors, has made the improbable club to be on the Opening Day roster of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Long Island (NY) Ducks' third baseman during the 2006 Atlantic League season is expected to be a prime right-handed pinch hitter for the Brewers when they open the season in Cincinnati Thursday although Milwaukee seems to feel he can fill in, as necessary, at first or third base, left or rightfield and perhaps even at his original position of shortstop.

Almonte was a non-roster invitee to spring training in Arizona although Manager Ron Roenicke admitted to reporters "probably not" when they asked if he thought the hot-hitting veteran was likely to make the team when camp opened.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION/NORTHERN LEAGUE HURLER ALSO STICKS WITH BREW CREW

Right-hander Brandon Kintzler, despite his 5-foot-10 height, will be one of eight Brewers relievers when the National League season starts. Only 26, Kintzler, who has pitched for both St. Paul, MN in the American Association and Winnipeg, which is moving from the Northern League to the Association this season, got into his first seven major league games last September (0-1, 7.36) after spending most of the season in Double-A and Triple-A.

While Kintzler and Almonte got good news about their immediate future, popular reliever Mark DiFelice (Somerset and Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) and catcher Mike Rivera (Atlantic City, NJ, Atlantic), both with major league experience with the Brewers, have been told they will not be part of the major league team when the regular season opens.

We are hoping to have a full rundown on all Independent players who will open the season on major league rosters--likely about 15 of them--in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column.

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IS IT FAIR TO GO TO A SPRING TRAINING GAME TO SEE NUMBER 94 COME TO BAT?

2011-03-23T12:28:00.004-04:00
I am trying to figure out the pros and cons of one of the recent trends in spring training games.

I have seen half a dozen games so far this spring in Florida, and it seems in every one of them the last two or three innings are played to a great extent by those wearing numbers in the 90s, and without names on the back of the uniform or anywhere to be found in the game program.

Now, I have been working or watching these games for more than four decades. I understand that regulars do not play nine innings very often. Maybe the last week or so, and even that seems pretty limited in these days of astronomical salaries. The late innings of the game are usually played by the younger members of the 40-man roster who still are a year or so away from the major leagues or by the non-roster players trying to squeeze their way onto the 25-man Opening Day roster. After all, most teams have about 20 non-roster guys these days, which gives them nearly 60 players in the big-league camp.

In my tracking of former Independent players who are neither on the 40-man roster or an invitee, I have seen no less than 17 others with Indy experience in a game or two. Chances are, I've also missed a few. And, there are many, many more of these players filling out a major league roster via a one-day pass from the minor league camp.

It has to be a thrill for a Darren Byrd (Fargo, ND, a new American Association team) to get into a game with Milwaukee or Austin Bibens-Dirkx (Victoria, BC, formerly in the Golden League) to show up in a Chicago Cubs box score or Erold Andrus, recently signed by Texas after playing last season at York, PA in the Atlantic League, to be able to say he got into a game with his major league brother Elvis. None of these players has any major league experience. Some may never get to this level again, so it could be their memory of a lifetime.

But is it fair to the fans who drove an hour, paid for a ticket, parking, concessions and probably a souvenir and expected to at least see nine innings from the players who are listed on the already expansive rosters. They could have spent the day at the beach, and used a lot less money.

I've watched good fans who know a great deal about their favorite team and its primary prospects scratch their head to figure out who numbers 93, 94 and 95 are. That might be the entire outfield for the final innings of what is supposed to be a major league exhibition game.

What do you think?

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VIRTUALLY ALL INDEPENDENT PLAYERS HAVE AVOIDED EARLY CUTS FROM MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPS

2011-03-14T11:14:00.005-04:00
A great many cuts have been made in spring training rosters, but the only casualty (unless we have missed something) among the 48 Independent players is Clay Zavada, who Arizona sent to its minor league camp.

This cannot be considered that much of a surprise since the still-promising lefty (Southern Illinois, Frontier League) is coming off Tommy John (elbow) surgery which kept him out much of last season. The good news is that Zavada has gotten back to a point where he has been throwing to hitters.

Meanwhile, three more onetime Indy players have appeared in major league spring training games, jumping that already impressive count to at least 60. The last 12 have been brought up for a game or two from minor league camps.

The three most recent additions all are position players. Shortstop Ed Rogers (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic League), who had a very good spring with Arizone one year ago before going back to Reno (Triple-A) where he was highly regarded both on the diamond and in the clubhouse, made a one-game appearance with the Diamondbacks.

Outfielder Mike Spidale (Kansas City, KS, then Northern League, now American Association) got into a game with Philadelphia, and third baseman Mike Costanzo (Camden, NJ, Atlantic) made an appearance with Cincinnati.

PENA, ALMONTE KEEP UP BLISTERING PACE

Wily Mo Pena, the veteran first baseman-outfielder trying to get back to the majors where he prospered for a time, is making decision-makers in Arizona take notice.

The big guy, who spent the early part of last season at Bridgeport, dropped below.400when he failed to get a hit as a pinch hitter Sunday, but still is at .393 for the 13Cactus League games he has been in with 11 hits in 28 at-bats, including three homers and six runs batted in.

Erick Almonte's bid to get back to the majors for the first time since 2003 (New York Yankees) as a pinch hitter and utilityman with Milwaukee is still going strong. The onetime Long Island (NY) Ducks infielder is making the Atlantic League look good by hitting .436 (17-for-39) with the Brewers. He leads the team in both hits and at-bats, and has three homers and has driven in nine runs.

We plan a rundown on all of the key bids by former Independent players to land major league jobs in this Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column. Subscriptions are available elsewhere on this blog.

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ATLANTIC LEAGUE COUNT IN MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPS UP TO 20 WITH 56 FOR ENTIRE INDY LINEUP

2011-03-05T09:02:00.003-05:00
The Atlantic League should be popping buttons of pride with at least 20 of its former players wearing major league uniforms in spring training, if only for a day.

This league that caters mostly to more experienced professionals had 15 players on our original list of those due in major league camps which we covered in a recent Independent Baseball Insider column, including 11 non-roster invitees, but at least five more have gotten a pass of one day or more to join baseball's top echelon. All of Independent Baseball can claim at least 56 of its former players in big league camps, either as 40-man roster players, invitees or up from minor league camp for a day.

The latest pair of Atlantic Leaguers to appear in exhibition games are batting 1.000, too, with Corey Smith, who played third base when Newark, NJ won the '07 championship, getting a two-run double for the Los Angeles Dodgers and veteran major leaguer Jason Lane, who was at Southern Maryland (Waldorf) for a time last season, collecting a run-scoring single for Toronto.

POSITION PLAYERS AWAITING NEW OPPORTUNITIES

A couple of days ago we listed the pitchers with Independent playing time who were with major league organizations at the end of last season and are believed to be without jobs (some may have chosen to retire) at this time. Today it is the position players in similar situations:

CATCHERS: None.
INFIELDERS: 1B Jason Botts, Christian Colonel, Fernando Cortez, Keoni DeRenne, 1B Trent Lockwood, Wes Long, Brian Myrow, Ramon Nivar, Argenis Reyes, Gabe Suarez, 1B Ryne White, 1B Dustin Yount.
OUTFIELDERS: Cory Aldridge, Charlton Jimerson, Jacque Jones (likely retired), Kevin Mahar, Val Majewski, Andres Perez, Michael Ryan, Mike Spidale, Matt Watson, Matt Wilhite.

We welcome clarifications from this list to RWirz@aol.com.

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WHERE ARE THE PITCHERS? WE HAVE 25 WHO SEEM TO BE FREE AGENTS

2011-03-03T11:20:00.003-05:00
It seems unlikely this far into spring training that very few of the former Independent players who had major league organizational jobs at the end of last season and did not get an new contract earlier in the offseason will be asked back for 2011. As a result, the following 25 pitchers appear to be available (unless they have opted to retire):

Jason Anderson, Federico Baez, Steve Bray, Kyle Carr, Travis Chick, Brendan Donnelly, Derrick Ellison, Seth Etherton, Mark Holliman, Ryan Houston, Jason Jarvis, Jason Jones, Taylor Lavigne, Dan Leatherman, Chris Malone, Tom Mastny, Brian Mazone, Kyle Middleton, Josh Muecke, Oneli Perez, Adam Pettyjohn, Edwar Ramirez, Rick Rivas, Patrick Ryan and Preston Vancil.

If anyone has seen that someone on this list has signed either with an organization or an Independent team, I invite you to pass that information along to RWirz@aol.com.

We will have a list of unsigned position players in a day or two.

SPRING TRAINING ROSTERS SWELLING

A heavy portion of today's Independent Baseball Insider column, our subscription newsletter that is weekly from now through September, will be devoted to how former Independent players who are in major league spring training camps are doing.

One of the nuggets we have uncovered includes a list of six players not originally on either 40-man rosters or non-roster invitees who have appeared in at least one major league exhibition game. That brings the number of Indy grads involved in big league camps to at least 54 with more expected to show up. We track them as best we can.

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WHO ELSE WILL SHOW UP IN SPRING TRAINING GAMES?

2011-02-18T17:09:00.002-05:00
We featured the former Independent players--all 48 of them--who will be in major league spring training camps in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column, but with teams frequently making players available for a specific exhibition game and wanting to take a look at them we can imagine numerous other familiar names showing up in box scores.

These would seem to be some of the likely candidates, listed by major league team with their former Independent affiliations in parenthesis:

Arizona--RHP Brian Sweeney (Lafayette, IN, Heartland League, and Somerset, NJ, Atlantic League, although he did not appear in regular season games for the latter).
Baltimore--RHP Chris Jakubauskas (Lincoln, NE, American Association; Orange County, Golden League; Florence, KY and Ohio Valley, Frontier League); LHP Alberto Castillo (Newark and Camden, NJ, and Road Warriors, Atlantic League; Schaumburg, IL, Northern League).
Oakland--RHP Mike Benacka (River City, Frontier League).
San Francisco--OF Justin Christian (Southern Maryland, Atlantic League; River City, Frontier League); LHP Justin Dowdy (Wichita, KS, and Shreveport, LA, American Association; Alexandria, LA, United League; Calgary, CA, Northern League; Rockford, IL, Frontier League).
Seattle--RHP Scott Patterson (Lancaster, PA, Atlantic League; Gateway, Frontier League).

We invite readers to help us watch for others who show up in major league games with this information sent to RWirz@aol.com.

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NEW GIANTS OUTFIELDER CREDITS 'HARD WORK' OF INDEPENDENT BASEBALL

2011-02-08T12:30:00.003-05:00
Justin Christian has been squarely in our sights for a few years now, certainly since the spring of 2008 when this now 30-year-old outfielder who started out in Independent Baseball was in the major league spring training camp of the New York Yankees.

Fast forwarding to today, everyone in the Indy game should want to reach out to Christian and give him a friendly pat on the back or a hearty "thank you".

Christian just signed a minor league deal with the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants. It is what he said to MLB.com writer Jesse Sanchez that makes the Indy game look good.

"The reason I believe I was able to get to the big leagues is because I had to grind and work hard in Independent ball," he told Sanchez, who was covering the Caribbean Series where Christian was the centerfielder and leadoff hitter for Mexico.

"You are not getting a lot of looks from scouts (in Independent leagues), but for me, it made me appreciate my opportunity with the Yankees that much more because I know the road I had taken was a difficult one."

Christian got into 24 games with the Yankees in 2008, and those 40 at-bats (10 hits, six RBI, seven steals) represent his entire major league regular season experience so far. He did not even get a major league spring training invitation from the Giants, yet he sounds grateful.

The speedster spent much of 2003 and 2004 breaking into the pro game at O'Fallon, MO with the River City Rascals of the Frontier League, not a great distance from Southwest Missouri State where he had been in college. (He also had played for Auburn.) He worked his way up through the Yankees' chain for three and a half years before the major league shot, and he was once again in the Bombers' minor league system for most of last season after starting out with two games back in the Indy world (3-for-9) with Southern Maryland of the Atlantic League.

"Christian is a grinder", Sanchez wrote. "He's the undrafted baseball lifer with an independent streak and an international flair for the game."

The 6-foot-1 native of Lincoln, NE went to winter ball without a job for this season. "The entire time I believed I was going to have the opportunity to sign with a team, I just didn't know with which team," he said. But pounding out a .356 average in 64 games with 55 RBI and 24 steals in 25 attempts in the Mexican Pacific League earned a the in the San Francisco system.

It is a safe bet Christian will continue grinding away.

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WE HAVE TIDBITS ON MIKE TORREZ'S NEW JOB, THE 69 ORIOLES WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE AND WHERE TO FIND CAREER RECORDS

2011-02-04T16:13:00.004-05:00
Some leftovers on the day after another lengthy Independent Baseball Insider column...

FINDING CAREER STATS

If you get frustrated as I do in finding up to date career profiles, especially combining Independent and affiliated (sometimes even college) statistics, check out TheBaseballCube.com.

The Cube helped, for example, in tracking down details on 2010 Sioux City, IA (American Association) outfielder Jon Mark Owings, who recently signed with Arizona.

NO INVITATION FOR CASTILLO OR JAKUBAUSKAS

I may have been wrong in believing lefty Alberto Castillo and newly-signed righty Chris Jakubauskas would get major league training camp invitations from Baltimore. The O's, one of the last teams to reveal their basic non-roster invitee list, did not include either of these pitchers.

Our count remains at an impressive 26 non-roster invitations although there usually are some stragglers who will increase the number. We will run down the complete list of Indy players in big league camps in our February 17 Insider.

69 ORIOLES HAVE PLAYED IN ATLANTIC LEAGUE

Veteran baseball writer Lisa Winston, now working for Peter Kirk's Opening Day Partners, came up with a very impressive note. She determined no less than 69 Baltimore Orioles (these weren't minor leaguers, either) have played in the Atlantic League, with 17 of them in this eastern-based Indy league last summer.

MIKE TORREZ RETURNS

Who can forget Mike Torrez? The big right-hander, who did the Yankees two huge favors while pitching, is back at Newark, NJ, this time as general manager of the Bears, who have moved from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am.

Torrez won two games in the 1977 World Series for the Bronx Bombers, but is better remembered by many for giving up that famous playoff home run to the Yankees' Bucky Dent the next year, depriving Boston of going to the World Series.

Torrez, now 64, won 185 games during his major league mound duty.

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NEW NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE STEPS OUT TO SPONSOR CAR IN 24 HOURS OF DAYTONA THIS WEEKEND

2011-01-28T12:03:00.003-05:00
How is this for an interesting venture by the North American League?

The league, made up of franchises from the Golden, Northern and United Leagues, has yet to play a game and still must deal with issues such as the economic mess involving the Schaumburg (IL) Flyers, but it is stepping up promotional activities by sponsoring a car in this weekend's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona race. Photos show a huge NAL logo on the hood of a car owned by TRG/Nadeau Motorsports so it presumably is not exactly a nickel and dime sponsorship.

Bob Doyle, Jim Michaelian and Coulter Mulligan will take turns behind the wheel of the Porsche, and race/baseball fans can follow the action that starts at 3:30 p.m. EST Saturday via Speed Channel or www.DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com.

Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Village of Schaumburg seem to have agreed the Flyers will be evicted from Alexian Field if the team is not sold and its sizeable debt repaid by February 24. The clock keeps ticking on this issue.

THREE MORE GET NON-ROSTER INVITATIONS

The Continental League is no more, but it has its first former player with an invitation to a major league spring training camp. Left-hander Brandon Sisk, who started his pro career in the Houston region with the Bay Area Toros in 2007-08, is an invitee of the Kansas City Royals after two full seasons of averaging well over a strikeout per inning.

Another who started his career in Independent Baseball, Greg Burke, is back for another shot at making the San Diego Padres bullpen corps. Burke was with the Padres for much of 2009. He started out with Atlantic City, NJ in the Atlantic League. The other new non-roster invitee is infielder-outfielder Erick Almonte (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League), who will get another look from Milwaukee after hitting .320 with two homers and 38 runs batted in during 110 games for Triple-A Nashville last season.

Our count of former Indy players with major league non-roster invitations is up to 22with a few more expected.

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BUSINESS 'GETS TOUGHER' EVEN FOR ATTENDANCE LEADERS LIKE WINNIPEG

2011-01-24T11:30:00.003-05:00
I had a nice chat with Winnipeg Owner (and Mayor) Sam Katz a few days ago with two especially interesting points emerging.

I knew that Sam and new Hall of Fame electee Pat Gillick were friends, but what I did not realize was that "he (Gillick) got me into baseball". The friendship has had continuing threads with Gillick throwing out the first ball when the Goldeyes opened their stadium, newly renamed Shaw Park, in 1999 and with Seattle (with Gillick as general manager) purchasing pitchers Bobby Madritsch and George Sherrill, both of whom went on the play in the major leagues. Sherrill has had quite a career, of course, with Atlanta his newest bullpen stop for this season.

Madritsch got sidetracked by injuries, but Katz still looks back on him "as a winner." Katz said if Winnipeg "had a losing streak and he was pitching you felt good" about the team's chances.

The other comment that hit home was Katz's overall take on baseball business today: "It gets tougher, not easier", which drives home the lesson about the need to work extra hard to stay on top since Winnipeg not only led the former Northern League in attendance one more time in 2010 and also ranked second (to Long Island, NY) in average attendance in Independent Baseball at 5,654 fans per game. While still an impressive average, this was a drop from 6,180 one year earlier.

Katz, like others I have talked to in Winnipeg, is enthused about the opportunity "to renew old rivalries" now that the Goldeyes have moved to the American Association.

BYRDAK JOINS METS, GETS NON-ROSTER INVITE

Tim Byrdak could well be one of those left-handed relievers who goes on and on. Now 37, Byrdak has been in 343 major league games--every one of them in relief--with most of them since pitching for Gary, IN and Joliet, IL when both were in the Northern League in 2003.

He will bid to hurl for his fifth major league team when he reports to the New York Mets next month, even though his free agent signing was to a minor league contract with a major league spring training invitation. Byrdak went 2-2, 3.49 in 64 appearances for Houston last season. The fact he has held left-handed hitters to slightly better than a .200 average in his career gives the 5-foot-11 hurler an excellent chance of staying in the majors.

His competition this spring could include a more recent Independent Baseball player, Mike O'Connor, who spent a portion of 2009 at Southern Maryland (Waldorf) in the Atlantic League. O'Conner, a 30-year-old southpaw, has some major league time, mainly as a starter, with Washington. He struck out 70 International League hitters in the same number of innings for the Mets' top farm club in Buffalo, NY in 2010.

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TWO HURLERS WHO STARTED IN INDY LEAGUES AND PAIR OF CATCHERS EARN MAJOR LEAGUE INVITATIONS

2011-01-12T16:59:00.003-05:00
It is days like this when the benefit of working out of a home office is pretty easy to understand. With something like 14 inches of new snow stacked on top of a couple of previous snows, well, you get the idea.

But better things are coming. That is pretty clear with non-roster invitations to major league spring training camps continuing to pile up. We accounted for 10 such invitations to former Independent players in last Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider, and already can name four more with several teams not yet revealing any invitees.

The new group includes two pitchers and two catchers, all with some major league experience.

The neat thing about the two right-handed hurlers is that they threw their first professional pitches in Independent Baseball. Chris Oxspring was with Cook County (Crestwood, IL) and Josh Kinney at River City (O'Fallon, MO), both in the Frontier League. Kinney had a magical season in 2006, joining the parent St. Louis Cardinals in the second half of the year and being a key member of their World Series bullpen that same campaign. Kinney is headed to the Chicago White Sox, according to published reports, including MLB.com. Oxspring has been away from the game for a time, but has had a solid winter in Australia, and Detroit has signed him.

Minnesota invited catcher Rene Rivera, who played for Camden, NJ (Atlantic League) as recently as last season before signing with the New York Yankees for the balance of the year. The other backstop is veteran Mike Rivera, who is back in the Milwaukee organization. His greatest major league success has been with the Brewers although he was with Florida at the end of the '10 season. Mike Rivera played at Atlantic City when the Surf were part of the Atlantic League.

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INDEPENDENT GAME LOSES A FRIEND IN SCOUT MIKE DE ANGELO

2011-01-10T15:14:00.003-05:00
Independent Baseball lost a friend from the scouting fraternity over the weekend.

Mike DeAngelo died Friday night from heart trouble.

A onetime college player at the University of New Haven who also signed with the Montreal Expos and later scouted for more than 20 years, DeAngelo had been involved in recent times in scouting both the Atlantic and Can-Am Leagues.

"We enjoyed having him around; he was constantly looking for players", Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish General Manager Bob Goughan said. DeAngelo had been involved in the Bluefish signing of major league veteran Wily Mo Pena in 2010. Pena's contract was later sold to San Diego, and the first baseman-outfielder hit .324 (.390 on-base percentage) with nine homers and 34 RBI in only 142 at-bats at Triple-A Portland.

DeAngelo, who is credited with signing major leaguers Mark Sweeney and Charlie Morton, has been serving as Special Advisor to the New York State League, a scouting service that will serve as the official developmental league to the Can-Am League and will supply players for the league road team to be known as the New York Federals.

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NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE SETTLES ON TWO SIX-TEAM DIVISIONS; PAUL ABBOTT OFFERS HIGH PRAISE

2010-12-29T13:03:00.003-05:00
Breaking News! Breaking News! We are just like the breathless TV announcers, with our story centering on the announcement that the North American League will only have two divisions (instead of the widely discussed three) with six teams in each.

It almost had to happen since there were only three teams remaining from both the Northern and United Leagues, and it seemed like too much of a stretch to make the Western Canada teams play in the league with the Northern teams as one highly-placed official had indicated was possible or to place a travel team in the United bracket. Travel still will not be easy in either bracket.

The Eastern Division breaks down this way: Edinburg, San Angelo and Rio Grande Valley (Harlingen) in Texas plus Lake County (Zion), Rockford and Schaumburg, IL.

The Western Division will have Calgary and Edmonton in Canada, Tijuana (The Embajadores) in Mexico, Yuma, AZ, Chico, CA and Maui, HA. Somewhat surprising is the omission of Orange County (Fullerton, CA).

HOW'S THIS FOR PRAISE?

Paul Abbott was such a good pitcher he was in the major leagues off and on from 1990 to 2004, putting up a 43-37 record and winning 17 of 21 decisions with Seattle in 2002. And, he obviously is a fan of the Independent game, especially after managing Orange County (Fullerton, CA) in the Golden League last season.

"My time with the Flyers was the richest experience and really (the) most fun I've had in organized baseball", the 43-year-old said as he departed his one season of managing (51-35) to become pitching coach at Lowell, MA in the Boston Red Sox system.

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CAN-AM LEAGUE MAY HAVE HIT ANOTHER BUMP, AND WE DIG INTO THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SCHEDULE

2010-12-24T16:00:00.003-05:00
Teams in the newly-expanded American Association have been announcing their schedules for a few days now which leaves only the Can-Am and the new three-division North American League to get their lineup of teams finalized so they can let fans know what their schedules will look like.

The Can-Am, which appeared to be headed back to a more impressive eight teams with the addition of Newark, NJ from the Atlantic League and a possible expansion team in Ramapo, NY, may suddenly have taken a new hit.

The New Jersey Herald broke the story this week that Sussex, one of the two Floyd Hall-operated teams in the state (along with the New Jersey Jackals), may not return unless a last-minute buyer is found. Quoting the Sussex Skyhawks' Facebook page, The Herald reported "if the season were to start tomorrow, the Skyhawks would go inactive".

With opposition continuing to fight the building of a stadium in Ramapo and only five months remaining until the Can-Am normally opens its season, it would not be a shock to see the Northeast-based league once again play with six teams.

SOME THINGS WE SEE IN THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SCHEDULE

The American Association definitely appears strengthened with its addition of four teams out of the Northern League plus Amarillo, TX coming in to replace Pensacola, FL and whittle down some of the travel issues, but there certainly are some quirks in the league schedule.

The positive news spills over to the expansion of the schedule from 96 to 100 games, and a straight forward playoff plan that will include the three divisional champions and the wild card with the best record.

We examined the St. Paul, schedule, and presuming it is somewhat typical in an unbalanced environment, the Saints will play everyone but El Paso, TX in at least one series and will make only one major southern trip to play 13 games in as many days while visiting four cities. St. Paul will play eight opponents at least once both at home and on the road, including the four that just departed the Northern League, and will have nine teams visit Midway Stadium overall. Lincoln, NE says it will host 12 of the 13 league opponents.

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WHITE SOX GIVE PETE ROSE, JR. HIS FIRST MANAGERIAL OPPORTUNITY

2010-12-22T15:50:00.006-05:00
What an interesting hiring by the Chicago White Sox right before the holidays.

They gave 41-year-old Pete Rose, Jr., who spent virtually all of the last eight years of his playing career in Independent leagues, the job of managing their advanced rookie team in Bristol, VA (Appalachian League).

The Chisox only had the son of the major league hit king in their minor league system for two stints early in his career (1991-96)so they deserve credit for not holding anything his dad did against him. After all, Rose, Jr., played professionally for 21 seasons and only got 14 major league at-bats, all with Cincinnati in 1997.

The Rose hiring is the most intriguing transaction of late even though we can point to other Indy players who have gotten new contracts.

Rose first stepped onto an Independent diamond with the New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls), then of the Northeast League and now in the Can-Am, to hit a non-affiliated career high of 15 home runs in 1998. It has been a steady diet of play in Indy leagues since 2002 with Winnipeg, Joliet, IL and Lincoln, NE, followed by Atlantic League play exclusively between 2005 and 2009 with Long Island, NY (three times), Bridgeport, CT, Newark, NJ and York, PA. The left-handed hitter became a hitting coach at Florence, KY of the Frontier League last season.

'SURPRISING' BARTON GETS NEW AFFILIATED OPPORTUNITY

When Brian Barton was playing for Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League early last season, the 28-year-old gave this typist the impression he was a strikeout machine. That is not good for an outfielder hopeful of returning to the major leagues. He fanned 34 times in 91 at-bats with only seven runs batted in (.264, three homers).

But Barton ended up in a Newark, NJ uniform, and although the Bears were struggling he caught fire to hit .375 with 24 doubles, 16 homers and 65 RBI in 77 games. He did fan another 72 times in his 277 times at bat, but the production was sufficient that Cincinnati has signed him and placed Barton on their Louisville (Triple A) roster. He has seen limited duty in Venezuela this winter (5-for-17) in trying to be ready to shoot for the majors once more. He already has played for St. Louis and very briefly for Atlanta.

OTHER SIGNINGS

Among other recent signings of former Independent players:
**Minnesota inked catcher Rene Rivera to a Triple-A pact after he started last season with Camden, NJ of the Atlantic League and finished in Class AA with the New York Yankees.
**Baltimore gave former major league receiver Michel Hernandez (Somerset, NJ, Atlantic) another Class AAA contract. It certainly gives him the continued opportunity to be ready if the Orioles need help in the American League East.
**The Yankees re-signed third baseman Myron Leslie (New Jersey, Can-Am League) and elevated him one level to Double-A.

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HALL OF FAMER GILLICK'S LINK TO THE INDEPENDENT GAME

2010-12-13T17:25:00.003-05:00
This is a little later than it might have been, but let me say Independent Baseball should tip its fedora to Pat Gillick for his election to the Hall of Fame. Gillick was one who seemed to embrace the Indy game from the beginning when some of his major league brethren were not so certain.

Gillick's closest association, he confirmed at the Winter Meetings last week, has been with Winnipeg Owner Sam Katz. I cannot help but wonder if that relationship had something to do with Seattle purchasing pitchers George Sherrill and Bobby Madritsch back in 2003 when Gillick was general manager of the Mariners.

Both made the majors, and Sherrill, who started his pro journey in the Frontier League in 1999, ranks as one of the very best to climb all the way to the top from a start in an Indy circuit. His last five full seasons have been in the major leagues, with Atlanta the latest to obtain the free agent's services (for 2011). Sherrill hurled in Evansville, IN for two years, then spent 2001 in Sioux Falls, SD and a season and a half with Winnipeg before ever getting a shot with a major league organization. Winnipeg and Sioux Falls, originally Northern League teams, now are part of the American Association.

PENSACOLA TO DOUBLE-A?

We hope to sort it out more before Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column, but if Pensacola, FL does go dark next season while preparing to launch a Double-A franchise in its new stadium in 2012, as is being rumored, that move likely would get the American Association back to an even number of teams instead of fielding a very awkward 15 next season.

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INDEPENDENT LEAGUES HAVE BANNER DAY WITH FIVE PLAYERS TAKEN IN TRIPLE-A PHASE OF RULE 5 DRAFT

2010-12-09T13:39:00.002-05:00
While Boston's apparent signing of Carl Crawford seemed certain to steal the spotlight on the last day of the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Thursday also was a banner day for Independent Baseball.

No fewer than five former Indy players, including three who signed during or after the season, were taken by new organizations during the Rule 5 free agent draft. All five went as part of the Triple-A phase of the draft which means the new organization had to pay $12,500 for each contract. The quintet will be on Triple-A rosters for now although they can play at any level in the organization in 2011.

The Northern League, whittled down to part of the new North American League in the future, came out looking extremely good because four of the players have played there, starting with Triple Crown threat Jacob Blackwood, an infielder, and catcher Travis Scott, both part of the NL this season.

The American Association can claim partial credit for three of the five draftees starting with southpaw Justin Dowdy, who was taken by San Francisco. Dowdy saved 17 games and posted an exceptional 1.08 earned run average with Wichita, KS and pitched in the All-Star Game before having his contract purchassed by Tampa Bay. He fanned 40 batteres in 25 innings. Dowdy, a 10-year pro vet at the age of 27, had one save and a 2.04 ERA in 11 games in Class AA.

Blackwood was drafted by San Diego, Scott by Pittsburgh. The other players with new homes are pitchers, right-hander Matt Sartor with San Francisco and righty Daniel Sattler with the Los Angeles Angels.

Blackwood and Sattler both had ties to the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones, one of the clubs moving from the Northern League to the American Association, while Scott was with Rockford, IL, which was in the Northern League and seems ticketed for the Northern Division of the NAL, which is being formed by the remaining teams in the Northern, United and Golden Leagues.

Sartor played for Lewisville, TX of the Continental League, which stopped play after the '10 season. Dowdy also has had time with Shreveport, LA in the American Association, Alexandria, LA when it was in the United League, Calgary, Canada of the Northern League and Rockford, when the RiverHawks played in the Frontier League.

Blackwood, drafted as a third baseman (he also plays second), led the Northern League with 31 home runs and 86 RBI and his .331 average ranked third. He struck out only 46 times in 426 times at bat. Scott, who bats left-handed, hit .300 in 65 games for Rockford with five homers and 29 driven in.

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CHRISTIAN'S BAT HOT WHILE PENA, WARD, ROGERS, SWINDLE AMONG RECENT SIGNEES

2010-12-06T16:58:00.003-05:00
Some quick hits before heading out for the Winter Meetings in Orlando the next three days.

The last I have seen is that Justin Christian still is a free agent after playing much of 2010 in the New York Yankees system. His presence is going to be known to those scouting the winter leagues because this fleet outfielder is leading the Dominican League with a hefty .383 average (69-for-180) and has been successful in all 22 of his steal attempts. Christian, who started in Independent Baseball with River City (O'Fallon, MO) of the Frontier League and came back to play briefly in the Atlantic League last spring (Southern Maryland at Waldorf), also is showing extra base power with 16 doubles and seven home runs.

THE SIGNINGS SCENARIO

While veteran major league lefty George Sherrill is on the free agent market after being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the big bats of Daryle Ward and Wily Mo Pena are off the market. Ward (Newark, NJ, Atlantic League) has been signed by the Chicago White Sox for their Triple-A Charlotte, NC club and Pena (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) is reported to have been signed by Arizona with a major league spring training invitation. Sherrill is one of the best signings ever among players who started in Indy circles. He went all the way from Evansville, IN of the Frontier League and former Northern League cities Winnipeg, CA and Sioux Falls, SD to closing in both Baltimore and with the Dodgers. Winnipeg and Sioux Falls now are in the American Association.

Tampa Bay has once again signed southpaw R. J. Swindle, giving this Northern League (Schaumburg, IL) and Atlantic League (Newark) reliever another chance. Shortstop Ed Rogers (Bridgeport), a steadying influence both on the field and in the clubhouse, has gotten a new contract from Arizona.

MANAGERIAL MOVES

Stan Hough is getting another managing opportunity, this time with Fort Worth, TX of the American Association. He spent two years in the Northeast League (Waterbury, CT), then was an affiliated field boss, working as high as Triple-A Ottawa, CA.

Meanwhile, longtime Indy Manager Les Lancaster has departed Sioux City, IA (American Association) after three years to become pitching coach for Philadelphia's Gulf Coast League team in Clearwater, FL.

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TWO MORE FORMER INDEPENDENT HURLERS GET MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTER SLOTS

2010-11-25T14:08:00.003-05:00
What better way to spend some of the pre-turkey portion of Thanksgiving pouring over hundreds of player transactions to see what is new among some of the prized Independent Baseball graduates.

The best news is seeing that two more former Indy pitchers have been added to 40-man major league rosters, which means that come spring training time they will get an opportunity to show they are ready for the big time.

Tom Wilhelmsen's promotion by Seattle was not such a major surprise, given some of the right-hander's performances last season and the fact he also got exposure recently in the Arizona Fall League.

But Tampa Bay also is giving Dane DeLaRosa the 40-man treatment. This hulking righty has truly traveled the Independent landscape, working in three different seasons in the Golden League (Orange County, which is in Fullerton, CA plus Long Beach, CA and Yuma, AZ. He was in both the American Association (El Paso, TX) and the Atlantic League (Southern Maryland in Waldorf) in 2009, and this season went 9-3 with four saves and a 1.97 earned run average for Class AA Montgomery, AL.

RE-SIGNINGS PICKING UP TEMPO

The signing of recently-released players is continuing. Tagg Bozied (Sioux Falls, SD), coming off a strong season in Double-A, has inked a new pact in the Philadelphia organization. This one is with Triple-A Lehigh Valley (Allentown, PA).

Reliever Scott Patterson, who like Bozied started his pro career in the Independent ranks, is getting another opportunity with Seattle's top farm club in Tacoma, WA. His Indy time was in Sauget, IL (Gateway Grizzlies) in the Frontier League and with Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League. Another Lancaster product, RHP Jon Huber, has re-signed in the Los Angeles Dodgers chain despite recent struggles in Venezuala and southpaw Edwin Walker has gone up a level in the Houston organization, now residing on the Double-A Corpus Christi, TX roster. Walker pitched in three Indy leagues, the Northern (Gary, IN), United (San Angelo, TX) and Frontier (Chillicothe, OH), and he once was ticketed for the Atlantic League although he did not appear in any games for York, PA.

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EFFORTS OF NEW NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE APPLAUDED, BUT...

2010-11-19T11:11:00.003-05:00
Okay, here is my take on the announcement of the formation of the North American League, which was announced Thursday night after the Independent Baseball Insider column had been distributed to subscribers.

I always applaud efforts to keep professional baseball in markets that could go dark because I know what it can mean to local fans. So, I wish the North American League the very best. As a longtime public relations man myself, I also tip my cap to much of the positive spin put into the release, which came out of the Golden League.

I had pinpointed in the Insider the importance of Monday's Frontier League meeting and continue to do so, unless the determined officials in Joliet, IL back off of their pledge that "we want to be in the Frontier League". Without Joliet, the NAL would only have three former Northern League teams. Surprisingly, The Joliet Herald News is completely silent on the subject so far, not even mentioning the formation of the NAL, as best I can tell.

One scenario, I suppose, could be that Joliet would play in the NAL for a year while the Frontier League can make appropriate adjustments to take the JackHammers in in a more orderly manner in 2012.

The reason for this is that while the NAL release says this combined effort of the previous Northern, United and Golden Leagues "will have 16-20 teams" that number seems somewhat high, unless Joliet, Laredo, TX, Yuma, AZ, Tijuana (Mexico) and wild cards such as Omaha, NE come together very quickly. Even holdovers such as Schaumburg, IL, Chico, CA and Orange County (Fullerton, CA) still seem to have some unresolved roadblocks.

The other challenge for many of the operators in the '11 version of the NAL will be coming out with a nice bottom line once they have taken on some trips to play outside of their division since several of the teams the circuit is planning on have not been strong attendance locales in recent years. The banner of the North American League, no matter how good, is not likely to erase these headaches overnight.

Time will tell how it all plays out, and I will be among those cheering the loudest for a successful launch and a long term triumph.

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A DOZEN TEAMS FROM TRIO OF LEAGUES COULD END UP IN THREE GOLDEN LEAGUE DIVISIONS

2010-11-15T16:14:00.004-05:00
Are you ready for the latest idea for saving professional baseball in those communities where entire leagues have been in jeopardy?

The news swirl today, which we hope to sort out in time for our detailed subscription Independent Baseball Insider column on Thursday, has the remaining Northern, United and Golden League franchises joining forces into three or four divisions under the Golden's banner.

Four divisions do not make any sense to this corner. Three may work, but even then nearly half of the 12 primary teams we have heard mentioned have been battling their own major issues.

The only public information we know of with any likely credibility came out of Rockford, IL., which is an interesting locale since the RiverHawks left the Frontier League for the Northern one year ago and is one of four remaining franchises in that circuit, all of whom have applied separately to join the 12-team Frontier. Owner Dave Ciarrachi told hometown WREX-TV that Rockford is headed to the Golden League.

Everything else seems to be mostly speculation.

The possible three-division setup which makes geographic sense has the Golden League's own teams in Canada (Edmonton and Calgary) plus Chico, CA and Maui, HA in one division. Four Illinois teams coming out of the Northern League (Joliet, Schaumburg, Zion and Rockford) would be in another division and existing United League teams in four Texas communities (Edinburg, Harlingen, Laredo and San Angelo) would make up the third unit. Coastal Bend (Robstown, TX) has been omitted from the information we have seen. Seventy-five per cent of the approximate 76-game schedule--a sizeable reduction in all cases--would be played within the "home" division to greatly reduce travel costs.

The problem with this plan, as we see it, is that Joliet and Schaumburg have been facing major ownership or financial issues, Chico and Zion could have stadium problems and Laredo very likely is headed to the American Association in another year. Zion has made one hiring which indicates it expects to play with veteran field boss Tim Johnson, who has been in Tucson (it will be in Triple-A in '11), taking over managerial duties.

The safest information of all: Stay tuned.

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NEWS REMAINS DIM FOR THREE INDY LEAGUES BUT PECOS LEAGUE LAUNCHES

2010-11-12T16:02:00.004-05:00
The swirl of Independent Baseball franchises coming and going is keeping the wheel spinning as we slide into the weekend. This is what we can tell fans.

The Northern League, as we have been reporting for weeks, seems to be completely disappearing some 18 years after it truly launched modern-day Independent Baseball, and at the same time it is becoming more and more difficult to understand how either the Golden or United League can operate with any significant zest in 2011. Perhaps those two could combine, but the geography would be very scary.

These are primary reasons we reach these conclusions:

NORTHERN LEAGUE: The four franchises remaining after half the league joined the American Association have now applied to join the Frontier League. Applied does not mean they are being admitted, of course, with stories continuing to fly out of mainstream media in the Chicago area about the financial woes still being faced by Joliet and Schaumburg. Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee indicated the four teams (Lake County at Zion, IL and Rockford are the others) applied individually, according to The Joliet Tribune. Asked how long a decision would take, Lee said: "I just think you've got to move in a prudent fashion, but sometimes that prudent fashion is not fast enough for some people." To complicate the matter more, The Joliet Herald News is reporting the Windy City franchise (Crestwood, IL) is demanding compensation for territorial infringement if Joliet is admitted to the league.

GOLDEN LEAGUE: After losing Tucson to Triple-A for at least a year and with Tijuana, St. George, UT, Yuma, AZ, Chico, CA and Orange County (Fullerton, CA) all facing stadium or ownership issues, Victoria, British Columbia, has announced it is ceasing operations. This only leaves Edmonton, BC, Maui, HA and Calgary, Alberta somewhat certain for 2011. The most positive step we have seen over recent weeks for the league was Calgary's appointment of 26-year-old Patrick Haas as general manager.

UNITED LEAGUE: With six teams in the past, that number is down to five after Potter County Commissioners (Amarillo, TX) awarded a stadium lease to Southern Independent Baseball to operate an American Association team in the city starting in 2011. Amarillo has been the leader in United League attendance. Theoretically, Amarillo becomes the 15th team in the American Association although this corner expects that number to somehow drop to 14, its size after the four teams joined out of the Northern League.

The new Pecos League in Texas and New Mexico appears virtually certain to be added to the Independent Baseball landscape next season. BallparkBiz.com reported Friday the Pecos, which will a largely be for younger professional aspirants, has formally launched with eight teams although two of those will be travel squads. The other six are Las Cruces, White Sands and Clovis in New Mexico and Roswell, Del Rio and Alpine in Western Texas. Las Cruces and Alpine were part of the now departed Continental League in 2010.

The good news for Indy fans is that the Atlantic and Can-Am leagues appear to be pretty solid in addition to the strengthening of both the American Association and the Frontier League. Those four circuits will have about 44 franchises among them and at least the Atlantic and the Association have new organizations lined up for one year from now.

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CAN-AM MANAGER OF THE YEAR GETS AFFILIATED JOB; SOLID PERFORMANCES NUMEROUS IN WINTER LEAGUES

2010-11-09T12:15:00.004-05:00
Add one more person to the lengthy list of baseball people who have used the Independent leagues as a springboard to managing in a major league organization.

Washington hired Brian Daubach, who took the Pittsfield (MA) Colonials from a late startup all the way to the Can-Am League championship series, to manage its South Atlantic League club in Hagerstown, MD. The onetime major leaguer was named Can-Am Manager of the Year for building Pittsfield from an 8-18 June to a 20-9 July and ultimately the third bast overall record in the league.

VALDES, ZAVADA LOSE 40-MAN ROSTER POSITIONS

The New York Mets have outrighted lefty Raul Valdes, the Can-Am grad (New Jersey, Nashua) who had some solid moments in his rookie major league season, to Triple-A and Arizona did the same to southpaw Clay Zavada (Southern Illinois, Frontier League), who was 3-3, 3.35 in 49 games with the parent club in 2009 before being sidelined virtually all of this season.

SO MANY WINTER LEAGUE OPPORTUNITIES

It was not long ago when Independent league players had a difficult time finding Winter League opportunities, but that is not the case any longer. The American Association reported recently that 39 of its current or former players are playing in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico or Colombia. The Can-Am League had 28 in those same leagues.

Raul Valdes (see story above), who was 3-3 with a save and a 4.91 earned run average in 38 games during his rookie major league season, has 17 strikeouts in 12.1 innings in three appearances (two starts) to go with a 1-0 record and a 1.46 ERA in the Dominican.

The best winter league pitching marks belong to another southpaw, Alberto Castillo, who shuttled between the Baltimore bullpen and Triple-A all summer. He has five victories (in as many decisions) already to lead the Mexican Pacific League. Castillo ranks third with a 2.25 ERA after five starts. He has been a frequent Independent Baseball player, working for Atlantic League teams in Newark and Camden, NJ plus the traveling Road Warriors and for Schaumburg, IL in the Northern League.

Jarrett Grube, whose contract was purchased by Seattle from Southern Maryland early in the Atlantic League season, is 3-1, 2.28 after five starts in Venezuela.

Tom Wilhelmsen, a Seattle farmhand by way of the Golden League (Tucson, AZ), has the fourth best earned run average at 0.96 in the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League. He has 14 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. Brandon Kintzler, who finished the National League season with Milwaukee, is 1-0, 3.00 after eight appearances. Kintzler spent his Indy time with American Association cities St. Paul, MN and Winnipeg, CA although the latter still was in the Northern League at the time.

Among hitters, the Mexican League batting leader is Justin Christian (Southern Maryland) at .411, with Marshall McDougall (Pensacola, FL, American Association, 2009) third at .409 and Sandy Madera (Newark, NJ) sixth at .352. Madera's 23 RBI in only 91 at bats rank No. 2, and the first baseman-DH has seven home runs.

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T-BONES' RIGHTY JUSTIN JAMES ONE OF SEVERAL INDY GRADS ON MOVE

2010-11-03T11:44:00.003-04:00
Now that the World Series is over player movement is predictably picking up.

One notable move involving a former Independent player saw Milwaukee claiming right-handed reliever Justin James off waivers from Oakland. The 29-year-old James made history within the Northern League this season by becoming the first player to go from the 18-year-old league to the majors in the same season.

He started the year with 11 appearances (0-0, six saves, 1.69) for the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones, one of the franchises that have since jumped to the American Association, and finished with his first five major league outings (0-0, 4.50). James, now pitching in the Arizona Fall League, is on the Brewers' 40-man roster.

SIX OTHERS SIGN NEW PACTS

Half a dozen Indy grads have received pleasant news in recent days in the form of new minor league contracts with their major league organizations. Three of them were promoted, too, which means it is less likely they will be lost when the minor league draft takes place next month.

The Los Angeles Angels promoted lefty Matt Meyer (St. Paul, MN, American Association) two levels to Triple-A and Seattle did the same with righty Tom Wilhelmsen (Tucson, AZ, Golden League). Milwaukee elevated right-hander Darren Byrd (Fargo, ND, then Northern League, now American Association) to Class AA.

Cincinnati re-signed third baseman Mike Costanzo (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) and kept him at Triple-A and the Brewers did the same with infielder Erick Almonte (Long Island, NY, Atlantic). Toronto gave right-hander Jamie Vermilyea (Maui, HA, Golden League) a new pact although it moved him down one level to Double-A.

More moves, including possible promotions to major league rosters, will be made throughout the month as teams get ready for the Winter Meetings.

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KEEPING TAB ON POSSIBLE FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUERS WHO ARE SIGNING OR PLAYING WINTER BASEBALL

2010-10-27T15:33:00.005-04:00
It is mere hours before the World Series starts, but I know, what you really want is some Independent Baseball news. So, here are a few nuggets.

FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUERS?

Here are a couple of names to keep in mind as possible Indy grads who may some day be added to the 149 others who have gotten to the majors after playing in one or more non-affiliated leagues.

Both right-handed pitcher Will Savage and third baseman Corey Smith are in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system, but at a time of year when major league organizations often drop players they have signed new contracts. And, both have some time to reach the top. Savage is 26, Smith 28.

Savage was 5-7 with a strong 2.94 earned run average in 19 starts for Wichita, KS (American Association) in 2009, then finished with two appearances (1-0, 3.24) for Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League. A Philadelphia draftee in 2007 after playing in college at Oklahoma, Savage was 10-5 with a 4.32 earned run average split with three Dodgers clubs this season. He ended up with Double-A Chattanooga, where the going was tough(0-1, 10.80 in four starts), but the Dodgers obviously like the upside.

Smith, who we wrote about frequently in our Atlantic League Notebook and Independent Baseball Insider for his all-star performance in the Southern League (Chattanooga) this season, was one key factor in Newark, NJ winning the Atlantic League title in 2007. He drove in 86 runs this season, and Los Angeles has promoted him to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Kansas City has re-signed catcher Cody Clark, who was .255-4-25 at Triple-A Omaha. Clark and Smith also got some at-bats in major league spring training this last season.

Savage and Smith are now playing in Venezuela. Savage is 0-0, 0.93 for two starts at Margarita while Smith had a three-run homer in his initial game for LaGuaira.

MORE HOT WINTER LEAGUE STATS

Outfielder Jon Weber, the New York Yankees' top rookie last spring training who later walked away from a Detroit minor league job when the major leagues were about to hand down a 100-game suspension, continues to swing a sizzling bat in the Mexican Pacific League. The onetime Northern Leaguer (Fargo, ND) and Frontier Leaguer (Canton, OH) ranks fifth in hitting at .405 (17-for-42), is tied for third in RBI (11), fifth in on-base percentage (.469) and second in slugging (.667).

Current Yankees minor league outfielder Justin Christian, who started his pro career in the Frontier League (River City, O'Fallon, MO), is next in hitting at .400 (20-for-50). Christian, who got to experience 24 games in the majors in an earlier stint with the Yankees, played briefly at Southern Maryland (Waldorf) in the Atlantic League last season.

Another outfielder, Michael Ryan, a Somerset, NJ (Atlantic League) grad who got some time in the majors again this season (Los Angeles Angels) before becoming a free agent this fall, is tied for fifth in the Venezuelan batting race at .378 (17-for-45).

On the mound, lefty Alberto Castillo, a reliever with Baltimore off and on in 2010, threw six innings of two-hit shutout ball this week. The onetime Newark, NJ and Road Warriors hurler (both Atlantic League) leads the Venezuelan League early on with a 1.54 ERA and has won his first two decisions.

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CATCHING UP WITH INDEPENDENT PLAYERS NOW IN WINTER LEAGUES

2010-10-22T16:07:00.003-04:00
When I wrote Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider I had notes on many additional Independent Baseball players from the start of winter baseball than I could possibly fit into the column. Here are some of them:

IN VENEZUELA

--Scott Patterson, who was closing for Lancaster, PA (Atlantic League) as recently as the early weeks of this season before signing with Seattle, has a loss to go with a 2.67 ERA for his first six innings. The right-hander started his pro career at Gateway (Sauget, IL) in the Frontier League.
--Another 2010 Atlantic Leaguer (Southern Maryland, Waldorf), Jarrett Grube is 1-1, 1.64 and has not walked anyone in 11 innings covering two starts. He also played in the Seattle organization this season.
--Jon Huber (Lancaster) is off to a rocky start with a loss and a 7.71 ERA for 4.2 innings. He is in the Los Angeles Dodgers system.
--Catcher Jose Yepez, a Seattle minor leaguer who played at Pensacola, FL (American Association) and Gary, IN (Northern League), is 6-for-25 (.240) and getting considerable playing time.

IN MEXICO

--Right-hander Jon Hunton (Oakland farm system) is 1-0, 2.25 for four outings. He has been with five different Independent teams, including New Jersey (Little Falls) in the Can-Am League, Somerset, NJ and Lancaster, Atlantic League, and Fort Worth, TX plus Coastal Bend (Robstown, TX) in the American Association.
--Speedy outfielder Justin Christian, a New York Yankees farmhand, is flying out of the gate with a .344 average (11-for-32) with two home runs. Christian played briefly at Southern Maryland this spring and started his professional career in the Frontier League (River City, O'Fallon, MO).
--Infielder Jacob Blackwood, who made a solid bid for the Triple Crown while playing at Kansas City, KS (one of the teams transferring from the Northern League to the American Association), is at .241 (7-for-29) but has a homer and six RBI (7 games). Blackwood signed after the Indy season with San Francisco.
--Southpaw Nick Bierbrodt has been near perfect in four appearances (0.00 ERA), giving up just two hits and two walks in four innings. He has worked at Bridgeport, CT and Somerset in the Atlantic League and Long Beach, CA in the Golden League
and belongs to the Rockies.
--Outfielder Cory Aldridge, who got some time with the parent Angels this summer and remains on their 40-man roster, is off to a slow start (5-for-29, .172) although he has driven in five runs in his first seven games.

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DETAILS EMERGE AS AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OFFICIALLY TAKES IN FOUR TEAMS FROM NORTHERN LEAGUE

2010-10-13T16:05:00.003-04:00

A few new nuggets were cleared up at the end of the American Association meetings in Grand Prairie, TX Wednesday although the primary news was the official addition of the four teams from the Northern League that we told subscribers about in our Independent Baseball Insider column last week. What we learned Wednesday:
**There will be three divisions in the 14-team league in 2011 with newcomers Fargo, ND and Winnipeg, CA joining St. Paul, MN and Sioux Falls, SD in one grouping and Gary, IN and Kansas City, KS joining holdovers Lincoln, NE, Sioux City, IA and Wichita, KS in a five-team bracket. These two divisions mean some of the rivalries that existed prior to 2006 when the American Association was formed will resume. Southern holdovers Pensacola, FL, Shreveport-Bossier, LA and the three Texas franchises in El Paso, Fort Worth and Grand Prairie continue to make up the other division.
**The schedule will increase from 96 to 100 games, which the Northern League had this season.
**The salary cap will increase, with reports varying on what the total will be.
It seems likely the American Association rule which requires a minimum of five rookies on each team will be retained. The NL only required four. Playoffs also need to be ironed out although a logical step would match the three divisional champions and a wild card unless the league wants more than four teams to qualify. That would not be unreasonable even though some teams look at being in the postseason as taking more drain on team finances.
Northern League Commissioner Clark Griffith is quoted in one report that the veteran circuit will continue even though it is down to four teams at this point.
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HOLD YOUR BREATH: MAJOR SHAKEUP TAKING PLACE WITHIN INDEPENDENT LEAGUES

2010-10-06T15:06:00.002-04:00

To say that changes are occurring in Independent Baseball would be a major understatement. Not a single league is left out as major movement is taking place, and one established league may disappear altogether.
We are sorting it out as quickly as possible, and will report on every move--announced or not--in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column.
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THE DRAMA OF 2010 PLAYS OUT WITH SURREAL VIDEO OF JOHN LINDSEY AND A SURPRISING ATLANTIC LEAGUE FINISH

2010-10-04T14:00:00.005-04:00
Anyone who has followed the highs and lows of 16-year pro John Lindsey through 2010--we have written about him frequently in this space and in our Independent Baseball Insider columns--can get a unique glimpse by clicking on the Title line above. Not only will you find continued respect for the onetime New Jersey Jackals (Can-Am League) first baseman from outgoing Dodgers Manager Joe Torre, but you will see Lindsey's only hit and the sheer joy of his parents, wife and son as the 33-year-old gets a taste of major league life. It is a classic five minutes for every Independent Baseball player dreaming of seeing himself in The Show.

THE INDY SEASON ENDS IN EXCITING FASHION

The Independent Baseball season ended with all the drama one would hope for late Saturday night.

York, PA, which had to be given the longest of odds when the four-team Atlantic League playoffs started because of a struggling second half of the season and major questions about its pitching, rallied from three runs down in the eighth and ninth innings, finally pulling even at 4-4 when the apparent final out of the game went awry for the host Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish. Andy Etchebarren's Revolution went ahead in the top of the 10th and held on behind the right arm of their eighth pitcher of the evening, Michael Nix, to win, 5-4 and complete a three-game sweep for a worst-to-first turnaround and their initial title since joining the league in 2007.

The four-hour, 16-minute contest lacked some of the artistry of a normal game, with 17 hits, 18 walks, 22 strikeouts, seven errors and 26 runners left on base, but it did not lack for tension.

Both teams were less than full strength, but Bridgeport had the worst of it with cleanup hitter Josh Phelps lost the previous night with a broken hand and switch-hitting infielder Victor Mercedes, one of the Bluefish's key hitters down the stretch, departing to pick up a big paycheck playing for the Dominican Republic in a World Cup-qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. York was without outfielder Erold Andrus, who left the team even though he had come off the bench with a 2-for-2 performance (home run, single) in Game 2.

The new champions were scheduled to be honored in York on Monday.

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SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CELEBRATES AMERICAN ASSOCIATION TITLE WITH FIVE MORE INDEPENDENT CHAMPIONS TO GO

2010-09-13T14:44:00.003-04:00
A quick update on the playoffs for all five Independent leagues that have not finished:

Atlantic League: Defending champion Somerset, NJ has clinched a tie for the final spot with six games remaining. Long Island, NY and Newark, NJ, both with seven games to go, will be eliminated with one more Patriots win or their own loss. York, PA will be the other half of the Freedom Division matchup while Southern Maryland (Waldorf) and Bridgeport, CT will square off in the other series, which starts next week.
Can-Am League: Pittsfield, MA and Quebec are in the championship series.
Frontier League: Traverse City, MI is awaiting its opponent for the finals with Southern Illinois (Marion) leading River City (O'Fallon, MO), two games to one in the best of five series.
Golden League: Newcomer Maui meets Chico, CA in the finals.
Northern League: Kansas City, KS and Fargo, ND will square off in the championship round.

The latest champion is Shreveport-Bossier, LA. The Captains surprised Sioux Falls, SD in three consecutive games to take the American Association title. Shreveport-Bossier is celebrating this very evening (Monday) with a 7 p.m. party at the Fair Grounds Field Beer Garden.

Big Bend (Alpine, TX), in the Continental League, and Amarillo, TX, in the United League, won titles earlier this season.

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LINDSEY'S FAMILY GETS IN ON DEBUT, AND FORMER CAN-AM STAR SET TO START ON SATURDAY

2010-09-10T10:45:00.005-04:00
John Lindsey continues to get a lot of attention for a guy with all of one official major league at-bat. It is understandable, of course, in that the 33-year-old with 16 minor league seasons is said to be the "oldest non-Asian" (USA Today) to debut since 2002.

Chris Coste, the five-year Independent vet, was 33 when he broke in with Philadelphia in 2006, but he was "only" 111 days past his birthday compared to Lindsey's 222 days since his January 30 birthday until he was announced as a pinch hitter Wednesday.

Lindsey finally got to the plate to pinch hit for Ted Lilly in the seventh inning of Thursday's Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 loss at Houston, and with 13 family members, including three-year-old son John, Jr. on hand, the big right-handed hitter flied out to center field.

"It's an awesome feeling," the former New Jersey Jackals star told CBSSports.com of having his family travel from Mississippi to be at the game. "My little boy to see his dad up there. For all I know, he was playing around up there (during the at-bat). It was truly a good feeling to know that they were there to support me."

Lindsey and his family will get an even better feeling on Saturday because Dodgers Manager Joe Torre says he plans to start Lindsey.

Jackals Manager Joe Calfapietra, whose team was dropping its first Can-Am League playoff game in Quebec, 7-4, about the time Lindsey got his first at-bat, has tentative plans to visit Dodger Stadium for the season-ending series against Arizona October 1-3.

"John worked at all aspects of the game" during his two seasons in New Jersey (2005-06), praised Calfapietra.

We went into depth on the continuing friendship between Lindsey and Calfapietra in Thursday's subsriber-driven Independent Baseball Insider column.

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FINALLY! JOHN LINDSEY NOW A MAJOR LEAGUER

2010-09-06T14:03:00.003-04:00
It finally happened!

John Lindsey, the onetime star of the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League, is now a major leaguer, some 15 years and 1,445 games after starting his pro career.

He is the fourth Independent player called up to the major leagues in recent days. (See story immediately below this.)

Lindsey was expected to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Diego in time for the Monday night game. The 33-year-old won the Pacific Coast League batting championship with a .356 average for Albuquerque.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti and Manager Joe Torre both praised the first baseman to MLB.com. "Well earned, well deserved," said Colletti. "He's worked hard to make his dream a reality." Torre said Lindsey would be used mainly as a pinch hitter. "It's a good story", the manager said. He's a strong young man. He's not the best defensive first baseman but the son of a gun works like crazy and tries hard. And he is a threat, there's no question, from the right side of the plate."

We will have much more on Lindsey and the other new major leaguers in this week's Independent Baseball Insider column.

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MARLINS, RED SOX LATEST TO ADD FORMER INDEPENDENT PLAYERS

2010-09-05T17:38:00.003-04:00
All of a sudden two more former Independent players are getting major league opportunities, bringing the total of additions this week to three. It also means 28 onetime Indy players have been on active rosters this season, equalling the total for all of last season with more likely to come since the Triple-A and Double-A leagues end their regular season on Labor Day.

Right-hander Justin James, who was with the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones in the Northern League earlier this season, is now with Oakland and he has been joined by catcher Mike Rivera with Florida and another righty, Robert Coello, with Boston. Rivera, with Milwaukee much of the last two seasons, played his Indy baseball with Atlantic City, NJ of the Atlantic League in 2005 and Coello played for both Edmonton and Calgary of the Golden League two years ago.

James and Coello are in the majors for the first time.

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IT IS PLAYOFF TIME FOR THE INDEPENDENTS PLUS A NOTE ABOUT CANSECO'S HITTING PROWESS AT AGE 46

2010-08-30T17:28:00.004-04:00
The playoffs are here.

September is the dominant month for Independent Baseball playoffs, but the calendar is going to get stretched just a bit with the American Association and United League starting their postseason competition Tuesday (August 31). The Atlantic League, which does not close out its regular season until September 19, will spill over on the other end into the early days of October.

This is what we know for now, with much more in this week's Independent Baseball Insider which will go out to subscribers on Thursday:

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION--Defending champion Lincoln, NE squeezed its way into the postseason on the final day of the regular season, and now faces the rugged task of taking on Sioux Falls, SD, on the Pheasants' home diamond starting Tuesday. Shreveport-Bossier, LA and Pensacola, FL both won a division title in the South Division, and the first two games in that best-of-five set will be played in Pensacola.

UNITED LEAGUE--With four Texas-based teams involved, regular-season champ Amarillo visits Harlingen to take on Rio Grande Valley in the start of best-of-three series play Tuesday. Laredo hosts Edinburg in Game 1 of the other semifinal series.

CANSECO STAYS HOT: Former American League MVP and Rookie of the Year Jose Canseco, who originally signed with Laredo only to play in home games, decided to join the Broncos for much of their season-ending road trip against Edinburg and Rio Grande Valley. Canseco, 46, posted numbers much like the six-time All-Star of old. In 10 games, he hit .400 (14-for-35), with three doubles, four home runs, 13 RBI and a similar number of runs. He went 3-for-4 but also walked six times in the last two games against the Coastal Bend Thunder. Canseco also pitched twice in free-swinging affairs for first time since 2006. Canseco entered the first game in the midst of a 17-4 blowout at the hands of the White Wings (Rio Grande) and effectively silenced bats for one inning, giving up only one hit and striking out a batter with a steady diet of knuckleballs. It was not so easy the next time out when he walked five, gave up two hits and four runs in another inning of work.

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FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS GIBBONS, WATSON MAKING NEWS IN MAJOR LEAGUES

2010-08-09T15:51:00.005-04:00
Two recent Atlantic League players gave some Independent Baseball buzz to the major leagues over the weekend.

Jay Gibbons, who got prominent time with both Long Island, NY and Newark, NJ as he resurrected his reputation after being named in the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs, is being given a chance to produce as the top left-handed pinch hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now 33 and out of the majors since 2007, Gibbons's contract was purchassed from Albuquerque Sunday to replace Garret Anderson (designated for assignment), and he produced immediately with a run-scoring pinch single in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase the Dodgers' lead to 6-3 over Washington. LA won, 8-3.

Gibbons played 27 games for Long Island in 2008 (.280-5-19) and 40 for Newark last season (.233-4-19), and the Dodgers signed him during the winter although they did not issue the Lakewood, CA resident an invitation to the major league spring training camp. The outfielder-first baseman went to Triple-A and hit .347 with 19 homers and 83 RBI for the Isotopes.

Meanwhile, outfielder Matt Watson, who played at Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League until May 28 of this season and was getting increasing playing time with the parent Oakland Athletics, was taken to the hospital prior to Sunday's game when he complained of pain in his side and back. The team said later the issue was not baseball related. Watson had started five of the previous six games in left field, and while his season average was only .200 (6-for-30) he had gone 4-for-14 (.286) with three runs batted in the five games.

We expect to cover these developments in greater detail, including some of their own comments, in this week's Independent Baseball Insider column.

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THE TREES ARE TALLER AT SUN-FILLED WAHCONAH PARK

2010-08-03T11:00:00.003-04:00
Brian Daubach's Pittsfield (MA) Colonials have been playing so well in grabbing a solid second-half lead in the Can-Am League there was plenty to talk about when I interviewed the former major leaguer for last week's Independent Baseball Insider, but I still had to ask about the setting sun issue at Wahconah Park.

This has been an issue through the years with games frequently delayed early in the evening when the sun is directly in the eyes of hitters at the venerable stadium built 91 years ago. Wahconah was given what I understand was a very nice facelift recently--Daubach called it much more "fan friendly"--but that did not change the sun, of course.

He estimated "six or seven" Colonials games have been delayed an average of 12 to 15 minutes, but that the delays were less intrusive than when he played for the Pittsfield Mets in the New York-Penn League on his way to the majors. The improvement in battling the sun is pretty basic, as Daubach explained: "The trees have grown" since 1992.

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ATLANTIC LEAGUE PRODUCES MOST TALENT FOR MLB ORGANIZATIONS, BUT NORTHERN TOPS IN BIGS

2010-07-25T17:07:00.003-04:00
Ever wonder about the lead sources for the talent that is going into major league organizations from Independent leagues? We decided to check it out from the master roster we try to maintain for the Independent Baseball Insider.

The answers were pretty predictable with the league that caters to more veteran professionals than any other, the Atlantic League, at the top and the circuit that concentrates almost exclusively on the younger guys, the Frontier, as No. 2. It should be known if someone has played in multiple Independent leagues he is counted multiple times, which swells the actual tally of about 200 players. We also decided to throw out players who signed with—or trained with—Indy teams, but did not actually play any games.

While fearing the telephone will start ringing with minor adjustments because of some late signing or release, these are the counts the Insider has:

League No.
Atlantic 65
Frontier 40
American Association 34
Northern 28
Golden 25
Can-Am 15
United 5
Continental 3

Several leagues no longer active also showed up: South Coast 3, Central 2, Western 2, Northeast 1, Heartland 1. The Northern League edges the Atlantic, five players to four, with the most active major leaguers.

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BLACKOUT A CONCERN DURING ATLANTIC LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME

2010-07-08T11:47:00.002-04:00
Some notes from this week's Atlantic League All-Star Game...

--Now it can be told that host Long Island Ducks officials were genuinely concerned about the warnings of a possible blackout in Central Islip, NY, because of the extreme heat. Owner Frank Boulton took to the telephone himself to take any possible measures that Central Islip would be spared.

--The first confirmed sale of an All-Star is that of Bridgeport right-hander Patrick Ryan to the Boston Red Sox. The 27-year-old will report to Salem, VA of the Class A Carolina League Saturday. Ryan was the league earned run average leader (1.39), and had just been named Pitcher of the Month (5-0, 0.94 with 48 strikeouts in 38.1 innings.

--Seven scouts requested credentials with five from major league teams.

--Of the 44 players in the game, 11 have major league experience while seven have not played above Class A. Everyone else has topped out at AA or AAA to this point.

--Matt Watson got into his first major league game since 2005 Wednesday when he played leftfield and hit eighth in Oakland's 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees. The recent Lancaster, PA outfielder went 0-for-3.

--League batting leader Steve Moss of Bridgeport (.343) was MVP after hitting a two-run homer (2-for-2 plus a walk and two runs scored) in the Liberty Division's 7-1 triumph and Josh Pressley of Somerset took the home run-hitting championship by belting three out of Citibank Park with only one failed swing remaining in the second playoff round.

--The crowd at Citibank Park was announced at 6,436, which is well above the regular seating capacity of 6,002, and the stadium was surprisingly full considering the oppressive heat. All but about 300 of the tickets were sold a month or more in advance of the game.

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WHO ARE THESE FORTUNATE 12 POSITION PLAYERS TO GO FROM INDY LEAGUES TO MAJORS?

2010-06-28T16:51:00.003-04:00
When Daniel Nava joined the Boston Red Sox with the dramatic flare of a grand slam a couple of weeks back we remarked in our Independent Baseball Insider column about him being only the 12th position player in the 18 years of Independent Baseball to start his pro career in a non-affiliated league and eventually reach the major leagues. To satisfy the curiosity of the faithful Indy fans, here are the other 11 who have made this climb with their Independent team(s) and league(s)and the major league teams they later appeared with during their career:

Catcher (1)--Chris Coste, Brainerd, North Central; Brandon, Prairie; Fargo, Northern, to Philadelphia and Houston.

Infielders (7)--Mike Cervenak, Chillicothe, Frontier, to Philadelphia; Stephen Drew, Camden, Atlantic, to Arizona; Bobby Hill, Newark, Atlantic, to Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh; Kevin Millar, St. Paul, Northern, to Florida, Boston, Baltimore and Toronto; Brian Myrow, Winnipeg, Northern, to Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego; Rey Ordonez, St. Paul, to New York Mets and Tampa Bay; Jarrod Patterson, Regina, Prairie, to Kansas City.

Outfielders (3)--Justin Christian, River City, Frontier, to New York Yankees; J.D. Drew, St. Paul, to St. Louis, Atlanta, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston; Jim Rushford, Dubois City, Heartland; Schaumburg and Duluth, Northern; to Milwaukee.

Twenty-two pitchers have made this climb. If you feel we have missed any other position players we would love to hear from you.
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JON WEBER LANDS IN TIGER SYSTEM AND BRIAN SWEENEY WITH PARENT MARINERS

2010-06-16T12:26:00.003-04:00
The telephone rang this morning, and I found the familiar voice of Jon Weber on the line.

Jon, who many people remember for his brilliant spring training with the New York Yankees (.483 and the outstanding rookie award)followed by a disappointing few weeks with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and his eventual release, had just signed with Detroit where he will start play with the Toledo Mud Hens Thursday.

This is, once again, a happy guy. Now, if only his usual run of hits follow maybe, just maybe, the 32-year-old lefty outfielder will get his first trip to the major leagues.

Another classy guy, reliever Brian Sweeney, got the call he had hoped for yesterday, rejoining the Seattle Mariners, for whom he last pitched in 2003. Sweeney spent parts of 2004 and 2006 with San Diego, went to Japan for a time, and was signed out of the Somerset Patriots' Atlantic League preseason camp in April.

Weber and Sweeney are both veterans of Independent leagues, Weber with Canton, OH in the Frontier League and later with Fargo, ND of the Northern League while Sweeney started in the departed Heartland League with Lafayette, IN.

We will include some of Weber's thoughts and have more to say about Sweeney in this week's subscriber-based Independent Baseball Insider.

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AWESOME ONLY WAY TO DESCRIBE HOME RUN FEATS OF DANIEL NAVA AND CRISTIAN GUERRERO

2010-06-13T10:35:00.002-04:00
Two awesome home run feats have occurred for Independent Baseball players in recent days.

I realize the word awesome is pretty strong, but it really does fit in these instances.

Daniel Nava, only the 34th player since the Indy game started in 1993 to begin his professional career at that level and advance to the major leagues, became the second player ever regardless of his background to hit a grand slam on the very first pitch he faced in the major leagues.

This feat occurred Saturday when the Boston Red Sox promoted Nava from Triple-A and he blasted a Joe Blanton pitch for a grand slam to erase a 2-1 deficit and lift the Red Sox to a 10-2 win over Philadelphia. Kevin Kouzmanoff had accomplished the feat in 2006, according to STATS LLC..

Nava, batting ninth, also doubled in four at-bats in front of his parents and the usual capacity crowd at Fenway Park.

The 27-year-old Nava had gone undrafted out of Santa Clara, and started his professional career in the Golden League in 2007. Playing for Chico, CA, he hit .371, was named the league MVP, helped the Outlaws to the league championship and was honored by Baseball America as the No. 1 prospect in the Independent game.

FIVE CONSECUTIVE HOMERS BY CRISTIAN GUERRERO IN NORTHERN LEAGUE

The other unbelieavable feat was accomplished by longtime minor league outfielder Cristian Guerrero, who homered on five consecutive at-bats for the Gary (IN) RailCats in a Northern League doubleheader.

Guerrero, the first cousin of major leaguers Vladimer and Wilton Guerrero, homered in his last two trips to the plate in Game 1 of a doubleheader, then came back with round-trippers in his first three at-bats in the nightcap.

The indication, to this point, is the feat may never have been accomplished previously in professional baseball.

Guerrero, 29, is in his third season at Gary. He spent a good portion of 2007 at Camden, NJ in the Atlantic League.
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AFTER HIS GEM, SCHLICHTING GOES TO MINORS WHILE THE BAT OF THE 'KNUCKLE PRINCESS' GOES TO COOPERSTOWN

2010-06-04T10:03:00.004-04:00
If there is anything more difficult than getting to the major leagues it may be staying there. Just ask Travis Schlichting.

"Schlichting pitched his tail off", was the quote from Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Joe Torre that we used in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column, courtesy of The Los Angeles Times. The 25-year-old former infielder and Independent Baseball reliever with the Northern League's Kansas City (KS) T-Bones had just won his first major league game with four shutout innings as the Dodgers edged Arizona, 1-0, in 14 innings.

Schlichting was sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque one day later because the Dodgers needed a fresh arm in its bullpen. "It wasn't easy to tell Travis," Torre confessed to MLB.com. The 6-foot-4 right-hander was gracious, however, saying: "I'm just happy I got the opportunity to pitch in a game situation." It was only his third major league appearance, with two shorter outings last season.

He likely will return to the majors before long, and also can be thankful to have his health after missing two months last season with back issues and fighting off the effects of Gilbert's syndrome (fatigue and weight loss), which limited his work during spring training this season.

DODGERS HONORING JOSE LIMA'S LIFE SUNDAY

The Dodgers are making good on their promise to pay tribute to fallen hurler Jose Lima with various musical numbers and recollections of his fun-filled time in baseball during Viva Los Dodgers Day Sunday. Lima had planned to perform during the celebration, as he had previously.

While the 37-year-old is best remembered for his colorful antics during his major league career, he also re-energized his career during stints in the Atlantic League with Newark, NJ in 2003 and Camden, NJ five years and 27 major league wins later.

YOSHIDA MEMORABILIA HEADED TO HALL OF FAME

It is great to know the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY will be getting both the jersey and the bat used by Japanese teen Eri Yoshida during her historic debut in the Golden League May 29.

The bat is a neat sidebar to her first United States pitching appearance for Chico, CA because the "Knuckle Princess" had a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the first inning. The Hall of Fame has confirmed, according to the Golden League, that the hit was the first by a female player in men's professional baseball in this country since the days of the Negro leagues. Ms. Yoshida, of course, is primarily known for her sidearm knuckleball pitching delivery. She will next take the mound June 12, also in Chico.

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ATLANTIC AND GOLDEN LEAGUES PLAYED SIZEABLE ROLES IN JOSE LIMA'S LIFE

2010-05-24T12:42:00.006-04:00
The tributes have been pouring in regarding the tragic loss of life by Jose Lima, who was only 37.

I was on my way to the Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT Sunday when I heard the news on the radio. It seemed like everyone I encountered at the York-Bridgeport Atlantic League game had already heard. Each person echoed the same thing. These recollections centered on what a fun-loving guy Lima was, and how people remembered his days in the league when he pitched in New Jersey for Newark in 2003 and Camden in 2008.

"I caught his first game in winter ball, managed him in winter ball and managed him in Kansas City," current New York Yankees bench coach Tony Pena told The New York Post. "Today is a very hard and long day."

Lima had his best two seasons in 1998-99 with Houston, putting up 16-8 and 21-10 campaigns. But he struggled thereafter, bottoming out with a 4-6, 7.77 year with Detroit in 2002.

Needing a re-start his career, Lima went to Newark in '03 where, as I reported in my Independent Baseball Insider column, pitching coach Pete Filson pointed out a flaw in his delivery which was causing the right-hander to lose velocity. Lima won six of seven decisions in eight starts (2.33 ERA) for the Bears before Kansas City bought his contract.

He bolted to a 7-0 start with the American League Central-leading Royals, and the same Tony Pena, his manager, told USA Today's Baseball Weekly: "We're having fun here, and now Lima is part of the fun. Really, his personality is perfect for this club." Lima finished the year 8-3, and he went 13-5 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004, then hurled a complete-game, five-hit shutout over St. Louis in the National League Division Series.

By 2008, he was back in the Atlantic League, going 5-5 at Camden. It was more Independent Baseball last season, a combined 6-7 between the Long Beach (CA) Armada and the Edmonton (Alberta) Outlaws in the Golden League.

Who could have projected his career and especially his life would end so soon.

"He was a man full of life, without apparent physical problems and with many plans and projects on the agenda," Lima's wife, Dorca, told ESPNdeportes.com.

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MICHAEL RYAN THRILLED WITH RETURN TO MAJORS WHILE MILLAR DELIVERS A RUN-SCORING DOUBLE

2010-05-09T09:53:00.003-04:00
Michael Ryan is finally getting some payback for continuing to battle in the minor leagues and the strong spring training showing he had with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Angels gave Ryan his first major league opportunity since 2005 when they made room on their 40-man roster and the active 25-man roster Friday. He has paid one dividend already with a pinch single in the ninth inning Saturday in an eventual 4-3, extra-inning win in Seattle. He was 0-for-1 and played briefly in the outfield in his debut Friday.

The 32-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder spent much of 2008 with Somerset, NJ in the Atlantic League, hitting .282 with 20 doubles, 15 home runs and driving in 44 in 65 games before his contract was sold to the Florida Marlins.

"For this organization and (Mike Scioscia) to give me a chance, I'm just so relieved," Ryan told MLB.com. "I'm not going to do anything to screw that up, and whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to give 100 per cent to do it." Ryan's previous major league experience came in 127 games for Minnesota spread over four seasons (2002-05).

MILLAR DOUBLES IN FIRST GAME

Kevin Millar, making what could be a farewell tour as a player, had a run-scoring double in four at-bats Saturday in an exhibition game for the St. Paul (MN) Saints, for whom he started his pro career in 1993. He is expected to play with the American Association team for about a week once the regular season begins Thursday.

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JAKUBAUSKAS BEANED IN RETURN TO MAJORS; CASTILLO ALSO BACK

2010-04-25T16:39:00.005-04:00
In a sense, this was a good week for former Independent pitchers although one of them has a darn good reason for arguing the point.

Lefty Alberto Castillo got another call to Baltimore and righty Chris Jakubauskas joined Pittsburgh. Neither had made the cut at the end of spring training.

Jakubauskas is the one with the argument. The 31-year-old got only 12 pitches into his initial 2010 major league start at Houston Saturday night when Lance Berkman lined a pitch off the back of his head, sending Jakubauskas to the ground for several minutes and to Methodist Hospital for the night. Early indications are the pitcher is going to be okay, which also is a relief to Berkman. "That's probably the most rattling thing I've been a part of in the big leagues," Berkman told MLB.com. The Houston first baseman ran to first base on his hit, then quickly ran to the mound in a gracious effort to help.

This is Jakubauskas's second major league season. After starting his pro career in the Frontier League (Florence, KY and Ohio Valley), he progressed through Orange County (Fullerton, CA) of the Golden League and Lincoln, NE of the American Association before spending virtually all of 2009 with Seattle, where he was 6-7, 5.32. The onetime University of Oklahoma position player was 0-2, 4.50 in two starts at Indianapolis this season before he was recalled.

Castillo, who also played for four Independent teams, was with Baltimore for 28 games in 2008 and 20 more last season, winning his only decision and putting up a 3.32 earned run average. He played Indy baseball with Schaumburg, IL in the Northern League, then with three Atlantic League teams (Newark and Camden, NJ plus the traveling Road Warriors).

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GIBBONS ON EXCEPTIONAL HITTING STREAK, COCHRAN VERY STINGY ON MOUND

2010-04-19T11:09:00.005-04:00
It is difficult to imagine anyone wielding a hotter bat than veteran Jay Gibbons, who is going to make it increasingly difficult for the Los Angeles Dodgers to keep him out of the major leagues if he maintains anything close to his current pace.

After starting the season 1-for-9 in three road games for Triple-A Albuquerque, the 33-year-old outfielder has pounded out 13 hits in the first five home contests, including back-to-back four-hit games. The lefty hitter, who needed two Atlantic League stints (Long Island, NY in 2008 and Newark, NJ last season) to get his career back in gear, is at .467 (14-for-30) with six doubles, two home runs and 12 runs batted in. His slugging percentage is sky high at .867, and Gibbons has struck out only three times.

ANOTHER SOUTHPAW SIZZLING ON MOUND

Tom Cochran may be nearly as impressive as Jay Gibbons although his level of attention may not be quite as high since he has only pitched twice in the young season.

The former Can-Am League all-star (Worcester, MA) has given up only one earned run (two overall) in a pair of Double-A outings for Cincinnati's Carolina Mudcats. His ERA is a skimpy 0.75, and he has only surrendered five hits in 12 innings while fanning 15.

Cochran, who did not sign with the Reds until he had pitched seven times (three starts) for Lancaster, PA in the Atlantic League early last season, shut down Montgomery, AL (Tampa Bay) on two hits over six scoreless innings Friday. He struck out eight and walked only one. He had limited Birmingham, AL (White Sox) to three hits and the one earned run in six innings in his season debut.

The 27-year-old also spent three seasons in the Frontier League (Ohio Valley and Washington, PA) after a two-year trial as a reliever in the Boston organization right after he had finished at Middle Georgia Junior College.

ALL-STAR 1B LEAVES ATLANTIC LEAGUE FOR NORTHERN

It could not have been two weeks ago when we heard all-star first baseman Jesse Hoorelbeke and Bridgeport were in negotiation for the 32-year-old slugger to return for a fourth season with the Bluefish. But news came down late last week that both Jesse and younger brother Casey, a pitcher, have signed to play with Fargo, ND of the Northern League.

It seemed likely Bridgeport would feel some loss of power, although that may have changed when the ‘Fish signed major league vet Josh Phelps. Another right-handed power guy, Phelps hit 31 homers as recently as 2008 for Triple-A Memphis. He played only 17 games in the San Francisco system last year (two homers) before going down with a shoulder injury. Seven months younger than Hoorelbeke, Phelps has had a better career, hitting 64 major league home runs in 465 games (.273 average), with 52of them coming between 2002 and 2004 with Toronto and Cleveland.

In the meantime, Jesse Hoorelbeke will be a welcome addition back in the Northern League where his 21 homers in only 74 games led not only the RedHawks but also the league in 2006.

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EYES ON CROW, RYAN, ALDRIDGE, JONES AS MINOR LEAGUE SEASON STARTS.

2010-04-10T14:08:00.002-04:00
In this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, we wrote about the sterling pitching battle between the first two touted right-handers who prepped at Fort Worth, TX in the American Association. We were talking about Kansas City's Luke Hochever and Max Scherzer of Detroit.

The third such hurler to get in work at Fort Worth prior to being drafted, Royals hopeful Aaron Crow, also had a solid outing on opening night for Class AA Northwest Arkansas (Springdale). Crow, who continued to open eyes during his first major league spring training in Arizona, went 4.2 innings and was touched only for an unearned run.

Crow allowed four hits, walked three and struck out two, but needed one more out to qualify for the 5-1 win over San Antonio. Crow threw 80 pitches (48 strikes).

ALDRIDGE, RYAN OKAY IN FIRST TWO AT SALT LAKE CITY

Many eyes will be on former Atlantic League outfielders Michael Ryan (Somerset, NJ) and Cory Aldridge (Newark, NJ) early this season after they came so very close to crowding their way onto the Los Angeles Angels Opening Day roster.

Salt Lake City has dropped its first two games, but Ryan, who has been in rightfield and DH, is 3-for-7 with a double. Aldridge, the leftfielder and cleanup hitter, has a triple and single in eight at-bats.

Jacque Jones's comeback effort got off to a good start when he homered on opening night for Rochester, NY, Minnesota's top farm club. Jones played for a time last summer at Newark.

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WEBER HONORED AS TOP YANKEES ROOKIE; ALDRIDGE, COBY SMITH KEY ANGELS WINS

2010-04-03T15:46:00.005-04:00
Jon Weber got some consolation even though he does not get to open the season with the New York Yankees.

His name now goes alongside the likes of Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Don Mattingly, Willie Randolph, Tippy Martinez, Roy White, Tom Tresh, Tony Kubek and Norm Siebern as a winner of the James P. Dawson Award as the outstanding Yankees rookie in spring training.

Weber was honored in a pre-game ceremony at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Friday.

By now, you probably know Weber's story. The 32-year-old, who formerly played Independent Baseball at Canton, OH in the Frontier League and Fargo, ND in the Northern League, led the Bronx Bombers in hitting this spring at a lofty .483 (14-for-29) in 17 games, and was second in hits at the time he was sent to the minor league camp. He is a left-handed-hitting outfielder.

Weber is the first non-roster player to win the award since Eric Duncan in 2006. The honor is named for the longtime New York Times writer who died during spring training in 1953. Yankees beat writers vote on the winner. Weber also will receive a Raymond Weil watch from William Barthman Jewelers.

ANOTHER FEAT FOR CORY ALDRIDGE

Onetime Atlantic Leaguer Cory Aldridge is making it tough on Los Angeles Angels brass by continuing a terrific offensive pace in spring training.

The latest feat for the former Newark (NJ) Bears outfielder was a leadoff triple in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday when more than 40,000 fans were watching the homestanding Angels as they tried to erase a 3-2 deficit to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in a spring training game at Angel Stadium. Aldridge, now hitting .395, later scored the tying run and the Angels rallied for a 4-3 victory.

Michael Ryan, the other former Atlantic League player trying to climb from a non-roster invitation to the major league roster, went 0-for-1. The onetime Somerset star is now at .270.

SPEEDY COBY SMITH GETS A CHANCE

Still another former Independent Baseball outfielder made the best of a one-day trip from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim minor league camp to play in a Cactus League exhibition.

Coby Smith, who started his pro career with a traveling team (Aces, Northeast League, 2004), entered a game against Cleveland as a pinch runner, then went to leftfield and eventually had a run-scoring double in two times at bat in a 7-6 Angels victory. Smith stole 41 bases at Double-A Arkansas last season for a six-year total of 165. He also played for Indy teams in Shreveport, LA and St. Paul, MN, before the Halos signed him to start the 2007 season.

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