Saturday, November 27, 2010

FORMER SOUTHERN MARYLAND HURLER PROMOTED TO 40-MAN ROSTER BY TAMPA BAY

Another former Atlantic League pitcher has made his way onto a 40-man major league roster which means he is certain to get a decent look during spring training.

Tampa Bay is giving Dane DeLaRosa the 40-man treatment. This hulking righty (6-foot-7, 245 pounds) had turned in mixed results in various Independent leagues before he got to Southern Maryland in 2009. Even though the competition was tougher, the now 27-year-old had a nifty 1.11 earned run average in 18 appearances for Butch Hobson's Blue Crabs.

DeLaRosa struck out 32 hitters, walked only seven and gave up just 16 hits in 24.1 innings while splitting a pair of decisions and picking up three saves. He 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) and was in the American Association (El Paso, TX).

In 2010, the right-hander went 9-3 with four saves and a 1.97 earned run average for Class AA Montgomery, AL. He continued the strikeout-an-inning pace (75 in 73 innings) covering 47 appearances, and it obviously made an impact on Tampa Bay officials.

SCOTT PATTERSON, JON HUBER GET NEW CONTRACTS

The signing of recently-released players is continuing. Reliever Scott Patterson, who 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 in the Atlantic League. He became a closer while with the Barnstormers.

Another Lancaster right-hander, Jon Huber, has re-signed in the Los Angeles Dodgers chain despite recent struggles in Venezuala. He saved 18 games along with a 3-3 record and a 2.23 ERA in the Class AA Southern League (Chattanooga, TN), and is now on the Triple-A Albuquerque, NM roster.

Southpaw Edwin Walker has gone up a level in the Houston organization, now residing on the Double-A Corpus Christi, TX roster. Walker once was ticketed for York although he did not appear in any games before signing with the Astros.


Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Friday, November 19, 2010

ATLANTIC LEAGUE COULD GET SECOND LONG ISLAND TEAM

(The following story is an excerpt from our regular Independent Baseball Insider column, which subscribers receive on the first and third Thursday of each offseason month and weekly throughout the summer.)

While we have nothing new to report on the Atlantic League’s desire to have a four-team division in the southwest a year from now because of the new stadium planned for Sugar Land, TX, it appears the league is closer to adding a second franchise on heavily populated Long Island. It already has the highly popular Long Island Ducks, who annually sell out and lead Independent Baseball in attendance.

Nassau County hopes to break ground no later than 2012 for a ballpark, with Long Island’s leading newspaper, Newsday, reporting stadium funding would be guaranteed by the county and payments would be made by a team.

“It’s been percolating for years,” Atlantic League Founder Frank Boulton told Newsday, “and now it seems to have some support from the county executive and his staff, and we’re excited.” County Executive Edward Mangano told the newspaper “it’s very real”. The Atlantic League, which will have a travel team as its eighth playing partner in 2011 since Newark has moved to the Can-Am League, also expects to have a new franchise in Loudoun County, VA in 2012.

DUCKS PROMOTE FROM WITHIN

Kevin Baez became the second rookie manager for the 2011 Atlantic League season when Long Island promoted its three-time all-star and longtime coach to replace Dave LaPoint. He joins Pat Osborn, who was named earlier to lead Southern Maryland.

"Kevin has earned his shot," praised General Manager Michael Pfaff. Baez, who played in 63 major league games with the New York Mets, became a fulltime coach in 2005. Ironically, his first major league games were played for Bud Harrelson, now Senior VP of Baseball Operations for the Ducks.

GRUBE ALSO WINS PROMOTION

When we noted recently that former Blue Crabs hurler Jarrett Grube had been signed to a new contract in the Seattle organization, we did not realize he also was placed on the roster of Triple-A Tacoma.

Grube, 29, was 5-5, 3.23 in 15 starts for Double-A West Tenn after leaving Southern Maryland, and made two appearances with Tacoma. The right-hander is having a strong winter league season, winning four of five decisions in six starts for Lara in Venezuela. The seven-year pro has allowed only two walks in 33.1 innings, and has given up more than two earned runs only once. This type of work could earn him a non-roster invitation to the major league spring training camp.

Prominent Atlantic League grads released of late by major league organizations include lefty Sam Narron (Camden) by Milwaukee, right-hander Ryan Houston by the Los Angeles Angels and southpaw Andy Van Hekken by Houston. Both Houston and Van Hekken were Somerset Patriots.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Monday, November 15, 2010

AXE FALLS ON SOME, BUT LA MURA, PASCUCCI, GRUBE GET NEW AFFILIATED CONTRACTS

The axe, sharpened by the usual bevy six-year free agents, has seen a lot of former Atlantic League players cut loose from major league organizations recently. Some of them will benefit from a fresh start in some other farm system while others will call it quits or come back to the Atlantic once more, realizing that any of the 30 teams could take an interest.

The news already is good for several players who have signed new minor league contracts with their major league organizations. This group, some of whom may get major league spring training invitations, includes RHP B. J. LaMura (Long Island) with Toronto, OF Valentino Pascucci (Camden) with the New York Mets and RHP Jarrett Grube (Southern Maryland) with Seattle. Pascucci and Grube started '10 in the Atlantic League.

Cory Aldridge, the Newark outfielder who spent some time with the parent Los Angeles Angels, elected free agency after the Halos took him off their 40-man roster. Others getting released include OF Justin Christian (Southern Maryland) from the New York Yankees, OF Matt Watson (Lancaster) from Oakland, RHP Greg Burke (Atlantic City) and 1B Wily Mo Pena (Bridgeport) from San Diego, RHP Scott Patterson (Lancaster) from Seattle and LHP R. J. Swindle (Newark) from Tampa Bay. All of this group have some major league experience although only Watson played in the majors this season.

Watson had climbed from the Barnstormers to the American League before an appendectomy put him on the shelf for a time. He finished the year in Triple-A.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

GIBBONS HAS A NEW DODGERS CONTRACT WHILE OTHER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS DOING WELL IN WINTER BASEBALL

Jay Gibbons must be enjoying this offseason.

The Los Angeles Dodgers gave the onetime Long Island and Newark outfielder a new contract, renewing their faith the 33-year-old can help the major league team. That's exactly what he did after his August 8 promotion from Albuquerque as he had the second best slugging percentage (.502), tied for third in home runs (five) and was fifth in RBI (17) for the rest of the National League season. Overall, Gibbons hit .280 in 37 games after going .347-19-83 in 95 games Triple-A.

The lefty-hitting Gibbons is one of four Atlantic League grads currently on major league 40-man rosters.

BUSY WINTER LEAGUE PLAY

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 best winter league pitching marks belong to 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 Atlantic League player in Newark and Camden plus the traveling Road Warriors.

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. Andy Van Hekken, a Houston farmhand and former Somerset hurler, has not figured in any decisions and has a 3.48 earned run average in the Dominican Republic.

Among hitters, the Mexican League batting leader is New York Yankees minor league outfielder Justin Christian (Southern Maryland) at .411, with Sandy Madera (Newark, NJ) sixth at .352. Christian has 12 extra base hits, including four homers, in 90 at-bats. Madera's 23 RBI in 91 at-bats rank No. 2 in the league, and the first baseman-DH has seven home runs.

Outfielder Michael Ryan (Somerset)is hitting .330 in Venezuela. A free agent after playing in the Los Angeles Angels system, including some time with the parent club, Ryan has three home runs and 16 RBI.



Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

CAMDEN, LONG ISLAND GRADS GET NEW MINOR LEAGUE DEALS

This is a time when many a minor leaguer is holding his breath his organization will want him back. Two former Atlantic Leaguers can quit worrying.

Cincinnati re-signed third baseman Mike Costanzo (Camden) and kept him on the Triple-A Louisville roster and the Brewers did the same with infielder Erick Almonte (Long Island), who is at Nashville.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Monday, November 1, 2010

ANOTHER MANAGERIAL JOB OPENS AS ATLANTIC LEAGUE TRIMS SCHEDULE BY ONE WEEK

We now know that at least half of the Atlantic League dugouts will have new managers in control when the 14th season opens on Friday, April 29. Virtually simultaneously with the release of the 2011 schedule Monday, Long Island revealed that Dave LaPoint, who has guided the Ducks three of the last four seasons (Gary Carter was manager in '09), will not return.

While praising LaPoint's "professionalism", the Long Island media release did not hesitate to point out that the Ducks missed the playoffs this season, and that the former major leaguer's postseason record with the team was 0-4.

Butch Hobson moved from Southern Maryland to Lancaster earlier and was replaced by veteran third baseman Pat Osborn, and the league will be appointing someone to handle managerial duties for the traveling Road Warriors, who return to the league with Newark departed for the Can-Am League.

As we pointed out some time ago, each team will play 126 games next season compared to 140 in 2010, but the seven franchises with a home field will get two added games, going from 70 to 72, because of the having the traveling team.

Players will be happy to know they will have a few additional days off since the schedule is only trimmed by one week while the number of games drops by 14. The season will run from April 29-September 18 with the All-Star Game July 13 at York.

The opening night schedule will find defending champion York hosting Camden while Long Island will be at '10 championship runnerup Bridgeport, Somerset at Southern Maryland and the Road Warriors at Lancaster.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER