Wednesday, December 28, 2011

SOMERSET HURLER BARELY MISSES PERFECT GAME IN AUSTRALIA; OTHERS AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS

As difficult it is for this writer to believe the Australian Baseball League's depth can match up with the Atlantic 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 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.

ATLANTIC LEAGUE HURLERS RANK 1-2 IN VENEZUELA

Former Atlantic League pitchers Eric Junge and Mike Parisi hold down the top two 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 and Bridgeport. Parisi, signed last season by the Los Angeles Dodgers after a stint at Long Island, is 1-3, 2.09.

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. Rodriguez banged 18 home runs and drove in 81 runs in only 82 games for the Ducks last season.

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING INVITATIONS GIVEN TO SEVEN ATLANTIC LEAGUERS

The holidays arrived early for at least seven players who previously were in the Atlantic League.

Their gift is an invitation to a major league spring training camp. The seven we know of so far with their Atlantic League affiliation:

Cleveland--C Michel Hernandez (Somerset).
Los Angeles Dodgers--LHP Alberto Castillo (Newark, Road Warriors, Camden) and RHP Will Savage (Lancaster).
Milwaukee--UTIL Erick Almonte (Long Island), who made last year's opening day roster, and C Mike Rivera (Atlantic City).
Seattle--RHP Jarrett Grube (Southern Maryland) and RHP Scott Patterson (Lancaster).

Honors are passed around with eight different Atlantic League franchises involved, including three that are no longer in the league (Atlantic City, Newark, Road Warriors).

More invitations seem certain between now and mid-February.

Savage and Grube are trying to reach the major leagues for the first time.

Four other former Atlantic Leaguers have automatic major league invitations in that they are on 40-man rosters. The fortunate foursome: OF Justin Christian (Southern Maryland) with San Francisco, RHP Dane De La Rosa (Southern Maryland) with Tampa Bay, SS Stephen Drew (Camden) with Arizona and RHP Jerome Williams (Lancaster) with the Los Angeles Angels.

RENE RIVERA BACK WITH TWINS

Catcher Rene Rivera (Camden) has re-signed with Minnesota after being a free agent. 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 in 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.

We presume Rivera will be invited to the major league training camp.



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Thursday, December 8, 2011

MIKE RIVERA, ERICK ALMONTE BACK IN THE NEWS

The Atlantic League did not have any of its former players taken in Thursday's Rule 5Draft as part of the Winter Meetings in Dallas, but chalk up one more player who has been given a new contract by his major league organization.

The mutual admiration society that has existed between catcher Mike Rivera (Atlantic City)and Milwaukee for several seasons obviously still breathes because the Brewers have brought back the free agent. He is under contract to Triple-A Nashville. Rivera was 2-for-6 in his latest stint with the parent club in 2011.

COULD MAGIC STRIKE A SECOND TIME FOR ERICK ALMONTE?

Shortstop/utilityman Erick Almonte, who had such a strong spring training this year that he opened the season with the parent Milwaukee Brewers, is an early invitee to the National League team's Arizona camp for 2012.

The veteran, who played for Long Island at one time, has had a hot bat in the Dominican Republic so far this offseason.


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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

MORE PLAYER SHUFFLING AS WE AWAIT THURSDAY'S RULE 5 DRAFT

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. We plan to report on the draft as quickly as possible on our other blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com.

PHILS NOT AT HOME WHEN CAMDEN HOSTS ATLANTIC LEAGUE STARS

I was hoping to suggest a great road trip for next July to see the Atlantic League All-Star Game in Camden (July 11) and the next door neighbors in Philadelphia but the Phillies are not home either right before or after, in part because of the Major League All-Star Game that will be played in Kansas City.

PADRES RE-SIGN, PROMOTE ROAD WARRIORS STANDOUT

San Diego re-signed and promoted to Tucson (Triple-A) free agent outfielder Carlos Sosa, who was hitting .330 with 17 homers and 55 RBI for the Road Warriors this summer before the Padres purchased his contract.

The 30-year-old Dominican hit .312 (two homers, 13 RBI) in 28 games in Class AA after leaving the Atlantic League.

Third baseman Mike Costanzo (Camden) inked a new pact to stay in the Cincinnati organization. If he stays in Double-A next season, he will have a new home since the Reds' Southern League team is moving to a new stadium in Pensacola, FL.

In other moves by San Diego, southpaw Dustin Pease (York) and infielder Amadeo Zazueta (Road Warriors and Lancaster) were bumped up to Triple-A (Tucson) and righty John Van Benschoten (York) dropped down one level to San Antonio. This does not necessarily mean these will be their level of play when spring training camps end.

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