Tuesday, May 29, 2012

SIGNINGS BY MAJOR LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONS TAKING A TOLL

As nice as it is to see Atlantic League players getting fresh opportunities with major league organizations, the sale of these players has at least one team struggling because it is playing shorthanded.

Bridgeport was down to nine position players until it signed league Elliott Ayala, who spent all or part of six seasons with Somerset, Monday.

The Bluefish had outfielders Joey Gathright and Collin DeLome depart within a few days last week when they signed Triple-A deals with Cincinnati and Atlanta, respectively, and veteran major league infielder Ramon Vazquez went on the inactive list. "It (Vazquez) was partly a financial decision," Bridgeport General Manager Bob Goughan told The Connecticut Post."He's not getting paid a lot. He wants to ge ready for winter ball" and he did not want to be a distrction, Goughan told beat writer Rich Elliott.

While we are speculating, it also is possible a thin roster led to Southern Maryland Manager Patrick Osborn activating himself. At 31, former All-Star third baseman Osborn certainly is capable between the white lines, but he had seemed totally content to be a fulltime manager ever since starting that job last year. Osborn has not played to this point.

A DAILY SIGNING

The sale of players has been virtually a daily occurrence of late with Camden losing fleet centerfielder Billy Rice to the Chicago White Sox farm system and Sugar Land third baseman Jimmy VanOstrand joining the Washington Nationals organization.

DeLome and VanOstrand could be on a fast track to the major leagues if their robust hitting continues. Both were hitting .368. DeLome, who started the season with Texas's top farm club in Oklahoma City, drove in 22 runs in 23 games for the Bluefish while VanOstrand had 20 RBI in 27 contests. Rice, who joined Class A Kannapolis, NC, hit .300 in 17 games and shared the Atlantic League lead with three triples.

DOBIES RELEASED, ALDRIDGE SIGNS

Left-hander Andrew Dobies, signed last season from Somerset, has been released by Kansas City while onetime Newark outfielder Cory Aldridge has signed with the Los Angeles Angels and been assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake City. He was in major league spring training with Baltimore.


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