Atlantic League Baseball

KEEPING UP WITH HOORELBEKE, CHRISTIAN AND YANKEES HOPEFUL MIKE O'CONNOR

2012-02-09T17:06:00.003-05:00

A few notes from the world of baseball transactions today since this is an off week for the Independent Baseball Insider which returns next week with a complete rundown of the unusually large contingent of Atlantic League (and Independent) players headed to major league spring training camps.

Power-hitting Jesse Hoorelbeke is on the move.

Veteran Atlantic League fans cannot help but remember Hoorelbeke's three seasons in Bridgeport (2007-09) when the big first baseman hit 33, 28 and 23 home runs for the Bluefish and averaged just under 100 runs batted in per year.

He has been in the Independent ranks in Fargo, ND the last two summers, hitting another 44 round-trippers in a much shorter season. The homer total dropped to 15 one year ago, and now he has been dealt to a new team in the same league (American Association), going to Laredo, TX in a swap for pitching.

"It's never easy to move players who have been major contributors to our success," said Fargo Manaager Doug Simunic. "Jesse ws a great player for us and a great guy, but we felt we needed to upgrade our pitching" and "to get talent you have to give up talent." Hoorelbeke will be 34 throughout this season.

LEFTY MIKE O'CONNOR GETS LOOK FROM YANKEES

Veteran Mike O'Connor is the most recent pitcher to join the impressive list of Atlantic League grads with major league spring training invitations. O'Connor, 31, will try to grab one of the left-handed relief jobs in the New York Yankees bullpen.

He went 0-1, 2.70 in nine appearances for the New York Mets last season. O'Connor's Atlantic League time was with Southern Maryland. He also has been in the majors with Washington, logging some time in both '06 and '08.

PREDICTING THE FUTURE FOR BLUE CRABS' JUSTIN CHRISTIAN

Another onetime Blue Crabs player, Justin Christian, could not be blamed if he has a long face today.

Only days before spring training, San Francisco designated the 31-year-old outfielder for assignment when it signed major league vets Ryan Theriot and Guillermo Mota and needed 40-man roster space.

Christian, who played briefly at Southern Maryland at the start of 2010, is getting some nice support from certain Bay Area media because of the way he played the outfield and hit .255 in 18 games for the parent Giants late last season.

What could happen is that some other team will claim Christian (although 40-man space is pretty sparse right now) or the Giants could re-sign him if he clears waivers and bring him right back as a non-roster player. This would give the speedster, who pilfered 54 bases in 137 games between Double-A and Triple-A last season (and three more with the Giants), a renewed opportunity to be a spare outfielder in San Francisco. Christian also has had 24 games with the New York Yankees during his career.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

IN CASE ANYONE HAS WONDERED, EDGARDO ALFONZO STILL SWINGING THE BAT

2012-02-08T16:35:00.003-05:00

The biggest surprise among all players with at least 10 at-bats in the recently-completed Caribbean Series had to be veteran infielder Edgardo Alfonzo.

Playing for his native Venezuela, the longtime star major league infielder and later an Atlantic Leaguer, he had the fourth best average of .364 (4-for-11) in the pitching-dominated series.

Listed at 38, Alfonzo is not believed to have played baseball in the United States in the summer since 2008 except for 26 games and a .154 average (12-for-78) for Newark in 2010. After his major league days, he played briefly at Bridgeport in '06 and was in a combined 164 games for the Long Island Ducks in '07-08. Alfonzo hit.329with a surprising eight homers and 27 RBI in 59 games in that second season and played briefly in Japan the next year.

FORMER NEWARK OUTFIELDER HITS .421

Another significant tie to the Atlantic League in the Caribbean Series was that of Dominican outfielder Pablo Ozuna, who led all hitters in the six-game set with a .421average (8-for-19). He hit .294 in 119 at-bats for Newark in 2010, the Bears' last season in the league.

Venezula's Cesar Suarez, an outfielder who played for Lancaster in '09 and Camden the next season, hit .360 (9-for-25).

We identified 29 players with Independent playing time, much of it in the Atlantic League, on the four Caribbean Series rosters.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

AT LEAST 18 ATLANTIC LEAGUERS GIVE LEAGUE HEAVY IDENTITY IN CARIBBEAN SERIES

2012-02-03T17:32:00.003-05:00

What a busy day, especially for the day after subscribers got this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, but that is the way it goes in this business. Take the news when it comes your way.

Anyone who cares about the Atlantic League will want to follow the Caribbean Series for the next few days (especially if they can see the games on ESPN Deportes or ESPN3)because we have counted 18 players so far who are on the four teams.

Pitchers Cesar Carillo of Lancaster, Randy Keisler of Southern Maryland and Long Island, Dan Serafini of Bridgeport, Yorman Bazardo of Camden and Jon Hunton of Lancaster, Somerset and Long Island all are part of the Mexican League pitching staff. Hurler Brian Sweeney of Somerset and Southern Maryland (see more on him below), infielder Edgardo Alfonzo of Long Island and Bridgeport and outfielders Jonel Pacheco of Camden and Cesar Suarez of Lancaster and Camden are part of the Venezuelan team.

Puerto Rico has pitchers Matt DeSalvo of Southern Maryland and York, Nelson Figueroa of Long Island (more below), Ben Grezlovski of Somerset, Long Island and Atlantic City, Juan Padilla of York and Bridgeport, Eddy Ramos of the Road Warriors, Newark and Bridgeport and Saul Rivera of the Road Warriors. Catcher Rene Rivera of Camden and infielder Danny Gonzalez of Lancaster and the Road Warriors are part of the same team.

Infielder Erick Almonte of Long Island is with the Dominican Republic.

THREE OF FOUR OPENING DAY STARTERS HAVE HAD INDEPENDENT TIES

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 Ducks 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.

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 Camden.

SWEENEY RE-JOINS SEATTLE SYSTEM

Veteran right-hander Brian Sweeney 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, started his pro career in 1996 with Layayette, IN (Heartland League). He more recently trained with Southern Maryland and pitched one official game for Somerset, both times then signing with major league organizations. He has pitched in the majors for San Diego and Seattle

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

IT IS TIME TO GO, BUT YORK'S STIDFOLE DOES IT WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE

2012-01-27T15:31:00.004-05:00

It is so refreshing when a player decides to move on with his life outside of baseball, and leaves with a warm feeling about his playing days even though he did not quite make it to that universal goal of playing in the major leagues.

The latest example is reliever Sean Stidfole, only 27, who helped the York Revolution win back-to-back Atlantic League titles.

"I would play baseball until I die, I really would," Stidfole told Jim Seip in a story for the Revs' Inside Pitch. Stidfole knew he should not pass up an offer outside the game. "I got a pretty good job offer and I just figured it was about time," the 6-foot-3 right-hander said. "The last two years have been so great...and I want to remember (my career) like that."

After a 13-8 record with three consecutive under-4.00 earned run averages with Penn State, the Pennsylvania native spent five seasons in the Toronto farm system. Much of the last two of those years were in Triple-A, only one notch below the American League. He was one of the last cuts by the Blue Jays during spring training just two springs ago, then became a workhorse in the York bullpen where he got into 128 games in two seasons, every one of them in relief.

CORY ALDRIDGE BACK IN USA, SIGNS WITH ORIOLES

Baltimore has made an interesting signing, inking 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, 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. He also played a few major league games with Atlanta in 2001.

ODDS 'N ENDS

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 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 after shaking off eye issues which cut into his spring training and may have cost him an opportunity to platoon in leftfield...The non-roster count for onetime Independent players is up to 32 with 15 of them having experience in the Atlantic League.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

TIFFEE, FIGUEROA ADD TO ATLANTIC LEAGUE CONTINGENT IN MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPS; NOAH HALL TURNS TO COACHING

2012-01-24T10:27:00.004-05:00

York has chosen a nice way to start building its roster toward what the Revolution hope will be a third consecutive Atlantic League championship.

Ramon Castro, a .341 hitter for parts of five seasons in the league and a four-time All-Star (he did not have enough at-bats to qualify the other year), is returning. Manager Andy Etchebarren even indicates the versatile infielder will be on hand when the season starts April 26 against league newcomer Sugar Land, TX instead of coming on board after the Mexican League season, as has been his pattern.

It also appears the Revs may have added a nice piece to their mound staff by purchasing Triple-A-experienced reliever Santo Luis from Lincoln, NE of the American Association (0.83 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 21.2 innings).

NOAH HALL, FROM ATLANTIC AS PLAYER TO COACHING

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, 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 handwriting 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, including 124 games in 2010.

FIFTH PLAYER FROM LAST SUMMER GETS MAJOR LEAGUE INVITATION

With still one more invitation to major league spring training camps--five, in all--to players who were in the Atlantic League as recently as last season, founding fathers can pick up their level of bragging rights about producing major league-ready talen.

The latest addition from the 2011 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 Barnstormers 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.

A veteran right-hander also has a new minor league contract and a spring training invitation. Nelson Figueroa (Long Island), who has gotten a lot of major league time in recent years, will be with Toronto.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

OH, YEA, PLAYER SIGNINGS HELP US GET THROUGH WINTER

2012-01-19T14:03:00.002-05:00

The first signs of spring?

Okay, it will be a few weeks yet, but when we start getting Atlantic League player signings it gets my attention.

Perennial all-star Josh Pressley's departure from Somerset for the new Sugar Land Skeeters is interesting. His numbers may have slipped a little last year but .297-16-75 still are pretty good, and everyone has to remember that the Patriots were really suffering through a down year. Since Pressley wanted the trade because he has family in the Sugar Land area, it is easy to predict he will be putting everything he has in that big bat out there to make an impression.

WINTER BASEBALL PRODUCTION

Not only did former Long Island Ducks mound ace Mike Loree turn in a strong performance in the Puerto Rican League championship series, as we noted in today's
Independent Baseball Insider column (five innings with one run and seven hits), but that performance followed by a few days a strong showing by another who starred on Long Island.

Randy Keisler, still a free agent (to the best of our knowledge), gave up just one hit and struck out seven in seven shutout innings in the Mexican Pacific League playoffs. Keisler, who also has pitched for Southern Maryland, was bouncing back from an earlier start in which he did not get out of the first inning.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

29 FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS STILL FREE AGENTS AFTER MACIAS AND BUMP SIGN

2012-01-11T16:40:00.003-05:00

Strike two more onetime Atlantic Leaguers who have been minor league free agents.

Camden outfielder Drew Macias, who was in the San Diego organization last season and has some major league time, has signed with the Los Angeles Angels and been assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake City. Right-handed pitcher Nate Bump, also a Camden product, has once again signed with Philadelphia and is on their Lehigh Valley (AAA) roster. It would not be a surprise to see either one get some major league exposure during spring training.

This still leaves 29 former Atlantic Leaguers, according to the records maintained by the Independent Baseball Insider , who played for major league organizations last season and are free agents. Some may retire while others still are likely to get major league organizational offers or return to the Atlantic League. The unsigned, with players who saw major league action last season denoted with an #:

PITCHERS (17): Nick Bierbrodt (Bridgeport, Somerset), #Greg Burke (Atlantic City), Tom Cochran (Lancaster), #Mark DiFelice (Somerset, Camden), Lenny DiNardo (Long Island), Joe Esposito (Long Island), #Nelson Figueroa (Long Island), Justin Hampson (York, Long Island), Eric Junge (Lancaster, Bridgeport), Randy Keisler (Long Island, Southern Maryland), B.J. LaMura (Long Island), Chris Mobley (Southern Maryland), Sam Narron (Camden), Brian Stokes (Camden), Brian Sweeney (Somerset), Andy Van Hekken (Somerset), Les Walrond (Lancaster).
CATCHERS (1): #Robinson Cancel (Long Island, Somerset, Road Warriors).
INFIELDERS (9): SS Angel Berroa (Bridgeport), Ozzie Chavez (Lancaster), Matt Cusick (Southern Maryland), 3B Pedro Feliz (Camden), SS Andy Gonzalez (York, DNP), 1B-3B Mike Lamb (Camden), Anderson Machado (Lancaster), Raul Padron (Camden), SS Ed Rogers (Bridgeport).
OUTFIELDERS (2): #Joey Gathright (Long Island), #Jay Gibbons (Newark, Long Island).

DNP: Indicates signed or trained with team but did not play in any games

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

THIRD, FOURTH 2011 ATLANTIC LEAGUE HURLERS TO BE IN MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING CAMPS

2012-01-09T16:13:00.004-05:00

How impressive is this?

Two more players who were in the Atlantic League this past season have been invited to major league spring training camps.

Southpaw Scott Rice will be in Arizona with the Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander Logan Kensing will join Pittsburgh in Florida, both as non-roster invitees.

Kensing, who was with Washington for much of '09 then out for all of 2010 as he recovered from elbow surgery, signed as a free agent with the Pirates after splitting last summer with Bridgeport and the New York Yankees' Triple-A club in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA. Kensing, 29, had worked in 134 major league games before the elbow issue with an 8-9 record and 5.81 earned run average with Florida and the Nationals. He struck out 16 Atlantic League hitters in 11.1 innings early last season while posting a 1.59 ERA in nine relief appearances for Bridgeport. The Bluefish sold his contract to the Yankees June 29. The Texas A&M product was 1-1 with four saves and a 4.28 ERA in 21 outings in the Yankees system.

Rice, 30, has not pitched in the major leagues during the regular season, but he had 15 appearances for York early last season (1-0, one save, 2.45), then joined the Dodgers' organization and went 4-4 (1 save) and a 1.95 ERA at Double-A Chattanooga. He was with Long Island for a time in '08 and with Newark part of '09.

Two other pitchers, Jerome Williams and Mike DeMark, also started last year in the Atlantic League. Williams, who was at Lancaster, is expected to bid for a starting job with the Los Angeles Angels this season. DeMark started at York and will be in camp with Arizona.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

SANDY MADERA SITS ATOP MEXICAN LEAGUE BATTING RACE

2012-01-04T11:16:00.003-05:00

Sandy Madera obviously loves Mexican League pitching.

The 31-year-old catcher-first baseman-DH, who was with the Newark Bears when they still played in the Atlantic League in 2009-10, hit 18 homers while splitting time with two Mexican League teams one winter ago. He is the league's top hitter at .366 this season (213 at-bats) and has 13 homers and 44 runs batted in.

Madera, now on the roster of the New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls) of the Can-Am League where he played in '05, '07 and for a brief time last season, is one of a number of current or former Independent players doing well in winter leagues. We will trace more of those successes in our next Independent Baseball Insider
column which goes out to subscribers on Thursday.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

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

2011-12-28T16:47:00.004-05:00

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

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING INVITATIONS GIVEN TO SEVEN ATLANTIC LEAGUERS

2011-12-20T14:23:00.005-05:00

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.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

MIKE RIVERA, ERICK ALMONTE BACK IN THE NEWS

2011-12-08T15:48:00.003-05:00

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.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

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

2011-12-07T14:40:00.003-05:00

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. 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.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

IT IS PAYBACK TIME--PLEASANTLY SO--FOR SOMERSET PA MAN

2011-11-30T17:19:00.002-05:00

Kevin MacConnell's long-term memory has paid off for a popular voice heard nightly when the Somerset Patriots are home.

Back in the late '70s, as MyCentralJersey.com tells the story, MacConnell was a neophyte broadcaster for women's basketball on the Rutgers student radio station. His partner, with some experience, was upperclassman Paul Spychala.

MacConnell has moved on to become the Scarlet Knights' deputy director of athletes, and when he was looking for a new public address announcer for this season's basketball games he reached out to Spychala, who has been Somerset's public address announcer ever since 1999.

"As a longtime Rutgers fans and a Rutgers grad, I couldn't ask for anything more," he told the website.

THIS LANCASTER PLAYER REMEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT MOMENT IN MAJORS

Standout minor league outfielder Jason Cooper, who had a stint trying to help Lancaster reach the playoffs late in 2009 and is moving 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 feature 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, he remembers, 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.

ATLANTIC LEAGUE GRAD NOW A PITCHING COACH FOR PHILS

Aaron Fultz won 25 major league games, including seven with Philadelphia in 2005 and 2006. The southpaw had stints later on with Somerset (2008) and Newark (2009). Now 38, the Memphis, TN native, is back with Philadelphia, this time as a minor league pitching coach.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

FOUR ATLANTIC LEAGUERS GET PLAYER-COACH DEALS WITH PIRATES; PASCUCCI, SAVAGE BACK IN FOLD

2011-11-18T13:16:00.005-05:00

I was able to confirm today that the four former Atlantic League 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.

The four are standout York third baseman Vince Harrison, who hit .327 for the league champion Revolution this past season; outfielder Jason Cooper, who had a brief stint at Lancaster; popular former York infielder Keoni DeRenne, who already has some two-way experience in the Philadelphia farm system; and onetime Somerset outfielder Michael Ryan, who 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).

PASCUCCI, SAVAGE SIGN NEW PACTS

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

Pascucci was primarily with the New York Mets' Triple-A club in Buffalo 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 to 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 was in two games with Lancaster (1-0) in 2009 although he spent most of that year in another Independent league, pitching for Wichita, KS in the American Association.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

MICHEL HERNANDEZ GETS NEW CONTRACT; FIGUEROA, FELIZ, PATTERSON AMONG FREE AGENTS

2011-11-13T18:45:00.003-05:00

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.

MICHEL HERNANDEZ GETS NEW DEAL

Catcher Michel Hernandez, whose last major league opportunity was with Tampa Bay, became a free agent for a short time this fall before returning to the Cleveland organization. The onetime Atlantic League backstop (Somerset) 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 (Camden) and pitchers Nelson Figueroa (Long Island) and Scott Patterson (Lancaster). The latter just finished a stint with Team USA.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

A PAIR OF BOOKS TRACK EARLY-DAY INDEPENDENT LEAGUES; MORE PLAYER MOVES

2011-10-28T17:11:00.002-04:00

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 by relieving in 15 games for York (1-0, one save, 2.46), 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 he is only one step from the major leagues. He also has played for Long Island and Newark. Rodriguez is now on the Tucson, AZ roster for San Diego. He played for Bridgeport at one time.

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.

Meanwhile, a pair of former Atlantic League players who have logged major league time have opted for free agency, presumably in an effort to find better deals. Pitcher Mark DiFelice (Somerset and Camden) quit Milwaukee. Catcher Rene Rivera (Camden) left the Minnesota Twins, with whom he spent a good chunk of this summer.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

VAN HEKKEN TOUGH LUCK LOSER IN USA FINALE IN PAN AM, STILL FINISHES WITH 0.96 ERA

2011-10-26T12:11:00.004-04:00

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 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.

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 of the Atlantic League during 2011, also was a member of Team Canada although he did not play in the title game. Frostad hit .280 with two homers in 15 games for the Barnstormers.

Scott Patterson, whose pro debut was with Gateway (Sauget, IL) in the Frontier League and later became a closer 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.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

VAN HEKKEN STARRING FOR TEAM USA AND BRANDON SING STARTS STRONG IN MEXICO

2011-10-21T17:14:00.003-04:00

We reported on the great success of former Atlantic League hurler Andy Van Hekken (Somerset) 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 had an outstanding year for Bridgeport earlier.

A PAIR OF ATLANTIC LEAGUERS 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.

Another Atlantic Leaguer getting a new contract is catcher Dayton Buller with Milwaukee's Class AA club. He played at Camden.

Subscription to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

THIS TRIO OF FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS REACHED MAJORS, BUT NOT FILES FOR FREE AGENCY

2011-10-11T16:54:00.006-04:00

We can identify three former Atlantic League 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, Somerset and Road Warriors) from Houston.
OF Jay Gibbons (Long Island and Newark) 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) from the New York Mets even though he struck out 66 Triple-A hitters in 60.1 innings when not in the National League.

YORK'S MIKE DE MARK GETS NEW CONTRACT

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 contract with their old organization or a new one, it was nice to learn right-hander Mike DeMark of York already has a new contract from Arizona.

HOW THEY FARED IN TRIPLE-A

We were curious how 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) 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.

Subscriptions to the Insider only $48 from now through December, 2012.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

NO, TV ANNOUNCERS, MILWAUKEE CLOSER DID NOT PITCH IN AN INDY LEAGUE

2011-10-06T12:42:00.002-04:00

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 Atlantic League (or other Independent league) 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 commentators or writers say "Independent league" instead of saying Atlantic League--or identifying another specific league--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.

The Atlantic League does not have any former players active for the first round of major league playoffs although southpaw reliever Alberto Castillo is on site with Arizona and is on standby for possible inclusion in the League Championship Series or World Series if the D-Backs advance.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

DUCKS FINALLY TAKE A LOSS IN CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

2011-09-30T12:00:00.003-04:00

When the York Revolution smacked Long Island 9-0 to square the Atlantic League Championship Series at one win apiece, it marked the first time the host Ducks had ever lost in the title round. They entered the Thursday night contest 4-0, including a three-game sweep of Camden when the Ducks won their only crown in 2004.

York is home now for the rest of the best-of-five series, and is in position to join Somerset (2008-09) as the only back-to-back winners since the league started in '98.

BLUE CRABS RADIO VOICE TAKES ON NEW ROLE

Josh Caray added a big name to the Independent ranks this season. Now the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs radio broadcaster has taken on a new assignment.

Caray, the grandson of legendary radio voice Harry Caray, 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.

SUDDEN STARDOM

Atlantic League brass does not hesitate to point out that it is not common for a player to excel in the league unless he has made a mark at Class AA or higher.

Stephen Douglas became one of the exceptions during the first round of the playoffs. Douglas, 26, has not played above the low-Class A New York-Penn League in affiliated baseball, but he hit .529 and his nine safeties (9-for-17) for Lancaster were tops for any player in the Freedom Division Series in which York outlasted the Barnstormers in five games. The left-handed-hitting outfielder was a .378 hitter during the summer as he helped Grand Prairie, TX take the American Association title before moving on to Lancaster for the final four games of the regular seasson.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

COUNTING DOWN TO THE PLAYOFFS WHILE ALSO WATCHING FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS IN MAJORS AND AFFILIATED PLAYOFFS

2011-09-12T16:06:00.003-04:00

Freedom Division leader York and Bridgeport, which could either win the Liberty Division's second half or become the wild card, have the decided inside track for the final two berths in the Atlantic League playoffs as this final week begins, but it is premature to count wild-card runnerup Southern Maryland out. The Blue Crabs trail Bridgeport by three games with the oddity of the teams being even in the loss column. The Bluefish have won six more games to have an overall record of 67-53 compared to Southern's 61-53.

Camden is almost certainly not going to squeeze its way in since the RiverSharks trail Long Island by five games and Bridgeport by four and a half in the Liberty's second half standings and those two teams will meet three more times. Five-time champion Somerset and the Road Warriors were counted out some time ago.

Teams were to submit possible postseason rosters to the league office today (Monday) and could include players sold to major league organizations or to foreign leagues this year, should they become available. Each team has until the morning of the playoffs to designate their 25-man roster.

SEVEN FROM LEAGUE IN MAJORS NOW

With right-hander Dane DeLaRosa (Southern Maryland) back with Tampa Bay, the Atlantic League has seven of its former players active in the major leagues this month. (Stephen Drew, Camden, is on Arizona's disabled list.)

The others are pitchers Alberto Castillo of Arizona (Camden, Road Warriors, Newark) and Jerome Williams of the Los Angeles Angels (Lancaster), catcher Rene Rivera of Minnesota (Camden), first basemen Val Pascucci of the New York Mets (Camden) and Wily Mo Pena of Seattle (Bridgeport) and outfielder Justin Christian of San Francisco (Southern Maryland).

It is still possible others will be added when the affiliated minor league playoffs end.

DUCKS' DI NARDO BOOSTS OAKLAND FARMHANDS TO PCL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Major league veteran Lenny DiNardo, who won two of three decisions in early-season starts for Long Island (2-1, 5.09), hurled Sacramento into the Pacific Coast League championship series Sunday with seven strong innings (two runs) as the River Cats won their third in a row after falling behind Reno (Arizona) two games to none in the semifinal round.

"He's got a lot of big league time (10-18 in 94 appearances), but if you looked in his eyes after the game, you'd think he just got done pitching in the World Series," third baseman Josh Donaldson (4-for-5, 3 RBI) told MLB.com. "It mattered to him." DiNardo, who last pitched in the majors for Kansas City in '09, was back and forth between Class AA Midland, TX and Sacramento after his contract was purchased from Long Island. He turns 32 in another week.

Former Bridgeport infielder Angel Berroa had gotten Reno off to an early lead in the series when the onetime American League Rookie of the Year blasted two home runs and drove in four runs in the Aces' 7-4 triumph in Game 1. Berroa played shortstop for the Bluefish for a big part of this season, but was at second base when the series against Sacramento ended.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

THE NEWS KEEPS GETTING BETTER FOR JEROME WILLIAMS AND MIKE PARISI

2011-09-08T11:54:00.003-04:00

The season-long story of Jerome Williams keeps getting better and better.

He pitched eight innings of one-hit, one-run baseball Wednesday night in a 3-1 victory for the Los Angeles Angels over Seattle, moving the team within 2 1/2 games of American League West-leading Texas. And he even used the pink glove that was familiar when he was with Lancaster earlier this season, a story we we will share later today with subscribers to our Independent Baseball Insider column. Williams is now 3-0 with the Angels.

LONG ISLAND'S MIKE PARISI STARRING IN DODGERS SYSTEM

Mike Parisi was one of the reasons Long Island was able to secure an Atlantic League playoff berth early this year because he won six of 10 decisions (3.50 ERA) in 13 starts for the first half Liberty Division champions before his contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The right-handed pitcher, 28, just finished an outstanding August with Albuquerque which earned him the team's coveted Dodger Pride Award for a pitcher with the Triple-A team. Parisi tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with five wins in the month, going 5-0, 4.23 in six starts. Overall, he was 6-2 with a 5.20 earned run average for the Isotopes.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

BARNSTORMERS GET A SECOND PLAYER BACK FROM TRIPLE-A AND CAMDEN'S PASCUCCI GETS A MAJOR LEAGUE OPPORTUNITY

2011-09-06T15:52:00.007-04:00

Perseverance has paid off for another former Atlantic League player who is going to finish the season in the major leagues.

Power-hitting Valentino (Val) Pascucci, a 32-year-old outfielder-designated hitter whose only other major league stint in a decade of professional play was for 32 games with the Montreal Expos seven years ago (2-6-.177), has been called up by the New York Mets after a 21-home run, 91-RBI season at Triple-A Buffalo.

Pascucci played in 14 games for Camden one year ago (3-9-.275) before the Mets purchased his contract from the Atlantic League team. The 6-foot-6 slugger has been at the Class AAA level since 2003 except for the Montreal and Camden stints and a year in Japan, and has hit well over 200 home runs in his career.

The right-handed hitter was the Most Valuable Player for Buffalo this season, leading the International League team in games (130), runs (58), hits (117), doubles (29), extra-base hits (51), walks (76) and on-base percentage (.375) in addition to home runs and runs batted in.

While not an official non-roster invitee to the Mets' spring training camp, Pascucci was called on for several appearances and showed his productive bat.

With several call-ups from various leagues since major league rosters expanded September 1, Independent leagues have had more players at baseball's top level than in any other season. The Atlantic League has been a major contributor. We will have the details all sorted out for this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, which subscribers receive on Thursday.

BENNETT RELEASED BY RENO, BACK AT LANCASTER

While I have not seen an announcement, right-handed reliever Jeff Bennett is once again listed on the Lancaster roster and presumably will be available for the Atlantic League playoffs just as third baseman Terry Tiffee is. Tiffee returned soon after the New York Yankees cut him from their farm system.

Arizona released Bennett, despite a 3-0 record and 4.29 earned run average in 24 appearances at Triple-A Reno. He had been 2-0 with two saves and a brilliant 0.42 ERA in 17 games with the Barnstormers, last pitching for them June 12.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

MEXICAN LEAGUE, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION PLAYERS COMING TO ATLANTIC FOR POSTSEASON PUSH

2011-09-01T12:22:00.004-04:00

It must be getting close to playoff time.

It does not take much genius to notice this because of the pace of player acquisitions by playoff-bound teams or those still trying to nail down postseason slots.

Both the Mexican League and the independent American Association are favorite targets. Bridgeport, which has moved to within one-half game of Long Island in the second half of the Liberty Division race and has a three-game lead for the top wild-card slot, added 41-year-old reliever Hector Carrasco, who had 10 saves in Mexico.

Playoff hopeful Southern Maryland and Freedom Division leader York both added right-handed pitching out of the American Association. Details at AtlanticLeague.com/transactions.

Lancaster, which won the Freedom's first half, gained an unexpected bonus when the New York Yankees released third baseman Terry Tiffee despite a .345 batting average. The former major leaguer immediately returned to the Barnstormers, for whom he was hitting .297 with 10 homers and 41 RBI when the Yankees purchased his contract June 22.

Tiffee returned for last night's 7-5 victory at Camden, the other remaining playoff hopeful, although his 11-game Atlantic League hitting streak was snapped with an 0-for-4 night (one run). Manager Butch Hobson slid Travis Metcalf, the hot-hitting veteran (.307), over to second base. Metcalf had come out of the American Association earlier this season, as we will discuss in this week's subscription-only Independent Baseball Insider column which comes out later today.

RIVERA BACK IN BIGS

Minnesota wasted no time getting former Camden catcher Rene Rivera in the lineup when the Twins recalled the 2010 Atlantic Leaguer from Triple-A this week. Rivera caught three games in a row against postseason hopefuls Detroit and the White Sox although the best he could contribute offensively was a sacrifice fly. He was 0-for-9 in official at-bats, dropping his season average to .160 (13-for-81) with a homer and five runs batted in.

Hopefully, other recent Atlantic Leaguers will get a major league call now that rosters have expanded beyond the normal 25-man limit.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

THREE TEAMS, BUT ONLY ONE PLAYOFF SPOT

2011-08-26T16:59:00.003-04:00

It continues to look like three teams have a realistic shot at the playoffs and the opportunity to join Long Island, Lancaster and (most likely) York in battling for the Atlantic League championship.

The second half Liberty Division standings would make it appear Camden is in the driver's seat because the RiverSharks are only two games (one in the loss column) behind Long Island, which won the first half and is in the lead once again.

But Camden really needs to win the second half because Bridgeport holds a seven-game lead over Von Hayes's club in the wild card race and Southern Maryland is just one game behind the Bluefish.

York has not officially qualified but even if Lancaster wins both halves in the Freedom Division the Revolution would have to lose their three-game bulge on Bridgeport and their four-game lead on Southern Maryland to miss out.

Stay tuned.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

EXAMINING THE PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES AS THE DUCKS CONTINUE WINNING

2011-08-19T15:52:00.004-04:00

Long Island's exceptional second half, including its current nine-game winning streak, is making it very likely the Ducks will win both halves in the Liberty Division and at least one wild card will get into the playoffs. Two wild cards will make it if Lancaster, which trails York by percentage points in the second half of the Freedom Division race, wins both halves.

York is in the No. 1 wild card position if the Ducks and Barnstormers both win two half-season titles, but the Revolution only lead Bridgeport by one game. York is 53-42 for the year, the Bluefish are 52-43.

Southern Maryland is the Liberty Division's last place team in the second half, but the Blue Crabs are within two and a half games of Bridgeport for the full year while Camden is seven games behind the Bluefish.

Camden has been a solid 19-12 in the second half, but the Riversharks' best shot at reaching postseason is to make up the six-game deficit against Long Island and win the second half crown.

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, last played one year ago when he was in 52 contests with Newark, hitting .279 with three homers and 35 runs batted in.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

SUGAR LAND GRABS A BIG NAME IN GARY GAETTI AS MANAGER

2011-08-12T17:57:00.002-04:00

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 Lancaster 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 a 4-3 victory at Lancaster.

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

PLAYER MOVES

A trio of former Atlantic League players have dropped down one level in affiliated baseball.

Long Island southpaw Lenny DiNardo and Camden third baseman Mike Costanzo are now in Class AA, DiNardo for Oakland and Costanzo for Cincinnati. Another third baseman, Corey Smith, also was sent back to Double-A by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he has been on a AA-AAA shuttle for much of the season. Right-hander Robert Romero, who once played for Camden, was released by the Dodgers.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUER BREAKS ALL-TIME INDY HOME RUN RECORD

2011-08-10T18:07:00.004-04:00

Independent Baseball has a new home run king (based on present research), and he is well known around the Atlantic League. Jesse Hoorelbeke, who played three seasons in Bridgeport, is the record-breaker with his milestone homer coming Tuesday night for his current team, Fargo-Moorhead of the American Association.

We will be breaking down all the details in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider, our weekly subscription publication. Details on subscriptions are elsewhere on this blog.

FELIZ AMONG LATEST TO HAVE HIS CONTRACT SOLD

Camden third baseman Pedro Feliz is back within one step of the major leagues after San Diego purchased his contract. After starting slow for the Riversharks, the 2008 World Series star with Philadelphia picked up the pace, eventually leading Camden in hitting (.298) and on-base percentage (.366). Feliz takes his exceptional glove to Reno, where he will once again be a teammate of outfielder Drew Macias, who the Padres also purchased this week.

LONG ISLAND LIKELY TO MISS YOUMAN AT PLAYOFF TIME

Shane Youman has left the Long Island Ducks after his contract was purchased by a team in Taiwan. This could be a major loss once playoff time arrives next month since Youman, who also has been with four other Atlantic League teams in his career, was 7-1 with a brilliant 0.66 ERA in 13 appearances, including seven starts, for the Ducks.

MILESTONES FOR LOPEZ AND NETTLES

We would be remiss not to congratulate two of the league's best at third base, Luis Lopez of Bridgeport and Jeff Nettles of Somerset. Lopez recently recorded minor league hit No. 2,000 while Nettles became only the second player in league history to record 900 hits.

It has been a record-breaking season for Nettles although we would guess the joy has been somewhat diminished by the Patriots' off season. He will soon become the all-time hits leader since Rolando Avila holds that title at 933. Nettles already owns the league marks for RBI and doubles.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

ATLANTIC LEAGUE VET ALBERTO CASTILLO SOLID IN ARIZONA BULLPEN

2011-07-29T15:16:00.002-04:00

While the Atlantic League has had about a dozen of its former players in the major leagues this season, the only one there at this point (and not disabled) is left-handed reliever Alberto Castillo.

The 36-year-old Cuban native is doing excellent work for Arizona, allowing a stingy 1.17 earned run average for 7.2 innings spread over 11 appearances. He gained a victory in his only decision which stretches his career record to 3-0 (4.31, one save) for 73 outings. Castillo has pitched in the Atlantic League for Newark, Camden and the Road Warriors.

Eleven former Indy players are active in the majors at present with another four, including Stephen Drew (Camden), on the disabled list.

In an update since Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column, Seattle announced plans to have Wily Mo Pena (Bridgeport, CT, 2010) debut this weekend with its top farm club in Tacoma, WA. With a good start, the slugger, who has 82 career major league home runs, could easily find himself with the struggling Mariners in a very short time.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

BIG PRAISE HURLED AT SOMERSET AS CLOSER'S CONTRACT IS SOLD TO ROYALS

2011-07-22T15:48:00.002-04:00

It has to make Atlantic League 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.

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 independent 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.

TOUGH BREAK FOR STEPHEN DREW, D-BACKS

Former Camden shortstop Stephen Drew, who anchors the infield for the Arizona Diamondbacks, is gone for the season with a broken right ankle. What a tough ending for both Drew and the improving National League West team.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

BLUE CRABS LOSE SANCHEZ (.403) TO PIRATES; PENA AND HERNANDEZ ALSO ON THE MOVE

2011-07-18T17:07:00.005-04:00

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.

Thirteen of the players have spent time in the Atlantic League.

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.

WILY MO PENA DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT

It was tough seeing Arizona designate Wily Mo Pena for assignment after his five home runs in 46 at-bats had helped the Diamondbacks stay in the National League West chase, but the flip side was the 2010 Bridgeport Bluefish DH-1B-OF also struck out 19times and his average was only .196 with seven runs batted in. It seems likely he will end up back at Triple-A Reno.

.403 GAP IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND ORDER

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

CATCHERS STILL IN DEMAND

Michel Hernandez was not out of work long after the 32-year-old catcher was released by Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, VA. Cleveland quickly signed the former Somerset receiver, and after putting up outstanding numbers in Double-A (Akron, OH) he moved on to Triple-A Columbus, OH. Hernandez hit .455 in eight games for Akron with a .519 on-base percentage. He did not strike out a single time in 22 at-bats. The former major leaguer picked right up at Columbus with a single (1-for-3) and a walk in his first game in the International League.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

THE STORY BEHIND A.L. STARTER JERED WEAVER'S TIME IN THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE

2011-07-12T16:07:00.004-04:00

We wrote in last week's Independent Baseball Insider about the added interest Indy fans should have in Tuesday night's major league All-Star Game because of former independent 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, hurling a scoreless inning with a walk and a strikeout. While Weaver did not pitch in the Atlantic League he did train with the Camden RiverSharks back in 2005.

Weaver and current Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew were in Camden while major league contracts were up in the air. Drew, whose brother J.D. had played for the St. Paul (MN) Saints of the independent 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.

One of the topics we will examine in this week's Insider, which subscribers receive on Thursday, is the likely new Atlantic League franchise in Nassau County (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.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

RECENT ATLANTIC LEAGUERS TIFFEE AND KENSING PUT UP GREAT NUMBERS FOR YANKEES' TOP FARM CLUB

2011-07-11T10:09:00.002-04:00

Vacations are wonderful, but they certainly throw you off schedule. So with that apology and while waiting for the Atlantic League All-Star Game at York on Wednesday, we will bring you up to date on some former Atlantic League 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 (three from the Atlantic League 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, is hitting .338 after 18 games with three homers and seven doubles among his hits. Tiffee his a dozen runs batted in.

Kensing, signed out of Bridgeport, 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 independent American Association, is starting and after six appearances (one was in relief) he is 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 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 independent Golden League.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

PENA, DI FELICE GIVE ATLANTIC LEAGUE 11 IN MAJORS ALREADY THIS SEASON

2011-06-23T10:47:00.004-04:00

Wily Mo Pena's promotion this week to be the designated hitter for at least part of Arizona's trek into American League stadiums during this session of interleague play was terrific for 29-year-old Dominican, but it also notches another impressive feat for the Atlantic League.

Pena, who played at Bridgeport last season until his contract was sold to the San Diego organization, became the 11th former Atlantic League player to wear a major league uniform since the season started. That is quite a statement.

Newly-recalled Mark DiFelice (Milwaukee) became No. 10. Stephen Drew and Rene Rivera are the other grads currently in the majors, but Erick Almonte, Robinson Cancel, Tom Cochran, Nelson Figueroa, Jay Gibbons, Mike O'Connor and Mike Rivera also have been there.

It only took Pena two at-bats to blast his 78th career major league home run (his first since 2008), a 441-foot drive at Kansas City. That is his only hit in seven at-bats through two games.

We will cover both Pena and DiFelice in this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, which subscribers will receive later today.

RENE RIVERA SURVIVES

It seems clear that Rene Rivera, who was at Camden as recently as last season, has had some impact with Minnesota because the Twins decided to keep three catchers when Joe Mauer returned from his lengthy stint on the disabled list.

Rivera and Drew Butera pretty much split the catching duties the last several weeks as the Twins started clawing their way up from their horrid start. Neither carries much of a batting average (Rivera is at .180, 11-for-61 with a homer and three RBI), but they did the job defensively and even combined to hit .314 over one 14-game span.

KALA KA'AIHUE DID NOT STAY INACTIVE FOR LONG

Colorado's release of former York and Newark first baseman Kala Ka'aihue did not keep him on the sidelines for long. He signed in the independent American Association with the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

CANCEL STAYS HOT, HOWARD JOINS TORONTO ORGANIZATION AND '10 BATTING CHAMPION RETURNS

2011-06-13T11:57:00.006-04:00

Robinson Cancel's latest brief stay in the major leagues did not slow down his bat when it comes to punishing Triple-A pitching.

The 35-year-old backstop, an Atlantic League veteran (Long Island, 2010; Somerset, 2003-04; Road Warriors, 2003) went 5-for-11 (2B, RBI) in his first two games after returning to Houston's top farm club in Oklahoma City. He is now hitting .336 in 32 games for the Redhawks with a .390 on-base percentage. Cancel was 0-for-6 in two games for Houston, where he caught prized rookie Jordan Lyles.

KEVIN HOWARD LEAVES LANCASTER FOR LAS VEGAS

I am anxious to see how Kevin Howard fares in his return to Triple-A after starring both offensively and defensively while playing shortstop at Lancaster. Howard, who turns 30 later this month, was primarily a second baseman and third baseman in his previous stints at the top level of the minor leagues.

"Kevin had a great year," Lancaster Manager Butch Hobson praised in the press release announcing Howard had his contract purchased by Toronto and that he was returning to Las Vegas, where he played for part of both '08 and '09. "He's seeing the ball really well right now and squaring everything up," added Hobson, in what almost seems like an understatement since the University of Miami product had gone 23-for-49 (.469) in his last 13 games for the Barnstormers which elevated him to No. 2 in the Atlantic League batting race at .381.

"He also did an excellent job at shortstop, playing it for the first time," Hobson said.

'10 BATTING CHAMPION RETURNS TO LEAGUE

Last season's batting champion, outfielder Brian Barton, is back in the Atlantic League, joining Southern Maryland. He has gone 3-for-12 in his first four games with two runs batted in.

Barton, who struggled with Bridgeport early last year then caught fire at Newark, was released by Cincinnati, and quickly caught on with the Blue Crabs. He hit a combined .348 in 102 Atlantic League games last season, winning the batting title by nine points.

Lefty Josh Muecke, who made one appearance for Somerset last season, was dropped by Colorado. Both Barton and Muecke had been playing in Triple-A.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

TRACKING MIKE O'CONNOR, ERICK ALMONTE AND OTHER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS

2011-06-03T17:22:00.003-04:00

A few notes heading into the weekend after getting this week's Independent Baseball Insider column out to subscribers...

The New York Mets have sent lefty Mike O'Connor (Southern Maryland) 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) out on a rehab assignment at Nashville. He was perhaps the major surprise among former Independent players during spring training when he came from nowhere to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster as a utilityman and pinch hitter.

Corey Smith (Newark) 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 Atlantic League teams to major league organizations has really picked up in recent days. Just ask York, which lost its fourth player of the year when reliever Mike DeMark signed with Arizona. Lancaster has lost a trio of players.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

FIRST TIMER TOM COCHRAN, VET ROBINSON CANCEL LATEST ATLANTIC LEAGUERS IN MAJORS

2011-05-31T12:40:00.002-04:00

Another Atlantic League pitcher has added 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 Independent Baseball 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 four years and part of a fifth in Indy leagues. He had 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 in the Atlantic League (Lancaster) 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 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 experience includes the 2003 season with Somerset and the traveling Road Warriors, and a brief time with Somerset the next year.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF MIKE RIVERA

Catcher Mike Rivera (Atlantic City) 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, seven former Atlantic League players are in the major leagues now although Erick Almonte (Long Island) remains on the disabled list at Milwaukee.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

ORIOLES GIVE UP ON DRESE PLUS AN UPDATE ON A FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES MVP.

2011-05-27T16:38:00.003-04:00

Ryan Drese had not pitched in the majors since 2006, but when Baltimore signed the 35-year-old vet in February and invited him to their major league spring training camp there was some hope the Californian might have a chance to add to his 34 victories at baseball's top level.

It was not to be, at least for now. The Orioles released the right-hander Thursday. Drese had allowed 64 hits in 44 innings for Triple-A Norfolk (2-3, 6.55) and along with giving up more walks than his strikeout total the dreaded walking papers were handed out.

Drese had worked in four games for the Long Island Ducks last season (1-1, 1.59) and he had pitched for Camden in both 2008 and 2009.

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 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 in the four-game Championship Series.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

HOT-HITTING COREY SMITH MUST BE ON DODGERS RADAR; SWEENEY GETS INITIAL AAA WIN

2011-05-20T12:58:00.004-04:00

Corey Smith has to be high up on any list of former Independent Baseball players who could debut in the major leagues before long.

The Plainfield, NJ native, who played third base when the Newark Bears won the Atlantic League title in 2007, is now in Triple-A for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his offensive production has not slowed down. The 29-year-old was a Southern League all-star last season and returned to the Double-A league at the start of 2011 before quickly being promoted to Albuquerque.

Despite a week on the disabled list, the right-handed-hitting Smith has four homers, 14 RBI and a .321 average for his first 21 games with the Isotopes. We have said it before, but the Dodgers also have to remember what Smith did in the major league spring training camp. Although there on only a part-time basis, the first baseman-third baseman went 7-for-12 (.583) with three round-trippers, two doubles and nine RBI in just 10 games.

The Dodgers must surely be thinking of how he could help, if only as a pinch-hitter, just as they did with John Lindsey last season. Lindsey, five years older than Smith, is hitting .227 in 23 games this year with only one home run.

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) earlier this season. After two losses, the right-hander turned in six shutout innings in a 5-1 matinee 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 still another another teammate from the same league. Jason Botts had his contract purchased by the Mets from defending champion York 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.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

WILY MO PENA NAMED PCL'S TOP HITTER A SECOND TIME

2011-05-13T16:00:00.008-04:00

Maybe the start of major league inter-league play next weekend will help Wily Mo Pena.

Arizona has not yet given the hefty veteran 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 Bridgeport, 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 within its league, 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.

Pena hit .341 (14-for-41) with three homers in 18 games with the Diamondbacks during spring training.

ACTIVE MAJOR LEAGUE COUNT AT FOUR

While the Atlantic League had its roster of players wearing major league rosters increased to five only days ago when southpaw Mike O'Connor (Southern Maryland) joined the New York Mets and catcher Rene Rivera (Camden)was called up to Minnesota, it has been trimmed back with right-hander Nelson Figueroa (Long Island) being outrighted to Oklahoma City by the Houston Astros. He had strugged with an 0-3 record and an 8.69 ERA as the No. 5 starter early this season.

Stephen Drew (Camden) remains a fixture as Arizona's shortstop and Jay Gibbons (Newark and Long Island) is one of the Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielders. Infielder-outfielder Erick Almonte (Long Island) remains on Milwaukee's disabled list.

TRIO CUT BY MAJOR LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONS

Three former Atlantic Leaguers have been dropped from major league farm systems in recent days. Lancaster's Jon Huber, who logged some time as a major league non-roster invitee during spring training, was dropped by the Dodgers.

The Chicago White Sox activated longtime major leaguer Daryle Ward from the Charlotte disabled list, then released him. He had hit 14 homers and driven in 79 runs while hitting .286 for Newark last season. Detroit released corner infielder Cesar Nicolas (Southern Maryland), who hit .279 with seven homers and 38 RBI over 70 games in Double-A last season.

All three players had been on Triple-A rosters this year.

Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

SWEENEY, DI FELICE, O'CONNOR AND UNGS GIVE PITCHING LOTS OF ATTENTION

2011-05-06T16:32:00.006-04:00

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

The Seattle Mariners signed the veteran right-hander before Somerset 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 bought his contract and 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.

MARK DI FELICE FINALLY ALLOWS A RUN

If former Camden and Somerset hurler Mark DiFelice can maintain the pace a little longer, it seems likely he will join Mike O'Connor in returning to the major leagues.

DiFelice finally allowed a run Wednesday, but the Nashville reliever (Brewers) still has a 1.13 ERA for his first seven appearances of 2011 with a win and a save on his log. DiFelice, 34, has been stingy in every manner, allowing only five hits and two walks in his eight innings spread over seven appearances. He also has 11 strikeouts.

The New York Mets brought the southpaw O'Connor, who spent some time at Southern Maryland in 2009, up from Triple-A Buffalo this week.

MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY

First time Atlantic Leaguer Nic Ungs, who has been pitching professionally since Florida drafted him in 2001, obviously likes his choice of Somerset to continue his comeback from elbow surgery.

"This is a great league because it's so heavily scouted by big league teams, and you're playing with and against guys who have a lot of big league and Triple-A experience," the right-hander from Dyersville, IA told The Dubuque Herald.

Those comments came prior to his first regular-season start in which he got a no-decision, but allowed only five hits and two runs in five innings against defending champion and unbeaten York. Ung has yet to make it to the major leagues, but the 31-year-old went into this season with a 71-56 minor league record.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

LEFTY HAMPSON REBOUNDS IN METS' SYSTEM AFTER TOUGH 2010 IN ATLANTIC LEAGUE

2011-04-29T14:04:00.004-04:00

Lefty Justin Hampson, who split last season between York and Long Island without great success, may be the latest reclamation project out of the Atlantic League.

Pitching in relief for the New York Mets' top farm club in Buffalo, the 30-year-old Hampson has been terrific this season. This is part of what Minor League Baseball's official web site, MiLB.com, reported this week: "Hampson has not allowed an extra-base hit in eight appearances and nine innings of work in 2011. He has nine strikeouts with opponents hitting just .152 off him." Oh yes, he has retired the first batter he has faced in all but one of his appearances, always sweet music to a manager.

The 6-foot-1 hurler has 79 major league appearances on his career record with Colorado and San Diego (5-4, 3.38), but he had only a 4.96 ERA in 11 games for York last season even though his lone decision was a victory and he had one save. Hampson was even worse in four appearances with the Ducks, giving up nine hits in four innings (11.25 ERA). He signed with the Mets February 16, and pitched a hitless inning to collect a save for the parent team in his lone major league spring training game.

Maybe the New York bullpen will be somewhere in his future.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

WE KNEW IT WAS IMPRESSIVE, BUT 38 ATLANTIC LEAGUERS APPEARED IN MAJOR LEAGUE EXHIBITIONS THIS SPRING

2011-04-22T16:57:00.004-04:00

Would you like to take a guess on the final count of former Atlantic League players who got into major league exhibition games during spring training?

There were 16 Atlantic Leaguers spread among the 30 camps fulltime, either as 40-man roster players or non-roster invitees. Every one appeared in spring training games.

The count goes up by an astonishing 22 more--38 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 still a few others were on the bench (or in the bullpen) if the manager needed them.

The 38 players is an average of nearly five per team. Impressive!

Here is the list of the minor league visitors who got into the parent team's games, including the team and position with the Atlantic League affiliations in parenthesis:

Arizona: SS Ed Rogers (Bridgeport)
Baltimore: LHP Nick Bierbrodt (Bridgeport and Somerset); LHP Alberto Castillo (Newark, Road Warriors and Camden)
Cincinnati: OF Brian Barton (Newark and Bridgeport); 3B Mike Costanzo (Camden)
Colorado: 1B Jason Botts (Camden); LHP Josh Muecke (Somerset)
Houston: C Robinson Cancel (Long Island, Road Warriors and Somerset)
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3B Corey Smith (Newark)
Milwaukee: INF Anderson Machado (Lancaster); LHP Sam Narron (Camden)
New York Mets: LHP Justin Hampson (York and Long Island); 1B-DH Valentino Pascucci (Camden)
Oakland: RHP Jon Hunton (Somerset and Lancaster)
Philadelphia: RHP Matt Anderson (Bridgeport); RHP Nate Bump (Camden); LHP Derrick Loop (Camden)
San Francisco: OF Justin Christian (Southern Maryland
Seattle: RHP Scott Patterson (Lancaster)
Texas: OF Erold Andrus (York)
Toronto: OF Jason Lane (Southern Maryland); RHP Vince Perkins (York, Newark and Camden)

Andrus, Botts and Hunton have since been released.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

IT IS CHANGE-OF-ADDRESS TIME FOR THESE ATLANTIC LEAGUE PLAYERS

2011-04-12T17:07:00.003-04:00

It is a credit to Atlantic League teams when players are released by major league organizations and they go right back to the same Independent team.

Among those recently returning to their "roots" are right-handed pitcher Federico Baez with Camden and infielder-outfielder Kody Kirkland with Southern Maryland. Baez was in the Cincinnati organization and Kirkland with Houston. Infielder Ramon Nivar went back to Newark when the Dodgers dropped him, but the Bears now play in the Can-Am League. Nivar also has played for Camden and York.

Releases are expected at this time of the year as major league organizations get overloaded with players. Among the Atlantic Leaguers let go in recent days are:

RHP Jason Anderson (Somerset) by Philadelphia
OF Erold Andrus (York) by Texas
1B Jason Botts (Camden) by Colorado
RHP Bubbie Buzachero (Long Island) by Houston
OF Joe Gaetti (Lancaster) by Baltimore
RHP Jon Hunton (Somerset and Lancaster) by Oakland

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

SOME SUCCESSES AND SOME FAILURES FOR THIS GROUP OF FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUE HURLERS

2011-04-08T14:40:00.005-04:00

It would not be very surprising to see a couple of major league veterans with recent Atlantic League ties return to the league after they did not make it to Opening Day with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Brian Sweeney, who trained with Somerset last April only to be picked up by Seattle prior to the start of the Atlantic League season, got in a few innings with the D-Backs during spring training before ultimately being released.

The other case, also involving a right-handed pitcher, saw Arizona sign Kip Wells shortly before spring training only to drop him a few weeks later. Wells, 33, made five starts for Long Island last season (2-2, 4.00) in his only professional work during 2010. He has a 67-99 major league record.

Sweeney, 36, spent a good part of last year with the parent Mariners, compiling a 1-2record and a creditable 3.16 earned run average in 24 relief appearances. He pitched in Japan during the three previous seasons.

BUMP, JULIO ON MOUND STAFFS

Onetime Camden righty Nate Bump, 8-4, 3.35 with Philadelphia's Triple-A club in Lehigh Valley (Allentown) last season, was tabbed to start the Iron Pigs' second game of the season on Friday. He bolstered his chances of one day getting back to the majors with five strong innings for the parent team against Houston late in spring training. Bump was on one of those one-day invitations from the minor league camp.

Another former Atlantic League hurler, Jorge Julio, a strong closer for Bridgeport last season, is with Pittsburgh's top farm club in Indianapolis in his bid to return to the majors.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

WILY MO PENA AND ERICK ALMONTE STAY HOT IN MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPS WHILE TOTAL COUNT OF ATLANTIC LEAGUERS INCREASES TO 24

2011-03-14T11:52:00.004-04:00

A great many cuts have been made in major league spring training rosters already, but not a single one (unless we missed something) has involved any of the 15 former Atlantic League players with hopes of making opening day rosters.

Meanwhile, two more onetime Atlantic Leaguers players have appeared in major league spring training games, jumping that already impressive count to at least 24. Nine of the 24 have been brought up for a game or two from minor league camps.

The two most recent additions are position players. Shortstop Ed Rogers (Bridgeport), who had a very good spring with Arizona 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.

Third baseman Mike Costanzo (Camden) 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 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 Atlantic League players to land major league jobs in this Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column. Subscriptions are available elsewhere on this blog.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOW HAS 20 PLAYERS INVOLVED IN MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPS; DUCKS' ALMONTE GETTING LONG LOOK

2011-03-05T11:59:00.003-05:00

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.

The league had 15 players on our original list of those due in 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 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 for a time last season, collecting a run-scoring single for Toronto.

DUCKS' ALMONTE LEADS BREWERS IN AT BATS

Erick Almonte seems to be getting a very solid look early in the Cactus League season with Milwaukee, most likely because of his .320 batting average (two homers, 38 RBI in 325 at-bats) last season in Nashville (Triple-A). The 2006 Long Island Ducks star (.302-9-77 plus 24 doubles and 16 steals in 111 games) is primarily playing first base or being used as a designated hitter instead of his earlier days as a shortstop, and leads all Brewers with 15 at-bats in five appearances.

He is limping with only two hits (.133), but one of those was a home run in Thursday's 11-9 win over Oakland. The 33-year-old went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Another former Atlantic Leaguer, catcher Mike Rivera (Atlantic City), also homered in his two times at bat for the Brew Crew.

Almonte likely is somewhat of a long shot, but what a story it would be since his career includes more than 1,200 minor league games, time in Japan and only 39 major league contests, all of those back in 2001 and 2003 with the New York Yankees.

POSITION PLAYERS AWAITING NEW OPPORTUNITIES

A couple of days ago we listed the pitchers with Atlantic League 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, Ramon Nivar, Gabe Suarez.
OUTFIELDERS: Cory Aldridge, Charlton Jimerson, Jacque Jones (likely retired), Val Majewski, Andres Perez, Michael Ryan, Matt Watson.

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

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

ANOTHER TRIO OF ATLANTIC LEAGUERS GET INTO MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING GAMES WHILE NEARLY A DOZEN HURLERS AWAIT NEW OPPORTUNITIES

2011-03-03T11:47:00.003-05:00

It seems unlikely this far into spring training that very few of the former Atlantic League players who had major league organizational jobs at the end of last season and did not get a new contract earlier in the offseason will be asked back for 2011. As a result, the following 11 pitchers appear to be available (unless they have opted to retire):

Jason Anderson, Federico Baez, Steve Bray, Travis Chick, Brendan Donnelly, Derrick Ellison, Ryan Houston, Tom Mastny, Josh Muecke, Oneli Perez and Patrick Ryan.

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.

THREE MORE SHOW UP IN MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING GAMES

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 trio of onetime Atlantic League players not originally on either 40-man rosters or non-roster invitees who have appeared in at least one major league exhibition game.

They are Baltimore pitchers Alberto Castillo (Newark, Camden, Road Warriors) and Nick Bierbrodt (Bridgeport, Somerset) and New York Mets first baseman-outfielder-designated hitter Valentino Pascucci (Camden). Hurler Brian Sweeney, who trained with Somerset last spring but signed before the regular season started, has appeared with his newest organization, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

More are likely to show up.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

MANY ATLANTIC LEAGUERS IN MAJOR LEAGUE MIX; OTHERS GET NEW MINOR LEAGUE DEALS

2011-02-18T17:29:00.005-05:00

We reported on the 15 former Atlantic League players who will be in major league spring training games in our Independent Baseball Insider column this week, and we would not be surprised to see several more make their way into at least one exhibition game.

Primary among these candidates could be Lancaster closer Scott Patterson with Seattle, lefties Alberto Castillo (Newark, Camden, Road Warriors) and Nick Bierbrodt (Bridgeport, Somerset) with Baltimore and outfielder Jason Lane (Southern Maryland) with Torotno. Other candidates could include outfielder Justin Christian (Southern Maryland) with San Francisco and possibly righty reliever Brian Sweeney, who trained with Somerset last spring, with Arizona.

MAJOR LEAGUE CLUBS KEEP ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TALENT

Some of the interesting invitations to minor league camps from the Atlantic League of late have included outfielder Joe Gaetti (Lancaster) by the Orioles and right-hander Vince Perkins, who had been well regarded but stumbled to a combined 0-8 in Newark and York last season, by Toronto.

Catcher Eddy Rodriguez, who hit .277 in 108 games for Bridgeport in '09, has been obtained for the San Diego Padres farm system.

WHERE IS SALOMON MANRIQUEZ?

Lancaster thought it would have Salomon Manriquez back behind the plate this season, going so far as announcing his signing. Not so fast, though. Manriquez has gone back to the New York Mets' Buffalo, NY farm club, where he spent part of the 2010 season after signing out of Lancaster. He also has played for York and Newark.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

SOUTHERN MARYLAND'S CHRISTIAN SIGNS WITH GIANTS, CREDITS INDEPENDENT BASEBALL

2011-02-08T14:56:00.002-05:00

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, who started last season at Southern Maryland, 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) for the Blue Crabs.

"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.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

WHO HAS OR HAS NOT SIGNED PLUS MIKE TORREZ'S NEW JOB

2011-02-04T16:47:00.007-05:00

Two potent outfielders who got some major league time last season are among about 25 former Atlantic League players who were in affiliated organizations at the end of the year and still have not signed with anyone.

It is getting rather late--but certainly not impossible--for Michael Ryan of Somerset and the Los Angeles Angels to ink with a major league organization. The same is true of Matt Watson, who started 2010 with Lancaster and was in the American League a couple of months later with Oakland.

Other prominent former Atlantic Leaguers not yet signed, according to what we know, include outfielders Justin Christian (Southern Maryland), now with Mexico in the Caribbean Series, and Charlton Jimerson (Bridgeport and Newark). The same is true for catcher Salomon Manriquez (Lancaster, York, Newark) and 2010 Somerset hurler Tom Mastny.

PAIR GO BACK TO MAJOR LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONS

Two recent signees with major league organizations are infielder Erick Almonte (Long Island), who not only returned to Milwaukee but also got a spring training invitation to the parent club, and Nick Bierbrodt. The left-handed Bierbrodt, who has been with both Bridgeport and Somerset, signed with Baltimore, his third major league organization in about a calendar year.

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. He was the Bears' pitching coach in 2009.

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.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

RELIEVER GREG BURKE GETS ANOTHER MAJOR LEAGUE LOOK; LANE, EASLER SIGN

2011-01-27T17:08:00.003-05:00

Two winter trades which cost San Diego four relief pitchers may be very good news for right-hander Greg Burke, who started his professional career with the 2005 Atlantic League Surf, then in the Atlantic League.

Burke, 28, has been invited to the Padres' major league spring training camp next month. He was with San Diego for much of 2009 (3-3, 4.14 in 48 outings), but was back in the minor leagues last season, struggling to a 5.68 ERA (2-2) in 53 appearances at Portland, OR.

ODDS LONGER FOR BLUE CRABS' MIKE O'CONNOR

Meanwhile, the competition onetime Southern Maryland lefty Mike O'Connor faces in trying to work his way up from a non-roster position with the New York Mets likely got tougher when the National League team signed another southpaw and Independent grad, Tim Byrdak. This onetime Northern Leaguer (Gary, IN and Joliet, IL) has extensive major league experience including 64 appearances last season for Houston (2-2, 3.49).

I expect another Atlantic League lefty, Alberto Castillo, to be among the invitees when Baltimore finally announces its full spring training roster. Castillo (Camden, Newark, Road Warriors) got a new deal with the Orioles recently. He was up and down between the parent club and Triple-A Norfolk last season.

LANE, EASLER SIGN NEW DEALS

Anther recent signing involving a former Atlantic Leaguer was that of outfielder Jason Lane, who was at Southern Maryland for a time last summer, back with Toronto on a Triple-A agreement.

And, Mike Easler has moved from the Dodgers to the Mets to teach hitting. He will be the hitting coach at Triple-A Buffalo.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

DODGERS CAMP NEXT STOP FOR LANCASTER'S JON HUBER WHILE SCOTT GRIMES STILL AWAITS AN OPPORTUNITY

2011-01-21T11:36:00.003-05:00

If Jon Huber makes it back to the major leagues this season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he should be giving credit to the Atlantic League.

After getting 25 American League games under his belt with Seattle in '06 and '07, he slumped badly to a 6.40 earned run average in 52 games for Tacoma, WA in 2008 with Pacific Coast League hitters raking at a .324 clip against him.

Huber spent the first two months of '09 tuning up at Lancaster, where he started returning to form with a win, two saves and a 3.63 ERA in 18 relief appearances. Atlanta purchased his contract, and had the 29-year-old right-hander until early last season when he moved from the Mississippi Braves to the Dodgers' Chattanooga, TN club in that same Southern League.

The Sacramento native was so sharp for the Lookouts he made the mid-season all-star team and saved 18 games (in 36 appearances) while also posting a 3-3, 2.30 record. That has added up to a non-roster invitation to the Dodgers' major league spring training camp.

Huber is the 11th former Atlantic League player to make it onto a major league camp roster, with seven coming via the non-roster route.

CO-PLAYER OF YEAR SCOTT GRIMES SPOTLIGHTED

"Awesome" was Scott Grimes's one word evaluation of being part of York's league championship team of last season, partially explained by the fact it was the first title team he had been on in his five professional seasons.

We spotlighted the 27-year-old centerfielder in Thursday's subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column, since he still does not have a job with a major league organization despite the fact he led all of professional baseball with his 138 runs scored last season. He was co-Player of the Year in the Atlantic League along with Lancaster's Aaron Herr.

"I have a love of the game, the competition and being able to play every day," said Grimes. "And I don't take it for granted." He is working at the All-Star Baseball Academy in Downingtown, PA this winter with the belief he will return to York unless a major league organization comes calling.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

DUCKS PROMOTE MICHAEL PFAFF TO PRESIDENT AND ALSO GET CREATIVE IN GOING AFTER SEASON TICKET SALES

2011-01-13T16:11:00.006-05:00

I imagine everyone agrees that creativity is a wonderful trait. The Long Island Ducks get a tip of my cap for coming up with 72 reasons to buy season tickets--one reason for every home game in 2011.

I especially like No. 26, to put a smile on a face of a stressed out employee; No. 55, to give the tickets to the office cleaning crew; and No. 71, to use the tickets yourself.

This ingenuity probably speaks volumes about the Ducks' superior attendance year in and year out.

CALL HIM MR. PRESIDENT

The Ducks also made news Wednesday by adding the title of President to General Manager Michael Pfaff's business card. He started with Long Island eight years ago as Director of Media Relations. Pfaff has had quite a year including his second Atlantic League Executive of the Year award.

RENE RIVERA, JORGE JULIO IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Catcher Rene Rivera, who got into 51 major league games with Seattle in 2004 and 2006, will be in Minnesota's spring training camp as a non-roster invitee hoping to earn some playing time behind All-Star Joe Mauer. The 27-year-old was at Camden early last season before joining the New York Yankees farm system. He could be well positioned with the Twins although he has hit only .188 in 32 games in Puerto Rico this winter.

Pittsburgh has stepped up to give reliever Jorge Julio another affiliated opportunity although the Venezuelan, who will be 32 when the season starts, does not have a major league spring training invite. Julio, with 99 career major league saves, is coming off a fine year closing for Bridgeport's Atlantic League championship series team. He had a mighty stingy 1.15 earned run average, and did not allow a home run in 55 regular-season innings. He's also been solid in the Venezuelan Winter League. Julio starts on the Triple-A Indianapolis roster.

The Los Angeles Angels have re-signed hurler Eric Junge, 34, after going 5-3 (5.15 ERA) in 14 appearances at Salt Lake City. Junge started last season at Lancaster, and also has played in Bridgeport.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

ATLANTIC LEAGUE LOSES A FRIEND IN SCOUT MIKE DE ANGELO; MIKE RIVERA BACK WITH BREWERS

2011-01-10T15:57:00.004-05:00

The Atlantic League 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.

MIKE RIVERA ADDED TO BREWERS' SPRING TRAINING ROSTER

Add the name of catcher Mike Rivera, who played with Atlantic City in 2005, to the list of former Atlantic League players headed to a major league spring training camp. The 34-year-old Rivera is back in comfortable surroungs since he was with Milwaukee for all or part of the last four seasons before playing briefly with Florida at the end of the '10 campaign. He is a non-roster invitee at this time.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

EIGHT ATLANTIC LEAGUERS SCHEDULED FOR MAJOR LEAGUE CAMPS...SO FAR

2011-01-05T11:33:00.004-05:00

Now that we are into January and less than six weeks (thankfully) until players start reporting to major league spring training camps the tempo of announcing non-roster invitations also is picking up.

We have identified eight former Atlantic League players so far who will be in major league camps, and will list them here by their league affiliation(s). Non-roster players are identified with an asterisk; DNP indicates player trained with but did not play regular season games for the team.

BRIDGEPORT (1)--1B-OF *Wily Mo Pena, Arizona
CAMDEN (3)--RHP *Mark DiFelice, Milwaukee; SS Stephen Drew, Arizona; RHP Jered Weaver (DNP), Los Angeles Angels
LANCASTER (0)
LONG ISLAND (2)--RHP Nelson Figueroa, Houston; OF *Jay Gibbons, Los Angeles Dodgers
NEWARK--(2) OF *Jay Gibbons, Los Angeles Dodgers; LHP *R. J. Swindle, Tampa Bay
SOMERSET--(2) RHP *Mark DiFelice, Milwaukee; RHP Brian Sweeney (DNP), Arizona
SOUTHERN MARYLAND (2)--RHP Dane DeLaRosa, Tampa Bay; LHP *Mike O'Connor, New York Mets
YORK (0)

I encourage readers to let me know if they have heard of other non-roster invitees.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

CHISOX GIVE LONGTIME ATLANTIC LEAGUER PETE ROSE, JR. A MANAGING JOB

2010-12-22T16:40:00.005-05:00

What an interesting hiring by the Chicago White Sox right before the holidays.

They gave 41-year-old Pete Rose, Jr., who spent 2005-09 in the Atlantic League, the job of managing their advanced rookie team in Bristol, VA (Appalachian League).

The Chisox only had the son of the all-time 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 major league-suspended dad did against him. Rose, Jr., played professionally for 21 seasons and only got 14 major league at-bats, all with Cincinnati in 1997.

Rose first stepped onto an Atlantic League diamond when he was 35 to play for Long Island in 2005. He also played for the Ducks in '07 and '08, driving in 95 runs in each of those years. He had shorter stints for Bridgeport, Newark and York. The left-handed hitter, who swatted 53 homers in the Atlantic League, quit playing after 2009 and became a hitting coach at Florence, KY of the independent Frontier League last season.

'SURPRISING' BARTON GETS NEW AFFILIATED OPPORTUNITY

When Brian Barton was playing for Bridgeport 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 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 Atlantic League players:
**Minnesota inked catcher Rene Rivera to a Triple-A pact. He started last season with Camden and finished in Class AA with the New York Yankees.
**Baltimore gave former major league receiver Michel Hernandez (Somerset) another Class AAA contract.
**Houston handed onetime Somerset lefty Andy Van Hekken another contract although it is with Class AA Corpus Christi. He had been on the Triple-A Round Rock roster.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. FORTY-ONE COLUMNS FOR ONLY $45.

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

YORK'S CASTRO STILL HAS HOT BAT; OTHER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS EARN PROMOTIONS

2010-12-17T12:15:00.004-05:00

One of the centerpieces from York's championship team, infielder Ramon Castro, has not let up this winter. Castro is the third leading hitter (.339) in the Venezuelan League.

Castro and 38-year-old DH Jose Herrera were two focal points in a piece Jim Seip did a few days ago for The York Daily Record in which he pointed out the Revolution could look quite similar (with the regular lineup) next season if that pair of hitting machines come back.

"I think we've got to at least give (most of) them (position players) a shot to come back", Director of Baseball Operations Michael Kirk told Seip.

GRUBE NOT LIKELY TO RETURN

It is difficult to imagine right-hander Jarrett Grube will be back in the Atlantic League anytime soon. On Seattle's Triple-A roster, the onetime Southern Maryland hurler also is having a jolly time in the Venezuelan League. Grube is 5-1, 3.20 after nine starts and has allowed only eight walks and 41 hits in his 45 innings.

SIGNINGS AND PROMOTIONS

Former Atlantic Leaguers are making news all around the affiliated baseball world. A few key items:

--Lefty R. J. Swindle (Newark) has once again been invited to major league spring training camp with Tampa Bay.
--After helping Shreveport-Bossier, LA win the independent American Association title, former Bridgeport backstop Brian Peterson has returned to the affiliated ranks, this time with Kansas City. The Royals are the 32-year-old's eighth major league organization. He was an ironman in Louisiana, playing in 89 of 95 games and leading all American Association catchers with 64 assists while ranking second by throwing out 27 would-be base stealers.
--In non-playing positions, former Newark Manager Marv Foley has been promoted to major league catching instructor with Colorado, onetime Somerset player Alan Zinter has jumped a level to Double-A as a coach in the Arizona chain and Mariano Duncan (Bridgeport) is now with the Chicago Cubs as hitting coach for Class AA Tennessee.

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

AS WINTER MEETINGS CLOSE, CAMDEN'S SAM NARRON HAS A NEW CONTRACT AND JOE KLEIN IS IN THE LIMELIGHT

2010-12-09T16:24:00.004-05:00

The Winter Meetings are virtually all about the major leagues and the affiliated minors, but there are a couple of nuggets worth sharing with Atlantic League fans before I leave a slowly warming Orlando.

Southpaw Sam Narron has gotten a new Triple-A contract from Milwaukee. The 29-year-old is finishing up what has been a 15-win season by working in the Venezuelan Winter League, and Brewers brass obviously are happy. Narron was 4-2(1.61) in seven starts for Camden early in the season, with consecutive nine-inning shutouts at the end before his contract was sold about June 1. Then he went 9-7, 4.14 for Nashville, and has won two of three decisions for Caracas (3.82) although he has not pitched since November 19. That is a long season.

JOE KLEIN ACTIVE

Executive Director Joe Klein always brings attention to the Atlantic League during the winter meetings, and this year was no exception. As one of five members of the Scout of the Year Advisory Board, Klein is part of the impressive dais for the annual Scout of the Year reception, which was held Wednesday evening.

This is an ideal post for Klein since the scouts work the Atlantic League all season for players. The room also was filled with major league scouting directors.

NO ONE WAS DRAFTED

The annual Rule 5 draft was conducted Thursday morning, but not a single Atlantic Leaguer was taken. Independent Baseball did have five of its graduates chosen at the Triple-A level. (Note: They are featured on another of this typist's sites, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com.)

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

BLUE CRABS GET A SECOND HURLER TO A MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING CAMP

2010-12-02T11:05:00.003-05:00

If Southern Maryland needs any added recruiting tools for new Manager Pat Osborn, the Blue Crabs can point to the fact a second member of their 2009 pitching staff will be in a major league spring training camp come February.

Not only did Dane DeLaRosa (1-1, 3 saves, 1.11 ERA, in 18 games) recently learn he had been promoted to Tampa Bay's 40-man roster, but the New York Mets have given lefty Mike O'Connor a new minor league contract and an invitation to their major league camp. O'Connor spent '09 with five different minor league teams, including Southern Maryland, where he won his only two decisions and posted a 3.13 ERA in four starts.

The 30-year-old seems to be setting himself up nicely with a strong winter baseball showing, which we will go into in more depth in this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, which subscribers receive later today.

DUCKS SALES IMPRESSIVE

One reason the Long Island Ducks are the envy of most everyone in the Independent Baseball game showed up again Wednesday. The team reports more than 65,000 group tickets were sold in the first six hours of availability. How impressive is that?

DE RENNE HOPES TO RETURN TO PHILLIES

Popular York infielder Keoni DeRenne, a mainstay for the Revolution in 2007-08-09, told The York Daily Record he hopes to get another chance next season in the Philadelphia organization. He had the distinction of playing--and sometimes coaching--with the Phils' top four minor league teams this summer. "I was also in extended spring (training), so it's almost like I was playing for five teams", DeRenne told Jim Seip.

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

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

2010-11-27T15:50:00.004-05:00

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

ATLANTIC LEAGUE COULD GET SECOND LONG ISLAND TEAM

2010-11-19T12:25:00.004-05:00

(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

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

2010-11-15T16:56:00.004-05:00

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

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

2010-11-09T15:01:00.003-05:00

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

CAMDEN, LONG ISLAND GRADS GET NEW MINOR LEAGUE DEALS

2010-11-03T18:06:00.003-04:00

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

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

2010-11-01T16:14:00.004-04:00

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

DODGERS RE-SIGN ATLANTIC LEAGUE PAIR WHILE OTHER GRADS ARE ON FIRE IN WINTER BASEBALL

2010-10-27T15:04:00.003-04:00

The Atlantic League had nine of its former players in the major leagues at some point this season, and I am going to throw out the names of two others to keep an eye on for the future.

Both right-hander Will Savage and third baseman Corey Smith are in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system, but at a time 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, who only pitched twice for Lancaster in 2009 after a longer stint with independent Wichita, KS (American Association), 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 year in the Southern League (Chattanooga), was one key factor in Newark winning the AL title in 2007. He drove in 86 runs this season, and Los Angeles has promoted him to Triple-A Albuquerque. Smith also got some at-bats in major league spring training this last season.

Both players are in the Venezuelan League now, Savage 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

New York Yankees minor league outfielder Justin Christian, who was at Southern Maryland briefly before signing early this season, is pounding away at a .400 clip (20-for-50) in the Mexican Pacific League and outfielder Michael Ryan, a Somerset 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 and Road Warriors hurler leads the Venezuelan league early on with a 1.54 ERA and has won his first two decisions.

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

SOMERSET OWNER STEVE KALAFER WEARS A THIRD HAT PLUS A LOOK AT ATLANTIC LEAGUERS IN WINTER BASEBALL

2010-10-22T16:41:00.002-04:00

The diversification in Steve Kalafer's life just keeps expanding.

While Atlantic League fans recognize him as the owner of the Somerset Patriots, he originally became known because of his string of automobile dealerships in New Jersey. More recently, Kalafer has added a series of movies and documentaries, usually with the title of Producer. The films often stray far away from baseball although he does have "Bottom of the Ninth", which featured the Patriots, among his credits.

The newest production, with Kalafer as co-producer, was to debut in select theatres Friday (October 22). This one is called "The Soprano State", telling the story of questionable political power and corruption in New Jersey. The 90-minute movie is based on a New York Times bestseller.

Interestingly, Gov. Chris Christie and other politicos attended the premier Monday.

OSBORN JOINS FORMER BOSS HOBSON IN MANAGERIAL CHAIR

Pat Osborn, considered one of the Atlantic League's most professional players, has a big pair of shoes to fill in replacing Butch Hobson as manager at Southern Maryland since Hobson had the Blue Crabs in the playoffs the last two seasons. At 29 and with a career that topped out at Double-A, Osborn also will be dealing with a number of players with more successful careers and more years on this earth.

But it surely shows the regard Osborn has from Opening Day Partners bosses Peter Kirk and Jon Danos or they would have taken some time to look outside the organization.

Meanwhile, Hobson takes his lengthy resume to another ODP team in Lancaster, where he replaces local product Tom Herr.

CATCHING UP ON PLAYERS IN WINTER LEAGUES

I could not get nearly all of the Atlantic League players now in winter baseball into yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column so several more nuggets are presented here.

IN VENEZUELA

--Scott Patterson, who was closing for Lancaster 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.
--Another 2010 Atlantic Leaguer (Southern Maryland), 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.
--Sam Narron, at Camden early in '10, is 0-1, 6.75, but this only represents 2.2 innings (two earned runs). Narron pitched in the Milwaukee system.

IN MEXICO

--Right-hander Jon Hunton (Oakland farm system) is 1-0, 2.25 for four outings. He has been with Somerset and Lancaster.
--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.
--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, and Somerset.
--Outfielder Cory Aldridge (Newark), 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.

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

HERR DEPARTS LANCASTER, OTANEZ HITS MORE HOMERS AND TALK OF ONE MORE PENNSYLVANIA FRANCHISE

2010-10-19T12:05:00.004-04:00

The extent of professionalism throughout the managerial ranks was one of the most pleasant aspects of my summer in covering the Atlantic League for my Atlantic League Notebook. Tom Herr was in the upper echelon, too, so I reacted with a touch of disappointment when I learned Tuesday morning he was out as manager of the Lancaster Barnstormers.

This is not choosing sides between the team and Herr because the 'Stormers surely know their business, and the team's new skipper (to be announced later today) most likely will fit a similar mould.

Herr certainly showed his skill in keeping Lancaster in the playoff hunt after such players as Matt Watson, Brett Harper and Jason Perry left and no less than seven pitchers departed for affiliated organizations or to satisfy personal needs.

WILLIS OTANEZ STILL HITTING HOMERS

It should come as no surprise that Willis Otanez wielded one of the big bats that carried the Dominican Republic to the title in the World Cup Qualifier played in Puerto Rico.

The husky 37-year-old, who has shuttled between the Atlantic League (Bridgeport, Newark and late this season Long Island) and Mexico since 2002, had a pair of two-run homers in key games, first in second round play against Cuba and later in the 7-2semifinal victory over Team USA.

Otanez went 0-for-2 in the 5-2 finals win over Cuba although he scored a run in the five-run first inning. Victor Mercedes, who left Bridgeport during the Atlantic League championship series in order to earn a bigger paycheck in the Qualifier, drove in the final run in that inning. He was with Newark one year ago. Alberto Castillo, the regular catcher for the Dominicans, went 1-for-3 in the championship game. He has played for Camden, Newark and Long Island, and was in the major leagues (Baltimore) earlier this season.

ANOTHER TEAM IN PENNSYLVANIA?

It is pretty early in the game to understand the chances of it happening (or what league would be involved), but about 175 people turned out in West Chester, PA (mere miles west of Philadelphia) to discuss a plan for a multi-use stadium which would include a minor league team.

The presentation was held at the Chester County Historical Society, and DailyLocal.com said applause indicated most of the attendees were supporters of the concept.

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

SCOTT GRIMES, SURPRISING BRIAN BARTON NAMED TO ALL-INDEPENDENT FIRST TEAM; RYAN, CASTILLO RELEASED

2010-10-15T11:30:00.006-04:00

It was no surprise to see York's Scott Grimes make Baseball America's all-Independent Baseball team because of the record-setting season he had in the Atlantic League. But the other Atlantic rep on the 14-man squad had one of those can-you-believe-this-is-really-happening seasons.

Brian Barton of Newark was another of the three outfielders selected. He won the Atlantic League batting championship in a miracle run after being traded from Bridgeport, where he was a part-time outfielder and strikeout machine for the Bluefish. Barton hit .348 for the season, with a .375 average plus 16 of his 19 home runs and 65 RBI in only 77 games for the Bears. He hit .264 for Bridgeport, striking out 34 times in 91 at-bats with only seven batted in.

Grimes obliterated the AL runs scored record with 138, and was the leadoff hitter and centerfielder for the champion Revolution. He hit .312 with 17 homers and 59 RBI.

Lancaster third baseman Aaron Herr, Pitcher of the Year Dan Reichert of Southern Maryland and standout closer Jorge Julio of Bridgeport were selected for the second team.

Two members of the '09 Bluefish made the first team. First baseman Brandon Sing was with Sioux Falls, SD in the American Association and reliever Casey Hoorelbeke with Fargo, ND of the Northern League this season.

MICHAEL RYAN, ALBERTO CASTILLO RELEASED

Two former Atlantic League players who played part of 2010 in the American League have been released. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim dropped outfielder Michael Ryan (Somerset), who had an outstanding spring training and got some mid-season time with the parent team, while Baltimore cut catcher Alberto Castillo (Newark and Road Warriors).

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

It's Official: Newark Transfers To Can-Am League

2010-10-06T15:22:00.003-04:00

CAN-AM, ATLANTIC LEAGUE ANNOUNCE BEARS MOVE

DURHAM, NC – The Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am League) and the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Clubs (Atlantic League) today jointly announced the transfer of the Newark Bears, who have played as a member of the Atlantic League since inception, to the Can-Am League for the 2011 season.

“We are once again delighted to work with the Can-Am League,” said Atlantic League Founder & CEO Frank Boulton. “Bears Baseball can continue in Newark for many years to come and build upon it’s natural geographical rivalries within the Can-Am League thanks to this cooperative effort. “

“It is exciting for the Can-Am League to be able to add Newark to our roster,” commented Miles Wolff, Commissioner of the Can-Am League. “The Bears have a great history, and they will be an important part of our league. Our relationship with the Atlantic League enables us both to work together in the strengthening of independent baseball.”

New Bears owner Tom Cetnar shared the sentiments of Mr.’s Boulton and Wolff. “The Bears are excited to be part of the Can-Am League and we look forward to a friendly rivalry with the Jackals and Skyhawks,” said Cetnar. “Off the field the Bears, Skyhawks and Jackals will unite to serve all of the residents of Essex, Union and Sussex Counties. Our organizations are committed to the fans and look forward to delivering a great product.”

In addition to the Newark Bears, the Can-Am League lineup for 2011 will include the Brockton Rox, New Jersey Jackals, Pittsfield Colonials, Quebec Capitales, Sussex Skyhawks and Worcester Tornadoes.

The Can-Am League 2011 season will begin May 26 and the final regular season game will be September 5.

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

SURPRISING YORK COMES FROM BEHIND TO CLAIM ITS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP

2010-10-03T10:21:00.004-04:00

The Atlantic League season ended with all the drama one would hope for late Saturday night, that is unless you were a fan of the stunned and short-handed Bridgeport Bluefish.

York, which had to be given the longest of odds when the four-team 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 in the cool air at Bridgeport's Ballpark at Harbor Yard. 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.

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

IT IS PLAYOFF TIME WITH A GREAT PITCHING PAIRING WHEN BRIDGEPORT MEETS SOUTHERN MARYLAND

2010-09-21T17:44:00.004-04:00

We tried to get everyone ready for the Atlantic League playoffs today with the Tuesday edition of the Atlantic League Notebook. Highlights included a marquee matchup in Waldorf, MD Wednesday night when Bridgeport's Esteban Yan opposes new league record-holder Dan Reichert (18 wins) of Southern Maryland. Somerset travels to York for the other series.

The Notebook also tracked another two million attendance year--down very slightly from '09--and traced some of the league's top statistical producers for the season.

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

IT WAS A RARE MOMENT FOR THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE

2010-09-14T18:40:00.004-04:00

The playoff lineup is finally established in the Atlantic League (Bridgeport at Southern Maryland, Somerset at York),but much of our attention in Tuesday's Atlantic League Notebook was on a rare--and neat--major league happening when two former players from the Independent league went head to head from pitcher's mound to home plate. The Notebook has all the details in addition to two stories about Atlantic Leaguers trying to re-build major league careers, and some potentially crucial last-minute roster additions for the playoffs.

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

ATLANTIC LEAGUE STARS OF TODAY AND YESTERDAY WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN FRIDAY NOTEBOOK

2010-09-10T16:17:00.006-04:00

Somerset's 5-foot-9 sparkplug is back in time for a playoff push and we track any number of former Atlantic League players, informing fans of their progress once they joined affiliated leagues. But Jacque Jones and Wily Mo Pena do not appear headed back to the major leagues, at least this season.

These are a few of the highlights of the Friday issue of the Atlantic League Notebook, which went out to subscribers earlier in the day. Check out how you can subscribe for the closing weeks of the season here on www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com.

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

IT IS THE MEXICAN LEAGUE VS. THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE AND JEFF NETTLES VS. GRAIG NETTLES

2010-09-07T17:09:00.004-04:00

Comparing the Atlantic and Mexican Leagues, Jeff Nettles's home run barrage vs. his Dad's exploits, and the glove-tight league home run race all were featured in Tuesday's Atlantic League Notebook, which has gone out to subscribers.

Jay Gibbons, Mike Rivera, Tom Cochran, Matt Watson, Melvin Falu, Gabe Suarez and numerous others also were part of the Notebook.

The season is running short, but subscriptions still are available here at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com.

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

LONG ISLAND TAKES A BIG HIT WITH THE LOSS OF LAST SEASON'S TOP PLAYER

2010-08-31T17:41:00.002-04:00

Long Island has taken a hit with the loss of 2009 Player of the Year Ray Navarrete. We offer the details, plus Navarrete's post playing-career plans in the Tuesday version of the Atlantic League Notebook. Other highlights of the Notebook Tuesday include:

--Attention to the Freedom Division race between Somerset and Lancaster, including players who are driving their success

--This player went from spring training with the Chicago Cubs to being a true believer in the quality of the Atlantic League

--Can you identify the former Atlantic Leaguers hitting numerous home runs in other Independent leagues? We can.

Subscriptions are available here at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

FROM CLOSERS TO MEXICAN LEAGUE STARS TO JOSE CANSECO IN TODAY'S NOTEBOOK

2010-08-27T18:52:00.002-04:00

Since closers almost always play a major role in important series, we took an extensive look at those who finish games for contending teams in the Atlantic League Notebook for Friday.

Subscribers also learned about various key acquisitions from the Mexican League for the stretch run, we talked about why York is not as consistent as earlier in the year, and we touched on what Jose Canseco is doing with the bat these days. It may surprise many fans that he is enjoying success at age 46.

Subscriptions are available elsewhere on this site.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

ILLNESS DOES NOT KEEP THIS PAIR FROM STANDOUT SEASONS

2010-08-24T18:10:00.002-04:00

As the Atlantic League playoffs draw closer, the Tuesday Atlantic League Notebook zoomed in on two players having outstanding seasons who may well oppose each other. There is a sub-plot for the pair.

The Notebook also features, among other items:

--Two no-hit games which were overlooked earlier

--The newest player sale to a major league organization

--Who is the 2010 Mexican League batting champion playing with now?

Subscriptions to the twice-a-week Notebook are available at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

HE'S WELL TRAVELED, ALWAYS SMILING AND RECALLS ALL OF HIS ATLANTIC LEAGUE STOPS

2010-08-20T13:40:00.003-04:00

Today's Atlantic League Notebook included a profile on the player who has perhaps played for more league franchises than anyone else. He talked about one key thing he remembers from each city. We also talked about:

--Somerset's prospects of making the playoffs

--Bridgeport's latest key acquisition

--Jose Canseco and several moves for Atlantic League alumni.

Subscriptions to the Notebookare only $19.95 for the balance of the season and are available here at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

WILD CARD UPDATE AND AN INSIDE LOOK AT VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE

2010-08-17T16:26:00.003-04:00

The Tuesday issue of the Atlantic League Notebook attempts to give a reporter's inside view of the jobs of managers and players. This subscriber-only publication also featured:

--How the postseason is shaping up, especially from the perspective of the wild card races

--What may be in store for this former Atlantic League infielder once his playing days are complete?

--Butch Hobson's son is climbing the ladder

Subscriptions are only $19.95 for the balance of the season, and are available elsewhere on this page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR NO. 3 HITTER WITH DIVISIONAL RACES IN BALANCE

2010-08-13T18:01:00.003-04:00

What can be done when you lose your No. 3 hitter, who also is the league home run leader? We examine possibilities facing Lancaster's dilemma in the Friday Atlantic League Notebook, which has been distributed to subscribers.

The Notebook also looks at some former Atlantic League players who may have the opportunity to help out in major league pennant races, discusses Newark's 60th player of the year and updates the fortunes of former league pitchers in affiliated organizations.

The subscription price for the twice-a-week Notebook has been reduced to $19.95 for the balance of this season.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

IT IS DOUBLE DUTY FOR CAMDEN PAIR WITH PLAYOFFS LOOMING

2010-08-10T20:24:00.003-04:00

Camden Manager Von Hayes and first baseman-DH Vito Chiaravalloti were key subjects in today's Atlantic League Notebook because of their double duty these days. We also:

--Updated the wild card race
--Discussed Matt Watson's trip to the disabled list with Oakland
--Offered quotes from Jay Gibbons, now with the Dodgers
--Talked about the comings and goings of players in our This 'n That section

Subscriptions to the Notebookare being offered at a reduced rate for the balance of the season. Signup can be established elsewhere on this page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS GIBBONS, WATSON MAKING NEWS IN MAJORS

2010-08-09T16:43:00.002-04:00

Two recent players gave some Atlantic League buzz to the major leagues over the weekend.

Jay Gibbons, who got prominent time with both Long Island and Newark 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 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 Tuesday's Atlantic League Notebook, a subscriber-only publication. The price has been reduced to $19.95 for the last two months of the season, with subscriptions available elsewhere on this page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

ANALYZING THIS WEEK'S NO-HITTER AND PRICES LOWERED FOR NEXT TWO MONTHS

2010-08-06T17:48:00.002-04:00

The Friday issue of the Atlantic League Notebook, which was delivered to subscribers earlier, dug into this week's no-hitter along with the history of no-no games in the league. We also analyzed the success of the York Revolution and offered updates on several new faces and a few former players now playing in affiliated baseball

The price for subscribing to the Notebook has been dropped to $19.95 for the final two months of the season with subscribing made easy elsewhere on this page or via www.WirzandAssociates.com.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

ONE OR MORE WILD CARDS LIKELY TO MAKE PLAYOFFS

2010-08-03T18:25:00.002-04:00

We started talking playoffs in today's (Tuesday) Atlantic League Notebook, which went out to subscribers some time ago. This is the premise we presented.

Some newspapers have been listing the major league wild card data in their standings for weeks now, but this subject also carries importance in the Atlantic League since it seems very real that Southern Maryland and York could capture both first and second half divisional titles.

The Blue Crabs had a two and one half-game lead in the Liberty Division after a daytime win Tuesday, and the Revolution were a mere half-game behind pacesetting Lancaster in the Freedom bracket. It is key to remember that whenever a team wins both halves the wild card or possibly two such playoff teams will be those with the best full-season records, which means both teams could come from the same division.

If Southern Maryland and York win both halves, this is what the wild card race looked like entering Tuesday evening:

Team W L Pct. GB
Bridgeport 50 44 .532 ----
Camden 48 46 .511 2.0
Long Island 47 47 .500 3.0
Lancaster 44 48 .478 5.0
Somerset 45 50 .474 5.5
Newark 31 64 .326 19.5

The Notebook also had stories on the following:

--Which teams have sold the most players to major league organizations through the years? You may find some surprises.

--Why is Butch Hobson popular once more in New England?

--From the baseball diamond to a key university position for this player

--Notes and quotes from around the Atlantic League

The Atlantic League Notebook is published twice each week for subscribers. Learn how you can enjoy all the fun elsewhere on this page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

THIS NOTEBOOK'S STORIES ARE NOT THE NORM

2010-07-30T11:15:00.002-04:00

Today's (Friday) Atlantic League Notebook was extra fun to put together because most of it was not about game-time exploits. We featured these stories:

--The Atlantic League trainer who goes beyond her normal duties by using her softball experience to hit fungoes during pre-game workouts

--The success of a batting practice pitcher, who loves the involvement despite a lifetime battle with cerebral palsy

--The pet-loving outfielder who brings his parrot to work

--Yes, we also featured the latest signing by a major league organization

Subscribers receive the Atlantic League Notebook every Tuesday and Friday via email. Signup is easy elsewhere on this page or at www.WirzandAssociates.com.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

BRIAN ADAMS'S RETURN TO SOMERSET MOUND JUST ONE NUGGET FROM TUESDAY NOTEBOOK

2010-07-27T17:47:00.002-04:00

Numerous stories make up each Atlantic League Notebook, a twice-a-week offering exclusively for subscribers. One of Tuesday's stories follows:

Somerset’s last place standing in the Freedom Division with a 6-12 record may look bleak, but it is far too early to count the two-time defending champions out since they only trail division-leading Lancaster by four games (five in the loss column). The Patriots, who have already tried 22 pitchers this season, have bolstered their mound staff with the return of southpaw Brian Adams from Mexico, where he was 2-0 with an imposing 1.07 ERA for 42 innings. Adams won 39 games (39-17) for Somerset the last three years, including 13 one year ago. Somerset has added three left-handed arms of late starting with Bill Pulsipher then Adams and Andrew Dobies, a 24-25 career minor leaguer.

Other highlights of the Tuesday Notebook included:

--The connection between the new Hall of Famers and Atlantic League personnel

--Which Independent league produces the most players for major league organizations? We offer all the details

--How are such Atlantic League alumni as Derrick Ellison, Dane DeLaRosa, Cory Aldridge, Charlton Jimerson, Jay Gibbons, B. J. LaMura and Buzzie Buzachero doing for their major league organizations.

You may request a free sample copy of the Atlantic League Notebook by writing albnotebook@aol.com or subscribe by hitting the link elsewhere on this page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

THE STORY BEHIND STEVE MOSS'S CLIMB TO THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE BATTING LEADERSHIP

2010-07-23T17:11:00.003-04:00

Steve Moss of Bridgeport, the Atlantic League batting leader, has a fascinating mentor. This story led off today's Atlantic League Notebook, a twice-a-week report to subscribers on various happenings in and around the league. Today's Notebook also included stories on the following:

--Bill Pulsipher is coming back to the Atlantic League.

--Southern Maryland loses two key offensive players to major league farm systems.

--More details surrounding Matt Watson, who hit his first major league home run this week, less than two months after leaving Lancaster.

--Another Barnstormer breaks a long streak in Japan.

--Numerous notes and stats on former Atlantic League players.

Atlantic League Notebook subscriptions or a free sample copy are available elsewhere on this page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

TAKING THE PULSE OF THE DIVISION LEADERS AS YORK ADDS THREE NEW ARMS

2010-07-20T17:57:00.002-04:00

While the majority of Tuesday's Atlantic League Notebook was devoted to checking up on the two division leaders, we also let subscribers know what was happening elsewhere in the Atlantic League, including this nugget:

York is not resting on its first-half championship since the Revolution will have three new hurlers on board by the time they begin a homestand Thursday. Two are southpaws, including one with more than 20 major league victories and a winning career record. We've got the details covered.

Subscribers have received the entire Notebook, which also included stories on the following:

--The latest on Armando Benitez's career.

--What former Atlantic League player lost his major league job today.

--Encouragement during a matinee game for defending league champion Somerset.

Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are available elsewhere on this page. Get news and commentary delivered into your email box every Tuesday and Friday.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

BILL PULSIPHER HAS HAD QUITE A SUMMER...ALREADY

2010-07-16T17:17:00.003-04:00

One of the featured stories in the Friday Atlantic League Notebook, which has gone out in its entirety to subscribers, follows, in abbreviated form:

A longtime Atlantic League—and major league—pitcher has been in the news this week because he was declared a free agent in the independent Golden League through a loophole when the Yuma (AZ) Scorpions were late with paychecks.

Bill Pulsipher, at one time a highly coveted up-and-comer with the New York Mets and a lefty who has had four different stints at Long Island, was both the pitching coach and a starter for Yuma. The southpaw, who turns 37 in October, was the topic for a lengthy feature by The Yuma Sun newspaper’s Edward Carifio, not only because of the contract snafu but also because of Pulsipher’s ongoing battle with a general anxiety disorder which played a big role in the hotshot prospect’s loss of control.

“I want to be around the game, I want to help people out,” Pulsipher told The Sun. “I think I’ve learned a lot through my trials and tribulations—my successes and failures…” Pulsipher hopes to continue pitching this season, and to be coaching in the long run, so he can continue to help young hurlers.

Other stories in the Notebook included:

--Details on some pitchers added recently by teams hoping to make the playoffs.

--How former Atlantic League players fared in the Triple-A All-Star Game.

--Remembrances of George Steinbrenner from Atlantic League personnel.

--Updates on various Atlantic League players in affiliated leagues.

Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook may be obtained from the link elsewhere on this page for only $29.95 for the balance of the season.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

PHILLIES TAKE TWO YOUNG RELIEVERS FROM ATLANTIC LEAGUE

2010-07-13T17:14:00.002-04:00

The story below represents one small portion of Tuesday's Atlantic League Notebook, which has been sent to subscribers in its entirety:

Player sales out of the Atlantic League to major league organizations slowed up for a time, but Philadelphia jumped back into the picture Tuesday by purchasing two of the younger players in last week’s All-Star Game, right-hander Joe Esposito out of Long Island and lefty Derrick Loop from Camden. The sales brought the number of players moved this season, including those who went to foreign leagues, to 30, Executive Director Joe Klein said.

Both of the Philadelphia purchases had high strikeout and low hit totals. Esposito, 25, had fanned 53 hitters and allowed only 35 hits in 48.1 innings, which included four starts among 25 appearances. The New York Tech product hurled a scoreless ninth inning in the All-Star Game, and leaves the Ducks with a 3-4, 2.98 record. Loop, 26, a pickoff artist, fanned 40 batters and gave up 22 hits (no home runs) in 31.1 innings while compiling a 1.72 earned run average. He lost his only decision.

The Notebook also included these stories in detail:

--A trivia contest question on each of the Atlantic League managers, all of whom have considerable major league experience. It is a name-dropper's delight.

--How Atlantic League graduates fared in All-Star action Monday.

--The exuberant words of one player after his long-awaited first major league hit, which, ironically, almost was taken away by another player from the Atlantic League.

--An Atlantic League rememberance of Bob Sheppard.

Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are $29.95 for the season, and may easily be obtained on this very page.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

ONE KEY BLUEFISH PLAYER SOLD, OTHERS COULD FOLLOW

2010-07-09T17:13:00.002-04:00

Here is one excerpt from Friday's Atlantic League Notebook, which has been delivered to subscribers:

Atlantic League earned run average leader Patrick Ryan’s departure to the Boston farm system could put a substantial damper on Bridgeport’s optimism for the second half, but the most awkward fact for the Bluefish is they could have any number of other players somewhere on the radar of major league organizations. Leftfielder Steve Moss has not hurt his chances of being noticed by leading the league in batting (.344) and winning the MVP award for the All-Star Game and rightfielder Charlton Jimerson was Player of the Month for June with a league-high .398 average with 11 doubles, six homers and 27 RBI in 26 games. He won the batting championship last season while with Newark.

Other highlights from the Notebook include details on the following:

--A new shortstop debuts in style for Newark

--Long Island also has a new face in a former league RBI champion

--A report on how Lancaster's first two major league graduates are doing

--A number of players have been promoted, demoted or released. We offer details.

Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are available for the season for $29.95 with details available here or at www.WirzandAssociates.com. Delivery is twice a week via email.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

POWER OUTAGE A CONCERN FOR ALL-STARS; FIRST PLAYER SALE ANNOUNCED

2010-07-08T11:08:00.005-04:00

Some leftovers from Tuesday's Atlantic League All-Star Game...

--Now it can be told that Ducks officials were genuinely concerned about the warnings of a possible blackout on Long Island 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.

--Bridgeport first baseman Josh Phelps turned down an opportunity to play, feeling his production had not been up to his standards, although his numbers would have been better if not for a few weeks in the Cleveland farm system earlier this summer.

--Lancaster lefty Tim Hamulach had to be replaced on the Freedom all-stars, reportedly because of an arm injury. It would be a shame if the injury is major since he has been getting rave reviews for his overpowering relief work.

--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 outfielder went 0-for-3. Watson is the second Barnstormer to reach the majors, following reliever Scott Patterson, currently in Triple-A with Seattle.

--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. He edged the host Ducks' Ray Navarrete.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

DESPITE THE HEAT, EXPANSION AND TWO NEW MAJOR LEAGUERS ARE KEY TOPICS AT ALL-STAR GAME

2010-07-06T18:41:00.004-04:00

The Atlantic League knew it had an upbeat day Tuesday well before the All-Stars were scheduled to swelter their way through near 100-degree temperatures to put on a display of their talent before a number of major league scouts and a sellout crowd of more than 6,000 fans at Citibank Park on Long Island.

Mid-year planning sessions of both owners and general managers could be expected to have an extra jolt of pride because two more of the league’s players had been promoted during the holiday weekend to major league opportunities they had pursued for several years. Left-handed-hitting outfielders Cory Aldridge and Matt Watson were promoted, Aldridge to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Watson to Oakland.

Watson, alone, was worth boasting about because he was at Lancaster as recently as May 28, so every one of the 44 All-Stars knew their goal of major league gratification was possible. He had not been in the majors since 2005, ironically also with the Athletics. Aldridge, who played at Newark two years ago, had only been in the majors back in 2001 when he spent 27 days with Atlanta.

The story above was part of Tuesday's Atlantic League Notebook which has gone to subscribers. Other stories in the Notebook included:

--The league's hopes to establish a Western Division

--What Cory Aldridge and Matt Watson said about getting to the majors

--Sparky Lyle's recollections of a previous All-Star Game in New York

--Details on the lingering injuries at Somerset

Subscriptions to the Notebook, which is delivered every Tuesday and Friday, are available at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com or www.WirzandAssociates.com.

Subscribe now to the 2010 ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE COPY OF THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

IF RAGS TO RICHES FORM HOLDS, YORK WILL BE THE 2010 CHAMPION

2010-07-02T17:19:00.002-04:00

Longtime major league catcher Andy Etchebarren has been mourning the loss of his wife the last several months, but he now has at least one reason to find some happiness in that he has completed a rags-to-riches type story in rebuilding the York Revolution from last season’s 53-87 disaster into the Freedom Division’s first-half champions.

If his buddy, Southern Maryland Manager Butch Hobson, can find one more victory against second place Camden in the next three days to nail down the Liberty Division the skippers can relax a bit before the playoffs begin in September and devote more of their daily telephone conversations to such important things as whether Hobson’s cornbread is the best around or is too dry.

York became only the third team in Atlantic League history to go from last place overall the previous year to a first half title, according to the Revs’ Darrell Henry, and if they continue to follow the pattern of the 2000 Nashua (NH) Pride and the 2007 Newark Bears they will end up with the postseason championship.

The story above topped today's Atlantic League Notebook, which has already gone out to subscribers. The Notebook also included, among other things, stories on the following:

--What Willie Upshaw thinks about Barry Bonds

--Who are the four former Atlantic League players starring in other independent leagues, with three of them taking Player of the Month honors?

--A rundown on Atlantic Leaguers selected to play in affiliated minor league All-Star Games

--A recap of feats of still more grads playing in affiliated leagues

--Newark's latest addition for the second half

Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are available at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com or www.WirzandAssociates.com.

ON BRINK OF TITLE, YORK CAN THANK JOHN PACHOT'S 22-5 RECORD WHEN STARTING

2010-06-29T17:06:00.003-04:00

So many factors can be pinpointed when a team is on the brink of a championship as York is on this very evening (Tuesday), but the most striking is what all-star catcher John Pachot has meant to the Revolution.

York had whittled its magic number for clinching its initial Freedom Division first half title—and only its second of any kind—down to two entering Tuesday’s home game against Long Island with the enviable cushion of knowing five more home games remain if they are needed before the Revolution eliminate two-time defending champion Somerset.

Where would Andy Etchebarren’s club be if Pachot had not returned from Mexico early in the season and eventually taken over the fulltime catching duties once Salomon Manriquez was traded to Lancaster.

York is 22-5 in games he has caught, an unheard of .815 winning percentage. The Revolution is only 16-21 (.432) when anyone other than the Puerto Rican native is behind the plate.

The story above was one part of the Tuesday edition of the Atlantic League Notebook, which has been emailed to subscribers. Other features of the Notebook included:

--What Lancaster is doing to get ready for the season's second half

--With the All-Star Game in one week, who has the most players in the game plus what All-Star just returned from an affiliated league

--Who is the newest Atlantic League player to join the Angels' top farm club in Salt Lake City

--News of roster moves

The Notebook is published every Tuesday and Friday with subscriptions available for $29.95 for the season at www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com or www.WirzandAssociates.com.

NEW LEAGUE, MORE HOMERS FOR JESSE HOORELBEKE

2010-06-25T14:54:00.002-04:00

The Brothers Hoorelbeke, Jesse and Casey, are having quite a summer in their new home, the independent Northern League.

Jesse, who was the Atlantic League’s all-star first baseman when he bombed 23 homers and drove in 88 runs for Bridgeport in ‘09, is setting the home run pace with 11 in his first 30 games in the Northern League, and he is second in batting at .343 and third in RBI at 28 for league-leading Fargo, ND. He had a three-home run game earlier this week. He played at Fargo in 2006 before coming to Bridgeport for three years, leading the Atlantic League in home runs (33) in 2007 and in RBI (106) the next season.

Meanwhile, Casey, who also played for the Bluefish one year ago, has the second best earned run average in the league at 1.39.

This story was only one of those in Friday's subscriber-only Atlantic League Notebook. Some of the other features of the Notebook include:

--If Bobby Valentine takes over the Florida Marlins, as suggested, could this recent Atlantic Leaguer be reunited with him?

--Two of the six players Oakland took out of the Atlantic League recently are gone. Who are they, and how are the remaining four doing?

--York turns to an established local businessman as its new president and general manager

--Which Atlantic League teams have the most players now in major league organizations? See the count for each team.

Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are $29.95 for the season, and are available by using the link elsewhere on this page.