Friday, June 29, 2012

COREY SMITH, BEN COPELAND CUT FROM AFFILIATED JOBS; SUGAR LAND'S DREW LOCKE COOLS OFF

Does anyone need a strong bat?

The Chicago White Sox released third baseman (and sometimes first baseman) Corey Smith from their Double-A team in Birmingham, AL, even though the 13-year veteran minor leaguer is only 30 and hit .341 (14-for-41) in his last 10 games in the Southern League.

Smith, a right-handed hitter, was at .286 overall for 65 games this season with 19 doubles, a triple, eight homers and 39 runs batted in. He had a solid .359 on-base percentage.

The New Jersey native helped the Newark Bears capture the Atlantic League title in '07 when he drove in 72 runs in 119 games while collecting 58 extra-base hits and batting .274. He has been largely in Double-A since 2003 with some AAA experience and major league spring training time with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

LOCKE COOLS OFF FROM BACK-TO-BACK SLAMS

Outfielder Drew Locke made a huge early impact after Houston purchased his contract from neighboring Sugar Land and placed the 29-year-old with their Texas League franchise in Corpus Christi.

Locke, who signed out of Boston College and played in the Dodgers and Astros systems for seven seasons before joining Sugar Land this year, hit grand slam home runs in back-to-back games and batted .381 with three homers and 12 RBI in his first five games with Corpus Christi, but he has tailed off to .219-4-15 for a 17-game run so far.

FORMER LANCASTER OUTFIELDER CUT LOOSE

Another former Atlantic Leaguer who was released recently is outfielder Ben Copeland. Cleveland cut Copeland out of Class AA. He had been signed away from Lancaster where he hit .319 in 139 at-bats early in 2011.


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Friday, June 22, 2012

NOTHING OFFICIAL SO FAR ABOUT SCOTT KAZMIR JOINING SUGAR LAND

The heavily rumored story that onetime major league all-star Scott Kazmir would be signing to play with Sugar Land still was without confirmation late Friday afternoon from either the Atlantic League or on the Skeeters' website.

The left-hander won at least 10 games for Tampa Bay every season from 2005-08 before his power pitches started falling off. The Los Angeles Angels released Kazmir last season, and if he intends to try getting his career back on track Sugar Land would be an ideal location since it is right next to his Houston home. He is only 28 or prime time for many players.

The Skeeters, struggling at 22-31 and in last place in the Freedom Division, recently added two-time Atlantic League all-star outfielder Steve Moss, but he is off to a dreadfully slow start (0-for-10, seven strikeouts) even though he had been playing in Mexico. Moss was an all-star the last two seasons with Bridgeport.

CARDINALS RELEASE MITCH CANHAM

Early in training camp, it appeared Mitch Canham, a member of two Oregon State College World Series championship teams, might be catching for Long Island. Then he was signed by St. Louis and the 27-year-old went to Triple-A Memphis. He hit only .125 (6-for-48) and did not drive in any runs in his 18 appearances before being released.

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Monday, June 18, 2012

LANCASTER'S MATT WRIGHT, YORK'S RYAN FEIERABEND DOING WELL IN TRIPLE-A

Justin Christian (Giants by way of Southern Maryland) is the most recent Atlantic League graduate to return to the major leagues, but still other players are making minor league headlines on virtually an every day basis.

Consider the case of Matt Wright, a 30-year-old pitcher still trying for his first major league opportunity in his 13th professional season.

Wright, whose contract was purchased by Philadelphia for its Triple-A Lehigh Valley, PA farm club recently from the Lancaster Barnstormers, has made two starts for the Iron Pigs so far. He does not not have any wins, primarily for a lack of offensive support, but the big (6-4, 270) right-hander has given up only six hits and three runs in 12.2 innings (0-1, 2.13).

Wright has earned praise from his manager, Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, and from re-habbing Evan Longoria (partially torn hamstring), Tampa Bay's all-star third baseman.

"I thought Wright threw the ball pretty well for them tonight," Longoria told TheMorningCall.com after he had fanned against the hurler's 95-mile per hour fastball, fouled out to the catcher and skied to right as Durham handed Lehigh Valley a 3-0 loss. "He had some good stuff, and that's good for me to see some good pitching and start to feel comfortable at the plate." Wright gave up only one run and three hits in 6.2 innings.

"It was a good start for him," Sandberg told the online publication. "I think the hitters had a hard time gearing up on his fastball with the variations of his speeds--91 to 95 miles-an-hour--and he threw some change-ups and enough breaking pitches."

YORK'S FEIERABEND ALSO STARTING IN TRIPLE-A

Ryan Feierabend does have major league experience, but not since 2008, so the southpaw knows what he has to do now that he is with Cincinnati's top farm club in Louisville.

"I felt better than my first outing," Feierabend told Courier-Journal.com of his no-decision start in which he gave up two runs. "In my first outing (a 7-3 loss), I hadn't thrown in 10 days. It was definitely a step forward. The ball was coming out a lot better. I was throwing strikes. It was only four and two-third innings, but in the fourth and fifth I felt like I was able to command the fastball a little better." He had gone 3-2, 3.24 while at York.


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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

HOT-HITTING DE LOME LOST FOR YEAR; CAMDEN GETS ITS CATCHERS BACK

Talk about tough breaks.

Collin DeLome, a 26-year-old lefty-swinging outfielder, seemed to be coming into his own, then, in a flash, he tore his ACL and his season is over.

Houston gave up on its fifth round draft choice from 2007 early this season even though the former Lamar University star had hit 72 home runs in less than six years. He joined the Bridgeport Bluefish, and in short order was tearing up the Atlantic League with a .368 average, five homers, 14 extra base hits and 22 RBI in only 23 games when Atlanta purchased his contract and sent him to its top farm club in Gwinnett, GA. Six games into his fresh start--really, four significant appearances--and he has to wait until 2013 to prove himself to Braves brass. DeLome's 2-for-16 start with four runs scored were barely a chance to show his skills which Bridgeport Manager Willie Upshaw describes as the ultimate: "Five tools".

"He's a good player" and "a very respectful kid" praised Upshaw. He should know. The respected manager/hitting guru had watched as DeLome went 9-for-16 in his last four Bluefish games. Three of those were victories, which have not come as easily since the 6-foot-2 Texan departed.

CAMDEN GETS BOOST WITH VISA ISSUE FINALLY RESOLVED

RiverSharks Manager Jeff Scott was all smiles despite a rainy day Tuesday when he was able to talk about activating regular catchers Alvin Colina and Raul Padron.

The duo, who combined for 21 home runs and 79 runs batted in last year in addition to their defensive duties, had been delayed all season because of visa problems back home in Venezuela.


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