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

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.

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

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.

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THREE TEAMS, BUT ONLY ONE PLAYOFF SPOT

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.

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EXAMINING THE PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES AS THE DUCKS CONTINUE WINNING

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.

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SUGAR LAND GRABS A BIG NAME IN GARY GAETTI AS MANAGER

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.

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FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUER BREAKS ALL-TIME INDY HOME RUN RECORD

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.

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ATLANTIC LEAGUE VET ALBERTO CASTILLO SOLID IN ARIZONA BULLPEN

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.

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