A SAFE PREDICTION: MORE GOOD NEWS AWAITS ON INDEPENDENT DIAMONDS IN 2009

What will 2009 bring?

We say Happy New Year to all our readers here and with my subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider, while anxiously awaiting a new baseball season. With the economy and world peace well short of what we would like, making worldly predictions for the new year is risky business.

It may be somewhat easier in our little world of Independent Baseball. I won't climb too far out on the limb on this snowy Connecticut day, but predictions of the following nature seem pretty safe:

1. We will see at least a duplicate of 2008 in watching 35 players with Indy credentials getting into major league games. Nearly twice that many may get into spring training games, especially with the World Baseball Classic taking some talent away. One can only hope another half dozen players (the count this year) who started their pro career in an Independent league will get to the big time for the first time.

2. Major league organizations will continue to purchase players from Indy teams at a brisk pace. More than 100 players got to feel that "buzz" this season.

3. Independent general managers and their staffs will be every bit as creative as in the past to attract, then entertain, fans to their ballparks. The challenge is daunting as family budgets tighten, but the need for entertainment will not lighten and cost of major league visits likely will help. A third consecutive year of eight million in attendance is not out of reach.

4. And yours truly will be here at the keyboard, trying to inform and entertain.

So start '09 off right by keeping the bubbly to a minimum, hugs to your family at a maximum and officially count the days until pitchers and catchers report.

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CO-HOMER KING PRESSLEY JOINS WASHINGTON ORGANIZATION; WANT TO SWAP PLAYERS? CALL CHICO

If there is one time of year when baseball is a little quiet it is now. The Yankees probably still are figuring out ways to spend more millions on free agents, but many of the sport's major and minor league front offices are virtually dark. It gives everyone who has worked long hours putting teams together or selling tickets or planning fun-filled promotions a few days to get re-energized before starting to go full speed once more, certainly by January 5.

It also is somewhat quiet in my little corner of the world with another Independent Baseball Insider column not due for subscribers until January 8.

But I know fans, especially those lucky enough to have a few days off, would like some hard news as well as rumors from the Independent Baseball world as they enjoy a tasty turkey or ham sandwich. You now what, it isn't difficult finding a few nuggets to discuss, either.

What about 2008's co-home run champ, Josh Pressley, getting a fresh affiliated opportunity with the Washington Nationals. Since they did not get Mark Teixeira, maybe the left-handed-hitting Pressley will get a look at first base one day. At 29 for '09, the 6-foot-6 Pressley easily surpassed his previous home run best with 30 dingers for the Somerset (NJ) Patriots (Atlantic League) last summer while hitting an imposing .354, scoring 95 times and driving in 101 runs. Pressley and teammate Brandon Larson (3B) led Independent Baseball with 30 homers apiece.

Last season was a marked jump for Pressley, who homered only 13 times and drove in 56 in 102 games for the '07 Patriots. He did play 31 more games and have 160 more at-bats last season. Pressley has lots of Double-A experience, but only 42 at Triple-A so some time with Washington's top farm club may be in order before getting a chance to go up.

ALFONZO'S FRESH START

Eliezer Alfonzo, who was the top catcher for St. Paul, MN in 2003, is getting a new opportunity in the majors after a dismal 2008 when Major League Baseball penalized him for 50 games and the San Francisco Giants kept him in Triple-A most of the season. He signed with San Diego recently, and Corey Brock of MLB.com believes he "could prove to be the backup catcher behind Nick Hundley". It would not be shocking in this corner to see the soon-to-be 30-year-old Alfonzo get a heavy load if his power comes back. Hundley was a rookie in '08 with only 198 at-bats. Alfonzo had 17 doubles and 12 homers in 286 at-bats for the Giants in 2006. Alfonzo is a non-roster invitee to the Padres' major league spring training camp.

ANOTHER SOMERSET SIGNING

Cincinnati has invited longtime major leaguer Aaron Fultz to vie for a spot on its pitching staff after he spent most of last summer in the Atlantic League, posting a 5-5 record and 4.00 ERA as a starter and reliever for the Patriots. The southpaw, 35, was a solid 4-3, 2.92 in 49 games during 2007 in the Cleveland bullpen, and is 25-15 with three saves in 463 major league games with five different teams. It is not inconceivable Somerset could have a strong presence in the majors in 2009, if Fultz, righty Brandon Knight and catcher Robinson Cancel win jobs with the Mets and Mark DiFelice sticks with Milwaukee.

BROWNLIE AND CHRIS WALKER GET INVITES

Two more Atlantic League grads getting major league spring training invitations are righthander Bobby Brownlie (Newark, NJ) with Washington and outfielder Chris Walker (Camden, NJ) with the World Champion Phillies.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL

Anyone in Independent Baseball looking to make a trade might want to talk to Chico, CA General Manager Curt Jacey or new field boss Greg Cadaret. It appears the Outlaws may be doubly interested in acquiring Northern California products. Chico and Golden League rival Yuma, AZ pulled off a seven-man swap right before Christmas with all four of the new Outlaws coming from their part of California.

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MAJORS PURCHASE 26 FROM INDEPENDENT LEAGUES SINCE SEASON ENDED WITH RIGHTHANDERS DOMINATING

Based on recent signings by major league organizations, it would appear the biggest talent pool in Independent Baseball in 2008 was pitching, mostly right-handed. Only three of the highly-sought lefthanders have been among 16 pitchers we can identify who have been signed. (These figures do not include former Independent players already in major league organizations who have re-signed for next year.)

Among position players, one catcher has been signed along with two first basemen, two other infielders and five outfielders.

Another 80 or so Indy players were picked off by the 30 major league organizations during the season, making it another huge talent pool overall.

A complete list of the post-2008 signings can be found by going to the right-hand column of this blog, pushing the October tab and tracking to October 28. The list will be update periodically.

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OAKLAND COULD BE THE FINAL STEP FOR GOLDEN LEAGUE FIND JEROME WILLIAMS

In my initial review of the transactions from last week's Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, I was thinking the Independent leagues had been shut out. Certainly, no one showed up in the draft (Rule 5) of players left unprotected by major league organizations.

But one interesting signing did take place.

Oakland inked right-handed pitcher Jerome Williams, who started last season with Long Beach, CA of the Golden League, then saw his contract sold in late June to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Williams found himself in the Independent ranks after nearly three years of major league service, and he had a torrid finish pitching in Las Vegas, the Dodgers' top farm club. The Athletics obviously were impressed since they have invited him to their major league spring training camp.

We intend to examine the Williams signing in more detail in this week's subscriber-based Independent Baseball Insider column. This story has various implications, ranging from the Golden League's strong record of getting players signed by major league organizations to the fact if the 27-year-old Williams can make it back to the big time in any significant way the Athletics would have resurrected the career of a onetime No. 1 draft choice of the Bay Area's San Francisco Giants and picked up someone the Dodgers did not think enough of to keep, despite a 2.08 earned run average in Las Vegas.

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AMID SOME UNEASYNESS, THE INDEPENDENT LEAGUES STILL HAVE A PRESENCE IN LAS VEGAS.

While C. C. Sabathia is commanding so much attention, your persistent servant has been looking for Independent Baseball nuggets along The Strip here in Las Vegas.

It has not been easy, even with a number of Independent people--especially at leadership levels--in attendance at both the Hilton (minor league and trade show) end of the city and the Bellagio, where the major leaguers are keeping the lobby packed.

Part of the problem is that in the eyes of Minor League Baseball, which runs the huge trade show, Independents are not welcome. That message has been delivered in definitive fashion over recent weeks. This deprives the vendors of much of their December business from the Independents, and makes for some uneasy times for a lot of people. It is a free world, of course, so the non-affiliated people here still can roam the hallways, where a great deal of the behind-the-scenes planning goes on.

The Golden League, mostly because of its western base of operation, held both front office and ownership meetings in the city. Emerging from that scene is the following:

--Next season's All-Star Game, the second half of a home and home matchup with the United League, if the latter is in business, will be staged in beautiful St. George, UT. The date appears to be July 14. Another format will have to be devised if the UL is not active.

--The Golden League's Arizona Winter League, a pay-for-play operation, is miles ahead of the signings pace of its first two seasons with 173 players in the fold and others on a waiting list. The expanded league (eight teams) probably still will accept a few pitchers.

--GBL officials still hope to add a 10th team for the regular summer league, possibly by the end of the month, with a Mexican city possibly in the mix.

--League newcomer Tucson, AZ probably will announce its field manager next week.

Atlantic League Executive Director Joe Klein is once again at the forefront of the Scout of the Year reception scheduled tonight (Wednesday). Klein seems immune from any of the Minor League Baseball/Independent Baseball flap, largely, I would think, because he has been general manager of various major league teams.

Other Indy people I have seen or know are in Las Vegas include Can-Am League and American Association leaders Miles Wolff and Dan Moushon, who still have affiliated ties with Burlington, NC; Brockton, MA (Can-Am) Owner Van Schley, who lives in California; multi-team investor Mike Veeck; representatives of the American Association's Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs, and the leadership of the newly-named American Defenders of New Hampshire (Nashua), including Buddy Lewis, Dan Duquette and Terry Allvord. The Nashua group has a presence in the trade show because its Nokona Sports, important financial backers, are hustling the promotion of their two military baseball teams and a new Latin baseball club, with all of those teams available to be booked most anywhere.

We will be watching, with everyone else in baseball, to see if any former Indy players are selected in Thursday's Rule 5 draft.

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BEFORE LAS VEGAS INVASION, SOME WARMING NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE

It is nearly time to pack the bag for Las Vegas where we will do some blogging during next week's Winter Meetings, but other news has drawn our attention before we get to the Strip.

While this blog is devoted to Independent Baseball, I could not help but take note of a story within a story while reading about the name change of the Central Illinois Collegiate League to the Prospect League. The new circuit will have 10 teams, and a whole bunch of them once held a membership in the Frontier League, which along with the Northern League started this whole Independent Baseball surge back in 1993.

The most intriguing community may be Chillicothe, OH because the Paints were in the Frontier from the very beginning, only dropping out for 2009. The Prospect League also will include Richmond, IN, Slippery Rock, PA, Dubois County (Huntingburg, IN) and Springfield, IL. Every one of has been in the Frontier, with both Richmond and Springfield winning two championships.

Here is the point: Most of the departures from the FL came about because these communities could not keep pace, mainly from attendance or financial standpoints, with the bigger draws in the league circa 2008 or 2009. So, rather than go without quality baseball for the community and its faithful fans, move to the better budget arena of collegiate baseball.

Hooray for those who made it happen.

Glens Falls, Little Falls and Elmira in New York State, Rochester and Duluth in Minnesota, Pittsfield, MA and Thunder Bay (Ontario) are other communities to have gone this route in recent years, and there is little doubt in my mind we will see a few other teams from other leagues go this way eventually.

Independent Baseball will continue to do very well in many cities, but where the economics are not there it will be a very acceptable alternative to keep hometown baseball fans happy.

PEANUT-FREE BASEBALL

The mere thought of a baseball game without peanuts is difficult for many of us to, well, stomach.

But what about the sizeable group of youngsters who suffer from nut allergies? The River City Rascals of the Frontier League took note, and once again in 2009 will have a peanut-free section at T. R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon, MO. The only problem is, they will only offer it for Wednesday games, after a thorough cleaning of peanut shells and peanut dust.

MORE ICE BREAKING

The Kansas City (KS) T-Bones helped thaw relations between the Northern League and the American Association by hosting exhibition games last spring involving the newer Association, where four teams jumped back in 2006.

Now the St. Paul Saints and Gary (IN) SouthShore RailCats are following suit with two games in Minnesota May 7-8. The series will shift to Gary in 2010.

Maybe everyone can get along.

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THANKSGIVING SHOULD HAVE SPECIAL MEANING TO R.J. SWINDLE

On this Thanksgiving eve, it appears former Northern League and Atlantic League hurler R. J. Swindle has something for which he can be really thankful.

It may be his own persistence, as a matter of fact.

Agent Paul Hunt told MLB.com nine teams were interested in his free agent client, including his former team, the World Champion Phillies. "He wanted a 40-man roster spot and the (Milwaukee) Brewers stepped up," Hunt told reporter Adam McCalvy.

The 25-year-old southpaw has been signed to a major league contract, a rarity for someone recently released and with only three appearances in the majors under his belt.

"He gets left-handed hitters out," Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin told MLB.com. "He's more of a situational guy, not necessarily a full-inning guy."

Swindle, a Canadian who now calls Charleston, SC home, is one of only two southpaw relievers on the Milwaukee roster at this time. He is anything but a hard thrower, but the Brewers were impressed with his record of a strikeout-per-inning and his stingy walk ratio (63 in 353.2 minor league innings) in his five professional seasons. He walked only eight hitters and fanned 67 in 53.0 innings between AA and AAA this summer.

One year after being drafted by Boston, Swindle found himself at Schaumburg, IL in the Northern League for the 2005 season. He was with the Flyers for time in '06, and with Newark, NJ in the Atlantic League for nine games in 2007.

What a 2008 for Swindle. He also pitched for Team Canada in the Olympics, debuted in the National League and now is in the Venezuelan League. Being signed by the Brewers could well top it all.

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DODGERS AND D-BACKS ADD FORMER INDY HURLERS TO COVETED 40-MAN ROSTERS

Please overlook any cheering in the offices of the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones (Northern League) and the Southern Illinois (Marion) Miners (Frontier League) today. They are allowed.

Both Independent Baseball teams had one of their graduates promoted to the prized 40-man rosters of major league teams, which means they are recognized as bonafide prospects and will be in spring training with the big boys in Arizona come February.

Travis Schlichting is a 25-year-old righthander with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Clay Zavada is a 24-year-old lefty with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Schlichting, listed at 6-foot-4 and only 190 pounds, was Tampa Bay's fourth round draft choice in 2003, and played third base in the minors for nearly four years with modest success. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim gave him a five-game look on the mound in the rookie Arizona League in 2006, and he became a nearly fulltime pitcher with the T-Bones a year later.

The Dodgers thought enough of his arm after 51 Northern League innings in 2007, despite 72 hits, 29 walks and 11 wild pitches, that he was on their Double-A Jacksonville, FL farm club by late May of '08. The hits went down to one an inning and the walks also slowed (18 in 59.2 innings) that with a 6-4 relief record and 3.77 ERA over 33 appearances were sufficient they knew the Round Rock, TX resident should be protected on the major league roster.

Zavada has even less professional experience, going 2-3 with a pair of saves and a 3.10 earned run average in the Pioneer League in 2006 in the D-Backs system, then coming back from a year off the diamond for personal reasons to limit hitters to a .137 batting average in the Frontier League in a month this summer. The 6-foot-1 resident of Streator, IL struck out 22 in 15.2 innings, and impressively walked only four in his dozen appearances out of the bullpen. Zavada posted a 2-1 record with four saves and a 1.72 ERA for Southern Illinois.

He was even more dazzling when Arizona purchased his contract and sent him to South Bend, IN of the Class A Midwest League. Zavada allowed a mere six hits in 35.1 innings while striking out 54 and walking only five. The .056 opponent batting average and 0.51 ERA combined with a 3-1 record and eight saves plus a perfect earned run average over the last 21 of his 24 appearances must have made it an easy decision to promote him.

WHICH CITIES WILL COME NEXT

We could not help but think as we finished Thursday's lengthy subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column in which we outlined the 2009 Independent Baseball map about some of the cities which have been mentioned in various quarters where Indy teams may one day play. It is not a short list.

Which--if any--of these cities will come next? Lee's Summit, MO, Ypsilante, MI, Topeka, KS, Burnsville, MN, Champaign-Urbana or Normal, IL and Brighton or Commerce City, CO all are among areas that pop up from time to time.

Our I.B.I. projection was for a minimum of 57 teams in '09 with the count potentially swelling as high as 66 if the United League returns and the Golden and Continental Leagues complete potential expansion.

We slipped up on one point, saying Avon, OH was replacing the Midwest Sliders in the Frontier League. The Sliders will continue until they become the Oakland County (MI) Cruisers in 2010. Avon, of course, replaces Chillicothe, OH, a charter member of the FL.

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AN ARRAY OF THOUGHTS FOR 98 RELEASED PLAYERS AND PITCHER/CANCER PATIENT GREG MONTALBANO

While more needs to be clarified, it appears both the Atlantic League and the Can-Am League will have the much-needed even number of franchises again next summer without resorting to a travel team to fill out the schedule.

The Atlantic has announced its schedule, which once again includes Newark, NJ, now that a contingent named the Bases Loaded Group has signed a letter of intent to purchase the Bears and pay off some debts. And the Can-Am has a media conference scheduled for Wednesday (November 19) in Ottawa, Canada, with every indication the Rapidz will play for a second season. Commissioner Miles Wolff will attend, and presumably will have something to say about who will foot the bill.

It is our hope to sort out as much of the total 2009 Independent Baseball lineup as possible by the time we finish our Independent Baseball Insider column next Thursday, although one would have to believe the status of the United League will remain unclear and the Golden, Continental and perhaps even the Northern League will not have placed a final stamp on their rosters of cities and produced schedules.

NEARLY 100 PLAYERS HAVE BEEN SET FREE

Our master list of former Independent players tied to major league organizations undergoes changes almost daily, with one version of that roster at present totaling exactly 250. That includes 23 players we show on major league rosters.

But nearly 40 per cent--98, by our calculations--are in no man's land these days now that the 30 organizations have conducted most of their annual trimming down of those they have under control.

Many of these released players will get an opportunity with another major league organization, and some will even end up with non-roster invitations to big league spring training camps. This will represent a fresh start and hopes of joining a system which will provide them with a major league opportunity. We can point out about 10 cases from '08 which resulted with a player appearing in regular season major league box scores for the first time.

Some will end up back in Independent leagues to continue perfecting their skills. Unfortunately, some of the 98 will not be heard from again on professional diamonds.

Names on the "released" list which many fans will recognize include Eliezer Alfonzo, Bobby Brownlie, Jay Gibbons, John Lindsey, Brian Mazone, Jason Phillips, Bret Prinz, Dan Reichart and Joe Valentine, the latter both signed out of the Atlantic League and released twice this summer.

TEAMMATES STEP UP; SO CAN YOU

Greg Montalbano told The Boston Globe recently "I am a tumor machine. I make tumors. I have no idea why".

Montalbano's story, unlike too many others that are not so widely told, was of special interest in New England in that he once was named Minor League Pitcher of the Year by the Boston Red Sox. Boston drafted him in the fifth round of the free agent selections in 1999.

Montalbano, 31, who last pitched in the Can-Am League for his hometown of Worcester, MA in 2005 and 2006, has fought one form of cancer or another since 1996. He is currently facing an experimental clinical trial cancer treatment.

Many friends and former teammates of the Northeastern University Hall of Fame lefty, including Ben Beck, who reached out to this typist, are getting together for "Monty Madness: The First Annual Corntoss for a Cure" in Brockton, MA Sunday afternoon, November 23. The fundraiser will be held at the Shaw's Center, which is connected to Campanelli Stadium, better known as the home of the Brockton Rox of the Can-Am League.

Open to the public, the first 128 two-person teams may sign up at $100 per team to compete for cash prizes while everyone else pays $25 to watch the fun and support the cause. Beck encourages signing up via www.PayPal.com which has an account linked to his email address, benjamin_beck@ml.com. He can be reached via telephone at 617 270-5066.

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GARY CARTER AND BRIAN DAUBACH BACK ON FAMILIAR TURF

A potpourri of late developments plus thoughts, facts and quips, we just could not fit into this week's Independent Baseball Insider.

Gary Carter had to really, really want the Long Island (NY) Ducks managerial job in the Atlantic League when he surrendered what had to be a comfortable position of leading the Orange County Flyers in his hometown of Fullerton, CA. The Hall of Fame catcher had taken the Golden League position in part to be closer to some of his relatives, he had developed what from all accounts had been a great relationship with Flyers Owner Alan Mintz, and he brought the league title to Orange County in his very first season (2008).

This is not in any way to diminish the fact he now will be in a full-season league with more experienced players and the Ducks' reputation could not be much better with the nightly full house and the management team led by Frank Boulton and Carter's New York Mets teammate Bud Harrelson.

One can only hope Carter is not talking himself into the fact since he will be managing in the Mets' back yard he will be better positioned to one day take over the National League team, a role he has openly coveted in the past. The Mets already had his phone number and knew his credentials if they decided to hire him.

BRIAN DAUBACH TAKES THE REIGNS IN NASHUA

Add one more former major leaguer to the already lengthy list of Independent Baseball managers.

Brian Daubach will lead the American Defenders of New Hampshire, the previous Nashua Pride, in the Can-Am League under Dan Duquette. It was Duquette who brought Daubach to Boston as a free agent when he was the general manager of the Red Sox. Daubach drove in 73 runs in only 110 games when he was getting his first solid major league opportunity and trying to take up at least a good part of the slack for the departure of Mo Vaughn at first base. Daubach homered 21 times in each of his first two seasons.

A friend tells me Duquette was very open during a radio interview he and Daubach did on Boston's WEEI that he still hopes to get back into a major league position.

Duquette reminded this reporter recently before officially promoting Daubach from hitting coach to manager that this onetime effective left-handed hitter had played for and learned under two of the major league managers generally regarded as among the best in Tony LaRussa and Jim Leyland.

THE FUNNY THINGS COSTE AND HINE DID IN FARGO

Steve Hine had so many funny and memorable things to say about things he and Chris Coste did when they were teammates at Fargo, ND in the Northern League. I could not fit them all into the Independent Baseball Insider, which I was interviewing the former second baseman for at his busy Steve Hine School of Baseball in Orange, CT.

The best story might have been about Coste ordering pizza loaded with sausage, bacon and extra cheese. The thing is, when the pizza arrived the health-conscious catcher would scrape everything off. "He would only eat the dough," Hine remembered. Why? "Too much fat", was Coste's response. The flavor in the dough had to be pretty tasty. I may have to try it.

Hine recalls of his friend back in 1998 and 1999 when they first played together, "to him, playing in Fargo was like he was playing in the big leagues."

And Coste soon will have his Philadelphia Phillies World Series championship ring as a reminder of everything he experienced along the way.

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REALITY OF BEING A WORLD CHAMPION SETTLING IN FOR CHRIS COSTE

Did you see No. 27 piling on last night? He didn't even get flagged for 15 yards.

No. 27 was Philadelphia Phillies catcher Chris Coste, who spent five summers in Independent Baseball, including 1996-99 with his hometown Fargo-Moorhead (ND-MN) Redhawks of the Northern League, before finally even sticking in a major league farm system (Cleveland) for the 2000 season. He reached the majors with the Phillies in 2006 at the age of 33.

Coste ran from the dugout at the dramatic close of Game 5 of the World Series to dive onto the pile in the middle of the diamond at Citizens Bank Park. He and his Phillies teammates were World Champions, and No. 27 was very visible on television sets everywhere.

Other players drew most of the attention, but no one among the 25 postseason-eligible Phillies has a right to be happier or prouder of reaching this pinnacle.

"I'm getting closer" (to believing the reality of it all), Coste said over the telephone when I reached him a midday Thursday, roughly 14 hours after the final out of the 4-3 clincher against Tampa Bay.

He said the reality might well sink in for many players during Friday's championship parade.

I had heard numerous plaudits for Philadelphia's vocal fans through my TV set all night Wednesday, sometimes thinking, "don't we hear the same thing every October when the champions are being crowned." Maybe not. Coste brought the subject up, stressing how much fun it was "to be able to share it with the city".

"There is no coincidence we did not lose a (postseason) game at home," he said. When I asked for further explanation, he cited, among other things, how he could see these flag-waving, vociferous fans "get the opposing pitcher rattled a little."

COSTE HAD HIS OWN CHEERING SECTION

In addition to wife Marcia and daughter Casey, 9, part of the postseason was witnessed in person by Coste's mother, stepfather and "people from Fargo". One person he singled out was Kansas City T-Bones Manager Andy McCauley, who lives near Philadelphia. McCauley, a coach with Fargo-Moorhead during part of Coste's lengthy stint, lived his own celebration out earlier this fall. His T-Bones, only 46-50 during the regular season, won the Northern League title after losing Game 1 of the best-of-five championship series and trailing Gary, IN 7-1 in the second contest.

HOW DOES $700,000 SOUND?

We did not talk about the financial side of being on a World Series winner, but Coste's salary of $385,000 for his first complete major league season and a full Series likely to top $300,000 (each Boston player received $308,000 last year) would be welcomed by anyone who has worked his way through Independent play.

It would even dull any feelings for only playing in one World Series game (0-for-4 in Game 1) after pretty much sharing catching duties during the regular season.

MICHEL HERNANDEZ'S NEAR MISS

Tampa Bay backup catcher Michel Hernandez, who spent part of 2007 with the Somerset (NJ) Patriots of the Atlantic League and was in the Pittsburgh farm system until August 31, came within a few feet of getting into the final World Series game and ending his drought for the entire postseason because of the solid play of regular backstop Dioner Navarro.

Manager Joe Maddon had Fernando Perez run for Navarro in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday. Perez stole second, and represented the tying run when pinch hitter Ben Zobrist scorched a liner at rightfielder Jayson Werth with one out. Had that drive settled to the ground--as it first appeared it might--and the fleet Perez scampered home Hernandez would have strapped on the chest protector in the bottom half of the inning. The 30-year-old Cuban native with more games in Somerset (25) than the majors (10) would have had some story to tell. Come to think of it, the near-miss isn't half bad.

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RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS DOMINATE SIGNINGS FROM INDEPENDENT ROSTERS SINCE THE SEASON ENDED

Has that player you followed in Independent Baseball to the very end of the season had his contract purchased by a major league organization?

We try to keep track of all signings, and this is what we have seen so far. We will continue to add to the list, and we invite readers to let us know if we miss anyone since the news sometimes comes out from the player's team or his hometown without us seeing it immediately.

Signings since the end of the Independent season with the Player, MLB Organization, Independent Team (Most Recent), League and Position. (Asterisks indicate he played his first professional game in an Independent league):

Barba, Ryan, Atlanta, Yuma, Golden, SS

Bladergroen, Ian, Seattle, Lancaster, Atlantic, 1B

Breen, Patrick, Los Angeles-AL, Orange County, Golden, OF

*Cullen, Chris, Pittsburgh, Lincoln, American Association, RHP (Cullen played forEdmonton of the Golden League in 2008)

Coello, Robert, Boston, Edmonton, Golden, RHP

Etherton, Seth, Arizona, Long Beach, Golden, RHP

Fultz, Aaron, Cincinnati, Somerset, Atlantic, LHP

Garcia, Geivy, San Francisco, Grand Prairie, American Association, RHP

*Grimes, Scott, New York-NL, Worcester, Can-Am, OF

Hawke, Phil, Florida, Windy City, Frontier, 1B

Hernandez, Santo, Philadelphia, Brockton, Can-Am, RHP

*Herr, Jordan, Chicago-AL, Lancaster, Atlantic, OF

Hunton, Jon, Oakland, Somerset, Atlantic, RHP

Krause, Brent, Milwaukee, St. Paul, American Association, RHP

*LaLuna, Michael, Detroit, Sussex, Can-Am, RHP

*Linder, Chad, Detroit, Alexandria, United, LHP

Lisk, Charlie, Detroit, Gateway, Frontier, C

Moss, Steve, Seattle, Long Beach, Golden, OF

Phillips, Paul, Tampa Bay, Pensacola, American Association, RHP

Pressley, Josh, Houston, Somerset, Atlantic, 1B

*Regas, Kris, Detroit, Sioux Falls, American Association, LHP

Reith, Brian, Milwaukee, Somerset, Atlantic, RHP

*Risser, Travis, Tampa Bay, Washington, Frontier, RHP

Sikaras, Pete, Philadelphia, Edmonton, Golden, RHP

Smith, Dan, Baltimore, Pensacola, American Association, LHP

Smith, Donnie, San Francisco, Fargo, Northern, RHP

Stanley, Patrick, Detroit, Newark, Atlantic, RHP

Torbert, Beau, Detroit, Sioux Falls, American Association, OF

Townsend, Tanner, Florida, Gary, Northern, 3B

Vento, Mike, Washington, Camden, Atlantic, OF

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DEVELOPING WORLD SERIES MEMORIES

I counted up one time that I had been blessed to see at least 150 World Series games in person. I believe that number is conservative. What a treat, whether I was working, as was the case much of the time, or on hand as a fan. So I have a pretty good feel for what those involved in this World Series are experiencing.

I cannot relate to Chris Coste, the DH for Philadelphia in Game 1 last night (an 0-for-4, unfortunately, in the first game in his meteoric climb from five seasons of Independent Baseball) or Michel Hernandez, Tampa Bay's backup catcher, who spent part of 2007 in the Atlantic League. After all, I had enough trouble hitting at the most meager of sandlot levels during my youth in Nebraska.

But I can relate, in many ways, to others who have roles in the World Series. So, it was fun to have conversations over the last 24 hours with Phillies infielder Mike Cervenak, who is part of pre-game workouts every day as he stands by as a potential injury replacement, and Rusty Kath, the on-field Master of Ceremonies for the Tampa Bay Rays.

This is an Independent Baseball blog, I remind you, and they most certainly qualify. Cervenak played his first two years of what now is a full decade of professional baseball for the Chillicothe (OH) Paints of the Frontier League, hitting .306 and .357, respectively. Kath learned his trade with the St. Paul (MN) Saints, now in the American Association, before moving on to the Rays two years ago.

MIKE CERVENAK

The phone rang shortly after noon Wednesday, some eight hours before the first pitch was thrown. It was Mike Cervenak, returning a call I couldn't have expected at that time.

Like anyone, I wanted to know some of the highlights of recent times for the personable first baseman-third baseman, a hitting machine at the University of Michigan and throughout the minor leagues, who had to wait until he was nearly 32 this summer to get into anything but a spring training exhibition in the major leagues.

"The fact I am going to the World Series and being on the bench," he said. (My heart would have been pounding.) He opened up about how "crazy" it would have been to even think of this possibility back in his Independent days.

I thought the personal game highlight of his first two months in the majors would have been his first hit, which came August 6 in Philly as a pinch-hitter against Florida. "I feel it was my first at bat," was Mike's response. "My parents (Mike, Sr. and Eva) were there, and it was in extra innings." He had told me in an earlier conversation that he hit the ball to the warning track (where it was caught) off Arizona's Connor Robertson.

Cervenak, who has a very calm and professional demeanor during interviews, became the most talkative when I asked if he had gone through the typical rookie hazing with the Phillies. I have to paraphrase, but he described, in detail, being selected to dress up as Brittany Spears "with a plaid skirt, really short, with a tie-up blouse showing my bare midriff and a blonde wig."

What a transition from portraying Brittany Spears to the feeling of being in the dugout during Chase Utley's two-run, first-inning homer or for the final out of a thrilling 3-2, Game 1 win.

RUSTY KATH

I caught Rusty on his way to the airport to pick up friends on the morning after Game 1.

"I literally don't feel I believe it (being in the World Series), even after Game 7 (against Boston). It hasn't clicked." He quoted Phillies ace Cole Hamels who had said something like "we'll really enjoy this about holiday time."

Kath still is on the diamond pre-game in his role as MC, but expects to be "more buttoned up" and traditional, with word coming down to the staff that "we want a professional show" for the World Series. He does things we might get a glimpse of during the telecast of working with the youngsters selected to cry "Play Ball" and deliver the initial game baseballs to the umpires.

And, he is allowed, because he said both TBS (playoffs) and Fox (World Series) like it, to encourage the crowd to go a little wild just as the network telecasts begin.

What about the mohawk haircut, which has become a Tampa Bay trademark? "I have a beautiful mohawk", which was first cut with the "dog shears" the team mascot (played by a woman) carries. He got the cut during the postseason-clinching game. It has since been cleaned up, although Kath says "I look like an ugly 1980s punk rocker".

His tongue-in-cheek worry seems to be going back home to Minnesota, where his varied duties include many Minnesota Wild (NHL) games, because his mother-in-law, Dee Forkrud, told him "you used to be so cute. I may be sleeping next door, not even in the next room", said Kath, who married Forkrud's daughter, Angie, August 1.

Perhaps by that time being in a World Series will finally have set in.

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THE STORY OF INDEPENDENT CATCHERS AND THE WORLD SERIES

What is it about the catchers?

Two of the four backstops expected to be on World Series rosters have paid their dues in Independent Baseball. Okay, so Philadelphia's Chris Coste and Tampa Bay's Michel Hernandez both enter the fall classic as No. 2 with their respective teams, but they are that familiar "heartbeat away" from taking over fulltime, in the same manner as the politicians like to remind us about Joe Biden and Sarah Palin two weeks ahead of the Presidential election.

But there is much more to the story of catchers coming out of the Independent game and getting into major league baseball's postseason.

We have already had the chapter of Mike Rivera being the No. 2 receiver for Milwaukee's October effort.

Going back three short years, Chris Widger was the backup when the Chicago White Sox won the 2005 World Series. Widger, who had hit 16 home runs in 55 games for Camden, NJ of the Atlantic League the previous season, caught the last five innings of the 14-inning Game 3 marathon, going 0-for-1 but getting an RBI and two walks in the White Sox's 7-5 triumph.

Hernandez, who has been active but has yet to be called upon in the postseason, logged 25 games in the Atlantic League one year ago (Somerset, NJ), joined Tampa Bay in September after spending most of the season in Triple-A for Pittsburgh. An injury to Shawn Riggans put him in the right place at the right time.

"This is a good place to be (when major league teams have a need) if you can catch and throw," Atlantic League Executive Director Joe Klein reminded us Tuesday afternoon.

While Hernandez is backing up Dioner Navarro at Tampa Bay, Coste has been rumored as a possible right-handed designated hitter for games in the American League park as well as available to spell Carlos Ruiz, with whom he alternated for much of the regular season. A right-handed bat will be called on to DH in Game 1 with lefty Scott Kazmir starting for the Rays.

Wouldn't it be great to see Coste's name in the starting lineup because of his five seasons in Independent leagues (as readers will see when they scroll down to our most recent posting)?

CERVENAK IN UNIFORM, TOO

While not likely to be activated, another player like Coste who got his start in the Indy ranks, infielder Mike Cervenak, continues to be in uniform daily with the Phillies. Cervenak got into his first 10 major league games this season (2-for-13, 1 RBI), and is on standby should another infielder go down with an injury.

The World Series games are going to be a family affair, as one might expect, for the Cervenaks. Mike Cervenak, Sr. told us Tuesday his son was invited to bring a guest to the first two games in Florida, and had taken his younger brother, Jonathan, who turned 20 today. Jonathan is a junior at Eastern Michigan University. Mr. and Mrs. Cervenak will attend Games 3-4-5 in Philadelphia.

In the small world department, Cervenak and Michel Hernandez were teammates with the New York Yankees' Double-A affiliate when it was in Norwich, CT in 2001 and 2002.

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YES, CHRIS COSTE IS IN THE WORLD SERIES

Do you believe it, Chris Coste is going to the World Series.

Sure, Cole Hamels was MVP of the National League Championship Series for the Philadelphia Phillies and Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and the other regulars had most of the spotlight in the five-game quieting of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I'll still take Coste, who burst onto the major league scene as the 33-year-old rookie two years ago, and who we have featured so many times in this space and in more detail in our subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column. (The column will have more later today.)

Coste deserves a special toast from everyone who follows Independent Baseball because he has driven so much attention by playing five years in three Indy leagues before getting his first opportunity in a major league organization (Cleveland, 2000) and labored for more than six years in the minors, sometimes teetering on the edge of a big-league call-up, before finally getting into a regular season game with the Phils May 26, 2006. He was their oldest rookie since 1945.

The splitting of time between Brandon, Manitoba, and Brainerd, MN, in two soon-to-fail Indy leagues in 1995 and four seasons in his hometown of Fargo, ND (Northern League) is paying dividends today.

Coste, who divided catching chores with Carlos Ruiz much of the season (.263-9-36 in what easily was a career-high 274 at bats), before the younger backstop (29) finally got most of the calls late in the season, only had one at-bat in the NLCS. He singled in Game 3, the only one Philadelphia lost, but it means in perpetuity he will be listed with a 1.000 batting average.

The lack of NLCS play is of little matter at the moment. Coste deserves to celebrate with wife Marcia and daughter Casey, because they also endured all of the ups and downs of this career that would not have happened without Independent Baseball being there to provide the opportunity to mature and be seen.

And who knows when this determined backstop may deliver on the biggest baseball stage of all in a few days.

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A SOLUTION IS OFFERED TO HELP BOTH THE ATLANTIC AND CAN-AM LEAGUES

Memo to Frank Boulton and Miles Wolff,

In the spirit of trying to help out, there may be a relatively easy solution to the dilemma you face in the Atlantic League (Boulton is Founder) and the Can-Am League (Wolff is Commissioner).

The suggestion, which I would not be shocked is in your collective minds already, is to help you out of the bind whereby Ottawa is without ownership in the Can-Am League and Bridgeport, CT is lagging behind everyone else on a success basis in the Atlantic League.

Here we go.

If Richmond does not find a replacement for its longtime Triple-A franchise from within the affiliated ranks, move Bridgeport to the Virginia city (and give the Atlantic League another major market). Then, move Ottawa into Bridgeport.

These moves solve several problems, not the least of which would have either or both leagues end up with an odd number of teams in 2009, forcing resurrection of one or two travel teams.

We know the Atlantic covets Richmond, given all the confirmed reports that Peter Kirk, who owns nearly half the Independent circuit already, has been working the scene for some time. His proposal, which would preferably include a new stadium, includes building the Brooks Robinson Life-Skills Center to benefit after-school activities as well as hosting indoor sports events beyond the ballpark's outfield fence to generate added revenue.

Even if the Atlantic League cannot stay in the market long term, it will have provided a quality location until Louden County, VA or West Chester, PA or the Meadowlands of NY is ready, and Boulton and his Past Time Partners, LLC, who are in the midst of taking over the under-capitalized Bridgeport franchise, will not have to fight to re-build the Bluefish into a financially success franchise under the burden of a 140-game season. It is appearing all the more likely this battle is a stiff one no matter who operates, especially given the less-than-agreeable evening temperatures in Connecticut in April and May and the fact school does not end until the latter part of June.

On the other hand, Bridgeport should do nicely in the Can-Am League, where each team hosts only 45 games or so instead of 70 and the budget is much, much smaller. A break-even or better result is likely for Boulton or whoever ends up running the Bluefish.

The Can-Am League would like to hold onto Ottawa, which averaged an okay 2,200 in its first post-Triple-A season, but unless strong new ownership shows up soon Wolff and Company may have to give it up. Ottawa still could be viable at some time down the road as a companion to Quebec and Montreal, if the latter can ever be developed.

So, both leagues would have their immediate franchise issues behind them. It seems a win-win.

Now wasn't that easy.

Bob Wirz, author of the Independent Baseball Insider and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com

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UNITED LEAGUE LIVES AND SO DO THE DETROIT TIGERS

It appears the United League is slowly coming back to life after weeks of speculation that its third season may have been its last.

CEO Brad Wendt went public on the subject earlier this week, and even if the John Bryant-Byron Pierce lawsuit is playing a role in keeping it going we are once again seeing team press releases and player signings, which would seem to be decent indicators.

DETROIT LATEST TO GET ACTIVE

Perhaps it is the economy and maybe it is the mere recognition of the talent. Regardless, more major league organizations seem to be focusing increased attention on the Independent leagues.

Count Detroit as among those more active. The Tigers only had six of the 243 players who showed up on our master roster--an average of 8.1 per organization--until recently. But all of a sudden Detroit has reached into the American Association twice and the Can-Am and United Leagues once in recent weeks. Three pitchers and an outfielder for your at-home scoreboard.

By the way, we soon plan to post all of the recent signings on this blog.

BRIDGEPORT BLUEFISH NOW IN HANDS OF FRANK BOULTON

A screaming headline in today's Connecticut Post informed readers the hometown Bridgeport Bluefish are getting new ownership with Past Time Partners, LLC, led by Atlantic League Founder Frank Boulton, taking over.

Boulton, who also owns the Long Island (NY) Ducks in the eight-team league, told the newspaper the other owners have approved the deal and that the new group will pay off the nearly $250,000 overdue in rent as soon as the city okays the sale.

Indications are the team will stay in Connecticut although it is well documented that another Atlantic League owner, Peter Kirk, has been working toward placing a franchise in Richmond, VA which Atlanta has just vacated as home of its longtime Triple-A franchise.

BASEBALL AMERICA SPREADS AWARDS AROUND

I do not profess to know whether Baseball America is merely trying to be fair to everyone in Independent Baseball, but the magazine's announcement of its All-Independent teams and its list of top Indy players not yet signed by major league organizations is very balanced.

Four leagues (Atlantic, Can-Am, Frontier, Golden) each placed three players on the 14-player first All-Independent unit. The Northern League and American Association had one player apiece with the United and Continental shut out. The Atlantic edged out the Frontier, six players to five, when the second team was included, but six of the eight leagues had at least three players apiece.

Seth Loman, an outfielder-first baseman at St. George, UT (Golden League), is Baseball America's top choice among players still without a major league organizational contract. Mike LaLuna, a hard-throwing righthander discovered in a tryout camp, had that honor, but his contract has been purchased by Detroit. BB-A had three United League players in its top ten unsigned (including LaLuna), with the American Association, Atlantic League and Golden League with two apiece. Some players were in more than one league this season.

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SPARKY PUTS IN A PLUG FOR 3B BRANDON LARSON

When I featured onetime relief ace Sparky Lyle in yesterday's subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column space would not allow the luxury of getting into everything we discussed, including the Somerset (NJ) Patriots manager's thoughts regarding the major league chances of anyone off the 2008 Atlantic League championship team.

Lyle should know something about this subject since four former Patriots were in the big time at season's end, including backup catcher Michel Hernandez now in the American League Division Series with Tampa Bay.

His top pick to have a chance is third baseman Brandon Larson, the Atlantic League Championship Series MVP when he hit .458 with three homers and seven runs batted in.

Wait 'til you read Lyle's praise.

"A pure hitter" to start with, he said of the right-handed batsman out of LSU who hit .304 this season with 95 RBI and 30 home runs. And, Larson is "the best defensive third baseman in the league". Not just now, but in the Atlantic League's 11 years, Lyle believes.

The odds against Larson getting back to the majors, where he has played 109 games over a span of a few years with Cincinnati, may seem a bit odd at age 32, but who am I to argue with the Somerset boss, who has won four championships and seen 10 of his Patriots players reach the majors.

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AS SOMERSET ENJOYS ANOTHER TITLE, WE WONDER WHO AMONG INDY STARS WILL BE ON MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTERS IN OCTOBER

Chalk up one more for the Somerset (NJ) Patriots.

Travis Anderson's walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night lifted Sparky Lyle's gang to its fourth Atlantic League title, and officially ended the Independent Baseball season.

This corner's attention immediately shifted to the major league postseason, and to which Independent players might be on the 25-man rosters.

In other words, lots of news and thoughts, as always.

POSTSEASON ROSTERS

I had thought reliever Mark DiFelice might have a chance of being among the chosen 25 at Milwaukee, especially since Manager Dale Sveum had used the right-hander in some key spots down the stretch. It was not to be, we learned late Tuesday, but DiFelice, who pitched for both Somerset and its Atlantic League championship series opponent Camden, NJ in his Indy days, will stay with the Brewers which means there always is a chance he could be activated for later in October.

If anyone spots the 32-year-old during the Division Series against the Phillies it will be pre-game or in the stands since only six players not active will be allowed on the bench. Milwaukee identified its sextet, mostly veteran players. For the record, DiFelice finished with the fourth best earned run average on the Brewers' staff, posting a 2.84 ERA and winning the only decision of his first year in the majors. Four walks and 20 strikeouts in 19 innings (17 hits) look pretty good on the resume for next season.

THREE OR FOUR EXPECTED TO BE ON ROSTERS

All the details will not be known until Wednesday because some teams have that long to make a decision, but it would appear either three or four players with actual Independent playing experience will be active for the Division Series.

Milwaukee has catcher Mike Rivera (Atlantic City, NJ), who hit .306 during the season but seldom plays because of backing up durable Jason Kendall. It does not help his case of pinch-hitting since the Brewers only carry two catchers. Chris Coste (Fargo, ND, Northern League, plus the defunct Prairie and North Central Leagues) has a similar role with Philadelphia although his chances of playing or coming off the bench are much better since Carlos Ruiz's bat is not his strong suit. Outfielder J. D. Drew (St. Paul, MN) appears likely to be ready to play for Boston (barring any late recurrence of his injuries), and lefty Craig Breslow (New Jersey Jackals) will be in his usual situational role in the Minnesota bullpen, if the Twins outlast the Chicago White Sox in their one-game playoff.

A few of the other players who finished the season with playoff-bound teams may be invited to stay around, as DiFelice is doing.

SOMERSET PREVAILS IN '01, '03, '05, '08

We intend to get deeper into Somerset's success in this week's subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider, but it is no secret Newark, NJ is the only other team to grab even more than one Atlantic League title in the 11 seasons the league has been around. Newark has won twice. The Patriots' legend grows with its fourth championship, all in this decade. Third baseman Brandon Larson was named MVP of the final series, won in four games by Somerset.

GRIMES' HOT SEASON PAYS OFF WITH METS DEAL

Outfielder Scott Grimes of Worcester, MA, who took Player of the Year honors in the Can-Am League, has been rewarded for his .365-21-57 season and a league-record 87 runs by signing with the New York Mets' organization. His is one of several signings we have seen already in the early days since the various Independent league playoffs have finished. There will be more to come.

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IN KEY GAMES, INDY GRAD ROBINSON CANCEL COMES UP BIG FOR METS, AND BRESLOW STAYS SHARP FOR TWINS.

What a perfect example we saw last night (Thursday) of the value of Independent leagues to major league teams.

The New York Mets would not be tied for the National League wild-card and only one game behind Philadelphia for the NL East title without the feats of Robinson Cancel.

Cancel has gone to Independent Baseball on three separate occasions when his catching career stalled in affiliated leagues. He spent all of 2003 in the Atlantic League (Somerset, NJ for 69 games and the traveling Road Warriors for 19). He returned to Somerset for a brief time the next year, then was in the United League (Edinburg, TX) for all of 2006 before he found a new home with the Mets organization.

Now, fast forward to last night when the struggling Mets had to replace regular catcher Brian Schneider (sore back) only 90 minutes before the crucial game against the Cubs, who had dealt them a crushing 9-6, 10-inning defeat a day earlier. Enter Cancel, generally considered the No. 3 backstop.

With New York suddenly facing a 6-3 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, the 32-year-old Cancel, who only had 15 games of major league experience prior to this season, led off with a line double to left-center, and came around to score.

Still down by two in the bottom of the eighth, the Mets rallied to make it 6-5. It is the stocky Cancel's turn again, and this time he delivers a line single to right on a 1-2 pitch to tie the game. The Mets won in the bottom of the ninth, 7-6.

"Yesterday's loss was a big loss," Cancel told The Associated Press. "But today we tried to regroup." He played a major role, which might well pay off again if the Mets make the postseason and they find room on their 25-man roster for this guy with all of the Indy experience.

Another Indy grad, Minnesota lefty Craig Breslow (New Jersey Jackals, Little Falls), continued to show his worth last night, as well. He needed only 13 pitches to set down the rival Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning, keeping the Twins only two runs behind. Minnesota got those runs back in the bottom of the eighth, won in the 10th and now sit one-half game atop the American League Central standings.

Breslow now sports a nifty 1.93 earned run average.

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SOMERSET SEEKS FOURTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE TITLE AGAINST CAMDEN, WHICH IS GOING AFTER ITS FIRST

The New Jersey-based teams of Camden and Somerset have at least a couple of things in common and one that is anything but similar as they prepare to square off for the Atlantic League championship starting Friday night.

Atop the similarity list, at least to this typist, is the fact they have the greatest number of their former players in the major leagues of any Independent Baseball club. Both have four big-leaguers, which is a pretty heady accomplishment.

Somerset's quartet all are in the heat of postseason consideration, too. The two teams both lay claim to Milwaukee hurler Mark DiFelice. The Patriots also have pitcher Brandon Knight and catcher Robinson Cancel with the New York Mets and backstop Michel Hernandez with Tampa Bay. Camden's contingent includes Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew, whose team is on life support today, reliever Alberto Castillo at Baltimore and we give the RiverSharks credit for Angels pitcher Jered Weaver although he really only trained with but did not play in Camden.

Another similarity is the way the teams dispatched of Long Island, NY (Camden) and York, PA (Somerset) in two quick games apiece in the first round of the playoffs.

Digressing from the subject for a moment, I must say that with a 140-game regular season a mere three-game playoff seems insufficient. If anyone wants to officially debate this issue it could well start at the desk of Atlantic League Founder Frank Boulton, who also owns the quickly-dispatched Long Island Ducks.

For those of you scratching your head over the area where Somerset and Camden are miles apart entering the best-of-five finals which start in Camden it is as simple as this. Somerset has won three of the 10 previous Atlantic League titles, all under current Manager Sparky Lyle, while Camden is trying to get to the throne room for the very first time.

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DO NOT THINK IT IS OVER FOR INDY HURLERS; CHECK OUT THIS TRIO'S WORK IN THE BIGS

Independent Baseball is down to just one league still with its playoffs to be determined, but don't get the idea the opportunities of following some of the best players from the non-affiliated ranks has gone away. That candle continues to burn brightly this week, and there will be a few people to check out every day well into October.

Now that Windy City (Crestwood, IL) has picked off its second consecutive Frontier League crown, the full attention of Indy teams falls to the Atlantic League. Camden, NJ will be at Long Island, NY and Somerset, NJ at York, PA to open the best-of-three series in the Liberty and Freedom Divisions, respectively, Tuesday night. The best-of-five finals will open Friday at either Camden or Long Islnad.

We are tracking those among the 26 former Independent players now wearing major league uniforms who will could get into the postseason, and will have much more to say on that subject in the coming days in this space or in our regular Independent Baseball Insider column to subscribers each Thursday.

In the interim, three hurlers among the big-league contingent have been getting this corner's attention. They are doing quite well, thank you, even though the glut of sports may not get them on Sports Center as much as they deserve. They are quite evident when we dig into the fine print of the newspapers.

Arizona's Max Scherzer is the likeliest of the trio to make it to Sports Center or Baseball Tonight because his work has bordered on exceptional even though the 24-year-old University of Missouri product still is looking for his first major league victory.

You think I'm overstating it? In three September starts for the Diamondbacks, this onetime Fort Worth (TX) Cats star right-hander has struck out 28 National League hitters in just 16 innings. That three-game sample projects out to 15.75 K's every nine innings. Scherzer has surrendered 14 hits and five walks while being charged with seven runs (3.94), a little above the 3.52 ERA he has for his 15 major league appearances.

Hold your breath that the D-Backs give him some support in what almost certainly will be one more regular season start so he might get to 1-3 before all of the postseason pairings are known by Sunday night.

Scott Richmond, another righty who started in Independent Baseball (Edmonton, Alberta, in the Northern League before the CrackerCats transferred to the Golden League in '08) shot through Toronto's farm system in less than a year (he only signed last November 20), and already has four major league starts. It seems an understatement to say the Blue Jays are impressed with the 29-year-old. His last start came yesterday (Sunday) with the Red Sox still trying to nail down a postseason berth.

Richmond was not overwhelmed, though his record fell to 0-3 (5.14) as the World Champs managed three runs and five hits against him in five innings. One was a two-run David Ortiz homer, and Toronto got only three hits off Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-2) and two relievers the entire afternoon in the 3-0 Boston win.

How highly does that speak of Richmond's three years of seasoning in Edmonton, where he was a combined 4-10 virtually all in relief for two seasons and a 10-9, 4.26 starter last summer.

The third hurler making some career progress at age 32 is Mark DiFelice, now with the NL wild-card-chasing Milwaukee Brewers. After toiling 10 seasons exclusively in the minor leagues, including half of 2005 at Somerset and all of 2006 at Camden (yes, two of the Atlantic League playoff teams mentioned above), DiFelice got into six major league games in June. More impressively, he has been called on four times in September, and not just to mop up. Point in case came Saturday, a devastating 4-3 loss to Cincinnati.

Trailing 4-2 with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Richmond was summoned. He promptly fanned Jolbert Cabrera, gave up a single, then got the final out of the inning to keep Milwaukee within striking distance.

It would not be a total shock to see DiFelice on the postseason roster, if the Brewers can get there. What a jump it would be from the Northern League to the NL postseason in less than one calendar year.

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ATLANTIC LEAGUER TO GET KEY START FOR METS AS CARTER, LANIER CELEBRATE TITLES

It appears the Atlantic League will be thrust squarely into the middle of the suddenly blazing National League East race Wednesday night. Pretty good for Independent Baseball, right?

New York Mets Manager Jerry Manuel says either Nelson Figueroa or Brandon Knight will get the ball that night to face the Washington Nationals. Both have pitched in the Atlantic League, with Knight at Somerset, NJ all of last year (12-5, 4.03) and earlier this season (0-2, 2.56 in six starts). Figueroa spent a little time with the Long Island (NY) Ducks in 2006.

MAJOR LEAGUERS GET LATEST INDY LEAGUE TITLES

How is this for big names on the major league stage winning Independent Baseball titles?

Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, who has made it well known he would like to be a big-league manager, got to celebrate the Golden League championship this season when his Orange County Flyers pushed across two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning of the deciding fifth game for a 10-9 victory over Calgary. The Flyers are based in Fullerton, CA, which just happens to be Carter's former hometown.

And Hal Lanier, the 1986 Manager of the Year in the National League for leading Houston to a 96-66 record, took Sussex (Augusta, NJ) from worst-to-first in the Can-Am League. Lanier, a longtime fixture in the Northern League, brought the Skyhawks from a slow start this season to a 3-0 sweep of Quebec in the Can-Am Championship Series. Sussex won 6 of 7 in the playoffs with Matt Weston's three homers, 10 RBI and a .333 average leading the way.

Some excellent photos of Sussex's championship run can be found at http://www.njherald.com/.

Jermy Acey, who hit .374 with 21 homers and a league-record 97 RBI during the regular season, was a standout for Orange County with four homers, 12 runs batted in and a .357 average for the entire playoffs although this reporter cannot help but wonder what would have happened to this series if Darryl Brinkley had stayed with Calgary. The 39-year-old hit .399 for the Vipers one year ago and .351 with 60 RBI this season, but his last game was August 28. He joined Bridgeport, CT of the Atlantic League in early September (while Calgary was still playing), where he has been a part-time outfielder, hitting .250 (6-for-24) with two RBI.

WEATHER WOES IN MIDWEST

The Kansas City (KS) T-Bones and defending champion Gary, IN are scheduled to get their Northern League championship series, which stands at a game apiece, back on track in Gary Monday night. The teams have not played since Wednesday. In the Frontier League, three consecutive postponements have continued to push the start of the Windy City (Crestwood, IL) vs. Kalamazoo, MI finals back. The new start date in Kalamazoo is Tuesday evening.

WE JUMPED THE GUN

We apparently jumped the gun by saying International League Pitcher of the Year Charlie Zink was back with the parent Boston Red Sox, even though we saw it on a MLB transaction list. It must have been one of those "recalled, not to report" transactions since the knuckleball hurler remains on Boston's 40-man roster. That puts the total of former Independent players in the majors at 26, including disabled Luke Hochevar (Kansas City).

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LANCASTER'S WOODS LEADS OFF WITH HOMER EIGHTH TIME

My, how quickly things change.

No more had I written in my subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider Thursday that Atlantic League Player-of-the-Month (August) Michael Woods had led off games with a home run for Lancaster seven times since July 25 when, wouldn't you know, he did it again that night to help keep the Barnstormers within four games of Freedom Division-leading York.

It was Woods's 28th birthday, too.

The two Pennsylvania rivals separated by less than an hour have a really neat day coming up Saturday, September 20. They will play a doubleheader with the day game (12:07) in York and the night contest (7:05) at Lancaster.

Every fan with ticket stubs from both games will receive free a limited-edition t-shirt commemorating the event although the supply is not unlimited. One of those fans also will win $1,000.

The games could decide the second-half title, too, with the regular season ending the next day in Lancaster.

TWO MORE INDY ORIGINALS BACK IN MAJORS

We also wrote yesterday at some length about 25 former Independent players being in the major leagues for the September stretch drive, with many of them on contending teams.

Add two more just 24 hours later, and both of these right-handed pitchers started their career in Indy leagues. San Diego picked up reliever Scott Patterson off waivers from the Yankees, for whom he had gotten into his first--and only--major league game June 1. Patterson was expected to be in uniform Friday night when the Padres host San Francisco.

Boston brought knuckleball hurler Charlie Zink, the International League Pitcher-of-the-Year, back up from Triple-A Pawtucket, RI. Zink had made his major league debut with a start on August 12.

Patterson spent considerable time with both the Gateway Grizzlies (Sauget, IL) in the Frontier League and Lancaster and Zink started out at Yuma, AZ when the current Golden League city had a Western League franchise. Patterson gives the Atlantic League 11 players in the majors for the stretch drive.

PENSACOLA SKIPPER NOW WITH METS

We send somewhat belated congratulations to Mac Seibert, who managed Pensacola, FL in the American Association the last two seasons, for his new job as a scouting supervisor with the New York Mets. Seibert is going back to familiar territory since he has about 12 years of scouting duties with three major league organizations already.

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STOCKING UP FOR THE PLAYOFFS IS BOTHERSOME; KUDOS TO SIOUX FALLS AND THE GOLDEN LEAGUE

Is it just me or is it wrong that Independent teams can bring in strong players from teams in other leagues who are out of the playoffs to reinforce their own postseason rosters?

This practice is not new although it seems to this corner the practice is increasing.

Sure, an Independent team should be able to fill out a roster depleted by injuries or a player who has to go back to school before the playoffs. It would not be fair for a team to have to play shorthanded, and Independent teams do not have farm systems.

But it seems some ruling needs to be considered so that a star pitcher or hitter is not added to roster merely because his team isn't going to be in the playoffs. Some organizations would take a financial hit to enter into this "bulking up" process. Besides, where is the fairness for a team good enough to make the postseason with its regular season roster to reach to the outside for a new star player in one of those "John Doakes was traded to Team A for a player to be named later"? Anyone in the know realizes that player to be named will likely be John Doakes going back to his original organization once the playoffs have ended.

How would anyone like it in the major leagues if some playoff-bound team could add Cleveland's Cliff Lee (21-2) or San Francisco's Tim Lincecum (16-3) only to have them return to their current team once the season is over? The screams would be heard from now until the Super Bowl was over.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SIOUX FALLS AND THE GOLDEN LEAGUE

It took 16 years (the duration of today's Independent Baseball), but the Sioux Falls (SD) Canaries now have a league title. Steve Shirley guided the Canaries to the American Association crown, and it must feel oh so good to everyone in the South Dakota city, one of three original Northern League franchises (along with Sioux City, IA and St. Paul, MN) still playing.

The Golden League has to be happy today to have its first major leaguer. Adam Pettyjohn has made it all the way back from the ulcerative colitis attack which nearly cost him his life to join the Cincinnati Reds. Pettyjohn, now 31 and 11 seasons removed from the 1998 campaign when Detroit made the lefty its second-round draft choice, led the International League with 15 wins for Louisville this summer. Pettyjohn's new lease on his pitching life took on encouragement in 2005 when he was 10-2 for Long Beach, CA in the Golden League. His original trip to the major leagues came in 2001 when he made 16 appearances, including nine starts, for Detroit.

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IT IS PLAYOFF TIME IN FIVE INDY LEAGUES, JUST AS FIVE MORE GRADS REPORT TO THE MAJORS

My thoughts are running on two parallel courses as we start this post-Labor Day period in baseball.

One is on the playoffs within Independent Baseball since five of the eight leagues will go a long way toward determining their postseason champions this week. After all, isn't this what is being competed for all season long?

At the same time, five more Independent players, including three who started their career in these ranks, are wearing major league uniforms. And, every one of the five is with a contending team. Not a single Independent player has been called up as part of the September 1 roster expansion so far unless his team is in the running to be on baseball's grandest stage next month.

It also seems noteworthy, if only coincidental, that all five of the players have joined National League teams.

The surprise of the group, at least to this corner, is seeing Josh Kinney back with St. Louis. Kinney, who we have talked about numerous times in this space and in our more expansive Independent Baseball Insider column, had not been in a regular season game in any pro league since the 2006 World Series until August 24. He was sufficiently recovered from his lengthy rehab from elbow surgery to work four times for Class AA Springfield, MO over a nine-day period, and the Cardinals brought him back onto the active major league roster. I would expect St. Louis to be on the cautious side over the next four weeks, and hope this 29-year-old, who started in the Frontier League (River City, O'Fallon, MO), will be back at full strength next spring. He was quite a find for the bullpen when he came up to help the Cardinals' championship run in '06.

The other recalls include Phillies infielder Mike Cervenak and Diamondbacks hurler Max Scherzer, who started in the Frontier League and American Association, respectively, plus pitchers Mark DiFelice (Milwaukee) and Brandon Knight (New York Mets, both of whom have worked in the Atlantic League.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TIED--Sioux Falls, SD will be the site of the remaining games in the American Association playoff finale with the Canaries and Grand Prairie, TX tied at a game apiece in the best-of-five test. Grand Prairie, which ended Fort Worth's three-year championship run (one in the Central League and two in the AA), got even with Sioux Falls at a game apiece in a 6-3 matinee win today (Tuesday). The series resumes Thursday.

NORTHERN AND GOLDEN OPEN UP TONIGHT--Divisional playoff series begin in both the Northern and Golden Leagues Tuesday night, with the Can-Am starting Wednesday and the Frontier League later in the week. The Atlantic League does not finish its regular season until September 21.

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LET THE CALL-UPS BEGIN

This always is an intriguing time for those of us tracking the fortunes of players who have put in time in Independent Baseball because active major league rosters can expand from 25 players (up to 40) starting September 1 (Monday).

Five Indy grads were elevated last September, and the number could go even higher this time around. We will be speculating on some of the possible call-ups in our weekly Independent Baseball Insider column later today.

The New York Mets jumped the gun Wednesday by bringing two players back onto their 25-man roster for the National League East stretch, and USA Today floated Adam Pettyjohn in Thursday's editions as a possible addition for the Cincinnati Reds.

It would be great if it was Pettyjohn who got the call for an emergency start against San Francisco Saturday although I find it unlikely to happen since the southpaw would be working on three days rest after he pitched seven innings Tuesday.

If Pettyjohn surfaces either Saturday or in September we would waive the flag of happiness for two key reasons. First, it would mark the first time a player who has worked in the four-year-old Golden League had played in a regular season major league game. On a personal level, it would climax the comeback of the 31-year-old from Fresno State who had reached the majors with Detroit in 2001 (1-6 in 16 appearances, including nine starts) before a horrible battle with ulcerative colitis threatened not only his career but his life. He pitched for Long Beach, CA in 2005 (10-2, 3.92) and briefly in '06 (1-1) on his way back up the ladder, and is 14-6 (4.63) at Louisville this season.

It looks to me like Ramon Ramirez or Matt Maloney, both better rested, are more likely to get the Saturday start.

In the meantime, the Mets brought both catcher Robinson Cancel and right-hander Nelson Figueroa back to the majors Wednesday. Figueroa, who was 2-3, 5.12 in nine earlier appearances with New York, once played briefly for Long Island, NY in the Atlantic League. Cancel has been in 17 Mets games, hitting .233 with a homer and four RBI. He has played in the Atlantic League (Somerset, NJ and the traveling Road Warriors) and the United League (Edinburg, TX) during his career.

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HOORELBEKE SALUTED FOR FOUR-HOMER GAME WHILE BAY AREA AND AMARILLO CELEBRATE TITLES

I had the feeling Independent Baseball had produced more than the trio of four-home run performances I was able to report on in last week's Independent Baseball Insider column.

The Fargo (ND) RedHawks filled me in on Jesse Hoorelbeke's big day for them June 18, 2006, when he pounded four homers and drove in eight runs in the Northern League outing against Edmonton, which now plays in the Golden League.

Hoorelbeke, who currently plays first base for Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League, homered in the second, third and fourth innings, then finished with a three-run blast in the sixth. With three round-trippers and eight runs batted in in his last five games for the Bluefish, the big right-handed batsman shares the league RBI lead (95) with Southern Maryland's Pat Osborn and is one home run off the league lead. Somerset, NJ's Josh Pressley has 26 homers while Hoorelbeke and Somerset's Brandon Larson have 25 apiece. Hoorelbeke's previous career best in RBI were his 94 of last season, when he pounded 33 homers.

John Allen of Fort Worth, TX started all the current focus on four-home run games when he recently accomplished the feat in the American Association. Hoorelbeke's barrage was the third such feat in the Northern League, with Harry Berrios (Schaumburg, IL) and Ryan Jones (Winnipeg) both homering four times during a separate contests in 2000.

TWO CHAMPIONS IN TEXAS (SO FAR)--The Bay Area Toros (Texas City) and Amarillo have given the Lone Star State the first two Independent Baseball champions of the season. Bay Area swept two in a row from Texarkana to earn Continental League honors while the Dillas ended Alexandria, LA's two-year run in the United League. Brady Bogart's Amarillo club hit .325 and posted a 3.00 earned run average while winning the semifinal series in two straight over Edinburg, TX, then taking two of three from Alexandria.

American Association postseason play begins tonight (Monday) with two more Texas teams, Grand Prairie and defending champion Fort Worth, squaring off in the South and Sioux City, IA and Sioux Falls, SD going at each other in the North.

WHAT CROWDS IN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION--Weekend regular season finales brought out huge crowds in the third year American Association. Wichita, KS drew crowds of 6,093 and 7,076 to its last two games even though the Wingnuts missed the playoffs in their initial season away from affiliated minor league play and El Paso, TX, which also is sitting out the postseason, did even better at 7,288 and 6,718. Playoff-bound Sioux Falls, SD and Sioux City, IA went well above their season averages in their regular season finales. The Canaries lured 4,805 fans, nearly 1,600 above their season average, while the Explorers' 4,147 was more than double their average crowd.

QUEBEC GETS NO-HITTER--The Can-Am League regular season goes through Labor Day, but playoff-bound Quebec had another reason to celebrate Sunday when Orlando Trias hurled a no-hit, 3-0 victory at Nashua, NH.

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RECORD BOOK TAKES A HIT AS FORT WORTH'S JOHN ALLEN SLAMS FOUR HOMERS

What is going on here?

Some of the late-season performances are really staggering, with none better than Saturday night in the American Association when John Allen belted four home runs and drove in eight runs in a 5-for-5 performance in Fort Worth's 14-0 runaway victory over El Paso. The home-standing Cats report each of the homers travelled more than 400 feet.

Allen, Fort Worth's designated hitter and an occasional first baseman, is having a career year with 20 homers, only four below the number he hit in his first three professional seasons combined. His previous high came in 2005 when he hit 11, and he managed only seven total last season when he played for both Fort Worth and Brockton, MA of the Can-Am League.

What I would like to figure out before Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column is whether the feat has ever been accomplished--or, how many times--since Independent Baseball resumed in 1993. The American Association media guide shows the record in the first two seasons of that league belonged to Chad Gambill of Shreveport, LA, who homered three times July 28, 2006. I would be grateful for research assistance from any reader.

Allen, a 27-year-old right-handed hitter, is second in round-trippers in the American Association this season, one behind Pensacola, FL strongboy Brandon Sing. Allen's .337 batting average is second to the .372 of Kevin Hooper, the hometown sparkplug Wichita, KS signed for its first season in the league.

CONTINENTAL, UNITED PLAYOFFS STARTING--Corpus Christi is at Texarkana in the best-of-three semifinal playoffs in the all-Texas Continental League starting tonight (Monday) with the winner traveling to Texas City starting Friday. United League playoffs also were scheduled to start Monday.

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MIKE RIVERA MAKES MOST OF INFREQUENT BREWERS APPEARANCES; TWO PLAY NINE POSITIONS

News, notes and thoughts which won't make today's Independent Baseball Insider column:

SOMEONE MUST WANT MIKE RIVERA--With Jason Kendall an ironman behind the plate for the National League wild-card-leading Milwaukee Brewers, backup Mike Rivera seldom can be found in box scores. But when he gets in the lineup, the 31-year-old onetime Atlantic City (NJ) Surf certainly produces. Rivera has been in only eight games since May 25, but the inactivity does not seem to affect him. The right-handed hitter has gone 9-for-26 (.346) in that stretch to lift his season average to .333 (18-54). Wouldn't every manager like to get 14 runs batted in for every 54 at-bats. The Puerto Rican has a .400 on-base percentage.

PLAYING ALL NINE POSITIONS--The United League, one of several Independent leagues winding down the regular season, has already had one player play an inning at each position in a single game with another one to try it tonight (Thursday). Amarillo's Danny Bravo, who regularly plays shortstop and is one of the league's top hitters, went 3-for-5 (homer, double, single) during his nine-position game. "He's been very valuable at SS for us this year in winning the first half and clinching home field advantage (for the playoffs)," Manager Brady Bogart said in an email, while questioning why Bravo has not gotten another chance in affiliated baseball. Ryan Fox of Harlingen, TX, another UL hitting leader, is to try the feat tonight.

MC KINNEY HAS NINE-RBI GAME--The Frontier League has had some tremendous pitching feats of late, but Garth McKinney of Florence, KY struck a note for the hitters. He had a 6-for-6 game with nine runs batted in and four runs scored to pace a 14-2 pasting of the Midwest Sliders. The 6-foot-3 McKinney included a double and home run in his barrage, then came back the next night with another homer and two RBI. A centerfielder, McKinney is hitting .317 with 16 homers and 60 runs batted in plus 22 steals, proving he has more than raw power.

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HOME RUN NO. 1, AND GUESS WHO GOT TO SEE IT

It is impossible to predict in the crazy world of sports when the opportunity comes along to see a "first".

This one won't rank up with watching the first man walk on the moon, but it was fun anyway.

I was at Shea Stadium Monday afternoon for the Pittsburgh-New York Mets makeup game. What a chance to introduce two of my grandsons, aged eight and six, to their first major league game.

Robinson Cancel does not get many starts for the division-hungry Mets, but wouldn't you know this 32-year-old graduate of the Atlantic League (Somerset, NJ and the Road Warriors) and the United League (Edinburg, TX) was in the lineup today. On his second trip to the plate, he sizzled a single to center, which got the Mets' fourth run home because of a Pittsburgh miscue at home plate.

He did even better the next time when he lined a home run which hit off the foul pole in leftfield, a few feet above the outfield fence. The New Yorkers now had a 5-1 lead. I knew Cancel (pronounced Can-SELL) couldn't have many major league home runs since since only had 44 at-bats in 1999 and another couple dozen this year.

Bingo! This was his first even though the sturdy catcher has had five minor league campaigns with 10 or more round-trippers, including 2003 at Somerset and two summers ago in Edinburg.

Unfortunately for Cancel, the Pirates spoiled the day for the Mets with two late bursts good for a 7-5 victory. Still, he has to have a warm feeling for his initial big-league homer.

CERVENAK PICKS UP HIS FIRST HIT--While we are at it, did you notice that longtime minor leaguer Mike Cervenak picked up his very first major league hit for Philadelphia last week? Mike joins Robinson Cancel in the 32-year-old club next week, and is 10 seasons out from his professional debut at Chillicothe, OH in the Frontier League.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN NEED OF A PROFESSIONAL TRYOUT? The third annual Arizona Winter League season starting in late January might be it. Check out details on this blog or at www.IndependentBaseballClassifieds.com.

The action comes hot and heavy all summer as we try to keep in reasonable touch with the major developments in all eight Independent leagues involving 62 teams. Throw in the pennant races and record-breaking near the end of the season plus some really creative promotions, and...well...it is a dizzying pace. Here are a couple of examples:

A SECOND FRONTIER LEAGUE NO-HITTER--We had no more than gotten the mention of Isaac Hess's no-hit game for Windy City of the Frontier League into last week's Independent Baseball Insider column when word came of a second FL gem. Eric Ridener and Zack Gray combined on this no-hitter for the Gateway Grizzlies (Sauget, IL) on the road against Kalamazoo, MI. Ridener was making his first start since 2004, and after being touched for two unearned runs in the first inning he settled in for six added no-hit innings before turning the job over to Gray as the Grizzlies won it, 5-2. I believe these are the only two no-hitters in the Independent world this season.

NORTHERN LEAGUE CAREER RECORD FOR SAVES TUMBLES--Nate Cotton of Fargo, ND now owns the Northern League record for saves by recording his 69th. It came before the RedHawks' largest crowd of the season, 5,168. There always is irony, in this case the fact the victim was Schaumburg, IL, with whom the 29-year-old picked up the first 28 of the saves during 2005 and 2006. The Kennesaw (GA) State right-hander is enjoying his finest Independent season with a win and 19 saves plus a 1.33 earned run average so far in '08.

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