THE LONG LINES DID NOT DAMPEN THIS NIGHT

I got my first opportunity of the season to see an Independent game last night, with a couple of reminders very quickly.

One was the power of a bargain. It was an exceedingly pleasant evening for late April in Connecticut, but even then it was a Tuesday night. With school still in session, I thought I could arrive at the last minute, walk up to a ticket window, put down a few dollars and be in my seat at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport in a matter of minutes.

Wrong!

A promotion included many fans getting vouchers for a free loge seat, but they had to exchange it for an actual reserved seat before entering the stadium. Four lines were not enough, so those of us who did not plan properly missed the first inning before being rescued by an employee who came on the scene with a handful of tickets to speed up the exchange.

I must say, it was good to see that many people coming to enjoy the Atlantic League game between the Bluefish and visiting Camden, NJ, especially since Bridgeport attendance has been dropping off in recent seasons. One can hope the new Frank Boulton-led regime will be able to turn the trend around.

Once inside, the game moved at a good pace, even when Joe Ferguson's Riversharks took command of Tommy John's home team. I hope everyone in the crowd realized these are two very good baseball names.

My second reminder was how much fun it was to see the ball jumping off the bat. Val Majewski, who had a Houston Astros Triple-A roster spot as recently as this spring, blasted a long home run to right. The ball took off, and appeared to still have considerable life when it disappeared into the darkness. Not a typical home run by any stretch.

Former major league infielder Junior Spivey also had the ball jump off his right-handed bat. It stayed in the park, but rattled to the fence, in impressive fashion. Spivey had opened his season with a 4-for-5 game two days earlier. He also got an clever out from shortstop by charging a bouncer and throwing across his body to first. Why hadn't the New York Mets kept him in their system this spring, I wondered.

The designated hitters, Vito Chiaravolloti of Camden and Bridgeport's Jay Caligiuri, took their turns at making the ball jump.

I took these pleasant thoughts away from the lopsided game, keeping my interest. But then every baseball game interests me for one reason or another.

Bob Wirz

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LIST OF PLAYERS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM AN INDEPENDENT LEAGUE TO THE MAJORS SUDDENLY GROWS BY FOUR

I had a pleasant surprise in the form of an email from SABR member Robert Schulz today.

He had seen the list of former Independent Baseball players who later reached the major leagues in my book, Independent Minor Leagues: 2007 Season in Review, and pointed out four omissions. I am grateful because I felt all along some players may have been left out, especially from leagues that no longer exist.

This was the case in Schulz's findings. All four had been in the Western League between 1995 and 1998.

Cuban defector Ariel Prieto signed with Palm Springs in 1995 for longtime Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Al Campanis, and quickly rang up a 4-0 record and a 0.97 earned run average in six appearances. He was in the major leagues later that season with Oakland, and eventually posted a 15-24 major league record.

Two other pitchers, Joe Strong and Chad Zerbe, had brief major league time with Florida and San Francisco, respectively. Strong had been with Surrey in the Western League and Zerbe with Sonoma. First baseman Graham Koonce was with Tri-City of the Western League in 1997, and he hit .331 in fulltime duty with Chico the next season. He got into six major league games (1-for-8) with Oakland in 2003.

The addition of the quartet brings the list of players who climbed to the majors after having been in Independent Baseball to at least 135. Thirty-two of them started in an Independent league, including Prieto and hurler Chris Jakubauskas, who debuted with Seattle earlier this season.

The list is certain to keep growing, with newcomers and possibly others who have been overlooked.

Bob Wirz

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ANOTHER GOOD WEEK FOR INDY STARS IN MAJORS, LED BY JAKUBAUSKAS AND MILLAR

As the major league season heated up, so did the involvement of former Independent Baseball players.

Two promotions to the big time need to be recognized with another player coming off the disabled list and a fourth likely to make a major league start on Sunday.

Tampa brought catcher Michel Hernandez (of Somerset, NJ, Atlantic League) back from Triple-A where he promptly caught a game (and went 1-for-3) against his former mates, the New York Yankees. And Milwaukee promoted lefty reliever R. J. Swindle, whose only previous major league experience came in three games (five innings) for Philadelphia late last season. Swindle is a product of both the Atlantic League (Newark, NJ) and the Northern League (one plus seasons with Schaumburg, IL).

Arizona activated Max Scherzer (Fort Worth, TX, American Association) off the disabled list, as expected, when the D-Backs first needed their fifth starter. He took a no decision after allowing three runs in five innings. And all signs point to the New York Mets adding Nelson Figueroa (Long Island, NY, Atlantic) so he can start on Sunday against Milwaukee.

Major league newcomer Chris Jakubauskas and veteran Kevin Millar seemingly made the biggest splashes of recent days.

It seems to be a trend for 30-year-old rookie Jakubauskas to make news. Following up on his surprise leadership of the Cactus League with a 1.99 earned run average this spring and his equally surprising earning of a spot with Seattle, the righthander got his first big league start (in only his third appearance). He ended up with a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but that is misleading in that the longtime Independent leaguer had a 1-0 lead through five innings and had retired 15 of the first 18 hitters he faced. He came out after allowing two of the first three hitters in the sixth to get hits, and the Angels posted a five-run inning against the bullpen.

"I think he tired real quickly, for lack of being stretched out," Manager Don Wakamatsu told MLB.com. "What impressed me was how efficient he was with his pitches, and his aggressiveness. He's a tough kid who went through a lot to get here. He's on a mission and pitched like it again tonight."

How true. And what smiles Jakubauskas has to be delivering in Lincoln, NE (American Association), Fullerton, CA (Golden League), Ohio Valley and Florence, KY (Frontier League) where he labored the first four plus of his professional seasons. He was signed out of Lincoln only in 2007.

Millar, the wily veteran who started his pro journey in St. Paul, MN (Northern League then, American Association now) in the first Indy season of 1993, cracked his fourth career major league grand slam Thursday to boost first place (yes, not a typo) Toronto to a 9-2 triumph over Minnesota. The Jays have been leading the powerful American League East early on.

The only blemish on the week was the demotion of another player who started his professional journey in an Independent league. St. Louis sent reliever Josh Kinney (River City, Frontier League) to the minors, although it would not surprise this corner to see it be a short stay.

Bob Wirz

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FRONTIER LEAGUE HOPEFUL ADDED TO THOSE BASEBALL MOURNS

A sad week in baseball got even worse Tuesday.

As if the deaths of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, former major league star Mark (The Bird) Fidrych and Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas (Philadelphia Phillies) were not enough, news came out of Illinois that Gateway Grizzlies rookie hurler Brandon Villalobos had died in a weekend dune buggy accident.

Villalobos, 23, had been scheduled to begin his professional career when he reported to the Frontier League team in Sauget, IL (near St. Louis) May 6. The lefty had once been drafted by the Chicago White Sox, but he chose to attend San Diego State. The dune buggy he was driving is said to have struck a dirt berm and rolled several times.

"We lost a promising young ball player and an even better person," said Gateway Manager Phil Warren, in a statement.

I do not know about Adenhart, but Fidrych and Kalas had at least indirect ties to the Independent game. Fidrych was among those known to take part in old-timers games such as those put together by Bill (Spaceman) Lee in the Northeast. Kalas was well known to all the onetime Phillies players now in Independent leagues.

"Harry Kalas is truly irreplaceable--the greatest voice in baseball," lamented Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers Manager Von Hayes, who was a Philadelphia outfielder (1983-91). "He was a very dear friend of mine," a statement released by the Atlantic League team continued. "Philadelphia sports will never be the same."

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JAKUBAUSKAS NOW HAS A MAJOR LEAGUE VICTORY

He had to first climb the long hill to get to the majors. Then came a successful debut (two scoreless relief innings) earlier this week, and Friday night longtime Independent Baseball hurler Chris Jakubauskas got his first major league victory.

The 30-year-old onetime University of Oklahoma first baseman-outfielder bailed out starter Ryan Rowland-Smith, who had a 5-2 lead for Seattle but did not last the required five innings to qualify to be the winning pitcher.

Jakubauskas inherited two runners with one out in the fourth at Oakland, then promptly hit Jason Giambi with a pitch to load the bases. But the right-hander retired Matt Holliday and Eric Chavez to strand the three runners.

Jakubauskas's log for the evening was 40 pitches (22 for strikes), two hits, two runs, one walk and 2.0 innings of work. The onetime hurler in the American Association (Lincoln, NE), Golden League (Fullerton, CA) and Frontier League (Florence, KY and traveling Ohio Valley) now has a 4.50 earned run average to go with his 1-0 career record.

Oh, and both Jakubauskas, who was in Independent leagues for a total of more than four years at the start of his pro career, and David Aardsma, who picked up his first major league save in the 5-4 Seattle victory, got shaving-cream pies in the face for their efforts.

Both no doubt feel it was worth it.

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AFTER JAKAUBAUSKAS'S CLIMB, SOME MAJOR LEAGUE CANDIDATES TO FOLLOW

A few leftover nuggets from spring training...

When the dust settled and the 25-man Opening Day rosters were set for the 30 major league clubs, 14 players who once called Independent Baseball home, not including Arizona hurler Max Scherzer (Fort Worth, TX, American Association), could be found. Scherzer will be in the Diamondbacks' rotation but technically is on the disabled list until his turn comes up in a few days.

Two of the 32 non-roster players made it (which probably is about an average year) with Kevin Millar (St. Paul, MN) taking his bat and his clubhouse hi-jinks to Toronto and another player who started in the Indy ranks, right-hander Chris Jakaubauskas, in the Seattle bullpen.

Jakaubauskas not only surprised the Mariners with his consistency in order to make the team, the 30-year-old onetime University of Oklahoma position player seems to have a specific role with the M's. With the bullpen lacking any left-handers, Jakubauskas is considered the first option to face southpaw hitters. "We feel comfortable with him in that role," Manager Don Wakamatsu told MLB.com.

Jakubauskas, who finished spring training with a sparkling 1.99 earned run average, started his Independent climb with the Florence (KY) Freedom in 2003. After three seasons in the Frontier League, he became Pitcher of the Year in the Golden League (Fullerton, CA, now called Orange County) in 2006 and was off to a 6-0 start with Lincoln, NE of the American Association in '07 when his contract was purchased by Seattle.

We will be breaking down the Opening Day Independent Class of 2009 in detail in this week's Independent Baseball Insider column.

BEST BETS TO REACH MAJORS SOON

It is tricky, to say the least, but based on spring training (and perhaps a dose of intuition), this typist believes the players listed below (alphabetically) rank as solid candidates to reach the majors before long:

Eliezer Alfonzo, C, San Diego (St. Paul)

Justin Christian, OF, Baltimore (River City, Frontier League)

Nelson Figueroa, RHP, New York Mets (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League)

Lindsay Gulin, LHP, Milwaukee (St. Paul and Lincoln)

Luke Hochevar, RHP, Kansas City (Fort Worth)

A tip on Christian is that the Orioles brought the fleet 29-year-old back and gave him two complete games last weekend after sending him to the minors earlier. The sentimental favorite has to be Gulin, who has not yet tasted regular season baseball in the majors.

KEEP AN EYE ON BRENT KRAUSE

St. Paul publicist Sean Aronson pointed out a player we had overlooked as we scouted box scores for former Indy players who got an occasional day in a major league camp. Outfielder Brent Krause, a Minnesota native who hit .317 in 93 games for the Saints this past summer, got two at-bats with Milwaukee. That is one huge step from the American Association in this span.

Krause is another player who started in the Independent ranks, going from Schaumburg, IL and Sioux City, IA of the Northern League in 2004 (Sioux City now plays in the American Association) to Fargo, ND (Northern) the next two seasons and St. Paul most of the last two years. Baltimore gave him a brief look in its system the last part of 2007.

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