NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE SETTLES ON TWO SIX-TEAM DIVISIONS; PAUL ABBOTT OFFERS HIGH PRAISE

Breaking News! Breaking News! We are just like the breathless TV announcers, with our story centering on the announcement that the North American League will only have two divisions (instead of the widely discussed three) with six teams in each.

It almost had to happen since there were only three teams remaining from both the Northern and United Leagues, and it seemed like too much of a stretch to make the Western Canada teams play in the league with the Northern teams as one highly-placed official had indicated was possible or to place a travel team in the United bracket. Travel still will not be easy in either bracket.

The Eastern Division breaks down this way: Edinburg, San Angelo and Rio Grande Valley (Harlingen) in Texas plus Lake County (Zion), Rockford and Schaumburg, IL.

The Western Division will have Calgary and Edmonton in Canada, Tijuana (The Embajadores) in Mexico, Yuma, AZ, Chico, CA and Maui, HA. Somewhat surprising is the omission of Orange County (Fullerton, CA).

HOW'S THIS FOR PRAISE?

Paul Abbott was such a good pitcher he was in the major leagues off and on from 1990 to 2004, putting up a 43-37 record and winning 17 of 21 decisions with Seattle in 2002. And, he obviously is a fan of the Independent game, especially after managing Orange County (Fullerton, CA) in the Golden League last season.

"My time with the Flyers was the richest experience and really (the) most fun I've had in organized baseball", the 43-year-old said as he departed his one season of managing (51-35) to become pitching coach at Lowell, MA in the Boston Red Sox system.

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

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

CAN-AM LEAGUE MAY HAVE HIT ANOTHER BUMP, AND WE DIG INTO THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SCHEDULE

Teams in the newly-expanded American Association have been announcing their schedules for a few days now which leaves only the Can-Am and the new three-division North American League to get their lineup of teams finalized so they can let fans know what their schedules will look like.

The Can-Am, which appeared to be headed back to a more impressive eight teams with the addition of Newark, NJ from the Atlantic League and a possible expansion team in Ramapo, NY, may suddenly have taken a new hit.

The New Jersey Herald broke the story this week that Sussex, one of the two Floyd Hall-operated teams in the state (along with the New Jersey Jackals), may not return unless a last-minute buyer is found. Quoting the Sussex Skyhawks' Facebook page, The Herald reported "if the season were to start tomorrow, the Skyhawks would go inactive".

With opposition continuing to fight the building of a stadium in Ramapo and only five months remaining until the Can-Am normally opens its season, it would not be a shock to see the Northeast-based league once again play with six teams.

SOME THINGS WE SEE IN THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION SCHEDULE

The American Association definitely appears strengthened with its addition of four teams out of the Northern League plus Amarillo, TX coming in to replace Pensacola, FL and whittle down some of the travel issues, but there certainly are some quirks in the league schedule.

The positive news spills over to the expansion of the schedule from 96 to 100 games, and a straight forward playoff plan that will include the three divisional champions and the wild card with the best record.

We examined the St. Paul, schedule, and presuming it is somewhat typical in an unbalanced environment, the Saints will play everyone but El Paso, TX in at least one series and will make only one major southern trip to play 13 games in as many days while visiting four cities. St. Paul will play eight opponents at least once both at home and on the road, including the four that just departed the Northern League, and will have nine teams visit Midway Stadium overall. Lincoln, NE says it will host 12 of the 13 league opponents.

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

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

WHITE SOX GIVE PETE ROSE, JR. HIS FIRST MANAGERIAL OPPORTUNITY

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

They gave 41-year-old Pete Rose, Jr., who spent virtually all of the last eight years of his playing career in Independent leagues, the job of managing their advanced rookie team in Bristol, VA (Appalachian League).

The Chisox only had the son of the major league hit king in their minor league system for two stints early in his career (1991-96)so they deserve credit for not holding anything his dad did against him. After all, Rose, Jr., played professionally for 21 seasons and only got 14 major league at-bats, all with Cincinnati in 1997.

The Rose hiring is the most intriguing transaction of late even though we can point to other Indy players who have gotten new contracts.

Rose first stepped onto an Independent diamond with the New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls), then of the Northeast League and now in the Can-Am, to hit a non-affiliated career high of 15 home runs in 1998. It has been a steady diet of play in Indy leagues since 2002 with Winnipeg, Joliet, IL and Lincoln, NE, followed by Atlantic League play exclusively between 2005 and 2009 with Long Island, NY (three times), Bridgeport, CT, Newark, NJ and York, PA. The left-handed hitter became a hitting coach at Florence, KY of the Frontier League last season.

'SURPRISING' BARTON GETS NEW AFFILIATED OPPORTUNITY

When Brian Barton was playing for Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League early last season, the 28-year-old gave this typist the impression he was a strikeout machine. That is not good for an outfielder hopeful of returning to the major leagues. He fanned 34 times in 91 at-bats with only seven runs batted in (.264, three homers).

But Barton ended up in a Newark, NJ uniform, and although the Bears were struggling he caught fire to hit .375 with 24 doubles, 16 homers and 65 RBI in 77 games. He did fan another 72 times in his 277 times at bat, but the production was sufficient that Cincinnati has signed him and placed Barton on their Louisville (Triple A) roster. He has seen limited duty in Venezuela this winter (5-for-17) in trying to be ready to shoot for the majors once more. He already has played for St. Louis and very briefly for Atlanta.

OTHER SIGNINGS

Among other recent signings of former Independent players:
**Minnesota inked catcher Rene Rivera to a Triple-A pact after he started last season with Camden, NJ of the Atlantic League and finished in Class AA with the New York Yankees.
**Baltimore gave former major league receiver Michel Hernandez (Somerset, NJ, Atlantic) another Class AAA contract. It certainly gives him the continued opportunity to be ready if the Orioles need help in the American League East.
**The Yankees re-signed third baseman Myron Leslie (New Jersey, Can-Am League) and elevated him one level to Double-A.

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

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

HALL OF FAMER GILLICK'S LINK TO THE INDEPENDENT GAME

This is a little later than it might have been, but let me say Independent Baseball should tip its fedora to Pat Gillick for his election to the Hall of Fame. Gillick was one who seemed to embrace the Indy game from the beginning when some of his major league brethren were not so certain.

Gillick's closest association, he confirmed at the Winter Meetings last week, has been with Winnipeg Owner Sam Katz. I cannot help but wonder if that relationship had something to do with Seattle purchasing pitchers George Sherrill and Bobby Madritsch back in 2003 when Gillick was general manager of the Mariners.

Both made the majors, and Sherrill, who started his pro journey in the Frontier League in 1999, ranks as one of the very best to climb all the way to the top from a start in an Indy circuit. His last five full seasons have been in the major leagues, with Atlanta the latest to obtain the free agent's services (for 2011). Sherrill hurled in Evansville, IN for two years, then spent 2001 in Sioux Falls, SD and a season and a half with Winnipeg before ever getting a shot with a major league organization. Winnipeg and Sioux Falls, originally Northern League teams, now are part of the American Association.

PENSACOLA TO DOUBLE-A?

We hope to sort it out more before Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column, but if Pensacola, FL does go dark next season while preparing to launch a Double-A franchise in its new stadium in 2012, as is being rumored, that move likely would get the American Association back to an even number of teams instead of fielding a very awkward 15 next season.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

INDEPENDENT LEAGUES HAVE BANNER DAY WITH FIVE PLAYERS TAKEN IN TRIPLE-A PHASE OF RULE 5 DRAFT

While Boston's apparent signing of Carl Crawford seemed certain to steal the spotlight on the last day of the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Thursday also was a banner day for Independent Baseball.

No fewer than five former Indy players, including three who signed during or after the season, were taken by new organizations during the Rule 5 free agent draft. All five went as part of the Triple-A phase of the draft which means the new organization had to pay $12,500 for each contract. The quintet will be on Triple-A rosters for now although they can play at any level in the organization in 2011.

The Northern League, whittled down to part of the new North American League in the future, came out looking extremely good because four of the players have played there, starting with Triple Crown threat Jacob Blackwood, an infielder, and catcher Travis Scott, both part of the NL this season.

The American Association can claim partial credit for three of the five draftees starting with southpaw Justin Dowdy, who was taken by San Francisco. Dowdy saved 17 games and posted an exceptional 1.08 earned run average with Wichita, KS and pitched in the All-Star Game before having his contract purchassed by Tampa Bay. He fanned 40 batteres in 25 innings. Dowdy, a 10-year pro vet at the age of 27, had one save and a 2.04 ERA in 11 games in Class AA.

Blackwood was drafted by San Diego, Scott by Pittsburgh. The other players with new homes are pitchers, right-hander Matt Sartor with San Francisco and righty Daniel Sattler with the Los Angeles Angels.

Blackwood and Sattler both had ties to the Kansas City (KS) T-Bones, one of the clubs moving from the Northern League to the American Association, while Scott was with Rockford, IL, which was in the Northern League and seems ticketed for the Northern Division of the NAL, which is being formed by the remaining teams in the Northern, United and Golden Leagues.

Sartor played for Lewisville, TX of the Continental League, which stopped play after the '10 season. Dowdy also has had time with Shreveport, LA in the American Association, Alexandria, LA when it was in the United League, Calgary, Canada of the Northern League and Rockford, when the RiverHawks played in the Frontier League.

Blackwood, drafted as a third baseman (he also plays second), led the Northern League with 31 home runs and 86 RBI and his .331 average ranked third. He struck out only 46 times in 426 times at bat. Scott, who bats left-handed, hit .300 in 65 games for Rockford with five homers and 29 driven in.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

CHRISTIAN'S BAT HOT WHILE PENA, WARD, ROGERS, SWINDLE AMONG RECENT SIGNEES

Some quick hits before heading out for the Winter Meetings in Orlando the next three days.

The last I have seen is that Justin Christian still is a free agent after playing much of 2010 in the New York Yankees system. His presence is going to be known to those scouting the winter leagues because this fleet outfielder is leading the Dominican League with a hefty .383 average (69-for-180) and has been successful in all 22 of his steal attempts. Christian, who started in Independent Baseball with River City (O'Fallon, MO) of the Frontier League and came back to play briefly in the Atlantic League last spring (Southern Maryland at Waldorf), also is showing extra base power with 16 doubles and seven home runs.

THE SIGNINGS SCENARIO

While veteran major league lefty George Sherrill is on the free agent market after being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the big bats of Daryle Ward and Wily Mo Pena are off the market. Ward (Newark, NJ, Atlantic League) has been signed by the Chicago White Sox for their Triple-A Charlotte, NC club and Pena (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) is reported to have been signed by Arizona with a major league spring training invitation. Sherrill is one of the best signings ever among players who started in Indy circles. He went all the way from Evansville, IN of the Frontier League and former Northern League cities Winnipeg, CA and Sioux Falls, SD to closing in both Baltimore and with the Dodgers. Winnipeg and Sioux Falls now are in the American Association.

Tampa Bay has once again signed southpaw R. J. Swindle, giving this Northern League (Schaumburg, IL) and Atlantic League (Newark) reliever another chance. Shortstop Ed Rogers (Bridgeport), a steadying influence both on the field and in the clubhouse, has gotten a new contract from Arizona.

MANAGERIAL MOVES

Stan Hough is getting another managing opportunity, this time with Fort Worth, TX of the American Association. He spent two years in the Northeast League (Waterbury, CT), then was an affiliated field boss, working as high as Triple-A Ottawa, CA.

Meanwhile, longtime Indy Manager Les Lancaster has departed Sioux City, IA (American Association) after three years to become pitching coach for Philadelphia's Gulf Coast League team in Clearwater, FL.

Subscribe Now to the 2011 Independent Baseball Insider and Receive Free Bonus Issues October-December of 2010. 41 columns in 2011 for $45

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER