D-BACKS COULD BE ADDING PENA WHILE CORDERO CALLS IT QUITS AND GULIN IS RELEASED

Speculation has been running high that Arizona would add the potent bat of Wily Mo Pena today (Tuesday) as the Diamondbacks begin a stretch in which nine of 12 interleague games will be played in American League stadiums where the designated will be used. Nothing seemed to have been announced, however, by mid-afternoon.

Pena, who played a good chunk of last season (155 at-bats) with Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League, has been tearing up the Pacific Coast League all year. He has 21 home runs, 40 extra-base hits and 63 runs batted in for 63 games. The big right-handed hitter is at .363 with a .439 on-base percentage.

RETIREMENT AND A RELEASE TAKES TWO GOOD PITCHING NAMES

Former major league closing standout Chad Cordero has called it quits at the age of 29 after getting roughed up in the American Association. Pitching for the St. Paul (MN)Saints, Cordero struggled to a 13.50 ERA for seven outings.

Cordero's career was highlighted by the 2005 season when he saved a National League-leading 47 games for Washington, made the All-Star team and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He was not the same after shoulder surgery in 2008.

Southpaw Lindsay Gulin also could be nearing the end of the road after being released Monday by the Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs. Gulin, 34, did it all except reach the major leagues, compiling a 119-74 record and winning the American Association's Star of Stars award in 2006 when he won 13 games for Lincoln. He earned Pacific Coast League All-Star honors two years later, and reach Triple-A with two organizations.

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HERE IS A SUGGESTION: TRY TO VISIT THE STUNNING NEW CAN-AM BALLPARK

It was just as pre-game ceremonies were starting when I asked Miles Wolff how many of these events he had been a part of in his 19 years as commissioner of an Independent league.

With little more than a shake of the head and a grin, it was obvious the Can-Am League boss had no idea of the answer.

One thing is certain: Not many could match the magnificence of the first-year Rockland Boulders stadium an hour north of New York City in Ramapo, NY.

Provident Bank Park, rushed all winter and spring to get near completion, attracted what was called a standing-room-only crowd of 6,317 (there were some open seats in both outfield sections) and the Boulders obliged with a sparkling 3-1 win over Brockton, MA. Dave LaPoint's team had to be happy to be home since its first 16 games (5-11) were on foreign soil, including eight defeats in a row.

But this game was much more about the new $38 million playpen tucked in the Ramapo Mountains. The plan to build the stadium had been disputed by many, as often is the case with such projects, but city fathers plus President Ken Lehner and his partners had their say.

The stadium seems to have everything: It has spaciousness for watching, chatting and eating, a lush, green playing surface and multitudes of fascinating touches. Want to see a handsome bridge. Got it. Need a kid's zone. Rightfield corner. Picnic area with a grand view of the diamond. Check. Crystal clear high-definition scoreboard complete with replays from the crew of at least 10. You bet.

My suggestion is that anyone within reach check it out for themselves because I have not included many of the amenities.

Oh, I did come upon a couple of blips. One concession stand was out of pizza by the fourth inning, and closer Adrian Martin, who got to nail down the first game win, admitted with a wry smile as he was waiting for his pre-game introduction that the 313-foot sign in front of the picnic area in the rightfield corner might be just a tad short to give pitchers comfort.

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SOME ODD 'N ENDS STARTING WITH HOT SEATTLE MINOR LEAGUE HURLER

I would mark Steve Delabar down as a former Independent player possibly on a fast track toward the major leagues.

While the 27-year-old righty has been pitching professionally since 2004, he was only signed by Seattle in the third week of April and now the Mariners have promoted the 6-foot-5 hurler from Class A High Desert in the California League to Double-A Jackson, MS.

We wrote about Delabar earlier this season in the Independent Baseball Insider because he is coming back after what appeared to be a career-ending broken right elbow. He worked at Florence, KY of the Frontier League and for quite a while with Brockton, MA in the Can-Am League before Seattle bought his contract.

Delabar has struck out 29 hitters in 20.1 minor league innings so far with five saves, a 2-1 record and a 2.66 earned run average. He has been virtually perfect in the Southern League, and we will keep a lookout for more progress.

ODDS 'N ENDS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND: The New York Mets have sent lefty Mike O'Connor (Southern Maryland, Atlantic League) back to Triple-A Buffalo even though he had a 2.70 ERA for nine appearances. He took one loss, but also fanned eight in 6.2 innings and gave up only five hits...Milwaukee has Erick Almonte (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League) out on a rehab assignment at Nashville. He was perhaps the major surprise among former Indy players during spring training when he came from nowhere to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster as a utilityman and pinch hitter...It may not be the end, but Detroit has released former major league hurler Chris Oxspring, whose Indy time was at Cook County (Crestwood, IL) of the Frontier League...Corey Smith (Newark, NJ, Atlantic) is back at Double-A Chattanooga, TN after the Dodgers had moved the hot-hitting third baseman up to Albuquerque for a time. It still would not surprise this corner if he got a major league opportunity because of his bat...the pace of player sales from Indy teams to major league organizations has really picked up in recent days.

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