HURRICANE WATCH IS ON, BUT THE NEWS DOES NOT SLOW UP

A few juicy tidbits while waiting out the hurricane on the East Coast, which has already led to a number of postponements or rearranged schedules in both the Atlantic and Can-Am Leagues...

Catcher Ken Howell has caused quite a stir in his first four games with Boston's Double-A club in Portland, ME after his contract was purchased from Lincoln, NE (American Association). The 28-year-old started with a triple and homer plus two RBI and two runs in his initial game, but the big explosion came in his fourth appearance (Wednesday) when he had a 4-for-5 performance, including two doubles and another homer. The Florida Southern product is 7-for-15 (.467) with 17 total bases which lead to a gaudy 1.133 slugging percentage.

While I made a point of Brian Daubach's continued attention to Independent Baseball in my interview with the Hagerstown, MD manager for yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column, I did not have the opportunity to mention the one Indy player with the Washington farm club. Ben Graham, who was in two games for Wichita, KS (American Association) last season, is a solid 4-3 with seven saves and a 3.09 ERA in 34 appearances. Daubach also was well aware James Leverton of South Atlantic League opponent Greensboro, NC had been purchased by Florida this summer from the New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls) of the Can-Am League, even though the southpaw was in the Chicago Cubs organization when Daubach was the Can-Am skipper at Pittsfield, MA last summer. "We beat him", Daubach chuckled.

Everyone seems surprised with another ownership change in Schaumburg, IL, which will be in the Frontier League next summer after a year off from pro baseball. The owner was originally going to be Alan Oremus, who started the new FL team in Joliet, IL this season. Oremus is now selling to Pat Salvi, who already owns Gary, IN of the American Association. The important part is city officials in Schaumburg have agreed to the change.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

I

ST. PAUL FINALLY GETS A SALE TO THE TWINS AND WE FOLLOW UP ON SPIEZIO, VALDES AND RANDY WILLIAMS

There must be quite a few chuckles in the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis today. Well, at least on the St. Paul side of the river.

Everyone who has followed Independent Baseball from the beginning in 1993 knows how the Minnesota Twins tossed barbs in the direction of the startup St. Paul Saints in those early days.

The vaunted Saints reached a proud milestone a few weeks ago when they sold their 100th player contract to a major league organization. Well, No. 101 came Thursday when setup man Caleb Thielbar's contract was sold to, you guessed it, those same Twins, who probably wouldn't have made such a move if their life depended on it back in '93.

In fact, the Saints report this is the very first time the Twins have purchased one of their players. The first 100 sales were to other organizations. Thielbar takes some impressive statistics with him as he reports to Class A Fort Myers, FL, especially his 62 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. The lefty, originally a Milwaukee Brewers draftee, was 3-3 with a 2.54 ERA and walked only 11 batters in his 43 appearances.

SCOTT SPIEZIO GETS A NICE MOMENT

It has been well documented that Scott Spiezio had various personal battles about the time his lengthy major league career ended in 2007 so it is great seeing the Los Angeles Angels have invited their 2002 World Series hero back for a ceremonial first pitch on Sunday as part of the club's 50th anniversary celebration.

His father Ed, also a major league player, will be Scott's catcher and the younger Spiezio's sons, 11 and nine, also will be on the field.

Scott Spiezio, who also helped St. Louis to its World Series title in 2006, finished his pro career with 16 games for Orange County (Fullerton, CA) of the Golden League in 2009 and 52 contests with Newark, NJ, which still was in the Atlantic League, last year.

WILLIAMS, VALDES DESIGNATED

Southpaw relievers Raul Valdes, who played for both New Jersey (Little Falls) and Nashua, NH in the Can-Am League before ever reaching the major leagues, and Randy Williams, who got back to the majors after playing for Edinburg, TX of what was the Central League, have both been designated for assignment. This means Valdes and Williams, who spent time with St. Louis and Boston, respectively, this season, will be traded, released or returned to the minor leagues within 10 days of the action taken by their clubs.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

GARY GAETTI LATEST BIG NAME TO COME TO INDEPENDENT BASEBALL; ALSO, WHAT ABOUT THIS HOME RUN

Another big baseball name is giving Independent Baseball a try after admitting he once looked down at it.

The Houston suburb of Sugar Land, which will have a new stadium (Star Tex Power Field) when it begins play in the Atlantic League next season, has landed longtime major league third baseman Gary Gaetti as field manager.

"I had no idea what it (Independent Baseball) was about--none," The Houston Chronicle quoted Gaetti, after the press conference introducing him. "I hadn't really heard a lot of good things about it, but that's just ignorance is what it was."

Gaetti admitted getting a different outlook after his son Joe played for the Atlantic League's Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers last season. The elder Gaetti called the quality of play comparable to what he saw while a coach for Triple-A Durham, NC in 2007-08. "I was shocked at the quality of the stadium, and I was shocked at the attendance. I've been at a lot of minor league stadiums, and it wasn't as nice or upbeat or positive," the Skeeters' new manager told The Chronicle.

Gaetti, 52, ranks 50th in major league history with 2,507 games played, and is one of six third basemen to collect at least 350 home runs, 1,300 RBI and 2,200 hits. He helped Minnesota to its first World Series title in 1987, and was hitting coach for the Houston Astros for their trip to the World Series in 2005.

A RARE HOMER

Norris Hopper had played in 1,353 professional games and hit a grand total of four home runs. That was until this week when Hopper had one of those memorable games, a three-run homer and a run-scoring bunt single to give Somerset, NJ a 4-3 Atlantic League victory at Lancaster.

Hopper's most recent home run had been struck on September 22, 2006 for the Cincinnati Reds.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

ANOTHER HEADACHE FOR NEW LEAGUE AS LAKE COUNTY THREATENS TO FOLD

As if the North American League has not had enough issues in its maiden season, it certainly does not need to have a team threatening to cease operation prior to the September 5 regular season finale.

The wrangling over construction of a permanent stadium and the charges of overdue rent between the Lake County Fielders and the city of Zion, IL seems to be reaching a boiling point.

Zion officials insist the Fielders owe $185,000 in back rent (part of it for last season) and Lake County President Rich Ehrenreich is threatening to fold the team, according to various media reports including a lengthy story in today's Chicago-based Daily Herald.

"I think we're certainly within days (of folding) if they're (the city) not going to come to the table to discuss this (completion of the stadium) with us," the Daily Herald quoted Ehrenreich. "Why would we continue to lose money every day in this project."

The newspaper says Lake County has 29 home games scheduled between today and September 5 and also has what it is calling a "now-iffy" final trip to Maui for four games August 10-13.

Earlier this season, Fielders Manager Tim Johnson quit in a salary payment dispute and virtually the entire team was traded or released. The Fielders have a 27-33 record.

JOE THATCHER ACTIVATED BY PADRES

One of the five Independent Baseball graduates on a major league disabled list, left-handed reliever Joe Thatcher, has finally been activated by the San Diego Padres.

The Frontier League alum (River City, O'Fallon, MO) had spent the entire season on the DL because of a shoulder strain that required surgery in May. Thatcher had made nine rehab appearances, one with Class A Lake Elsinore, CA and eight with Triple-A Tucson. He allowed only three hits and one earned run in 8.1 innings while striking out 12 and walking three.

Right-hander Brandon Kintzler, who formerly pitched for St. Paul, MN, in the American Association and Winnipeg before that Canadian city moved from the Northern League to the American Association, had a screw placed in his ailing elbow recently and it is debatable whether he will be able to return to the parent Milwaukee Brewers this season.

Shortstop Stephen Drew (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) almost certainly has been lost to Arizona for the season while his brother J. D. (St. Paul) could get back to Boston. Lefty reliever Alberto Castillo also is on the Arizona DL. He worked for three teams in the Atlantic League (New Jersey cities Newark and Camden plus the traveling Road Warriors) as well as with Schaumburg, IL, which was in the Northern League.

LOANING PLAYERS

I doubt I am alone when I get tired of seeing teams, in effect, loan players to pennant-contending teams in their own league or another circuit when they fall out of contention. The transactions are frequently labeled as trades for a player "to be named later" only to see a reverse transaction after the season returning the same player to his former team.

Leagues could require the player to stay with the new team well into or throughout the next season.

The acquisition of players from the Mexican League (which ends early) is nearly as bad.

In each instance, a player who has been with the team--possibly all year--loses his job because the roster limit is unchanged.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions

IT TOOK ERIK HAMREN LESS THAN A YEAR REMOVED FROM TWO INDY BULLPENS TO REACH THE MAJORS

While it will not go down as one of the pennant-race biggies of trade deadline weekend, one of the subsequent transactions will forever be etched in Eric Hamren's mind.

The reliever, who split time with two Independent teams as recently as last year, is poised to be in the San Diego Padres bullpen when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night.

Hamren, who doesn't turn 25 until August 21, split 2010 between Kansas City, KS (now in the American Association) and Joliet, IL (which has a new team in the Frontier League). Both were Northern League franchises one year ago, with the right-hander working 37 games for the T-Bones (0-1, 2 saves, 3.94) and playing in seven for Joliet (0-1, a save, 0.84.

The 6-foot-1 Hamren was drafted in the 37th round out of Saddleback (CA) Community College by the Chicago Cubs in '08, and emerged in brilliant fashion in the San Diego farm system this season. He was 2-0 with a save and a 1.08 ERA at Lake Elsinore, CA, then moved up to Class AA San Antonio, TX where he won all three decisions in 33 appearances with a 0.92 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 49 innings. He was even better of late, allowing just one run and 10 hits plus three walks over 16 innings in his last 10 trips to the mound.

Hamren is the 32nd Independent player to wear a major league uniform this season, which is two more than in all of 2010 and within three of what is believed to be the all-time high set in '08.

BRAD ZIEGLER HAS A NEW HOME

Another former Northern League hurler, Brad Ziegler, who has been a strong influence in the Oakland Athletics bullpen since 2008, moved to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the weekend. Ziegler pitched for Schaumburg, IL briefly in 2004.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER FOR 2011. Subscriptions to the Insider now only $33 for the remainder of 2011.

REQUEST A FREE WEEK OF THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER

Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions