NEAR PERFECT GAME AMONG IMPRESSIVE FEATS IN WINTER BASEBALL BY INDY LEAGUERS

As difficult it is for this writer to believe the Australian Baseball League's depth can match up with the Atlantic League (or, probably, most any U.S.-based Independent league), to get within two strikes of a perfect game is a wonderful feat.

That is exactly what happened recently for Nic Ungs (2-1, 3.25), who has reached Triple-A and went 4-7, 5.45 as a starter for the Somerset (NJ) Patriots of the Atlantic League this past summer.

Ungs, a 32-year-old right-hander from Alpharetta, GA, missed out on the perfect game when Brisbane's Brad Dutton shot a drive into rightfield. It was barely out of the reach of Melbourne first baseman Justin Huber, ironically, a teammate of the pitcher at Somerset.

Ungs is said to have already pitched one no-hitter in his career, which includes more than 70 professional victories.

INDY HURLERS 1-2-3 IN VENEZUELA

Former Independent pitchers Eric Junge, Mike Parisi and Austin Bibens-Dirkx hold down the top three spots in the earned run average race in Venezuela this winter. Junge, at last report a free agent after working in the Los Angeles Angels farm system last summer, has a fancy 1.78 ERA and has won three of four decisions. He has played at both Lancaster, PA and Bridgeport, CT in the Atlantic League. Parisi, signed last season by the Los Angeles Dodgers after a stint at Long Island, NY in the same league, is 1-3, 2.09. Bibens-Dirkx spent his Indy time with Victoria, British Columbia, in the Golden League, and is the league-leader with seven victories (7-3) while ranking third in the ERA derby at 2.19. After being released this fall by the Chicago Cubs system, he has been a hard worker, starting 13 times so far.

John Rodriguez, who has been with Long Island the last two seasons, leads the Puerto Rican league with seven home runs, and shares fifth in RBI (17) with onetime Ducks catcher Robinson Cancel. The hefty Cancel, who has had several trips to the major leagues including a couple of games with Houston last season, also has played for Somerset and the traveling Road Warriors in the Atlantic League as well as with Edinburg, TX, when that North American League city had a team in the United League.

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FORT WORTH ADDS TO NORTH AMERICAN LEAGUE LANDSCAPE; BUCKNER, SWINDLE ALSO IN THE NEWS

Christmas has come a bit early for fans of the Fort Worth (TX) Cats as well as for Bill Buckner and R. J. Swindle.

Cats fans can celebrate the news there will be baseball for their team in 2012 now that John Bryant and Byron Pierce have purchased the team from Carl Bell and landed as another Texas entry in the southern division of the North American League. Fort Worth had been dropped by the American Association when the team could not produce the appropriate league operational bond.

This addition also adds to NAL CEO Kevin Outcalt's declaration to us a few days ago that he is expecting "10 or 12" teams in the second year league even though our count today is only eight. Could the return of Fullerton, CA be next?

BUCKNER TO CUBS' BOISE FARM, CARDINALS INK SWINDLE

The rumor mill had long been grinding that Bill Buckner would not be back as the manager at Brockton, MA long before the Rox exited from the Can-Am League, and the longtime major league hit machine's next job is now known. He will be hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs' Northwest League farm club in Boise, which is only fitting since Buckner lives in the Idaho community.

Meanwhile, lefty reliever R. J. Swindle, who was 2-0, 4.15 in 39 appearances for Tampa Bay's top farm club in Durham, N.C. last season, has inked a minor league deal that includes an invitation to the major league spring training camp of the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Swindle, who toiled in both the Atlantic League (Newark, NJ) and the Northern League (Schaumburg, IL), still is on the short side of 30. He has had brief major league time with both Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

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BIG BLOW TO CAN-AM WITH LOSS OF BROCKTON; CHICO ALSO DOUBTFUL

It has to feel like a dagger to the heart for many of those who have fought to keep the Brockton (MA) Rox alive--ownership and fans alike--to know that the team is not going to be in the Can-Am League in 2012, if, indeed, ever again. The league may feel the pain the most since it leaves this northeastern circuit with only five teams for the new year although it will have an exchange of games for the remaining franchises with some teams in the American Association, another Independent league with most of its roots well west of the Mississippi.

The North American League, approaching only its second season since the merger of portions of three Indy leagues, also appears to have lost one of its banner franchises in Chico, CA. Neither the league or Nettleton Stadium owner Chico State University has signed off entirely, but that appears to be the next step.

In both the Brockton and Chico cases strong local ownership could save the day, but that is not an easy-to-find solution most anywhere these days.

RECENT SIGNINGS WITH ANTOAN RICHARDSON IN A NEW HOME

Free agent Antoan Richardson, the fleet outfielder who once stole 66 bases in the South Atlantic League and pilfered 20 in only 27 games during his first Northern League stint (Schaumburg, IL, 2009), has joined the Baltimore organization.

Playing at 27, the onetime Palm Beach State and Vanderbilt University player spent most of last season with Atlanta's Double-A Mississippi club (.283-1-21 in 91 games) and got his first major league experience in September. Richardson went 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base in nine appearances during the parent Braves' stretch run. No word yet whether Richardson will get a non-roster invitation from the Orioles.

Two other players re-signed with their current organization, catcher Rene Rivera (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) with Minnesota and outfielder Mike Spidale (Kansas City, KS, when the American Association's T-Bones still were in the Northern League) with Philadelphia.

Rivera got considerable time with the parent Twins in 2011, but the solid defender only hit .144, and he likely will face a more difficult challenge to return to the American League with Minnesota bringing on a stronger hitter in veteran Ryan Doumit to back up Joe Mauer. The Twins also still have another defensive minded backstop on the 40-man roster in Drew Butera.

Spidale has been a fixture in the Phillies' system for several years, mostly at Class AA Reading, PA and occasionally a level higher at Lehigh Valley (Allentown, PA) without reaching the majors. He was a mid-year all-star in the Eastern League last summer, and hit .326 in 133 games with five homers, 35 RBI and 20 steals.

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PHILLIES SHOW SOME INTEREST IN GEORGE SHERRILL; OTHERS SIGN

Veteran lefty reliever George Sherrill still is on the free agent market although Philadelphia has shown interest. General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. told MLB.com an offer is "not probable, but possible".

Sherrill is one of the very best to make his way from starting in Independent Baseball and getting sizeable time in the majors. He was with Atlanta last season. Sherrill started his pro journey at Evansville, IN of the Frontier League, and later pitched for Winnipeg and Sioux Falls, SD of the Northern League before his contract was sold to the Seattle Mariners.

BREWERS, TORONTO BUSY

Major league organizations continue signing former Indy players to new deals.

Shortstop/utilityman Erick Almonte (Long Island, NY, Atlantic League), who was so outstanding last spring training that he opened the National League season with Milwaukee, has signed a new Triple-A (Nashville) deal with the Brewers with a non-roster invitation to the major league camp in Arizona.

Pat Arlis also has re-signed with Milwaukee's top farm club. He caught for Kansas City, KS when the T-Bones were in the Northern League as well as playing for both Calgary and Orange County (Fullerton) of the Golden League. Another backstop, Mike Rivera (Atlantic City, NJ, Atlantic League), also has a new deal with the same Nashville Sounds.

Onetime Chicago Cubs starting prospect Robert Coello, a right-handed pitcher with Golden League time in both Edmonton and Calgary, is out of the free agent ranks after signing a Triple-A deal with Toronto.

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INDY PLAYERS SHUTOUT IN TODAY'S RULE 5 DRAFT

I thought there might be news from the Rule 5 Draft today (Thursday) since five players with Independent experience were taken one year ago, but that was not the case. Not a single former Indy player was selected in any phase of the draft that took place on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Dallas.

Two of the five chosen by a new organization last December remain with their new team. Jacob Blackwood is with San Diego (see previous blog post) and right-hander Daniel Sattler, who, like Blackwood, had played for the Kansas City T-Bones when they still were in the Northern League, went 1-3, 5.40 with the Angels' Double-A Arkansas team this summer. He also made five appearances in the rookie Arizona League (0-1, 1.29).

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HOW MANY INDY PLAYERS WILL BE TAKEN IN RULE 5 THIS YEAR; RE-SIGNINGS CONTINUE

With five former Independent players drafted to the Triple-A level (teams paid $12,500 apiece) last December, it will be interesting to see if more players are taken when the next Rule 5 selections are made on Thursday as part of the Winter Meetings under way in Dallas.

One of last year's draftees was infielder Jacob Blackwood, who was Most Valuable Player in the Northern League's final season (2010) and narrowly missed the triple crown. The Kansas City (KS) T-Bones star (the team now is in the American Association) had another productive season in '11 although he still was in Class A in the San Diego Padres system.

The now 26-year-old Blackwood, who recently was promoted to the Triple-A Tucson roster for the winter, hit 17 homers and drove in 76 runs in 131 games divided almost equally between Fort Wayne, IN and the higher-ranked Lake Elsinore (CA) Storm. He also had 36 doubles while hitting .269.

Blackwood had hammered a league-leading 31 homers for the 2010 T-Bones while also leading the Northern League in RBI (86) and finishing third in hitting at .331

PADRES RE-SIGN, PROMOTE CARLOS SOSA

San Diego also re-signed and promoted to Tucson free agent outfielder Carlos Sosa, a veteran of three Indy leagues.

The 30-year-old Dominican hit .312 (two homers, 13 RBI) in 28 games in Class AA after a powerhouse start with the Atlantic League's travel team, the Road Warriors, where he was hitting .330 with 17 homers and 55 RBI. Sosa had a .314-15-69 season with Worcester, MA of the Can-Am League in 2009 and also has played for New Jersey (Little Falls) of the Can-Am and St. George, UT of the Golden League.

BREWERS GIVE PAT ARLIS ANOTHER CONTRACT

Catcher Pat Arlis has been given a new Triple-A contract in the Milwaukee organization. He is another former Kansas City T-Bones product, and he has spent time with both Calgary and Orange County when they were part of the Golden League.

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