CATCHING UP WITH SOME LATE INDEPENDENT DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING FALL LEAGUE ASSIGNMENTS

The transaction wire has been quiet so far on this last day of August, but some of the major league roster additions will start coming through soon with the September 1 expansion at hand. Unless the players are extremely urgent for postseason-contending teams, most of those called up will not be announced until most of the higher affiliated leagues close things out on Monday. Even then, some of the players may be involved in playoffs. We have no reason to back off of the suggestions we made of Indy players deserving of a big-league chance in yesterday's Independent Baseball Insider column.

CAN-AM LEAGUE STILL WANTS A TEAM IN WORCESTER

It has to be reasurring to fans in Worcester that the Can-Am League still wants to have a team in that Massachusetts community if it can find suitable ownership. The Can-Am pulled the membership from Streamlined Sports, Inc. Friday, where charges of unpaid bills have become much greater in recent days. The Tornadoes will finish the season as scheduled Saturday-Monday in Newark, NJ.

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE NEXT FOR THIS TRIO

Three former American Association players are included in rosters announced so far for the Arizona Fall League, where a very solid ranking is vital before a major league team will commit a roster spot.

James Paxton (Grand Prairie, TX), who we still believe could pitch for the parent Seattle Mariners in September, will be on the pitching staff of the Peoria Javelinas along with fellow southpaw Caleb Thielbar (St. Paul, MN). Thielbar is in Triple-A for Minnesota while Paxton has been working in Class AA. Right-hander Kevin Johnson, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels while he was at Pensacola, FL, will be with the Scottsdale Scorpions. Johnson has been working in Double-A.

Both Paxton and Johnson got their professional start in the American Association.

ERIC JUNGE GETS A NEW OPPORTUNITY

Onetime Lancaster (PA) Barnstormer and Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish pitcher Eric Junge, who was in the Atlanta farm system until recently, has now been signed by Colorado and is with the Rockies' top farm club in Colorado Springs.

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