TIGERS, GIANTS HAVE PLENTY OF FORMER INDEPENDENT LEAGUERS AMONG MAJOR LEAGUE SUPPORT STAFFS

While it is no secret Detroit's Game 4 starting pitcher, Max Scherzer, is the only player on either World Series roster who spent any time playing in an Independent league (Fort Worth, TX, American Association), there are others in the Tigers and San Francisco organizations with an Indy background.

Tigers infield coach Rafael Belliard once played shortstop in the Northeast League (Albany-Colonie, NY). It is likely all of those listed below also will be wearing championship rings for their contributions.

Here are some of the support staff people, all of whom were Indy players unless otherwise noted. (We welcome notes about those we may have overlooked.):

DETROIT: Triple-A Toledo, OH manager Phil Nevin (manager at Orange County, Golden League), Triple-A coach Leon (Bull) Durham (St. Paul, MN, Northern League), roving minor league hitting coach Toby Harrah (Fort Worth, Central League).

SAN FRANCISCO: Class A San Jose, CA manager Andy Skeels (Newark, NJ, Atlantic League and Texas-Louisiana League), Class A Augusta, GA manager Lipso Nava (Newark, Camden and Somerset, NJ, Atlantic League), Double-A Richmond, VA coach Ken Joyce (coach for Catskill and Adirondack, Northeast League), Rookie Arizona League Giants coach Victor Torres (Newark and Camden).

THE SWARM OF INDY PLAYERS CONTINUES IN WINTER LEAGUES

Veteran major league outfielder Felix Pie, who Atlanta picked up during the season from Camden, NJ of the Atlantic League, is among Independent players off to a solid start in the winter leagues. Pie is hitting .350 (7-for-20) with a .458 on-base percentage after his first six games in the Dominican Republic.

Some of the other former or current Indy leaguers we will be following for the next few months:

MEXICO: OF Cory Aldridge, Newark, NJ, Atlantic League; 1B Chris Colabello, Worcester, MA, Can-Am League; RHP Greg Burke, Atlantic City, NJ, Atlantic; INF Anthony Seratelli, Windy City, Frontier League.

VENEZUELA: C Jose Yepez, Pensacola, FL, American Association, and Gary, IN, Northern League; RHP Chris Jakubauskas, Lincoln, NE, American Association, Orange County, Golden League, Florence, KY and Ohio Valley, Frontier; free agent LHP Justin Hampson, York, PA and Long Island, NY, Atlantic; RHP Jarrett Grube, Southern Maryland, Atlantic.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: INF Erick Almonte, Long Island; LHP Scott Rice, York, Long Island and Newark.

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SCHERZER, LANCASTER, UMPS AND COLABELLO KEEP INDEPENDENT FLAMES BURNING

While Max Scherzer is the only player with Independent Baseball experience still playing in the major league postseason, his talent, on display with 10 strikeouts and only one run (two hits) over 5.2 innings in finishing Detroit's American League Championship Series sweep of the New York Yankees Thursday night, is unquestioned.

Scherzer started his professional career with 16 innings of power pitching for the Fort Worth Cats, who were in the American Association during that 2007 season. The onetime University of Missouri standout struck out 25 batters and allowed only nine hits and four walks while posting a 0.56 earned run average.

LANCASTER IN NEAR SWEEP OF TOP ATLANTIC LEAGUE HONORS

The championship eluded the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers, as we detailed in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insidercolumn, but their season-long dominance was pretty evident when the Atlantic League revealed its postseason award winners Friday.

Lancaster became the first team in the league's 15-year history to sweep the top three on-field awards as well as the first to have more than five players make the 15-man all-star lineup. The Barnstormers had seven first team player selections. Batting champion Blake Gailen was selected as Player of the Year, Fourteen-game winner Dwayne Pollok is Pitcher of the Year and Butch Hobson took his fourth Manager of the Year title although it was his first with Lancaster.

Matt O'Brien of attendance giant Sugar Land, TX and Eric Menzer of York, PA shared General Manager of the Year honors.

TWO FORMER INDY UMPS WORKING ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE GAMES

Much like players, it is special recognition for an umpire to get assignments in the Arizona Fall League.

Onetime Can-Am League umpire Will Little and former American Association arbiter Nick Bailey are in the AFL this autumn. Little also was selected to work the World Baseball Qualifying tournament in Germany.

COLABELLO STARTS HOT

First baseman Chris Colabello continues to swing a hot bat in the early going in Mexico. The Minnesota farmhand, who had been limited to seven seasons in the Can-Am League (mainly Worcester, MA) until this year when he drove in 98 runs for Class AA New Britain, CT, has gone 9-for-19 (.474) in his first five winter league games. He has collected five doubles and driven in five runs.

The next Insiderwill be delivered via email to subscribers on November 1.

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MANAGERIAL OPENING, PLAYER SALE AND OTHER ROSTER MOVES ALL IN THE NEWS

Yes, I have been away from this keyboard for too many days. Sorry, but some personal needs got in the way for a time.

But news from the Independent Baseball scene has not stopped, so I will attempt to catch up with some of it here while also congratulating the Long Island (NY) Ducks for winning the Atlantic League championship and getting ready for this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, which subscribers will receive Thursday evening.

We always expect a great many job shuffles this time of year. The most recent Independent team to go looking for a new manager are the Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs of the American Association. They say a "mutual decision" was reached with Manager Chris Miyake that a managerial change was best for the organization, and they have started a nation-wide search for a replacement.

Among players who got some time in the major leagues this season, Toronto righty pitchers Robert Coello (Edmonton and Calgary, Golden League) and Shawn Hill (York, PA, Atlantic League) have opted for free agency instead of possibly continuing in the Blue Jays minor league system. Hill had a meteoric season of starting at York and finishing in the majors.

Outfielder Justin Christian (Southern Maryland, Atlantic, and River City, Frontier League), who finished the season with the parent San Francisco Giants, has gone back to the team's Triple-A roster in Fresno, CA.

FARGO'S BYRD AND BOLESKA INK NEW AGREEMENTS

We will see a great many of the approximately 200 onetime Indy stars now in major league farm systems (especially among the more seasoned players) become free agents later this fall, but one who does not need to worry over the offseason is Darren Byrd because Milwaukee has given the right-hander a new contract. Byrd, who turns 26 next week, was placed on the Triple-A Nashville roster after spending his summer making 50 appearances one level lower at Huntsville, AL, where he compiled a 2.59 earned run average while going 3-5 with six saves and striking out nearly one batter per inning. Byrd was a starting pitcher for a brief time at Fargo, ND when the RedHawks still were in the Northern League in 2010 before his contract was sold to the Brewers.

Meanwhile, Fargo's 2012 closer, Tom Boleska, who set a team record with 29 saves (2-1, 1.76) and was the American Association's Relief Pitcher of the Year, had his contract purchased by Minnesota. Boleska struck out 58 hitters in 46 innings. He finished the '11 season with Edmonton of the North American League.

ENTIRE NEW RADIO TEAM EXPECTED IN HOUSTON

A broadcasting job site indicates the Houston Astros are in the market for an entirely new radio team with veteran Milo Hamilton retiring and the contracts of Dave Raymond and Brett Dolan not being renewed. Raymond had gone directly to the Astros from Brockton, MA of the Can-Am League a few years ago.

CHAMP SUMMERS PASSES AWAY

Although he will best be remembered nationally as an 11-year major league outfielder and part of San Diego's 1984 World Series team, Champ Summers later became the first manager of the Gateway Grizzlies at Sauget, IL in the Frontier League.

Summers led the Grizzlies in 2001. He passed away last week at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer.

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EVEN THE OPPOSING METS CHEERING FOR ADAM GREENBERG'S NEXT BIG MOMENT TUESDAY NIGHT

Adam Greenberg even has the opposition cheering for him for Tuesday night's second-in-a-lifetime major league plate appearance.

"What a story", National League Cy Young Award candidate R. A. Dickey told Newsday. Dickey will be the New York Mets' starting pitcher against the host Miami Marlins, although he will not necessarily face Greenberg since the Marlins have not said when Greenberg will step to the plate for the first time in a major league game since he was beaned in his very first contest in the National League in 2005.

"I know our guys will be on the top step clapping for him when he gets in the batter's box," Mets Manager Terry Collins told the newspaper's Marc Carig. Added Collins: "I'm anxious to certainly have the chance to wish him luck, tell him that we all support his charge back to try to become a major league player again...I tell you what, he obviously had some great skills because there's a lot of guys that didn't get one at-bat for lots of reasons."

Greenberg's last professional team, the Bridgeport Bluefish, located not far from the outfielder's home in Guilford, CT, also are keyed up for the game. The will have two flat-screen television sets carrying the SNY telecast of the game (7:10 start), and have invited all of their Atlantic League fans to join them in the Harbor Club at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport to watch Greenberg.

The Bluefish are providing appetizers and beverages and will have a cash bar, only requiring a $5 donation. Net proceeds will be donated to Sports Legacy Institute, an organization proving study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma. Fans should RSVP by noon EDT Tuesday if they plan to attend by calling 203 345-4800 or emailing info@bridgeportbluefish.com.

Good luck Adam!

A LONG 60 MINUTES

One would have to believe D. J. Ponder might have wished he was back in the Evansville, IN bullpen instead of getting his first collegiate start at quarterback for Tulane last Saturday.

Ponder managed a decent 21-for-44 passing day with one touchdown, but the 2012 Frontier League pitcher also was intercepted three times and the winless Green Wave took at 63-10 drubbing at the hands of Louisiana-Monroe.

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