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.

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