BRACHOLD, GRIMES ON THE MOVE AFTER ALREADY POSTING GREAT INDY CAREERS

Two outfielders with prolific Independent Baseball numbers but virtually no history in the affiliated game made news this week, one because of a change of scenery and the other because he has given up playing to coach in college.

 

Can-Am League All-Star Keith Brachold will get a chance to showcase his tremendous bat in the American Association after the Rockland (NY) Boulders sent him to Doug Simunic's Fargo (ND) RedHawks in a one-for-three trade.

 

While now 30, Brachold has had seven productive Independent seasons without getting a major league organization to give him a regular-season opportunity.  He seems parallel in offensive production to Chris Colabello, who spent similar time in the Can-Am League before the Minnesota Twins finally gave the first baseman a chance last year.  All Colabello did was drive in 98 runs at the Double-A level to earn a major league spring training invitation plus an opportunity to play in the World Baseball Classic for Italy.

 

While Colabello never drove in 80 runs in a 100-game Can-Am season, Brachold, a lefty hitter, drove in 80 for Brockton, MA in 2011 and 84 along with a career-high 29 homers for Rockland last season.

 

"We gave up some very good players to acquire him, and think it will be a good deal for both clubs," said Simunic, who has helped develop and later sell many an Independent star to major league organizations.

 

SCOTT GRIMES MOVES ON TO COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY

 

Another player with power, speed and centerfield prowess was Scott Grimes, who put up all-everything-like numbers in both the Can-Am League and the Atlantic League but got only one injury-hampered season in a major league farm system.  Grimes was to start a new career this very day as an assistant coach with Philadelphia-based LaSalle University, where he also will work on a masters degree.

 

At 29, Grimes decided to move into the coaching ranks after not getting another affiliated opportunity despite leading York, PA to back-to-back Atlantic League titles in 2010 and 2011 and earning praise from new Revolution Manager Mark Mason as "the best player in the league (in 2010)" and "the best center fielder in the league" in his three seasons (including '12) in York.

 

"I've wanted to get into the coaching world, but it's still one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Grimes was quoted in the media release announcing his retirement as a player.  Grimes's career included leading all of professional baseball with 138 runs scored in 132 games in '10 as well as hitting .365 for Worcester, MA (Can-Am) in 2008 which earned a short look from the New York Mets.

 

KEEPING UP WITH DE LA ROSA AND TAVAREZ

 

After clearing waivers, big reliever Dane DeLaRosa is back in the Tampa Bay spring training camp although as a non-roster player.  The well-traveled Indy vet, whose stops included Southern Maryland (Atlantic) and El Paso, TX (American Association), makes it a record total of 55 onetime Independent players who are in or headed to major league camps.

 

Meanwhile, an interesting signing for the second season of the popular Sugar Land (TX) Skeeters in the Atlantic League is longtime major league reliever Julian Tavarez.  About to turn 40 (May 22), Tavarez has 17 major league seasons to his credit with an 88-82 record and 23 saves in 828 games, although he has not pitched in the bigs since 2009 (3-7, one save, 4.89 in 42 games for Washington). 

 

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