It is going to be a record-smashing year for Independent Baseball in the number of the non-affiliated game's players heading into major league spring training camps, with the total continuing to grow. We will have it all summed up, including a full roster, when subscribers to the Independent Baseball Insider receive their final pre-training column on Thursday. Subscribe for a month or the season at www.WirzandAssociates.com.
The American Association has had a bonanza of good news in this arena already this week with three additions to its already sizeable pool of talent headed to the 30 major league camps.
CARIBBEAN SERIES LOADED WITH INDY PLAYERS
For anyone fortunate to check out the Caribbean Series on television this week, see how much participation there is by current or former Independent players. Puerto Rico has 11 such players on its roster, and the most amazing part may be that eight of them were in Indy leagues last season. Every team has at least four players with an Independent Baseball background.
One of Puerto Rico's 11 is Sergio Espinosa, who made 14 appearances with the Can-Am League's Newark (NJ) Bears (1-0, 4.10) last season. Espinosa was credited with the victory Monday when Puerto Rico, which had lost its first three games, upended the unbeaten Dominican Republic (3-1), a team managed by new Lincoln, NE (American Association) field boss Ken Oberkfell.
American Association all-star outfielder Chris Roberson (Winnipeg) has probably been as busy a participant as anyone as the leadoff man for Mexico (2-2).
Two former Indy pitchers have turned in very strong starts. Angel Castro (Lincoln, 2010) hurled the Dominican to a victory over Venezuela (2-2) with seven innings in which he allowed two earned runs while striking out seven (no walks). Ken Ray, among the most venerable of those in the series at 39, pitched Venezuela to a win over Puerto Rico when he allowed only one run in six innings while fanning nine and not walking anyone. Ray last worked in an Independent league when he was with the Long Island (NY) Ducks (Atlantic League) in 2009.
It is guaranteed at least eight players with an Independent background will be eligible for Thursday's new championship game.
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