Indy Baseball Chatter: PUERTO RICO STARTER IN WBC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WAS AN ATLANTIC LEAGUE RELIEVER IN '05

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

PUERTO RICO STARTER IN WBC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WAS AN ATLANTIC LEAGUE RELIEVER IN '05

Every time I think we have nailed down a full list of the Independent players who have been in this year's exciting World Baseball Classic another name pops up. The latest one is very important today since he will be the starting pitcher for Puerto Rico in tonight's championship game against the Dominican Republic.

Right-hander Giancarlo Alvarado was in the Atlantic League back in 2005, working as a reliever for both the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers and the Newark (NJ) Bears, the latter now in the Can-Am League.

Another who was identified recently was Team Italy shortstop Anthony Granato. Chris Carminucci pointed out that Granato played for Atlantic City, NJ when the Surf were in the Can-Am. Chris, now a scout for Arizona, should know since he was the Atlantic City manager at the time.

CURT SMITH JOINS TWINS ORGANIZATION

We mentioned in last week's Independent Baseball Insider column that Netherlands first baseman Curt Smith was one of the three Indy players who we felt had especially helped themselves with their performances in the WBC. Smith, who was scheduled to play in the Atlantic League (Lancaster), has signed with the Minnesota Twins.

Smith, a .335 hitter in the American Association in 2011 (Lincoln, NE), and another of the trio we singled out, longtime Can-Am League star Chris Colabello (Worcester, MA), could end up being teammates in the Twins' farm system. Colabello was a surprisingly early cut after the WBC, getting only two additional at-bats before being sent to the minor league camp.

Others trimmed recently from major league camps include Robert Coello by the Los Angeles Angels, Bo Schultz from Arizona, and Caleb Thielbar from the Twins. Thursday's Insider will focus on some of the Indy grads who seem to have a decent chance of being on Opening Day major league rosters.

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Bob Wirz

Former chief spokesman for Major League Baseball Commissioners Bowie Kuhn and Peter Ueberroth. Six years as publicity director for the Kansas City Royals, and a background in newspaper, radio and television. Started Wirz & Associates, a sports PR and consulting firm, in 1985. Has written extensively on Independent Baseball since 2003.

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About 'My Nebraska'

It seems almost universally accepted that Nebraskans are friendly, hard-working people.

A native son, who eventually transitioned to the East Coast because it was the best avenue to follow his passion of continuing to work in major league baseball, has published a book to share a lifetime of memories of growing up in the Cornhusker state.

You may have guessed it when you saw the title: My Nebraska. Yes, Bob Wirz, now a youthful 85, is sharing his "rich memories of growing up in rural Nebraska" in the 1940s and 1950s in a delightful 136 pages in the book produced by Dorrance Publishing in Pittsburgh, PA.

Wirz, who got to live his passion of working at the highest levels of baseball and later developing his own sports public relations and marketing company, lovingly empties out his memories of everything from counting millions of tiny trees to playing grass-roots baseball where the age of teammates might run from the early teens to the 50s.

The colorful cover of My Nebraska, which features two paintings from Dunning, NE rancher/artist Laron McGinn that depict the beautiful landscape of rural Nebraska and the ranching lifestyle, sets the tone for the 5 x 8 book also filled with meaningful pictures.

It is "a wistful and endearing love letter to Nebraska filled with memories shared by generations raised in small towns throughout the Midwest", praises Shari Veil, who heads up the journalism and mass communications department at the University of Nebraska.

My Nebraska, a 5x8 paperback, is priced at $19.95 plus $4.00 for handling and shipping. Autographed copies may be ordered at www.WirzandAssociates.com