COMPARING LEAGUES AND TRACKING DOWN PLAYERS THIS THANKSGIVING DAY

I am always interested in how players compare one Independent league against another. Josh Lowey, featured in the most recent Independent Baseball Insider column, had some interesting thoughts since he was in the American Association in 2012 and the Atlantic League this past season.

He believes Atlantic League “hitters are slightly more patient”, with the belief that is primarily based on the league, overall, having players with more experience. I asked if pitchers throw harder in the Atlantic, as I have heard some say. “I couldn’t say they throw harder,” the veteran of six Independent seasons (he was in the Frontier League for four years) told me.

Lowey, who has built a 58-21 record but still is looking for his first chance with a major league organization, was confident in one respect: “The level of play has gone up every year.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THIS GROUP

The turkey should taste better to this dozen former Independent players, all of whom have been assigned by their major league organization to Triple-A teams and at least one level higher than their most recent team for the offseason:

By ARIZONA: RHP Eddie McKiernan (Lincoln, NE, American Association), OF David Peralta (Amarillo, TX, and Wichita, KS, American Association, and Rio Grande Valley, United League), RHP Mark Serrano (Laredo, TX, American Association), RHP Blayne Weller (Windy City, Frontier League). Peralta started his pro career in an Independent league.

By ATLANTA: RHP Mitch Atkins (Somerset, NJ, Atlantic League), RHP Brandon Cunniff (Southern Illinois and River City, Frontier).

By CHICAGO WHITE SOX: LHP Ryan Bollinger (Windy City), 3B Chris Curley (Florence, KY, Frontier), RHP Mike Recchia (Windy City), OF Josh Richmond (Florence).

By NEW YORK METS: RHP Cody Satterwhite (Sioux City, IA, American Association).

By OAKLAND: C-DH Ryan Delgado (Fargo, ND, American Association).

NEW CONTRACTS FOR THIS TRIO:

C Jose Yepez (Pensacola, FL, American Association, and Gary, IN, Northern League) was given a new contract to stay in the Atlanta chain although he is now on a Double-A roster. OF Kalian Sams (Camden, NJ, Atlantic League) got a new contract from Texas while RHP Daniel Stange (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) joined Washington’s farm system. He was in the majors briefly this past season with the Los Angeles Angels.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

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

NEW ORGANIZATIONS SIGN LOMAN, STRIZ AND RICHARDSON WITH YANKEES INVITING SPEEDY OUTFIELDER TO MAJOR LEAGUE CAMP

Intriguing offensive tools have landed two former Independent players, first baseman Seth Loman and outfielder Antoan Richardson, with deals in new major league organizations.

Loman always shows considerable power, starting with 2008 when he hit 19 home runs and drove in 60 runs in the same number of games in the now departed Golden League (St. George, UT). A switch hitter who doesn’t turn 28 until next month, Loman has been given a Triple-A contract with Atlanta (Gwinnett) after hitting 14 more round-trippers while splitting time between the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore farm systems last summer. He got his first significant time in Triple-A.

Richardson is a speedster, with 318 steals in his professional career, which includes limited play with the parent Atlanta Braves in ’11. He stole 39 bases last season while splitting time between Minnesota’s top two farm clubs. The New York Yankees, no doubt taking notice of his career .278 average and .398 on-base percentage in extensive minor league duty, signed Richardson as a free agent and have invited him to major league spring training. Richardson spent parts of 2009 and 2010 with Schaumburg, IL, when the current Frontier League city was still in the Northern League.

Right-handed pitcher Nathan Striz also has a contract with a new organization. The 25-year-old, who spent some time in the Frontier League (Washington, PA) in 2012, has moved from the Boston farm system to Colorado, and has been elevated from Class A to AAA. He has averaged more than a strikeout an inning in his career.

Four other former Independent players have signed new deals to stay with their ’13 organization. Infielder Mark Minicozzi, who has inched his way up the San Francisco ladder, now has a Triple-A (Fresno) deal. He played in the Can-Am League (Worcester, MA), Atlantic (Camden, NJ) and in current American Association cities Winnipeg and Kansas City, KS when both still were in the Northern League.

Lefty Will Startup (Sugar Land, TX, Atlantic) has been elevated to Triple-A (Toledo) with his new Detroit agreement while infielder Jonathan Roof (Traverse City, MI, Frontier League) has returned to the Philadelphia farm system and right-hander Race Parmenter has returned to Atlanta’s chain. He started his pro career with Southern Illinois of the Frontier League.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

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

SAM KATZ A HALL OF FAMER AND WE TRACK FREE AGENTS AND THE WINTER LEAGUES

Congratulations are in order for one of Independent Baseball’s longtime owners, Sam Katz.

The boss man of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, also known as a concert promoter and as mayor of Winnipeg, has been named to the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame, with induction set for June 7 in Morden, Manitoba.

YES, ALL ARE FREE AGENTS

Baseball’s lengthy list of six-year free agents includes several who logged some time in the major leagues in the last two seasons.

**Catcher Cody Clark (San Diego, Golden League) is no longer under contract to Houston, which gave him his first major league games late in the year.

** RHP Robert Coello (Edmonton and Calgary, Golden) got considerable attention from the Los Angeles Angels until his shoulder acted up.

**LHP Justin Hampson (York, PA and Long Island, NY, Atlantic League) was with the New York Mets.

**RHP Shawn Hill (York) was cut loose by Detroit.

**RHP Logan Kensing (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) was let go by Colorado.

**RHP Stu Pomeranz (New Jersey, Can-Am League) once seemed to have a promising opportunity with Baltimore.

**C Eddy Rodriguez (Sioux Falls, SD and El Paso, TX, American Association) got into a few games with San Diego.

**1B-OF Brock Peterson (Bridgeport) will offer power potential to someone. He had a shot with St. Louis this season.

SCHULTZ, NATHANS AMONG WINTER LEAGUE LEADERS

Bo Schultz (Grand Prairie, TX, American Association) has been leading the Arizona Fall League in both innings (28.1) and strikeouts (24) while building a 3-0 record and 2.22 earned run average after six starts. He belongs to Arizona.

Cody Satterwhile (Sioux City, IA, American Association), a New York Mets hopeful, has allowed only two earned runs in nine innings spread over nine outings in winning his only decision and picking up one save.

The newest Indy vet in the AFL is Arizona’s Henry Garcia (Rio Grande Valley, United League), and he stands 0-1, 6.75 after four appearances. The New York Yankees’ Vidal Nuno (Washington, PA, Frontier League) has lowered his earned run average to 3.20 after four starts and one relief appearance in which he has struck out 18 and walked only three in 19.2 innings.

Baltimore shortstop hopeful Tucker Nathans (Newark, NJ, Brockton, MA and the New York Federals, Can-Am League, and Florence, KY, Frontier) is off to a fast start with the bat in Australia, hitting .435 and averaging two hits a game (10-for-23) after his first five appearances.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL INSIDER. Only $35 through December, 2013. Scouts: $24

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