Thursday, January 30, 2014

KEEPING UP WITH A BEVY OF MOVES FOR INDY GRADS, INCLUDING THE UMPIRES

It was nice to see the Minnesota Twins and the Korean Baseball Organization were able to work it out for lefty Andrew Albers to join Hanwa in the KBO where he is expected to be a starter and earn what has been reported to be nearly $1 million this season since this is what the 28-year-old Canadian and onetime Can-Am League (Quebec, 2010) star reliever wanted.

It is a great life experience and a terrific payday since his salary would have been about half that amount if he was with the parent Twins this season, which was far from guaranteed despite his whirlwind debut last season that started with 17.1 scoreless innings. The Twins had to release Albers as part of this transaction although one would think they might be interested in him again down the road.

ONE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION PLAYER IN, ANOTHER MAY BE OUT

The New York Yankees have added catcher Jose Gil to their major league spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. He spent years climbing through their farm system before ending up for a brief time last season in the Baltimore chain, and eventually needed a jump start back with a seven-game stint at Lincoln, NE (American Association) in mid-season last summer. He went 4-for-25 (.160, one homer) with the Saltdogs, then went back into the Yankees system.

Meanwhile, another American Association (Laredo, TX) graduate, Chaz Roe, who was up and down between the Arizona Diamondbacks and their top farm club in Reno, NV last season before ending up with Texas over the winter, has been designated for assignment before getting a chance to pitch for the Rangers. Roe should get another chance, perhaps even with Texas, after other teams have a chance to pick him up because the 27-year-old strikes out at least a batter per inning wherever he is. He fanned 24 in 22.1 innings in 21 appearances for Arizona, winning his only decision and posting a 4.03 earned run average. The right-hander was brilliant at Laredo in 2012, fanning 69 in 55 innings spread over 49 appearances and he had a 1.47 ERA.

ANOTHER INDY UMP REACHES MAJORS

A fourth Independent Baseball umpire can now call himself a major leaguer. American Association and Can-Am ump boss Kevin Winn tipped us that Anthony Johnson has been assigned to wear No. 48 and will get major league assignments this year in addition to continuing in the International League. Johnson’s trail started with Winn in the Central League, which has been gone for a few years now.

He joins Adam Hamari and Will Little (both Can-Am grads) and the All-American Association’s Lance Barrett in getting major league work, which is quite a feat.

ON TO THE CARIBBEAN SERIES

The four-team Caribbean Series opens on Saturday, and while I have not seen rosters it would appear at least five former Independent players will represent Mexico. It is almost certain the number will be considerably higher overall.

Outfielder Jon Weber, once the darling of a New York Yankees spring training camp even though he never got into any regular season games, reported on his Facebook page that he had been invited to play for Mexico even though his Navojoa team was eliminated by Hermosillo in the playoff finale Wednesday night. At least four other Indy vets were with Hermosillo for that 8-3 triumph before 16,000 fans. Jason Urquidez, a free agent who finished last season in the Los Angeles Angels chain after starting the year with Lancaster, PA (Atlantic League), continued his strong winter by getting four outs in the seventh and eighth innings. Lancaster teammate Jerry Owens, an all-Atlantic League outfielder and the league’s batting champion (.341), went 3-for-5 with a double, run and RBI, and still another Barnstormer, Daryle Ward, walked and singled in three times at the plate. He played for Newark, NJ in both the Atlantic and Can-Am Leagues prior to joining Lancaster. Third baseman Yunesky Sanchez hit cleanup although he took an 0-for-4. Sanchez has played for Southern Maryland and Somerset, NJ in the Atlantic League as well as for Laredo.

Weber’s teammates with Navojoa included centerfielder Chris Roberson (Winnipeg, American Association, 2012) and first baseman Wes Bankston (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic, 2011). Weber was with Winnipeg the last two seasons after a previous stint with the American Association team in Fargo, ND.


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Thursday, January 23, 2014

ANDREW ALBERS (CAN-AM LEAGUE AND MINNESOTA) APPEARS HEADED TO KOREA AS TWINS CONTINUE TO TARGET INDEPENDENT STARS

It seem pretty obvious the Minnesota Twins’ recent mining in the fertile Independent Baseball fields is going to continue with both the team and players benefitting either from a production or a financial standpoint.

The latest examples are seen in the likelihood rookie lefty Andrew Albers, who made a strong comeback in the Can-Am League (Quebec) after elbow surgery, is going to end up pitching in Korea this season and in comments directly from the Twins.

Multiple media reports out of the Twins cities indicate Albers has agreed to join the Hanwha Eagles, probably for about $1 million in salary, although the Twins and Eagles must first finalize the compensation the Twins will receive, which could be as much as Albers’ take.

It is fair to ask why Albers, whose summer with the Capitales was in 2010, would go abroad after reaching the majors for the first time last season (he broke in with 17.1 scoreless innings in two dominant starts; a 5.70 ERA in his other eight starts), but he is far from assured of retaining a spot on the major league roster and a $1 million salary would double what he would make even in the majors. He is 28 so that has to sound like nice security at this stage in his career, and he would come back after the season as a free agent available to all 30 major league organizations.

Meanwhile, Minnesota’s minor league director of operations, Brad Steil, had glowing praise for the Independent leagues when speaking at a hot stove luncheon for the team’s Double-A farm club, New Britain, CT, last week: “I think you’ve seen not just in our organization but in other (major league) organizations as well, when you run into injuries during the season, there aren’t a lot of guys out there on the street that you can sign and plug into Double-A,” Steil said, according to The Hartford Courant. “The Independent leagues are a good resource for that, and I think the best players in those leagues are worth signing and have a chance to make it to the big leagues.”

First baseman-outfielder Chris Colabello (Can-Am League) and lefty reliever Caleb Thielbar (St. Paul, MN, American Association) joined Albers in debuting with the Twins last season, then they picked up another lefty, Kris Johnson (Kansas City, KS, American Association), who had broken in with Pittsburgh during ’13 over the offseason, and also signed Independent Player of the Year (Baseball America) C. J. Ziegler (Wichita, KS, American Association).

“It’s (Korea) a good opportunity for Andrew,” his agent, Blake Corosky, told The Minnesota StarTribune. Albers is due to make various appearances in the Twin Cities this weekend, including TwinsFest where he will be honored as the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year for his 11-5, 2.86 record in 22 Triple-A starts (Rochester, NY) before he was promoted to the American League team.

FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUER RECOGNIZED AT MLB CHARITY DINNER

Major League Baseball held the 25th annual Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) banquet on a snowy night in New York City this week to honor Commissioner Bud Selig and such major league stars as Michael Young and Jimmy Rollins for their contributions, and cited onetime Atlantic League (and major league) outfielder Tike Redman and his family as an example of those who have received major help from the charity.

Redman, who played for the Atlantic League teams in York, PA, Newark, NJ and Bridgeport, CT during his 16-year professional career, his wife Lesley and their children Jalyn, Imani and Justus were introduced to the black-tie audience. The Redmans had their mortgage and utilities covered in two consecutive six-month grants by B.A.T. during a time when Jalyn had undergone cancer surgery and more than a year of chemotherapy and their bills piled up. Jalyn recently celebrated four years of being cancer free.

LEW FORD, JAIRO PEREZ HELP OUT IN DOMINICAN PLAYOFFS

I went on my iPad just in time last night to see Lew Ford break up a scoreless tie in the ninth inning of a Dominican Winter League playoff game with a ringing double to left off former Tampa Bay closer Fernando Rodney, now a free agent. Ford, who has played for the Long Island (NY) Ducks (Atlantic League) in recent years when not with a major league organization, helped Licey to a 1-0 victory.

Another of the Tigres’ stars is Jairo Perez, a .309-19-72 hitter in the American Association (Kansas City, KS) last season. The last I saw the infielder was hitting .342 for Licey with a .407 on-base percentage.

AXELROD ADDED

Dylan Axelrod’s new contract with the Chicago White Sox is a minor league pact even though the 28-year-old right-hander spent all of last season with the parent teams (4-11, 5.68 in 30 games, including 20 starts), but he is the most recent player with Independent league experience to get a major league spring training invitation. Axelrod’s Indy days were spent with Windy City (Frontier League), just outside of Chicago.


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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

COUNT WILL GO UP, BUT 43 ONETIME INDEPENDENT PLAYERS ALREADY HAVE MAJOR LEAGUE INVITATIONS

The count of former Independent players expected when major league spring training camps open next month is up to 43 but will go considerably higher when free agents Stephen Drew and Jerome Williams sign and all teams get around to announcing their non-roster invitees. The records maintained by the Independent Baseball Insider column, which resumes March 6, includes 26 players on 40-man rosters and 17 non-roster players at the moment.

The most recent non-roster invitees, mostly with Atlantic League ties, includes pitchers Jarrett Grube (Southern Maryland, Atlantic) with the Los Angeles Angels, Logan Kensing (Bridgeport, CT, Atlantic) with Seattle and Robert Coello (Edmonton and Calgary, Canada, Golden League) with the New York Yankees and corner infielder Andy Marte (York, PA, Atlantic) with Arizona. Kensing was in the Colorado organization last season and Coello with the Angels.

PATTERSON, GOLSON CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS

Free agent outfielders Greg Golson and Eric Patterson, who played with Pennsylvania-based Atlantic League teams Lancaster and York, respectively, have signed with new organizations. Golson has gone from Atlanta to Milwaukee (Class AA) and Patterson, who also plays the infield, from the Brewers to the Chicago White Sox where he has a Triple-A contract.

DI FELICE MOVES FROM MOUND TO BECOME A PITCHING COACH

Mark DiFelice, who got in some major league time with Milwaukee after pitching for both Somerset and Camden, NJ in the Atlantic League, is starting a new career. He was recently announced as Pittsburgh’s pitching coach for the Pirates’ Jamestown, NY team in the New York-Penn League.


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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

NON-ROSTER LIST GROWING WITH NEW FACES INCLUDING LEVERTON AND MINICOZZI

Major league spring training invitations have really started pouring in this week, with two of the most intriguing among the former Independent players getting a chance to be showcased to their organization’s top brass being lefty James Leverton with Miami and infielder-outfielder Mark Miniozzi with San Francisco.

While many of the invitees have some major league time or have at least been in major league camps, Leverton only got to Triple-A for the first time last season and Minicozzi still has not been above Double-A. Both were in Independent leagues as recently as 2011.

Leverton could be the latest to emerge from Joe Calfapietra’s New Jersey Jackals (Can-Am League). The Jackals have proven to provide fertile ground for future major leaguers in the past. At 27, onetime Texas Tech reliever Leverton joined the Jackals in ’11 after a 10-1 season and a pink slip after pitching for three Chicago Cubs minor league clubs the previous year. He put together an 8-4, 2.38 effort in 13 starts for New Jersey before signing with the Marlins. Leverton was back in the bullpen almost exclusively last summer with his best work for Triple-A New Orleans, going 3-2, 2.66 with a pair of saves and almost a strikeout per inning in 30 outings.

Minicozzi, soon to turn 31, had a strong offensive season in the Eastern League last season, hitting .309 with 30 doubles, 10 homers and 66 RBI for Richmond, VA. A versatile player who can see action in the infield or outfield, he first tasted Independent Baseball in ’09 when he split the year between Winnipeg and Kansas City, KS of the American Association. He hit .317 and .328 for Worcester, MA (Can-Am) in ’10 and ’11 and played briefly for Camden, NJ (Atlantic League).

LIVELY, IAN THOMAS AMONG OTHER INVITEES

Right-hander Mitch Lively (San Angelo, TX, United League), coming off a strong winter baseball campaign, and lefty Ian Thomas (York, PA, Atlantic League, and Winnipeg) have major league invitations from San Francisco and Atlanta, respectively. Others with recent invites include catchers Eddy Rodriguez (Sioux Falls, SD, and El Paso, TX, American Association) with Tampa Bay and Jose Yepez (Pensacola, FL, American Association, and Gary, IN, then in the Northern League) with Atlanta and outfielder Justin Christian (Southern Maryland, Atlantic, and River City, Frontier) with the Rays.

I would expect RHP Dylan Axelrod (Windy City, Frontier) to be in the Chicago White Sox camp since he spent virtually all of last season with the Southsiders and recently signed a free agent minor league deal with the team.

Thomas and Christian both started their pro career in an Indy league.

ONE MORE BIG HURDLE PASSED IN JOPLIN

The Joplin City Council moved another step closer to taking in an American Association team in 2015 by approving a plan this week that will involve the Missouri community taking on $1.8 million in debt for the project.


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Wednesday, January 08, 2014

FONDLY REMEMBERING JACK MORRIS FOR HIS STINT IN INDEPENDENT BASEBALL

It is only a couple of hours from now that we will learn whether Jack Morris’s 15th and final year on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot results in what I feel is his deserved election or whether he will have to wait until the Veterans Committee can evaluate his candidacy.

I know one vote he has gotten steadily through recent years. Mine. I am privileged to be one of the Honorary BBWAA voters.

I can’t help but wonder how many people realize that Morris finished his distinguished career, which included 254 regular season major league victories and four World Series, by making 10 starts in Independent Baseball for the St. Paul (MN) Saints in 1996.

Mike Berardino of The St. Paul Pioneer Press reflected back on that time recently with the help of Marty Scott, who managed the Saints at the time and now is the Miami Marlins’ vice president of player development. Morris’s final start came in a one-game playoff against the Madison (WI) Black Wolf to determine a first-half championship in the Northern League, with the longtime major league ace working the first nine innings of an eventual 12-inning St. Paul victory.

Scott’s reflections may have been at their best when he told Berardino of a memorable day early that season when Morris’s Saints teammates “who never got close to playing in the major leagues” found a highlight film on television that centered around Game 7 of the 1991 World Series when Morris refused to give up the ball before finishing a 1-0, 10-inning Twins thriller against the Atlanta Braves. Many believe it may have been the best Game 7 pitching performance ever.

“They (players) let Jack describe certain emotions or things he felt…he talked about his approach to facing different hitters, and the kids were gathered around, asking Jack questions…I don’t think he moved the whole time,” said Scott, who had watched from the back of the Midway Stadium clubhouse. “In fact, I’m pretty sure on several occasions I saw tears in his eyes.”

MY BALLOT

In addition to Jack Morris, I voted for (alphabetically) Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, Lee Smith and Frank Thomas. I had voted for Fred McGriff in the past and probably would have given Jeff Kent a vote had there not been a 10-man limit.

TRIO OF INDY UMPIRES GET TO INSTRUCT OTHER CANDIDATES THESE DAYS

American Association and Can-Am League umpire supervisor Kevin Winn points out that three of his “graduates” to affiliated leagues are serving as instructors this fall in what is known as The Umpire School, one of two such operations which help arbiters qualify for assignment to the minor leagues.

Clay Park (now in the Texas League) and Rich Grassa (South Atlantic) worked in both of Winn’s leagues before getting their opportunity while Ron Teague (Texas) spent five summers in the American Association. Five current umpires from the two leagues are enrolled in the same school and hoping to win affiliated jobs. They are Michael Carroll, Derek Ivinski, Ben Sontaag and John Durante of the AA and Tim Kramer from the Can-Am.


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