Friday, April 18, 2014

LEFTIES VALDES, COUSINS IN THE NEWS; TOUGH BREAK FOR INDY VET MINICOZZI

Left-handed pitchers always seem to generate interest, and today is no exception.

We had no more than mentioned in Thursday’s Independent Baseball Insider column that the veteran Raul Valdes (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH, Can-Am League) was doing well at Triple-A Oklahoma City (1-0, 2.45, 4 games) when we found out the Astros were adding the 36-year-old to their major league roster. Houston is Valdes’s fifth major league team since 2010.

And, how about veteran major leaguer Scott Cousins, who was ticketed to play the outfield for the Camden (NJ) RiverSharks (Atlantic League) until he joined the Texas organization. It turns out Cousins, 29, is going to extended spring training to try converting into a southpaw pitcher. He last pitched in college at the University of San Francisco.

MINICOZZI OUT WITH SHOULDER SEPARATION

We did not realize it at the time we mentioned Mark Minicozzi, the well-traveled former Independent player, was hitting .444 but not seeing much playing time for San Francisco’s top farm club in Fresno, CA, that there is a reason for the limited action. It turns out he separated a shoulder sliding into second base, and is expected to be out for at least a month. It is very unfortunate for the versatile infielder-outfielder, who trained with the parent Giants this spring and was in position where he might get that long-awaited first major league opportunity.

Minicozzi, 31, spent a season in the American Association (Winnipeg and Kansas City, KS), two years in the Can-Am League (Worcester, MA) and appeared briefly with Camden.

He hit .309-10-66 in an all-star summer in the Eastern League (Richmond, VA) last year.

‘LIFE IS BETTER’ ON LONG ISLAND

It is difficult to find any argument with the Long Island (NY) Ducks’ new slogan “Life Is Better Here”. After all, Bethpage Ballpark is within a commute of New York City, and even more importantly the team has won the last two Atlantic League championships.




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Monday, April 14, 2014

CAMPS OPEN AS ATLANTIC LEAGUE SEASON NEARS; TWO MORE INDY HURLERS IN MAJORS

This was somewhat of a milestone day in Independent circles with most Atlantic League teams, including two-time champion Long Island, NY, opening training camp in preparation for the start of the regular season on March 24. Other leagues will get busy when the calendar first turns to May.

At the same time, two more former Independent players have donned major league uniforms, increasing that total to 25 for the young season, counting Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar (Fort Worth, TX, American Association), who likely will spend the entire season on the disabled list because of injury.

The Los Angeles Angels called up right-hander Yoslan Herrera, who spent all of last season in the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers bullpen, working a team-leading 59 games with a 2-1 record, 11 saves and a 3.74 ERA. The Cuban native, who turns 33 later this month, also was in the majors for five starts with Pittsburgh (1-1, 9.82) in 2008. Reliever Dane DeLaRosa, who has experience in the Atlantic League (Southern Maryland), American Association (El Paso, TX) and the former Golden League, was optioned to Triple-A by the Angels.

PHILS CALL GARCIA

Philadelphia has added righty Luis Garcia, who got into nine games with Newark, NJ (Can-Am League) in 2012, to its bullpen although indications are the stay may be brief as another player comes off the disabled list. Garcia went 1-1 with a 3.73 ERA in 24 games with the Phillies last season. That was the first time the 27-year-old had been in the majors.


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Friday, April 04, 2014

HAS ANY INDEPENDENT PLAYER MATCHED COLABELLO'S SIX RUNS BATTED IN?

I cannot help but wonder today how many–if any–pure Independent Baseball players have had a six-RBI game in the major leagues as longtime Can-Am League star first baseman Chris Colabello did Thursday in helping Minnesota to a chilly, come-from-behind 10-9 victory against the Chicago White Sox in the Windy City.

How sweet it must have felt to the former Worcester (MA) Tornadoes star to see that he was batting cleanup (and the DH) for the Twins, then to come through with two big doubles and an RBI groundout. Colabello later told reporters an effort to cut down on his swing when he has two strikes is paying dividends, and typical of the 30-year-old’s approach to the game he told The Minneapolis Star Tribune “That was a character win.”

One must remember Colabello only drove in 17 runs in 55 games in his debut season in the majors (2013), which came in the second year after his seven-year stint in the Can-Am League.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION TOPS IN BIG LEAGUERS PRODUCED THIS TIME

As we reported in yesterday’s subscription-only Independent Baseball Insider column, a record 20 former Independent players were on Opening Day rosters in the major leagues with another three on the disabled list. Eight–plus two of the DL players–were in the American Association at one time, with half of the eight (plus one on the DL) playing their very first professional game in the league. The count of eight includes pitcher Bo Schultz of Arizona, who was active for the Diamondbacks’ first two games in Australia before going back to Triple-A Reno.

The Atlantic League accounts for five players plus one of those disabled while the Frontier League has four and the Can-Am League two. Three leagues no longer active also have players among the major leaguers.


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