WORLD SERIES RINGS LIKELY
While the Independent leagues did not have any players in this year's World Series, the Giants are not without former Indy people in their organization. As starters, coaches Andy Skeels (current Atlantic League city Somerset, NJ as well as numerous other non-affiliated spots), Ken Joyce (Northeast League) and Todd Linden (North American League) all work in the minor league system.
Speaking of coaches, congratulations are in order to onetime Quebec Manager Darren Bush (he also had a few other Indy stops) for moving up from bullpen coach to hitting coach at Oakland. New Athletics assistant hitting and catching coach Marcus Jensen also played Independent Baseball.
FROM BEST PROSPECT TO MAJORS STILL A BIG CLIMB
Before anyone gets overly giddy for the chances of Baseball America's top Independent prospect Eric Anderson making the majors, none of the last five have gotten that far to this point. Anderson was a rookie right-hander this season with Normal, IL in the Frontier League. History says he will get a chance in a major league farm system.
WHO IS HOT IN WINTER BASEBALL?
Free agent corner infielder Andy Marte (York, PA, Atlantic League) and New York Yankees catching hopeful Jose Gil (Lincoln, NE, American Association) have hot bats in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, respectively. Marte has three homers and is hitting .367 (11-for-30) while Gil is at .345 (10-for-29) with one homer.
Right-hander Tim Dillard (Lancaster, PA, Atlantic) has allowed only three hits and one run over 10.1 innings in nine appearances in Venezuela. He has struck out 12.
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