If the Can-Am League had its own Hall of Fame, this would be a perfect souvenir for a player to donate.
Less than a year removed from All-Star status in the league for his play with the Rockland Boulders (Pomona, NY), Stephen Cardullo gave himself an ideal 29th birthday gift two days early when his pinch hit single landed in left field to give the new Colorado Rockies outfielder-first baseman his very first major league hit. “Just a great feeling,” he told ESPN.com. That ball would make a nice treasure, although it apparently is going to Cardullo’s father.
It was Cardullo’s sixth plate appearance for the Rockies (he had an earlier walk), and the Coors Field crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Accolades for Cardullo on his first regular-season major league opportunity have poured in since last Thursday from the likes of coach Mike Martin, Jr. at Florida State, where the Hollywood, FL native went from walk-on status to an offensive power, and both general manager Shawn Reilly and field manager Jamie Keefe of the Boulders had great praise. The right-handed hitter had spent four full seasons in Independent leagues before the Rockies signed him during the offseason, three in the Can-Am League and one in the Frontier (Florence, KY and London). This is what Cardullo had to say to The Denver Post about the opportunity:
“Anyone playing Independent ball always has that slight chance to get a call to make a team and eventually make the major leagues. You have to have that belief deep down that you can make it even given the opportunity, and I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity.”
OTHERS GET TO MAJORS, AS WELL
The expansion of rosters on September 1 likely will mean more former Indy players will join major league teams, but it has already been a banner few days. Catcher Rafael Lopez, who played in the Atlantic League (Bridgeport, CT) earlier this season, was summoned to join Cincinnati on Saturday, becoming the 40th player with non-affiliated experience to reach The Show this season.
Southpaw Andrew Albers (Quebec, Can-Am, and Lancaster, PA, Atlantic) has re-joined Minnesota, right-hander Brandon Cunniff (Southern Illinois and River City, Frontier League) went back to Atlanta as did first baseman Brandon Snyder (Southern Maryland, Atlantic), righty Bo Schultz (Grand Prairie, TX, American Association) has returned to Toronto and outfielder Logan Schafer, signed earlier this season out of Lancaster, joined the Twins. Cunniff has since been optioned back to Triple-A.It was Cardullo’s sixth plate appearance for the Rockies (he had an earlier walk), and the Coors Field crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Accolades for Cardullo on his first regular-season major league opportunity have poured in since last Thursday from the likes of coach Mike Martin, Jr. at Florida State, where the Hollywood, FL native went from walk-on status to an offensive power, and both general manager Shawn Reilly and field manager Jamie Keefe of the Boulders had great praise. The right-handed hitter had spent four full seasons in Independent leagues before the Rockies signed him during the offseason, three in the Can-Am League and one in the Frontier (Florence, KY and London). This is what Cardullo had to say to The Denver Post about the opportunity:
“Anyone playing Independent ball always has that slight chance to get a call to make a team and eventually make the major leagues. You have to have that belief deep down that you can make it even given the opportunity, and I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity.”
OTHERS GET TO MAJORS, AS WELL
The expansion of rosters on September 1 likely will mean more former Indy players will join major league teams, but it has already been a banner few days. Catcher Rafael Lopez, who played in the Atlantic League (Bridgeport, CT) earlier this season, was summoned to join Cincinnati on Saturday, becoming the 40th player with non-affiliated experience to reach The Show this season.
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