THE STORY OF INDEPENDENT CATCHERS AND THE WORLD SERIES

What is it about the catchers?

Two of the four backstops expected to be on World Series rosters have paid their dues in Independent Baseball. Okay, so Philadelphia's Chris Coste and Tampa Bay's Michel Hernandez both enter the fall classic as No. 2 with their respective teams, but they are that familiar "heartbeat away" from taking over fulltime, in the same manner as the politicians like to remind us about Joe Biden and Sarah Palin two weeks ahead of the Presidential election.

But there is much more to the story of catchers coming out of the Independent game and getting into major league baseball's postseason.

We have already had the chapter of Mike Rivera being the No. 2 receiver for Milwaukee's October effort.

Going back three short years, Chris Widger was the backup when the Chicago White Sox won the 2005 World Series. Widger, who had hit 16 home runs in 55 games for Camden, NJ of the Atlantic League the previous season, caught the last five innings of the 14-inning Game 3 marathon, going 0-for-1 but getting an RBI and two walks in the White Sox's 7-5 triumph.

Hernandez, who has been active but has yet to be called upon in the postseason, logged 25 games in the Atlantic League one year ago (Somerset, NJ), joined Tampa Bay in September after spending most of the season in Triple-A for Pittsburgh. An injury to Shawn Riggans put him in the right place at the right time.

"This is a good place to be (when major league teams have a need) if you can catch and throw," Atlantic League Executive Director Joe Klein reminded us Tuesday afternoon.

While Hernandez is backing up Dioner Navarro at Tampa Bay, Coste has been rumored as a possible right-handed designated hitter for games in the American League park as well as available to spell Carlos Ruiz, with whom he alternated for much of the regular season. A right-handed bat will be called on to DH in Game 1 with lefty Scott Kazmir starting for the Rays.

Wouldn't it be great to see Coste's name in the starting lineup because of his five seasons in Independent leagues (as readers will see when they scroll down to our most recent posting)?

CERVENAK IN UNIFORM, TOO

While not likely to be activated, another player like Coste who got his start in the Indy ranks, infielder Mike Cervenak, continues to be in uniform daily with the Phillies. Cervenak got into his first 10 major league games this season (2-for-13, 1 RBI), and is on standby should another infielder go down with an injury.

The World Series games are going to be a family affair, as one might expect, for the Cervenaks. Mike Cervenak, Sr. told us Tuesday his son was invited to bring a guest to the first two games in Florida, and had taken his younger brother, Jonathan, who turned 20 today. Jonathan is a junior at Eastern Michigan University. Mr. and Mrs. Cervenak will attend Games 3-4-5 in Philadelphia.

In the small world department, Cervenak and Michel Hernandez were teammates with the New York Yankees' Double-A affiliate when it was in Norwich, CT in 2001 and 2002.

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YES, CHRIS COSTE IS IN THE WORLD SERIES

Do you believe it, Chris Coste is going to the World Series.

Sure, Cole Hamels was MVP of the National League Championship Series for the Philadelphia Phillies and Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and the other regulars had most of the spotlight in the five-game quieting of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I'll still take Coste, who burst onto the major league scene as the 33-year-old rookie two years ago, and who we have featured so many times in this space and in more detail in our subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column. (The column will have more later today.)

Coste deserves a special toast from everyone who follows Independent Baseball because he has driven so much attention by playing five years in three Indy leagues before getting his first opportunity in a major league organization (Cleveland, 2000) and labored for more than six years in the minors, sometimes teetering on the edge of a big-league call-up, before finally getting into a regular season game with the Phils May 26, 2006. He was their oldest rookie since 1945.

The splitting of time between Brandon, Manitoba, and Brainerd, MN, in two soon-to-fail Indy leagues in 1995 and four seasons in his hometown of Fargo, ND (Northern League) is paying dividends today.

Coste, who divided catching chores with Carlos Ruiz much of the season (.263-9-36 in what easily was a career-high 274 at bats), before the younger backstop (29) finally got most of the calls late in the season, only had one at-bat in the NLCS. He singled in Game 3, the only one Philadelphia lost, but it means in perpetuity he will be listed with a 1.000 batting average.

The lack of NLCS play is of little matter at the moment. Coste deserves to celebrate with wife Marcia and daughter Casey, because they also endured all of the ups and downs of this career that would not have happened without Independent Baseball being there to provide the opportunity to mature and be seen.

And who knows when this determined backstop may deliver on the biggest baseball stage of all in a few days.

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A SOLUTION IS OFFERED TO HELP BOTH THE ATLANTIC AND CAN-AM LEAGUES

Memo to Frank Boulton and Miles Wolff,

In the spirit of trying to help out, there may be a relatively easy solution to the dilemma you face in the Atlantic League (Boulton is Founder) and the Can-Am League (Wolff is Commissioner).

The suggestion, which I would not be shocked is in your collective minds already, is to help you out of the bind whereby Ottawa is without ownership in the Can-Am League and Bridgeport, CT is lagging behind everyone else on a success basis in the Atlantic League.

Here we go.

If Richmond does not find a replacement for its longtime Triple-A franchise from within the affiliated ranks, move Bridgeport to the Virginia city (and give the Atlantic League another major market). Then, move Ottawa into Bridgeport.

These moves solve several problems, not the least of which would have either or both leagues end up with an odd number of teams in 2009, forcing resurrection of one or two travel teams.

We know the Atlantic covets Richmond, given all the confirmed reports that Peter Kirk, who owns nearly half the Independent circuit already, has been working the scene for some time. His proposal, which would preferably include a new stadium, includes building the Brooks Robinson Life-Skills Center to benefit after-school activities as well as hosting indoor sports events beyond the ballpark's outfield fence to generate added revenue.

Even if the Atlantic League cannot stay in the market long term, it will have provided a quality location until Louden County, VA or West Chester, PA or the Meadowlands of NY is ready, and Boulton and his Past Time Partners, LLC, who are in the midst of taking over the under-capitalized Bridgeport franchise, will not have to fight to re-build the Bluefish into a financially success franchise under the burden of a 140-game season. It is appearing all the more likely this battle is a stiff one no matter who operates, especially given the less-than-agreeable evening temperatures in Connecticut in April and May and the fact school does not end until the latter part of June.

On the other hand, Bridgeport should do nicely in the Can-Am League, where each team hosts only 45 games or so instead of 70 and the budget is much, much smaller. A break-even or better result is likely for Boulton or whoever ends up running the Bluefish.

The Can-Am League would like to hold onto Ottawa, which averaged an okay 2,200 in its first post-Triple-A season, but unless strong new ownership shows up soon Wolff and Company may have to give it up. Ottawa still could be viable at some time down the road as a companion to Quebec and Montreal, if the latter can ever be developed.

So, both leagues would have their immediate franchise issues behind them. It seems a win-win.

Now wasn't that easy.

Bob Wirz, author of the Independent Baseball Insider and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com

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UNITED LEAGUE LIVES AND SO DO THE DETROIT TIGERS

It appears the United League is slowly coming back to life after weeks of speculation that its third season may have been its last.

CEO Brad Wendt went public on the subject earlier this week, and even if the John Bryant-Byron Pierce lawsuit is playing a role in keeping it going we are once again seeing team press releases and player signings, which would seem to be decent indicators.

DETROIT LATEST TO GET ACTIVE

Perhaps it is the economy and maybe it is the mere recognition of the talent. Regardless, more major league organizations seem to be focusing increased attention on the Independent leagues.

Count Detroit as among those more active. The Tigers only had six of the 243 players who showed up on our master roster--an average of 8.1 per organization--until recently. But all of a sudden Detroit has reached into the American Association twice and the Can-Am and United Leagues once in recent weeks. Three pitchers and an outfielder for your at-home scoreboard.

By the way, we soon plan to post all of the recent signings on this blog.

BRIDGEPORT BLUEFISH NOW IN HANDS OF FRANK BOULTON

A screaming headline in today's Connecticut Post informed readers the hometown Bridgeport Bluefish are getting new ownership with Past Time Partners, LLC, led by Atlantic League Founder Frank Boulton, taking over.

Boulton, who also owns the Long Island (NY) Ducks in the eight-team league, told the newspaper the other owners have approved the deal and that the new group will pay off the nearly $250,000 overdue in rent as soon as the city okays the sale.

Indications are the team will stay in Connecticut although it is well documented that another Atlantic League owner, Peter Kirk, has been working toward placing a franchise in Richmond, VA which Atlanta has just vacated as home of its longtime Triple-A franchise.

BASEBALL AMERICA SPREADS AWARDS AROUND

I do not profess to know whether Baseball America is merely trying to be fair to everyone in Independent Baseball, but the magazine's announcement of its All-Independent teams and its list of top Indy players not yet signed by major league organizations is very balanced.

Four leagues (Atlantic, Can-Am, Frontier, Golden) each placed three players on the 14-player first All-Independent unit. The Northern League and American Association had one player apiece with the United and Continental shut out. The Atlantic edged out the Frontier, six players to five, when the second team was included, but six of the eight leagues had at least three players apiece.

Seth Loman, an outfielder-first baseman at St. George, UT (Golden League), is Baseball America's top choice among players still without a major league organizational contract. Mike LaLuna, a hard-throwing righthander discovered in a tryout camp, had that honor, but his contract has been purchased by Detroit. BB-A had three United League players in its top ten unsigned (including LaLuna), with the American Association, Atlantic League and Golden League with two apiece. Some players were in more than one league this season.

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SPARKY PUTS IN A PLUG FOR 3B BRANDON LARSON

When I featured onetime relief ace Sparky Lyle in yesterday's subscriber-only Independent Baseball Insider column space would not allow the luxury of getting into everything we discussed, including the Somerset (NJ) Patriots manager's thoughts regarding the major league chances of anyone off the 2008 Atlantic League championship team.

Lyle should know something about this subject since four former Patriots were in the big time at season's end, including backup catcher Michel Hernandez now in the American League Division Series with Tampa Bay.

His top pick to have a chance is third baseman Brandon Larson, the Atlantic League Championship Series MVP when he hit .458 with three homers and seven runs batted in.

Wait 'til you read Lyle's praise.

"A pure hitter" to start with, he said of the right-handed batsman out of LSU who hit .304 this season with 95 RBI and 30 home runs. And, Larson is "the best defensive third baseman in the league". Not just now, but in the Atlantic League's 11 years, Lyle believes.

The odds against Larson getting back to the majors, where he has played 109 games over a span of a few years with Cincinnati, may seem a bit odd at age 32, but who am I to argue with the Somerset boss, who has won four championships and seen 10 of his Patriots players reach the majors.

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