Outlawed Baseball

It was June 29, 2006 that infamous major league slugger Jose Canseco was signed into the GBL by the San Diego Surf Dawgs. Canseco played just that one game with San Diego -- he went 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch -- before he was traded to the Long Beach Armada after requesting to play in a GBL market closer to his home in the Los Angeles area.

Often forgotten was that the GBL didn't mark Canseco's foray into independent league baseball. He played 41 games for the Newark Bears in 2001 before the Chicago White Sox nabbed his minor league contract that season.

PHOTO COURTESY: Christian Petersen/CNNSI.com

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's not my favorite thing to do, but with the Outlaws out in Utah and my Internet situation much less favorable than usual, there will be a little bit of a break in blog action until next week, when OB's Indy League Top 10 and other regular features will resume.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Turns out the 30-16 offensive hodown between the Yuma Scorpions and St. George RoadRunners played in Blythe as one of the Scorpion promotional home games might not even count. St. George manager Cory Snyder mistakenly put a player from his inactive list onto the active roster submitted at home plate before the game. Scorpions manager Mike Marshall caught the error, submitted a protest to GBL officials and now both teams will have to decide whether to make it a RoadRunners forfeit or replay the game altogether.

That would present other issues, such as whether to play the game in Blythe again or in Yuma later this summer. The official box score for that game is yet to be posted, but you figure there are all sorts of hitters from both teams sorry to see that go.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I asked Matt Ceriani after batting practice if the team had yet taken its near-traditional visit to The Block -- a popular outdoor mall in Orange about 15 minutes from the Outlaws' road headquarters in Fullerton.

"If the mall was in my bedroom, I was there," he said. "It was all sleep today. TV on, sun coming through the curtains a little bit, it was perfect."

Because Monday morning the team bus didn't arrive until 10 a.m., six hours before the trip to Goodwin Stadium for the series opener, today was the first full day to catch up. Second baseman Jesse Kovacs said after last night's loss travel nights ahead of road openers are usually a factor.

"Guys are human, they're on the bus sleeping off and on all the whole way, never really getting comfortable sleep before the game," he said. "You're not as fresh as you are on most nights."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At batting practice for tonight's game a few hours ago, Jose Valdez was still steaming about his 385-foot fly ball off the wall that went in the official scorebook as an error on Orange County center fielder Pat Breen, who had appeared to be comfortably positioned under the high, drifting pop-up before it came down directly next to him off the wall.

"I asked (Breen) if he touched it and he said he didn't," Valdez said before Tuesday's game. "How is that an error?"

Even in a hitter-friendly league like the GBL, triples are hard to come by -- only 60 have been struck so far this year.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a veiled reference to a similar hand injury from swinging the bat that Jose Valdez has been nursing, Jon Macalutas said his decision to scratch Lino Garcia from the lineup after batting practice before tonight's loss was because of the 'Latin bruise' Garcia is struggling to overcome.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Interstate 5 down to Southern California for the first stop on the Outlaws roadie earlier today, this was a hot topic of conversation on talk radio throughout the area surrounding Fresno.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The departures for major league farm systems this week of effective reliables Troy Cate, Loop, Williams and Currier, despite his struggles this year to recapture the dominance of last season, takes quite a bite out of the pitching scene in the GBL that already has been marked by its collective 6.79 ERA.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Long Beach Armada found its pitching staff looking peanut-shell hollow Sunday after Rik Currier and Jerome Williams were picked up by major league farm systems. (Williams was obtained by the Los Angeles Dodgers, an interesting move the GBL will follow closely because clearly general manager Ned Colletti, who knows Williams well from their days together with the San Francisco Giants, is seeing where the veteran may be an emergency solution down the line for the mix of Dodger hurlers ravaged by injury.)

Anyway, the Armada front office contacted Outlaws management during tonight's 13-8 loss to the Edmonton Cracker Cats in Chico. Long Beach was trying to get the ball rolling in a deal for pitching help. This wasn't the night to ask. The Outlaws at that point were well into their 14-walk total in an ugly display that embodied the inconsistency that has dogged the team in the wake of the Boston Red Sox's obtainment of Derrick Loop and Jesse Oster's exit into the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system. So yes, the answer was an easy no.

Another interesting caveat about the conversation was Long Beach's inquiry about putting defensive shortstop Eric Pringle within the package for a possible trade. Pringle is a resident of nearby Inglewood in the offseason -- an unabashed Dodger and Laker supporter at that in touch with his LA County roots. Yet the Outlaws let Armada management know there is no desire to let Pringle go and that it would be tough regardless because he is so content with his Chico situation. Indeed, it's tough to find players more dedicated to the organization's cause.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In that key Atlantic League battle between the two rivals, Camden countered Friday's loss to Newark with an 8-5 win over the home Bears in Saturday's third game. The Riversharks now hold a 2-1 lead going into tomorrow's finale.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

No member of the Outlaws pitching staff born during or after that year had earned a victory on the mound this season until 23-year-old rookie Berek Fasking grooved for seven strong innings to get the first victory of his career tonight.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jose Valdez hasn't been kind to Rodriguez, a fellow Dominican Republic native, with two doubles in two at-bats so far tonight, the last of which just knotted the score up at 1-1. Here's a list of current players in the GBL from the Dominican Republic, the famed mining ground for some of baseball's most prized playing treasure (home city listed in parenthesis):

Jose Morban, 1B, Calgary Vipers (San Cristobal)
Carlos Duncan, OF, Calgary Vipers (San Pedro de Macoris)
Jose Valdez, IF, Chico Outlaws (La Vega)
Augustine Montero, P, Edmonton Cracker Cats (San Pedro de Macoris)
Jonathan Castro, SS, Edmonton Cracker Cats (Santo Domingo)
Ruddy Yan, RF, Edmonton Cracker Cats (La Romana)
Eduardo De La Cruz, P, Reno Silver Sox (Santo Domingo)
Juan Senreiso, OF, Reno Silver Sox (Guaymate)
Henry Rodriguez, 3B, Yuma Scorpions (Santo Domingo)
Jean Carlos Guillen, P, Yuma Scorpions (Bani)
Jorge Perez, P, Yuma Scorpions (San Pedro de Macoris)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ricardo Rodriguez, initially an undrafted Los Angeles Dodgers find who ended up pitching two big league seasons with the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, will take the mound for the Edmonton Cracker Cats against the Outlaws tonight at Nettleton Stadium. (Photo courtesy: http://www.alexsautographs.com/)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Most of you probably had figured Outlaws pitcher Derrick Loop, obtained by the Boston Red Sox's minor league system earlier this week, left Dodge days ago. Yet it if you were at Nettleton for tonight's game, you might have been behind him in the bathroom line without knowing it.

Loop won't report to Lancaster Jet Hawks headquarters in north Southern California until Sunday night. Because the Jet Hawks have been on the road all week and won't wrap up their current series at the Lake Elsinore Storm until then, Loop has remained in Chico.

"I thought it was perfect how it worked out this way," Loop said while waiting for teammates in the plaza outside the Outlaws clubhouse after Friday's win. "It's given me the time I wanted to say my goodbyes, there's people in Chico I want to spend time with before I get going."

Loop will join former Outlaw teammate and 2007 GBL MVP Daniel Nava but doesn't expect to make many more friends in the Lancaster clubhouse.

"Oh, absolutely, it's dog eat dog when you get to that level," Loop said. "I'm coming in after I took some guy's friend's job. It becomes a business and I've got to be prepared for that mindset. Like I said, it's dog eat dog. That's the analogy I like to use."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a New Jersey special, the Atlantic League's two division leaders are facing off all weekend at Riverfront Stadium. Host Newark stole some pride back for the Freedom Division tonight with a 10-1 takedown of the Camden Riversharks. The Liberty Division-leading Riversharks, who have the league's best record at 32-20, broke down the Bears 17-5 for a win in the series opener.

It's been a big homestand in Newark, where manager Wayne Krenchicki notched his 1,000th victory when the Bears knocked off the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Wednesday.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since pairing for the first time this year at the top of the order Wednesday, leadoff man Steve Boggs and Eric Pringle are a combined 9 for 23 (.391) with four RBIs. Boggs was 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI in tonight's victory while Pringle finished 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Despite holding open tryouts before the season, the Outlaws selected Paradise resident Phil John, who often sings the national anthem at home games, to be this week's voice for the Canadian anthem with Edmonton and the Calgary Vipers in town. The irony is that John, 55, medical coding specialist, was already familiar with the French version because his father grew up in Canada.

"Calgary and Edmonton are in the English-speaking regions, so it was a little tricky getting (the anthem) down," John said before revealing a precautionary cheat sheet inside his hat during tonight's game. "But so far, so good."

John is a former Enloe Idol winner and lends his voice at funerals and in theater productions (among other gigs), and he seemed to classify this task as one of his bigger challenges.

"Just ask my wife," John said amid a chuckle. "It's taken some practice around the house."

For the record, he said he hasn't reverted to the cheat sheet yet with two nights left in the homestand.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I asked Jon Macalutas after last night's loss if he felt there was an aspect of his team's approach he could pinpoint that is contributing to the inability to score late. Take away that three-run burst with two outs in the ninth inning of Tuesday's loss to Calgary that merely made the final score look less ugly, and the Outlaws have only two runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings since last Thursday.

"Maybe we should stop making three outs," Macalutas quipped.

Eric Pringle was similary vague when asked the same question.

"We just have to figure out how to put more runs on the board than the other team whenever we can," Pringle said. "That's the name of the game."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jason Roach is back on the mound tonight against Calgary's Evan Greusel, who is 3-0. Roach has had all kinds of difficulties transitioning into a starter's mindset after initially coming to the Outlaws as a reliever. On top of that, the combined record of starters Roach has faced is 17-4.

Such matchups between proven dependables and unseasoned starters like Roach are huge in the GBL since there is such a distinct discrepancy between the two types of pitchers. The more of those you can come across, the more wins you have a chance of stockpiling.

It reminds me of a game I saw at Dodgers Stadium on the second night of the season in 2001. Young Eric Gagne was starting for Los Angeles against one Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As was always customary with Gagne during his days in the starting rotation, he had a crummy start before putting together five or six of the most glorious innings you thought you'd ever seen. That night, obviously, Johnson wasn't going to buckle at all and surely enough beat the Dodgers for what was something like a 3-2 victory.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jon Macalutas was just seen jogging through the Nettleton Stadium parking lot and into the rubber track area at University Stadium for what looks like one of his weekly runs. This is something the Outlaws manager usually does on the outfield perimeter, but apparently there was a change in routine.

Maybe I'll ask him about it since no one craves small talk like Macalutas does.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week's poll of the nation's top 10 teams (as always, league strength and road records both get significant consideration)...

1. St. Paul Saints (22-16, American Association)
Struggles arriving, though road 12-10 record and .286 avg telling

2. Quebec Capitales (17-8, Can Am League)
Starters Simard, Valdez and Cyr have total 10-1 record, 2.36 ERA

3. Newark Bears (27-22, Atlantic League)
Supremacy can be regained in Camden/Southern Maryland homestand

4. Amarillo Dillas (21-12, United League)
Might be rated even higher if not for 4 losses in last 5 games, all home

5. Orange County Flyers (15-5, Golden League)
Only irony, but Gary Carter rolling amid Willie Randolph's firing

6. Camden Riversharks (31-20, Atlantic League)
Sweep of Somerset propels first burst into rankings

7. Forth Worth Cats (24-15, American Association)
7-3 in last 10, looking prime to run away with South Division

8. Worcester Tornadoes (16-8, Can Am League)
Sussex acquisition Scott Grimes on fire with .429 avg, .525 obp

9. Gary Southshore RailCats (17-14, Northern League)
Balance evident in NL's second-best avg (.295) and ERA (4.64)

10. Somerset Patriots (29-22 Atlantic League)
6-7 in one-run games after dropping three in Camden sweep

LAST WEEK:
1. St. Paul
2. Quebec
3. Newark
4. Somerset
5. Traverse City
6. Amarillo
7. Orange County
8. Fort Worth
9. Worecester
10. Bridgeport

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After the Outlaws lost to the Long Beach Armada to close out their first homestand with a meager 3-6 mark, I was somewhat stunned to see struggling sparkplug Steve Boggs walk the entire way from the dugout to the clubhouse entry-way with his head straight down. At that point, he was finishing up the home stretch with just nine hits in 37 at-bats (.243) to lower his season average to .232.

His body language was noticeably better when we talked yesterday before the opener of this homestand and his average was up to .259 after a good showing on the road swing. His clutch double tonight that helped break the game open was actually his first extra-base hit of the season, so I asked one of those superlative questions baseball players just absolutely love: was this the biggest hit of the year to date?

"Oh yeah," Boggs shot back immediately, staying away from the traditional answer that every hit ever struck in life holds the same personal value.

"I'm hitting the ball now. I'm back, you'll see I'm going to be hitting the ball and getting on more."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Outlaws' two biggest hits in tonight's victory were Lino Garcia's grand slam in the fourth inning and Steve Boggs' double igniting a three-run rally in the seventh. The Outlaws were dead last in the Golden Baseball League with just 55 extra-base hits coming into the game. A look at the complete list:

1. Orange County 104
2. Yuma 83
3. St. George 81
4. Calgary 80
5. Reno 73
6. Long Beach 71
7. Edmonton 70
8. Chico 55

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As the Vipers here in Chico go for their third straight win over the Outlaws dating back to the two teams' last series in Calgary, check out how much quality minor league experience manager Mike Busch has at his disposable among four of the first six hitters alone in his batting order...

PLAYER (TRIPLE-A APPEARANCES)
Nelson Castro (101 games)
Jose Morban (43 games)
Felix Jose (408 games)
Darryl Brinkley (431 games)

That's 983 games in Triple-A, where talent is regarded to be major league-ready and generally only in need of a shift in supply-and-demand to be called up. Most independent league teams are considered lucky if they have 300 games worth of Triple-A experience.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I asked Loop what advice he might give the Outlaws' struggling pitching staff before reporting to the Lancaster Jet Hawks, Boston's Single-A minor league affiliate. It's unclear what kind of presence Loop exuded in the Outlaws clubhouse, but the confidence in which he carried himself off the field and the way that attitude translated into solid performing on the mound was evident. He chalked that up to a productive offseason regimen.

"I would just say get after it, out-work everyone else," Loop said before entering the clubhouse as an Outlaw player one last time. "It's all about preparing yourself physically to pitch. Everything in the days leading up matters. Just treating each start that way.

"Guys on this team have the ability to put zeroes up on the board, but it's all about the approach and what kind of work you put in."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With catcher-outfielder Bryan Silverman still on the disabled list nursing a high ankle sprain and expected to miss more significant time, the Outlaws signed veteran catcher Matt Ceriani, who has already played in five independent leagues and spent a short stint in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system. It was there he was a teammate of Outlaws manager Jon Macalutas.

None of these, of course, are the most important anecdotes about a journeyman like Ceriani (it's almost like the ol' longtime veteran joke, 'Who WASN'T his teammate?') He actually played for Italy in the World Baseball Classic in 2006. Remember how the bevy of American-born players flocking to the various different nations in the WBC was a huge deal at the time?

And the Outlaws are no strangers to Italian baseball whatsoever. Last year, they reacquired Craig Kuzmic for the final stretch of the year after he returned from playing professionally in Italy. Before this season, starting center fielder Jason Matteucci asked to be let out of his contract to play in the same league. Before you ask, catcher Gerardo Verastegui's European bloodline is Spain (one of the first things we discussed upon first meeting), not Italy.

And this blog post natually had to come on the same day the Italian soccer team scored an important 2-0 victory over rival France to advance into the quarterfinals of the European Championships.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

About an hour ago, midway through Derrick Loop's fourth straight effective start to begin the year before he was lifted by Macalutas for a reliever, word broke at Nettleton Stadium that the Boston Red Sox signed him to a minor league contract.

Watching Loop go initially will please plenty of his teammates, many of whom were around last year when the Cal State Los Angeles product was named a middle-rotation starter mainly because he was the only dependable lefty at spring training. Figuring out how to replace him, however, will be especially tough, and not because of what side of the mound he throws from.

Other than Loop, Greg Bicknell is the only starter with a win to his name. Without Loop's team-best 3-0 record and 1.55 earned-run average, the current rotation has a combined 8.75 ERA and 1-10 record.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Outlaws are back in town for a six-game homestand against the Edmonton Cracker Cats and Calgary Vipers, a pair of GBL North opponents. The banner announcing the slate mine as well feature Vipers star Felix Jose (above) in his St. Louis Cardinals garb circa 1990. (Photo courtesy: Apackadayblogspot.com)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's like the NFL this year in the GBL. Monday has been seemingly sectioned off as the night to host one game in one selected market while all other teams travel to their first destination for the week beginning Tuesday. Well, here is how tonight's edition went between Long Beach and Yuma. It's the third installment so far this year.

Next week the Outlaws get involved in the act with a series opener in Fullerton against the Orange County Flyers; the other portion of the night is Yuma's trip to St. George.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A picture of Foothills Stadium, where the Outlaws are wrapping their three-game series with the Calgary Vipers this afternoon. (Photo courtesy: Wikipedia)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week's GBL column is up on the Enterprise-Record site. Just to add a little more perspective on the comeback of Shane Cronin, this week's subject, look at the big names from the first round the year he was drafted by the San Diego Padres with the 15th pick of the 32nd round. Cronin took that five-year break and is now back with the Outlaws during a time many of the prominent names from the first round in his draft class went through the ringer and/or are still flourishing in the bigs...

1. Kris Benson, Pitcher (Pittsburgh Pirates)
3. Braden Looper, Pitcher (St. Louis Cardinals)
4. Billy Koch, Pitcher (Toronto Blue Jays)
9. Mark Kotsay, Outfielder (Florida Marlins)
10. Eric Chavez, Infielder (Oakland Athletics)
11. Adam Eaton, Pitcher (Philadelphia Phillies)
22. Gil Meche, Pitcher (Seattle Mariners)
35. Jason Marquis, Pitcher (Atlanta Braves)

Another interesting name of note: Long Beach Armada pitcher Nick Bierbrodt, who was picked up at No. 30 by the Arizona Diamondbacks

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He wasn't an MVP like Larson, but a current College World Series connection far more familiar to GBL followers is Orange County Flyers stalwart Dave Bacani, who starred for Cal State Fullerton during the Titans' 2001 appearance.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is the latest on the expansion Frontier League franchise for 2009 in Avon, Ohio and its plans for a new stadium. No news about new independent league organization gets interesting until the process of establishing a nickname gets under way (just ask Chicoans.)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The College World Series begins today and there's little doubt some of proverbial tomorrow's best Indy League players will be, as usual, participating on college baseball's biggest stage. Brandon Larson (above) was the 1997 tournament most valuable player and is now starting in the Somerset Patiots' vaunted third base spot in the Atlantic League. (Photo courtesy: Mycentralnewjersey.com)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've refrained from Canadian jokes while the Outlaws are out in Calgary and Edmonton this week — frankly, I don't know any and don't always get what's so goofy about my northern neighbors (no, somehow I wasn't phased by the whole Tom Green fad.) I've been told going there in person explains a lot of those wacky stereotypes.

All I know is the World Baseball Classic isn't daunted by taking its show north of the border.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 06:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A fellow baseball blog, Inside the Ballpark, posted its 10 biggest major league amateur draft busts recently and rated pitcher Paul Wilson No. 6 with this reasoning:

"For a school that is so rich in baseball tradition like Florida State, it’s probably not good to know that the only Seminole player to ever be drafted number one overall in the amateur draft is Paul Wilson. However, FSU is hoping Buster Posey goes number one to the Rays to break that streak. Anyway, Wilson was taken number one overall by the Mets in 1994. He made it through only one big league season with the Mets and posted a 5-12 record on the hill before being traded to Tampa Bay for Bubba Trammell and Rick White. Wilson did last seven seasons in the big leagues and collected 40 wins, but again, not enough from a number one overall pick."

This isn't the Paul Wilson who was late-season pickup by Outlaws last season and a member of the bullpen during the GBL championship series win. That Paul Wilson was with the St. George RoadRunners until earlier this month, when he was released by the Outlaws' Utah counterpart.

By the way, Happy Paul Wilson Day everyone...

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Tuesday night, former Outlaw Nick Singleton knocked down the St. Paul Saints, the No.1-ranked club in this week's OB Indy Top 10, in his seventh start this season for the Sioux City Explorers. Singleton, who is now 2-3 with a 2.79 ERA, threw six innings, gave up seven hits and three runs, struck out four and walked three.

The great back story about Singleton being in the Explorers rotation is that he is playing for former Reno Silver Sox manager Les Lancaster and is now a teammate with former Silver Sox nemesis Dusty Bergman. It is often forgotten that in last year's Fourth of July on-field brawl between the Silver Sox and Outlaws at Nettleton came as a result of a bean-ball battle between Singleton and Bergman at Nettleton.

Because it was catcher Ricky Bambino who actually charged the mound after getting pegged by a Bergman offering, he is looked at as the main Outlaws member involved. Bergman, also the pitching coach for the Explorers this year (a fairly valid excuse for struggling to be effective), is 0-7 in seven starts with a 6.41 ERA.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looks like Jay Gibbons has signaled a return, pledging to join the Atlantic League. That might prompt some of you to wonder how it's going with Felix Jose with the Calgary Vipers. In 38 at-bats, Jose has 19 hits for a healthy .500 average built on two home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week's poll of the nation's top 10 teams (Don't forget, league strength and road records both get significant consideration)...

1. St. Paul Saints (20-11, American Association)
Pitching — 3.73 ERA and gaudy +113 K/BB ratio — puts them atop

2. Quebec Capitales (13-5, Can Am League)
Up from No. 5, they've won 7 of 8, allowing over four runs just once

3. Newark Bears (25-18, Atlantic League)
Lost 4 of 5, including a sweep in Bridgeport, to lose No. 1 ranking

4. Somerset Patriots (26-17, Atlantic League)
Josh Pressley's .333 avg, 52 hits leads solid group of lefty hitters

5. Traverse City Beach Bums (13-6, Frontier League)
Rolled to go 5-1 on last road trip; ace Dave Nathanson is 4-0

6. Amarillo Dillas (17-7, United League)
Bogart's boys poised to dominate UL with top marks across board

7. Orange County Flyers (10-3, Golden League)
GBL's top pitching, 2nd-hitting team has played at home just once

8. Fort Worth Cats (19-12, American Association)
Leadoff man Brian Fryer (.318 avg, 21 SB) sets tone for polished club

9. Worcester Tornadoes (11-6, Can Am League)
Have cooled since 9-2 start, signs of a formidable contender remain

10. Bridgeport Bluefish (24-20 Atlantic League)
Ryan Bear's 18 hits, 9 RBI in last 10 games has ignited 7-3 surge

LAST WEEK:
1. Newark
2. St. Paul
3. Kansas City
4. Traverse City
5. Quebec
6. Somerset
7. Amarillo
8. Camden
9. Wichita
10. Yuma

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When listening to tonight's broadcast of the Edmonton game, Outlaws fans will notice the key name not in the lineup is Julian Benavidez, who will actually miss the entire Canada trip because his passport was not secured in time. That news frankly stinks for a team scuffling so badly and now taking to the road without the power hitter who has 12 RBIs since joining the team four games into the year.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 04:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One aspect of the Outlaws' rough start to the season easy to overlook was the Rockies' obtainment of Malone right out the gate. He was probably going to provide as dependable a No. 2 starter in the rotation as the team could ask for, and with Greg Bicknell back in the mix there would have been a formidable trio (Loop/Malone/Bicknell) more in line with the better pitching staffs in the GBL. But that's the way it goes in the minors and that's why stockpiling depth is essential.

Malone has made one appearance for the Modesto Nuts in the California League so far, working two innings with three hits and no runs or walks given up.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Allright, allright, no more last-name puns for a while, but here is the latest on Daniel Nava's progress with the Lancaster Jet Hawks as the former Outlaws dynamo and 2007 GBL MVP continues to make an impact in the Red Sox farm system. Just like last year at this time, Nava is hitting the ball consistently well and would be among the California League's top 10 if he had the minimum 172 at-bats required.

Here is how Nava stacks up with league leader Pablo Sandoval, who all you Giants freaks reading this thing might take note is having a stellar fifth season in San Jose as a Single-A catcher and is still just 21 years old...

PLAYER AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS SLG OBP E
Nava .325 36 126 22 41 8 1 5 18 14 29 1 0 .524 .399 2
Sandoval .364 57 228 53 83 21 2 10 47 20 32 2 1 .605 .417 5

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

David Parish was out of the lineup in last night's Long Beach Armada win over the Outlaws after being signed by the Colorado Rockies. The catcher who had been quite a slugging presence for Long Beach at Nettleton specifically is just the latest example of the Rockies' involvement in independent league talent, with reigning GBL Rookie of the Year Kane Simmons, former Outlaw pitcher Chris Malone this past May and current Outlaw Lino Garcia two years ago other Colorado pickups in recent seasons.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is this week's column on the St. George start, with a little included on the hot name in the league right now. Brandon Taylor was actually a highly-rated Chicago Cubs pitching prospect as recently as last year before Tommy John surgery derailed those plans. His agent called RoadRunners manager Cory Snyder in the offseason about a rebirth through a position overhaul, Snyder summoned Taylor to the Arizona Winter League and the process began at third base. Only later was there the move to shortstop, as Snyder explained.

"He wasn't comfortable at third, you have to hit homers on the (first and third base) corners and he just wasn't getting on," Snyder said. "You have to have the (home run) numbers at those positions but he just didn't have them and wanted the change.

"He can play third base right now in the big leagues. He can do some Double-A shortstop and move on, move up very quickly.

"At shortstop, he has great hands, there's just some stuff he needs to re-learn. Third base, he's just a natural. Hitting-wise, he's doing a great job. Mentally he's getting where he needs to be."

By the looks of it, what will be worth following is where Taylor ends up when a "big" comes calling. He'll be 26 in July, but might attract suitors as an interesting enigma at shortstop with his lively bat and defensive ability (think of the modern mold, a Miguel Cabrera prototype who could probably do some outfield if needed) Snyder talked about. Snyder was referring to the meager .238 average Taylor posted in 110 at-bats when playing third base for the Cubs in Peoria, though 10 home runs representing one every 11 at-bats is a hidden caveat of that power.

The strange sense of comfort Taylor is finding at the plate while at shortstop at the moment is bleeding through to the tune of seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 57 at-bats.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 5 2/3-inning start is usually not highly notable, but Greg Bicknell caused a few waves with his Saturday night because of the first 16 batters he retired to carry a no-hitter into his last frame of the evening. With the league ERA above 6.00, that's practically a godsend. Afterward, the soon-to-be 39-year-old got done with a postgame handshake/autograph session with members of the Durham Bulls youth program he runs out of his hometown outside Chico when he couldn't help but laugh when one of his players was curiously affable toward the coach after his solid outing in front of 2,000-plus at Nettleton.

"He was paying more attention to me than usual," Bicknell said. "He had a totally different look in his eyes when he looked at me."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Back from that little break with this nugget ... The GBL's collective batting average going into the weekend was .316 while its earned-run average was up at 6.88.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Manny Ayala of the Mesa Miners bagged the league’s Rookie Pitcher of the Year award in 2005 and worked his way up to Triple-A with the San Diego Padres the following season, but his final stat line in 2006 included a 5-5 record in 12 starts and a 4.54 ERA. It also appears to have set an ominous tone for the honor.

Outlaws fans know well how Phil Springman struggled with a 6.83 ERA in only 56 2/3 innings pitched before being released the season after winning the 2006 award. Now the Long Beach Armada’s Dustin Gober, the reigning Rookie Pitcher of the Year who scuffled in Friday's appearance at Nettleton, is having difficulty recapturing last season’s form with a 6.92 ERA in two starts.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looks like Derrick Loop will get his wish tomorrow night with the Long Beach Armada set to start former San Francisco Giants fixture Jerome Williams. Check tomorrow's Enterprise-Record sports section for a gameday Loop feature.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jose Valdez leads the team in RBIs, batting average and now frequent flyer miles. He checked into the starting lineup at second base last night after leaving New Jersey earlier at 5 a.m. and enduring three flights through Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Denver before arriving in Northern California. Valdez had returned to the East Coast to fill out mandatory paperwork as part of the immigration process. He was the last player out of the clubhouse and later almost seemed apologetic about a rare hitless night.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The wind didn't exactly pulverize the ballgame, though it's hard to fault Garrison for his prediction if you were standing around field level just before the first pitch. No, the Outlaws weren't about to blame tonight's 8-2 loss on the conditions.

"It just continues to snowball for us," Julian Benavidez, who was at third base in the setback, said afterward .

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As everyone reading this in Chico can attest, the violent winds whipping locally have made for some interesting perspectives on tonight's outlook.

"It's going to be wild," Outlaws right fielder Casey Garrison said. "Just watch."

The winds are pretty decisively shooting out toward left field, so a big day for righties at the plate is being forecasted.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

People tend to think losses like the 14-5 game the Outlaws dropped tonight only bruise some egos, an effect that passes quickly with time. But all the pitchers that had to be used is one aspect that may have lingering consequences throughout the rest of week, when there are still four games to play in five days.

Here Jon Macalutas is doing his best to get a banged-up bullpen freshened and tonight he had little choice but to lean on his relievers -- and a starter who might have already been gassed. Tyler Pearson, two days after a six-inning start, was rushed in to replace Berek Fasking after the rookie's tough go and gave up five runs, three hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Robb Ellis then came in for 2 1/3 innings and was the most effective among a hard-night group before closer Todd Gelatka struggled a bit in a non-save situation (one run, one hit, one walk in one inning.)

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The weekly poll of the nation's top 10 teams -- designed to be more a reward for season-long success across the full year in a realm where short-term results (first and second half champions) are recognized. League strength also factored into consideration...

1. Newark Bears (22-14, Atlantic League)
Defending league title valiantly with AL-best .297 average and 340 hits

2. St. Paul Saints (16-7, American Association)
10-3 road record, 102 walks earned at the plate both by far lead the AA

3. Kansas City T-Bones (12-6, Northern League)
A solid 3.19 ERA is tops in NL; 8-2 road mark shows strength

4. Traverse City Beach Bums (9-4, Frontier League)
Main offensive source Mike Goetz has 25 hits in first 49 at-bats

5. Quebec Capitales (9-4, Can Am League)
Are already 5-1 on the road and flourishing despite just two home runs

6. Somerset Patriots (22-14, Atlantic League)
Closer Bret Prinz's 13 saves leads bullpen with 13-4 record

7. Amarillo Dillas (13-6, United League)
Brady Bogart's club aiming for first winning finish since 2001

8. Camden River Sharks (21-15, Atlantic League)
Scrapping atop Freedom Division despite low offensive, defensive ratings

9. Wichita Wingnuts (15-10, American Association)
A 3.40 ERA leading the AA making up for mere four runs scored per game

10. Yuma Scorpions (7-1 Golden League)
Burden of proof since all games home at GBL's toughest bus destination

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Orange County bus, coming up to Butte County during a day off after completing a series in Arizona, rolled into Feather Falls Casino and Resort — this year's GBL road headquarters in Chico — Sunday afternoon at around 1 p.m., about the same time the Long Beach Armada was preparing to depart for Nettleton for last night's series finale against the Outlaws.

That allowed both the league's Southern California neighbors to mix and mingle, if not exchange a scouting report or two. After all, coming off the 2-1 series loss to the Armada, the Outlaws are already finding times tough against the Flyers, who have amassed a 10-4 lead in the seventh inning.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Though it wasn’t recognized until many of the players noticed when it was pointed out Sunday, the 2007 GBL championship rings presented to the returning members of last year’s team during a pregame ceremony prominently identified the Outlaws as 2008 champions.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the Fullerton-based Orange County Flyers in town, this story in today's Los Angeles Times about Babe Ruth's swing through neighboring Brea might shed some light on the area's baseball heritage. In the piece, there is the mention of Walter Johnson's dominance on the mound for the Fullerton High baseball team. Flyers manager Gary Carter experienced similar success as a prep standout in the 1970s at Fullerton's longtime crosstown rival, Sunny Hills High.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pearson is indeed the starter — Roach said he was in the stands charting last night's game because Pearson was dealing with an allergic reaction that apparently would have made it difficult to do so. For those keeping track at home, Pearson is now in Malone's No. 2 spot in the rotation while Roach, Berek Fasking and Rudy Quinonez round out the rest of the five-man rotation. Expect Greg Bicknell to find himself in this mix somewhere at someone's expense soon here within the next few weeks.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 05:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tyler Pearson was on the bill as this evening's starting pitcher but it was Jason Roach who was charting pitches — the customary job of the next-day starter — at last night's game. Pearson was suited up and in the bullpen at some junctures.

If I had to put money on it at this point I'd say Roach will be the starter since I've been confused anyway as to why Pearson was slated to follow Loop in the rotation — Roach was No. 3 at the outset and would seem the logical No. 2 after Chris Malone left the team to sign with the Colorado Rockies.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)