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Former Chico State infielder Jorge Araiza, one season after starting for the Long Beach Armada in the GBL championship series against the Outlaws, is now with the Frontier League-leading Kalamazoo Kings. He is hitting .277 with 53 hits in 58 games mostly at third base, where he has made 12 errors in the unfamiliar primary position for him.
I just got off the phone with Yuma Scorpions general manager Jason Matlock for a story I'm working on and the man was flat-out short of breath. It's a big weekend for his club starting tonight. The Long Beach Armada are coming to town for a four-game series, and both teams are pretty much deadlocked at the top of the GBL South's second-half standings in the race for that division's last playoff berth.
Frankly, Yuma is always in a position where it needs to stockpile wins at home. It is probably the most difficult road bus trip to make in the league and the dry, 100-plus degree heat can wear down opponents effectively as well. The Scorpions are 19-8 at Desert Sun Stadium this year, 12-17 on the road. Long Beach, for that matter, is 10-17 on the road.
Another reason for Scorpion excitement this week was Tuesday's 15-9 extra-innings win over rival St. George in Utah, which was notable because rookie pitcher Chris Luera's grand slam in the 11th inning proved to be the decisive turning point. Before you get all excitable about a rookie pitcher hitting his first professional home run to help his team win during a pennant race, know that Luera was an All-Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference outfielder at Park University this past season after hitting .412 with 34 RBIs.
It's not yet August, but the series between first-half division champions Orange County and Calgary in Southern California this week showed what could be in store for this year's GBL championship series. The two teams were decisive in their jaunt toward earning the first playoff berths of the season and split this week's series 2-2.
Among both teams' usual starting lineups, only four hitters had an average below .280. They ended up combining for 53 runs (13 per game) and 83 hits (20 per game) for the week. Because both teams are so monstrous offensively, pitching will likely decide this neat matchup if it comes to fruition in the championship. In that regard, Orange County looks like it has an edge considering the Flyers limited the Vipers to six runs in their two wins.
This week's national poll for perspective purposes (League strength/road records/pitching consistency remain key points)...
1. Quebec Capitales (41-22 Can Am League)
Power doesn't propel them -- just 40 HRs, near last in league
2. Somerset Patriots (48-39 Atlantic League)
Larson's .339 avg/21 HR/58 RBI, Pressley's .345/18/65 the 3-4 in order
3. Grand Prairie AirHogs (43-26 American Association)
Taking 2 of 3 against Sioux Falls came after compelling 11-3 victory
4. Sioux Falls Canaries (40-28 American Association)
Ford (10-4, 2.81 ERA), Regas (21 saves in 28+ IP) are only staff lefties
5. Amarillo Dillas (40-31 United League)
In prime title series forthcoming, Alexandria the likely nemesis
6. Orange County Flyers (35-23 Golden League)
Breen's .393 avg, 21 HR, 80 RBI flirting with Triple Crown
7. Kalamazoo Kings (40-24 Frontier League)
First-year starter John Brownell, 25, is league-best 10-1
8. Alexandria Aces (45-26 United League)
22-14 road record, 15-13 against Amarillo, San Angelo
9. Forth Worth Cats (46-29 American Association)
AA's speed leaders have 97 stolen bases
10. Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (42-26 Northern League)
18 wins in last 28 games will cinch 60-victory mark, franchise's fifth
LAST WEEK:
1. Quebec
2. Somerset
3. Amarillo
4. Sioux Falls
5. Grand Prairie
6. Camden
7. Kalamazoo
8. Orange County
9. Fargo-Moorhead
10. Fort Worth
Yesterday was a big one for former Schaumburg Flyers starter Brad Ziegler, who pitched two scoreless innings for the Oakland A's at the Coliseum to take sole possession of the record for consecutive shutout innings at the start of a career. His 27 scoreless innings passed George McQuillan, who set the mark at 25 with Philadelphia in 1907.
Here is a short version from the San Francisco Chronicle of Ziegler's journey from the Northern League to the A's — an interesting destination in itself considering Oakland general manager Billy Beane doesn't often tap into the indy league circuits when finetuning his minor league system rife with prospects under 24:
"I've never had anything handed to me in my career, and that makes this even more satisfying," said Ziegler, who twice has endured skull fractures, was released and relegated to an independent league and was asked to completely revamp the pitching delivery after his stellar minor-league numbers went unnoticed.
Ziegler had his skull fractured by a line drive in 2004 and again by a thrown ball last offseason. He was released by Philadelphia in 2003 and signed with Schaumburg of the independent Northern League. He ranked second in strikeouts (144) in the Class A California League in 2005 and second in ERA (3.37) in the Double-A Texas League in 2006, but didn't get a major-league chance until this year.
I'd hate to editorialize on this list below too much. It's the number of runs teams average per game from every division in the minor league system in pro baseball. You can look at it two different ways, whether you feel it's a reflection of offensive prowess or defensive shortcoming. People who read this blog often likely know how I feel.
Anyways, here is the darn list:
RANK, LEAGUE (LEVEL) Team average per game
1.) Golden (Indy) 7.5
2.) United (Indy) 6.4
3.) Northern (Indy) 5.9
4.) Frontier (Indy) 5.5
Atlantic (Indy) 5.5
6.) Can Am (Indy) 5.3
7.) California (A) 5.2
8.) Pacific Coast (AAA) 4.9
Texas (AA) 4.9
American Association (Indy) 4.9
11.) Carolina (AA) 4.7
12.) Eastern (AA) 4.6
13.) International (AAA) 4.5
South Atlantic (A) 4.5
15.) Florida State (A) 4.3
Midwest (A) 4.3
With Outlaws designated hitter Todd Gossage out in Cooperstown, N.Y. to attend his father's Hall of Fame induction ceremony this weekend, there is a story or two out there that make reference to Todd's upbringing under the Goose's tutelage. But here is a look back at our spring training interview from the May archive that kicks off with me making mention of a blunder in one of my stories about Todd and how he was an only child (which he isn't); he also talks a little bit about his Dad's Hall honor...
Everyone likes to make a fuss about what home run derbies do to hitters' swings right after the All-Star break every year. There are always plenty of cases to fuel either side of the debate. This year's Atlantic League champion, Josh Pressley of the Somerset Patriots, won the title in the middle of his current 10-game tear featuring 21 hits in 42 at-bats. It also includes five home runs, 14 runs and 13 RBIs.
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Pressley's name should be familiar to minor league followers. He was picked up in the fourth round of the 1998 major league draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was traded with shortstop Russ Johnson to the New York Mets completing a trade in which the Mets sent star Rey Ordonez to the Devil Rays for two players to be named on Dec. 15, 2002. He also is a product of Westminister Christian Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the same high school that produced one Alex Rodriguez.
PHOTO COURTESY: Alexandra Pais/Courier News
Earlier this year I talked about how Orange County Flyers outfielder Pat Breen was the clear going away frontrunner for GBL MVP. Closing the gap fast is Calgary Vipers designated hitter and former major league stalwart Felix Jose.
Only his .403 average is a team high, but it's hard to imagine Calgary's explosive offense nearly as good without Jose in the lineup's four hole — his .457 on-base percentage has helped ease pressure off No. 3 hitter Carlos Duncan in his comeback from injury while also positioning No. 5 Nelson Castro to drive in his highest RBI total since 2001 and No. 6 Drew Miller is posting career numbers across the board.
Here's a look at the short list Jose would join as a former major leaguer who went on to win an indy MVP honor:
2006 — Brett Laxton, P, Atlantic League, Camden River Sharks
2005 — Desi Wilson, 1B, Golden League, Surprise Fightin' Falcons
The poll of the nation's top 10 teams is back after the All-Star break (League strength/road records/pitching consistency remain key points)...
1. Quebec Capitales (38-20 Can Am League)
Initial Expos find Jose Contreras back bold in Canada with .373 avg
2. Somerset Patriots (46-37 Atlantic League)
Dynamic DH Josh Pressley on 21-of-42 tear in last 10 games
3. Amarillo Dillas (38-28 United League)
Ability/inability to trump scorching Alexandria will be big title test
4. Sioux Falls Canaries (40-28 American Association)
Playing safely with North Division's first playoff spot already clinched
5. Grand Prairie AirHogs (43-26 American Association)
2007 expansion team in no sophomore slump, 19-13 on the road
6. Camden River Sharks (45-29 Atlantic League)
Jose Lima not making quick impact — 0-2 and 7.70 in three starts
7. Kalamazoo Kings (37-22 Frontier League)
Led by closer Brandon Parillo's 15 saves, bullpen has been money
8. Orange County Flyers (32-21 Frontier League)
Bob Cramer's record now 13-4 in 23 starts since comeback in 2007
9. Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (39-23 Northern League)
Seven games in front of second place Winnipeg, Kansas City
10. Fort Worth Cats (41-28 American Association)
Combined 6-10 against fellow contenders Sioux Falls, Grand Prairie
LAST WEEK:
1. Quebec
2. Camden
3. Amarillo
4. Orange County
5. Somerset
6. Sioux Falls
7. Fort Worth
8. Traverse City
9. Newark
10. Winnipeg
The Outlaws fall for an eighth straight tonight with a one-run loss to the Edmonton Cracker Cats in the bottom of the ninth and are now 0-7 in the second half of Golden Baseball League play. Forget a successful title defense, if the team is able to reach the postseason at all from this vantage point in the season, that would be a major accomplishment in itself.
Admit it ever-optimistic Outlaws fans, it's been a battering season for the proud franchise to endure. Maybe this video will cheer some people up a bit, though it seems to be conspicuously missing Yuma Scorpions manager Mike Marshall and Steve Sax, the greatest second baseman who ever played the game as far as I was concerned at age 7...
It seems like a much smaller GBL cast than usual in the Mexican League this season. Orange County Flyers infielder Brian Rios is the only name who spent time on a roster this year before getting a call to the MBL, which has Triple-A merit in the big leagues. Rios, with the Minatitlan Petroleros, has appeared in 13 games and is hitting .271 with 13 hits in 48 at-bats.
Just to illustrate a little how big the Outlaws' offensive one-run 'onslaught' (by one-run standards) and its seven hits stack up against the rest of the one-runners in the GBL this season...
DATE — GAME SCORE (hits by one-run team)
June 1 — Calgary 12, Edmonton 1 (Edmonton 9 hits)
June 13 — Long Beach 11, Yuma 1 (Yuma 3 hits)
June 14 — Orange County 10, Reno 1, 7 innings (Reno 2 hits)
June 15 — Edmonton 7, St. George 1 (St. George: 4 hits)
June 17 — Long Beach 4, St. George 1, 7 innings (St. George 8 hits)
June 18 — Long Beach 2, St. George 1, 12 innings (St. George 7 hits)
June 20 — Long Beach 7, Orange County 1 (Orange County 4 hits)
June 21 — Chico 8, Edmonton 1 (Edmonton 5 hits)
June 24 — Calgary 10, Reno 1 (Reno 5 hits)
July 2 — Edmonton 11, Calgary 1 (Calgary 6 hits)
July 10 — Yuma 3, Reno 1 (Reno 6 hits)
July 11 — Long Beach 2, Reno 1 (Reno 6 hits)
July 12 — Long Beach 7, Reno 1 (Reno 8 hits)
July 20 — Edmonton 4, Yuma 1 (Yuma 10 hits)
July 20 — Calgary 3, Chico 1, 7 innings (Chico 4 hits)
July 20 — Orange County 4, Long Beach 1, 7 innings (Long Beach 3 hits)
July 20 — Calgary 11, Chico 1, 7 innings (Chico 3 hits)
July 21 — Edmonton 3, Chico 1 (Chico 7 hits)
Some of you might be noticing a post or two out of date in terms of its content's proximity to the date posted. Only the Wizard of Blogs, who only the best bloggers in the land apparently get to actually meet, can help in this case and probably won't.
This week's Golden Baseball column focuses on eight free agents to look out four. The most appealing name on the list might be former St. Louis Cardinal Bo Hart, not Bobby Kielty. Hart is more likely to sign with an independent league team because of his recent playing background and conceivably will add a good 20 points to his .274 average by hitting in the offense-driven GBL every day.
PHOTO COURTESY: www.alexsautographs.com
Now that the Lincoln Saltdogs in the American Association have acquired Dusty Bergman, two of the more cosmopolitan pains the Outlaws have dealt with are in the same Nebraska clubhouse. The other, of course, is Johnny Kaplan, the dynamite former Long Beach Armada outfielder.
Kaplan was a constant badger for the Outlaws to deal with last season whenever they locked up with the Armada in the matchup that was clearly between the league's two best teams. He was hitting nearly .400 and scoring nearly two runs per game against them during the regular season, but I also remember an instance when Chico fans did not take too kindly at all to Kaplan stealing two bases late in one trip when the Armada had already been manhandling the Outlaws on the scoreboard. Kaplan, for that matter. wore an appearance of amusement, which probably was the proper reaction but a needle into the stands nonetheless.
Bergman's role in the Fourth of July brawl of 2007 between the Outlaws and Reno Silver Sox has been well covered on this site and in no in need of rehash. But you Outlaws loyalists can take delight in his 0-12 and 6.04 ERA in 14 starts with the Sioux City Explorers. Lincoln feels it has nothing to lose and probably is taking the same "Hey, why not?" approach the Outlaws have with Scott Navarro considering the Saltdogs are in need of wins for an August playoff push. It's easy to forget Bergman only three years ago was a commodity in the impressive Angels farm system.
Kaplan isn't quite producing for Lincoln like in Long Beach last season, carrying a .279 average and .358 on-base percentage (his star stat category) going into this weekend.
Tonight the Scott Navarro comeback continues when the 33-year-old makes just his second start since coming out retirement. Coupled with Greg Bicknell's success at 39, the Outlaws are taking on a much more grizzled appearance after the image of last year's championship run was a much more youthful portrait.
But let's look back at a story from two years ago still distinct in my mind when another Thirtysomething lit up the Chico night.
June 11, 2006
Section: Sports
Article ID: 3924497
Luis lets loose in Rooks win
Orellana nets two goals in defeat of Ruckus
BY PATRICK KINMARTIN-Sports Writer
Of all those who doubt that 37-year-old Luis Orellana can still play a full 90 minutes in a competitive soccer game, perhaps no one is more skeptical than the veteran Chico Rooks standout himself.
It hasn't been unusual this season for the 6-foot, 210-pound forward to request a substitute after lumbering just to get to the half-hour mark in overall time logged.
That was far from the case Saturday night when, in addition to spending a complete night on the field, Orellana gave the injury-depleted Rooks two goals that proved to be the difference in their 3-1 victory over the Redwood City Ruckus in a National Premier Soccer League match at University Soccer Stadium.
Chico (5-4-4), coming off a 1-0 road loss to the San Jose Frogs on Friday night, had triumphed just once in their last seven matches and desperately needed to pick up three points in the Northwest Conference standings against the last-place Ruckus.
Thanks to Orellana's inspired effort, the Rooks got the triumph to prevent themselves from falling under the .500 mark for the first time this season.
"I'm in heaven right now, man," said Orellana, who padded his club-leading career mark that now stands at 84. "I don't want to leave the stadium, I want to keep playing. Well, my body doesn't want to, but you can bet my heart does."
He had that same energy from the get-go, stepping up to be the only active threat for Chico offensively in the first half. He was rewarded for his work in the 38th minute when he took an indirect free kick in the penalty box from Donnie Ribaudo and blasted home a 10-yard shot that put the Rooks ahead 1-0.
Visibly more tired as the game wore on after halftime — Orellana also played 45 minutes in Friday's loss — the native Nicaraugan had enough left in the tank to juke a defender at the top of the penalty box in the 86th minute and open up room to boot a shot not nearly as forceful toward Ruckus goalkeeper Brad Byrns. It appeared to take an awkward bounce right before Byrns could pounce on it, producing the score that broke a 1-1 tie to put the Rooks ahead for good.
"Hey, he's still a big part of this team," Rooks coach Dave Stahl said of Orellana. "Heck, he makes me want to get out there with the way he can still bring it."
The Rooks entered the night missing four back line regulars, injured leading scorer Keith Ratzburg and key starting midfielder Calum Robertson, who was out of town attending a family member's graduation. They hadn't won yet in three tries in the month of June.
Meanwhile, the expansion Ruckus (1-10-1) were riding high considering they had found quite a way to end a 10-match winless skid last week, picking up their first-ever NPSL victory by knocking off the defending conference champion Sacramento Knights 2-0 at home.
Chico controlled close to 60 percent of the first half possession but only had Orellana's goal on the scoreboard. The Ruckus drew even in the 65th minute on a corner kick that set up David Van Stockhausen's score coming off a nice header pass from Sylvester Kaar.
Redwood City had several chances to push ahead afterward. The best one came when Javie Avaya-Hil broke open on the right side during a defensive breakdown by the Rooks and slammed a shot on goal that Chico keeper Nick Clark knocked down before clamoring to dive and save Avaya-Hil's rebound attempt.
Orellana ignited the Rooks with his go-ahead goal and Clark made another solid block of an Avaya-Hil header in the 90th minute. Not long after, forward German Campos intercepted a pass and tapped a shot over Byrns to give another longtime Rooks player a mark in the score sheet.
"It was a fun night for Luis and myself," Campos said. "That's what we're all about out there."
Never was that more evident in the seconds after Orellana's first-half goal when he raced toward the Chico bench, grabbed a makeshift cane and pretended to limp around in a display that dazzled the home crowd.
"That was a tribute for all us old guys," Orellana said. "Especially the fat old guys like me."
OB's Weekly Indy Top 10 will be back next week after observing pro baseball's All-Star week.
There has been a story with minor league roots regarding former heralded Chico State head coach Lindsay Meggs, who is now at Indiana State. Last month, he hired part-time assistant T.J. Merritt to take over as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. It's tough to tell for sure what's behind it since such moves aren't subjected to the same type of scrutiny that exists in the college football realm.
But it's hard to imagine Meggs being impressed with pitching-type situations like the way this one was handled, outlined by Baseball America back in May:
"Joe Thatcher found the right team. When he signed with the River City Rascals of the Frontier League, he was putting his career in the hands of a man who knows pitching. Manager Randy Martz had coached
Jason Isringhausen in junior college and future big leaguer Josh Kinney with River City.
"What he saw in Thatcher was a promising pitcher whose career had been sidetracked by overuse. He went 4-1, 1.73 for Indiana State as a freshman and 5-3, 2.33 as a sophomore. But as a junior, his workload jumped significantly because he worked as a starter in addition to still pitching in as a reliever. The result was a 4-8, 5.60 season, as he threw more innings in 2004 than he had in his previous two seasons.
"' 'His college team was using him midweek and on the weekend. We tried to baby him the first year,' said Martz, now the pitching coach for the Frontier League's Gateway Grizzlies. 'When he came back the second year he was throwing in the high 80s and low 90s. We asked him what happened? He said 'I'm finally healthy.' "
This truly has been All-Star week in professional baseball, not just because of the big major league show at Yankee Stadium but also because of the various minor league versions outlined here on the blog.
Yet it's next week's independent American Association All-Star Game that may be the most crucial of the summer — yes, even trumping Tuesday's big bopper in New York in terms of significance. The St. Paul Saints are hosting the event at Midway Stadium and, earlier this year, Twin Cities-based Best Buy approached the team about implementing a system that allows umpires to dial up video replay close calls with the touch of a button.
The setup will allow the crew chief to carry a mobile phone in his pocket equipped with streaming video and TiVo. It will allow him to pause, fast forward and rewind the play on the phone's video screen. Best Buy is also slated to put technical advisers on hand to troubleshoot malfunctions.
Remember, Major League Baseball has held firm discussions about using instant replay on home run calls real soon in the relative future. It's unreasonable to think MLB officials won't be keeping an eye on the American Association's clever hitch to next week's All-Star Game, which will be played Tuesday.
Last night's Frontier League All-Star Game did what Tuesday's major league classic couldn't — decide the outcome in nine innings. Well, sorta. Per the Frontier League's traditional rules, ties in its All-Star game after nine innings are to be decided by an impromptu home run derby. From the Frontier League Web site, here's how last night's theatrics played out:
"The 16th annual Frontier League All-Star Game was decided in a home run derby for the fourth time in the last seven years with the East recording the win over the West in a 3-2 contest played before 6,032 fans at Traverse City’s Wuerfel Park. Angel Molina of the Florence Freedom received the Alex Gamez MVP Award after hitting the tying homer in the first derby round.
"It took two rounds of the home run derby following the game to determine a winner as the East connected on three homers in the final round while the West hit only one.
"The final round saw three competitors have two outs to post as many homers as possible while the first round featured three outs. The East sent Jacob Dempsey of Washington, Mike Russell of Kalamazoo, and Angel Molina of Florence to the plate while the West countered with Jason James of Rockford, Phil Hawke of Windy City, and Tim Dorn of Southern Illinois."
Last night's Atlantic League All-Star Game played out in similar fashion as the Western All-Star Classic on Tuesday and also had a similar score. Led by Newark Bears shortstop Ramon Castro's two home runs, the Freedom Division beat the Liberty Division 8-6.
Castro was named MVP and an announced crowd of 8,290 was on hand at Commerce Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J.
Some of you might remember the column I wrote about Calgary Vipers star Darryl Brinkley a few weeks ago. I didn't make too much of a fuss about his age, and good thing. Click below to find out why (and a thanks goes out to online reader Paula Hoffman for directing me towards this 2007 article tough to locate in extensive Web searches because of the newspaper's size and scope.)
The fact that it strongly resembles that Rich Pohle Sr. story posted on the blog here earlier this week shows how the practice is probably far from rare throughout baseball.
Cooking the Books?
Chasing .400 a difficult feat at any age
CHIP MALAFRONTE
Published: July 22, 2007
Time marches on for everyone, but Stamford's Darryl Brinkley is doing his best to stave off Father Time in a young man's game-in more ways than one. The ageless Brinkley (more on that in a moment), a 15- year pro now playing outfield for the independent Calgary Vipers, is on pace to become the first player in Northern League history to hit .400.
Through Friday, Brinkley's .403 average was tops by 35 points, and would shatter the league record of .376. Quite impressive for a player who, with a listed age of 38, is easily the league's oldest player. However, Brinkley has apparently been fudging his age for the last 16 or so years. Seems he's not 38. He's 41.
Since beginning his professional career in 1991, Brinkley has listed his birthdate as Dec. 23, 1968.
But he graduated from Stamford High in 1983, when he averaged 29.2 points per game and was named to the Register Class LL All-State boys' basketball team.
If his 1968 birthdate was correct, Brinkley would have been only 13 when his senior year of high school started in September, a season in which he scored 40 or more points three times, including 44 in his final game against Staples-Westport, with several triple-doubles.
When Brinkley enrolled at Sacred Heart University that fall, where he remains the school record holder for career batting average at .421, he would have been 14. He played baseball for the Pioneers from 1984-86 and again in 1988, when he led NCAA Division II with a .529 average.
Circumstantial evidence suggests Brinkley is at least three years older than he claims. Then there's the hard evidence. Brinkley's birthdate is listed with the Sacred Heart registrar's office as Dec. 23, 1965, as reported in a 1996 Register story by Sean O'Rourke. In that story, Brinkley also said he was playing baseball at Sacred Heart in 1983.
Brinkley refused interview requests from the Register this week. "I asked and he told me he was unavailable," said Patrick Haas, the team broadcaster and media relations director.
Maybe he knew a question about his age would arise. But why not fess up at this point? Brinkley's quest for .400 is only more remarkable considering he turns 42 in December. He hasn't played affiliated ball in five years, so the dream of the major leagues is likely over. Independent teams will still pay him considering he's still hitting. That he's over 40 only makes him more of a box office draw.
What can't be disputed is that Brinkley has always been a pure hitter. He twice topped the .350 barrier while playing Triple-A (for the Pirates in 1998 and in 2000 with the Orioles) and hit a combined .360 last season between San Luis of the Mexican League and Calgary.
Charlie Dowd, general manager of the Connecticut Defenders who was with the Bridgeport Bluefish a year ago, signed Brinkley for the Bluefish's stretch run. He played in the final 12 regular games last September.
"We tried numerous times to sign him over the years," said Dowd, unaware of Brinkley's age discrepency. "The guy has hit a ton wherever he's been. I think he wanted to play closer to home, but with his ability was able to command more money playing in Mexico."
It's not hard to see why Brinkley felt the need to make himself younger.
Undrafted and unsigned after finishing up at Sacred Heart in 1988, he toiled for three years in the Stamford Twilight League while working on the loading docks for a trucking company. Professional teams are reluctant to sign players older than 22, especially those who aren't power hitters or power pitchers. At 5-11 and 190 pounds, Brinkley, as talented with the bat as he was, suddenly became attractive when he said he was 23 as opposed to 26.
His first opportunity came in the Netherlands in 1991, and he moved on to Italy in 1993. He parlayed his overseas experience into a contract with Winnipeg of the Northern League in 1994, and an unsuccessful stint at Toronto's spring training in 1995.
Brinkley, 30 at the time but claiming he was 27, caught on with the Padres in 1996, and hit .363 at Class A Rancho Cucamonga before a promotion to Double-A Mobile.
He quickly advanced, and spent four full seasons and parts of a fifth in Triple-A, compiling a .315 career average at the highest level in the minors.
Yet he never got to taste life in the majors. There was a close call in 2001, which failed to come to fruition because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Supposedly, the Orioles, down an outfielder because of injuries a week after the minor league season ended, put out a call to Brinkley for help.
Brinkley, a plane ride away from his dream, was unable to fly to Baltimore because the attacks shut down U.S. air travel. By the time he was able to catch a flight, the Orioles went with Tim Raines Jr. instead.
Yet much like his birthdate, Brinkley has a different version of this once-in-a-lifetime event, too.
In a story that appeared in USA Today in 2002, Brinkley said he was in Los Angeles when the Orioles called. Yet he told the Calgary Herald in May that he was stranded in Australia at the time. Minor details? Perhaps.
But there's no disputing Brinkley, who still calls Stamford home, has made the rounds in his well-traveled career. Besides the Netherlands and Italy, he's played in Canada, Mexico, Korea, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. He's seen a million places, and raked them all.
This summer is shaping up to be his masterpiece. It started with a 23-game hit streak early on, and snowballed. His 52 RBIs rank third, and he's near the top with nine homers. His eight stolen bases in 15 attempts-Brinkley once swiped 61 in a season-are about the only statistical category that has trailed off.
There's still plenty of season left in the Northern League. Two months, to be exact. Lots of time for an average to rise or fall. But the pursuit of the magic .400 mark is a feat to be celebrated, no matter what level of the minors it's accomplished. Or what your age is.
Still, wouldn't it be a little sweeter to come clean and say you did it at 41?
Lastly from last night's All-Star Classic, for those wanting to know how the home run derby played out...
PHOTO COURTESY: Cynthia Esparza/San Angelo Times-Standard
Here is yet another example from last night's Western All-Star Classic outlining the issue of individual players in the minor league and their cause that doesn't always include their home team's best interests.
Fellow Enterprise-Record sports writer Travis Souders last night passed along the link below regarding the father of Rich Pohle (on the left ... yes, that's his Dad on the right), who was my favorite Orange County Flyer during the Garry Templeton era.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pahigian/080710
I've been getting a lot of questions about tomorrow night's All-Star game in Texas and the radio broadcast. It will air live with the link right on the home page of SportsJuice.com, beginning with pregame at 4:50 p.m. Pacific. The game is set to start at 5:30.
The annual major league All-Star Home Run Derby is running right now, but not on my television. I'm that uninterested and endless re-airs over the next year are a gaurantee. I'd watch All-Star festivities if they included a computer simulation that accurately showed how a Sandy Koufax-Nolan Ryan showdown played out over nine innings.
With a convincing 7-1 victory over the Camden Riversharks yesterday led by a good start from former San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Aaron Fultz (seven innings pitched, only three hits and one walk, six strikeouts), the Somerset Patriots swept that Atlantic League showdown on the road. Expect this week's OB Indy League Top 10 to be affected by it.
Jorge Perez's 10-strikeout effort in his 7 2/3-inning victorious start for the Yuma Scorpions against the Outlaws tonight was the most commanding performance I've seen from a starting pitcher in the GBL this season. It literally seemed like every time I looked up while doing some research for another story on my laptop during the early innings an Outlaws batter was walking back to the dugout after a strikeout.
Another gauge for how effectively a pitcher frustrates hitters is how the batter reacts to striking out. In two cases of Perez strikeouts tonight, Bryan Silverman tossed his bat up in disgust and later Lino Garcia swung his at the ground. That shows how Perez mostly was imposing his pitches on hitters and not merely getting lucky that guys were taking bad swings.
"He was keeping the ball down and had a good split he was throwing at the end of counts," said Silverman, who accounted for three of Perez's 10 strikeouts. "That split was his out pitch, definitely. He was getting it past us early but we adjusted a lot better later on."
The GBL could absolutely use more performances similar to Perez's, as pointed out frequently here on the blog throughout this summer of big hitting. Perez, a right-hander listed as 6-foot-4, 220 pounds who doesn't come off as that daunting on the mound, has now gone at least six innings and struck out at least six hitters in his last five starts for Yuma. Perez went 10-4 for Yuma in 2005 (he is now 4-2 this season with today's win) and initially was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997.
It wouldn't be unfair to criticize this blog for concentrating too much on the competition side of the minor league game, which on many levels is an individual endeavor for players over team interests. A perfect example was what took place about three hours ago here at Nettleton Stadium, two hours before tonight's Outlaws game with the Scorpions.
Catcher Matt Ceriani emerged from the Outlaws clubhouse and made his way across the field to check in on activity way over in the Yuma bullpen in left field. That's where Scorpions personnel were watching 26-year-old Vallejo left-hander Bart Braun go through a bullpen session in what was basically an informal tryout (Braun is a free agent.) Braun and Ceriani were teammates on the Sussex Skyhawks last season in the Can Am League. They're also members of a group -- a handful of current and former minor league players -- that works out together every offseason in Vallejo.
Ceriani didn't stop by Braun's session merely to say hello. He also engaged in a lengthy conversation with Shannon Hunt, Yuma manager Mike Marshall's chief assistant, and also brought Braun over to join the discussion.
"I'd love to see Bart get a look," Ceriani told me before making his way over to Hunt. "I can put in a good word, that's all I can do. Anything to help a guy from home, and someone I know is capable of pitching at this level."
Bart Braun, by the way, is actually Bart Braun Jr. The elder Bart Braun is a name major league enthusiasts might recognize -- he was an assistant general manager with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays who helped build the franchise's minor league system that paved the way for the team's rampant success in the American League East this year.
Somerset yet again scored a road victory over Camden in that Atlantic League showdown, 12-8 in last night's second series game. The Patriots rolled for a five-run third inning and four-run seventh en route to taking an 11-1 lead.
Led by Alexandria Aces manager Ricky VanAsselberg (above), here is the United League team that will take on the GBL in Tuesday's Western All-Star Classic...
Manager: Ricky VanAsselberg - Alexandria
C: Kevin Griffin - Harlingen
C: Luany Sanchez - Laredo
1B: Andres Rodriguez - San Angelo
2B: Luis Guance - Alexandria
3B: Gary Schneidmiller - Amarillo
SS: Danny Bravo - Amarillo
OF: Keith Brachold - Amarillo
OF: Bryan Frichter - San Angelo
OF: Jose Torres - San Angelo
OF: Dwayne White - Laredo
P: Julio Castro - Edinburg
P: Santo Hernandez - Laredo
P: Chad Linder - Alexandria
P: Ron Lowe - Amarillo
P: Jorge Lugo - Harlingen
P: Gregorio Martinez - Laredo
P: Luke Massetti - San Angelo
P: Juan Carlos Ovalles- Alexandria
P: Micah Posey - Amarillo
PHOTO COURTESY: KALB-TV/Alexandria
Led by Calgary Vipers manager Mike Busch (above), here is the full list of Golden League players set to play the United League bunch in Tuesday's Western All-Star Classic in Texas...
Manager: Mike Busch - Calgary
Coach: Cory Snyder - St. George
C: Wiki Gonzalez - St. George
C: DJ Dixon - Reno
1B: Norm Hutchins - Long Beach
2B: David Bacani - Orange County
SS: Jermy Acey - Orange County
3B: Joe Jianetti - Edmonton
UTIL: Jose Valdez - Chico
OF: Patrick Breen - Orange County
OF: Drew Miller - Calgary
OF: Ryan Stevenson - St. George
OF: Jeremy Cleveland - Yuma
DH: Mark Okano - Orange County
Pitcher: Evan Greusel - Calgary
Pitcher: Bob Cramer - Orange County
Pitcher: Trevor Caughey - Chico
Pitcher: Evan White - Yuma
Pitcher: Jason Norderum - St. George
Pitcher: Nick Cavanaugh - Long Beach
Pitcher: Rik Currier - Long Beach
Pitcher Nick Bierbrodt - Long Beach
PHOTO COURTESY: http://flickr.com/photos/mark6mauno/2570053972/
Two of the main players in this week's OB Indy League Top 10 are facing off this weekend in a matchup of the Atlantic League's two first-half division winners — the Camden Riversharks and Somerset Patriots. In the first game of the series in Camden last night, Somerset broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the sixth inning and, more importantly, held it with a lock-tight effort from its bullpen.
Relievers Byron Batson, Rick Asadoorian and closer Brian Reith combined to go four innings with just a single hit and one walk to pave the way for a 5-2 Patriots win.
None of this information, by the way, was provided by the Camden Courier-Post, which covers the local Riversharks about as much as Paris Hilton's backside covers a sofa.
That the Outlaws received a three-day midweek break because of the two games in Chico smoked out by the Butte County fire conditions is extremely bizarre in any pro baseball setting, especially in a beefy minor league schedule. Some players have taken full advantage. Gabe Riley, for instance, said at today's workout he was able to return home to Sacramento to visit with friends and family.
Perhaps no one benefitted more than pitching staff leader Greg Bicknell, who ironically was complaining to me earlier this week about having trouble finding time to take care of things around his garden at home in Durham. Besides his time with the Outlaws, Bicknell gives private lessons to young players daily and helps his wife with their newborn daughter. Not surprisingly then, he was hailing some time off to get hours upon hours of work out in the plants.
"Everything looks good except for the (water) melons," he said. "They're not coming in how they should. Apparently they're the ones who need the sunlight the most and they're not getting it (because of the smoke-encrusted sky)."
What poor air quality conditions? The Outlaws held a full workout at Nettleton Stadium earlier today despite the fact their game against Yuma was canceled as a smoke-out from all the muck in the air as part of the ongoing Butte County fires situation.
No players I talked to complained and a few said that the workout bordered on casual, but Jose Valdez was the last one off the field after performing a couple rounds of wind sprints. That's far more cardio work in unsavory open air than a player would likely encounter in a typical game.
This week's poll of the nation's top 10 teams (League strength and road records, as always, receive significant consideration)...
1. Quebec Capitales (31-15 Can Am League)
Bravo aux champions! — of the first half, at least
2. Camden Riversharks (37-28 Atlantic League)
Former Outlaw Bobby Gandolfo in on team's lefty-heavy lineup
3. Amarillo Dillas (29-19 United League)
Big lefty Micah Posey has already matched career high with 8 wins
4. Orange County Flyers (27-13 Golden League)
First four hitters have Murderers Row-like .381 average, 46 homers
5. Somerset Patriots (42-32 Atlantic League)
Crucial series at Camden awaits on the horizon
6. Sioux Falls Canaries (36-24 American Association)
DH Will Smith working on summer blockbuster with .353 average
7. Fort Worth Cats (37-23 American Association)
Getting by fine despite .267 team average near bottom of league
8. Traverse City Beach Bums (30-20 Frontier League)
Ryan Gehring has three of team's five complete-game shutouts
9. Newark Bears (40-35 Atlantic League)
Even once-automatic Pat Stanley in on major pitching struggles
10. Winnipeg Goldeyes (28-22 Northern League)
Joining Quebec and Calgary Vipers in banner Canadian year
LAST WEEK:
1. Quebec
2. Newark
3. Amarillo
4. Orange County
5. Camden
6. Sioux Falls
7. Worcester
8. Somerset
9. St. Paul
10. Gary
Outlaws fans, be sure to alert Dale Rollag about Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 to be displayed at tomorrow night's Yuba City Gold Sox game. It is the three-game series opener for the Gold Sox series against -- who else? -- the SoCal Fire.
More on summer wood bat league proceedings later...
To break up all the fire minotony, I was going to post a majestic photo of Yosemite's Vernal Falls in this spot. I guess the equivalent of such refreshment for baseball nuts, particularly of the minor league baseball variety, is a look at the swing that made Daniel Nava the No. 1-rated independent league prospect by Baseball America in 2007.
Here is some recently released video of Nava with the Lancaster Jet Hawks this summer.
The news isn't exactly all good either. They benefit more than Orange County because of the two full days off while at home instead of using one to travel.
Yet earlier today while talking with Enterprise-Record news writer Greg Welter, who has been at the forefront of covering the Butte County fires, I got the impression all the muck infesting the skies here in Chico isn't just going to prance out of town overnight. It will have to clear out rather substantially in 48 hours for the Outlaws to get Friday's game against Yuma at Nettleton Stadium in. If it doesn't, the GBL can't afford to keep cancelling games at a steady rate.
If I had to come up with an alternate scenario that would appeal to the league, it would be moving the Outlaws-Scorpions games to Peccole Park in Reno, the Silver Sox's home stadium. It would still present some logistical difficulties, but far fewer than trying to replay the series in a month and rearranging the August schedule.
Worse yet for the Outlaws, the GBL might opt to try what was done with the rained-out game in Canada between St. George and the Calgary Vipers earlier in the season. That game was simply rescheduled for the next series in Utah between the two teams, so Calgary was forced to play a home game on the road. The Outlaws' only trip to Yuma falls on Aug. 25 and might just make up any missed games from this weekend at that point.
What's most important to keep in mind with all these possibilities is that they are flat-out irrelevant if the three Outlaws-Scorpions games go as planned.
I just got a text message from Orange County Flyers play-by-play broadcaster Jordan Moore saying that the team bus going back down to Southern California hit bad traffic in Sacramento and is still quite a ways off from being within sniffing distance from home. The team is still probably real glad to get a head start on travels for its Friday home series opener against the St. George RoadRunners thanks to today's cancellation in Chico.
But the news isn't all good for the Flyers.
In all likelihood, the Golden Baseball League will reschedule tonight's game for the Flyers' return visit to Chico — a weekend series Aug. 1-3. The Sunday game of that series will probably be fattened up to a doubleheader. The snag in the deal: that will be a first-half game being played during the second half of league play. The Flyers are currently embroiled in a tight race with the Yuma Scorpions for the South Division's first-half title (Orange County holds a 2 1/2 game lead; the Flyers still have two more games to play than Yuma to complete the segment.)
If Yuma can hold strong and force the Flyers into a situation where the first-half title will come down to the rescheduled game in Chico come August, then it's advantage Scorpions. The Flyers on Tuesday against the Outlaws looked about as impressive as a team can look losing 19-6. They're probably already playing some of their best baseball of the season and there's no telling how injuries and momentum can change things over the next few weeks.
It will be announced officially by the organization soon that tonight's Outlaws-Flyers series finale has been canceled because of the poor air quality in Chico today. The Outlaws already have a scheduled day off Thursday and are slated to take on the Yuma Scorpions on Friday, air conditions pending.
For all the latest information regarding the ongoing fires in Butte County, log onto the Enterprise-Record home page.
Those of you who were at the game will be able to relate to this a lot better. The 19-6 win didn't have quite have that overly remarkable feel to it because the massive 10-run rally didn't come at the beginning when everyone in the stands is a little more focused, nor did it come in the last two innings of a close battle. But it is one where several key records were set and one that will stand out over most others this season and beyond.
What stands out to me about that seventh-inning offensive storm was the timing with which it rolled in. Even though it had been a tight game, 7-6 on the scoreboard, Orange County looked in complete control. When Pat Breen homered off Greg Bicknell in the top of the sixth to put the Flyers up 6-5 and then David Bacani's RBI single broke another tie to make it 7-6, I began formulating the story angle in my head for an Orange County victory. Mark Okano, Bacani, Jermy Acey and Breen as the top four hitters in the OC lineup had run their combined batting average up to .336 against the Outlaws this season after a solid five hits, five RBIs, four walks and two home runs in their four rounds against Bicknell. Frankly, the Flyers were imposing their will.
Julian Benavidez's home run -- a shot he hit with regularity during the first homestand of the year -- seems like the obvious catalyst for the Outlaws' 10 runs in the seventh, but probably most key was the second run of the inning, which was Matt Ceriani's RBI single with one out for a manufactured run (Gabe Riley had followed up Benavidez with a single and advanced to second on Lino Garcia's sacrifice bunt.) That sustained the momentum, allowing the floodgates to open.
And although he'll do his best not to admit it, Greg Bicknell deep down will take a pretty sizable amount of pleasure away from the win, which wasn't by any stretch a prototype victory on a pitcher's record. What it was, in essence, was a classic Bicknell win on the mound. He was beat around pretty good but never really flat-out beaten. For example, in the first inning, he started out by walking Okano and failing to retrieve Bacani's sacrifice bunt for an infield hit allowed. Still, the Flyers only came away with one run. It was a lot similar in the seventh. The three-run homer by Acey in the third and Breen's solo homer in the sixth probably should have sunk Bicknell, but the Flyers bullpen never left the team's hotel in Oroville and the Outlaws pounced in a huge way.
Though my car thermometer says it's 109 degrees in Chico this afternoon, Rory Miller is using his laptop as the official gameday gauge and he's going with 104. The question is, does any of this matter to A.J. Saxton, the guy who moonlights as Outlaws mascot Rascal the Raccoon every game?
"I've usually been losing about 5, 6 pounds per game (during the current homestand)," Saxton said earlier today. "I try to make (that weight) back, but by the end of summer I will probably have lost a pretty good amount."
PHOTO COURTESY: www.buttealumni.org/
One quote from my story about Scott Navarro's return last night that didn't make it in:
"Gosh, that's the first time I felt alive in four years," he said after the first start since coming out of retirement.
Sheesh, more age talk ... I was just politely informed down in the Outlaws clubhouse by Trevor Caughey himself that he is 25 years old instead of 28, which was I put him down as in today's game story in the Enterprise-Record about last night's win.
With 34-year-old Scott Navarro coming out of retirement tonight to make his hyped return to the Chico professional baseball scene, all three Outlaws starters for this three-game series with the Orange County Flyers are considered extremely seasoned by minor league standards. Tomorrow it will be 39-year-old Greg Bicknell while Beau Hintz, 33, goes Wednesday.
None of these guys, of course, are regarded as a more sensational story than 41-year-old Dara Torres (above), whose success at the Olympic swim trials that wrapped up over the weekend has made her one of the names to watch at the Games this August in Beijing.
PHOTO COURTESY: Michael Sohn/Associated Press
Trevor Caughey makes his first start tonight since becoming one of two Outlaws selected for the Golden Baseball League All-Star Game (third baseman Jose Valdez was the other.) Caughey initially broke into the pro ranks as the major league amateur draft's seventh pick of the 18th round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2001.
Four picks before Caughey in the 18th round, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays picked up outfielder Jonny Gomes of Santa Rosa College. Gomes made his pro debut for the Devil Rays on Sept. 12, 2003 and has developed into an integral member of burgeoning American League powerhouse Tampa Bay since.
Here is my GBL column this week in the Enterprise-Record that centers on effervescent Reno Silver Sox bench coach Dalphie Correa (pictured above on the right next to Laredo Broncos star Edwin Maldonado, who has a solid shot at making the United League All-Star team that will face the GBL's next week.)
One anecdote about Correa's career that didn't make it into the piece was that he spent the 2003 season with the Coastal Bend Aviators alongside Outlaws play-by-play man Rory Miller, who was calling games in the old Central League in between his stints with the Chico Heat and the Outlaws.
PHOTO COURTESY: Laredo Broncos
For already the fourth time this season, a former major league pitcher will start tonight in Chico against the Outlaws at Nettleton Stadium. Kevin Frederick, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 17th round of the 1997 amateur draft, made 30 major league relief appearances in stints with the Twins (2002) and Toronto Blue Jays (2004) for an 0-2 record and 7.59 ERA. For the Silver Sox this year, Frederick is 0-1 in three starts and also a handful of relief outings.
The Outlaws have twice been beaten by former San Francisco Giants hurler Jerome Williams of the Long Beach Armada, but they were able to rough up former Cleveland Indians/Texas Rangers right-hander Ricardo Rodriguez of the Edmonton Cracker Cats.
PHOTO COURTESY: www.freewebs.com/derekbrutger/mycollectionam.htm
The latest look at Outlaws players in minor league affiliated systems right now:
*Daniel Nava, OF
Lancaster Jet Hawks (Boston Red Sox Single-A)
.340 avg (66 hits in 194 at-bats), 31 RBIs, 32 runs, 16 doubles, 1 home run, 27 walks
*Derrick Loop, RHP
Lancaster Jet Hawks (Boston Red Sox Single-A)
3 relief appearances, 1-0 record, 6.00 ERA (4 earned runs in 6 innings pitched), 7 strikeouts, 3 walks
*Chris Malone, RHP
Modesto Nuts (Colorado Rockies Single-A)
7 appearances, 1 start, 0-1 record, 5.14 ERA (21 earned runs in 14 innings pitched), 34 walks, 56 strikeouts
*Jesse Oster, RHP
Clearwater Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies Single-A)
5 relief appearances, 1-1 record, 9.00 ERA (7 earned runs in 7 innings pitched), 8 strikeouts, 3 walks
That the Outlaws are in a vicious struggle is well known by now, but here's how their 12-23 record (.343 winning percentage) through the Fourth of July and also in the first 35 games compares to the way it looked the last three seasons at this time:
2007
July 4: 18-7 (.720)
First 35: 23-12 (.657)
Final Record: 44-32
2006
July 4: 17-14 (.548)
First 35: 19-16 (.543)
Final Record: 46-34
2005
July 4: 16-20 (.444)
First 35: 15-20 (.426)
Final Record: 49-41
The Los Angeles Dodgers' acquisition of St. George RoadRunners shortstop Brandon Taylor this week gave the major league organization its second Golden Baseball League pickup in two weeks. But the Dodgers are now one of three teams with three GBL pickups since the league's inception in 2005; the Los Angeles Angels remain the most active suitor of GBL talent with five signings while the Rockies are close behind with four.
Here's a look at the complete list, complete with the teams that have delved into the Outlaws pool:
Angels - 5
Rockies - 4 (Lino Garcia, Chris Malone)
Red Sox - 3 (Daniel Nava, Derrick Loop, John Jefferson*)
Dodgers - 3
Brewers - 3
White Sox - 2 (Steve Boggs)
Padres - 2
Blue Jays - 2 (Craig Kuzmic)
Padres - 2
Cubs - 2 (Grant Gregg, Alex Perez)
Braves - 1
Cardinals - 1
Giants - 1
Marlins - 1
Orioles - 1
Phillies - 1 (Jesse Oster)
Rangers - 1
*Jefferson was signed to a minor league contract by the Red Sox while he was with the Yuma Scorpions, before he came to Chico to sign with the Outlaws
The Quebec Capitales, ranked No. 1 in the latest OB Indy League Top 10, are closing in on another Can Am League championship with their stellar consistency so far this year. Here's what their last conquest two seasons ago looked — and more importantly — sounded like (just so you know, if their Canadian counterpart Calgary Vipers are able to win the GBL, the broadcast call won't be similar to this):
The Amarillo Dillas have had quite a presence on the blog this summer with the way they have burst up the OB Indy League Top 10 rankings. It's notable because, unlike the reputations traditional powerhouses the Newark Bears and St. Paul Saints enjoy, the Dillas are regarded more as a middle-road member of the United League scheme.
Those wondering about the Amarillo breakthrough this year or wanting to jump on the bandwagon might be interested in the local paper's perspective.
PHOTO COURTESY: Roberto Rodriguez/Amarillo Globe-News
This week's poll of the nation's top 10 teams (League strength and road records both continue to receive significant consideration)...
1. Quebec Capitales (23-14 Can Am League)
Opposition has been limited to under five runs in 9 of last 13 games
2. Newark Bears (37-28 Atlantic League)
Ace Pat Stanley 4-0 with 3.32 ERA, 38 IP in six road starts
3. Amarillo Dillas (29-19 United League)
Still haven't lost more than two games straight all season
4. Orange County Flyers (23-9 Golden League)
Arrival of former St. Louis pitcher Bud Smith adds more strength
5. Camden Riversharks (38-27 Atlantic League)
Comfy with five-game lead in first place over Liberty Division
6. Sioux Falls Canaries (31-19 American Association)
Stormed past St. Paul to clinch North Division's first-half playoff berth
7. Worcester Tornadoes (22-16 Can Am League)
11-7 on the road, 3-3 overall against mighty nemesis Quebec
8. Somerset Patriots (37-28 Atlantic League)
No shock that Sparky Lyle's club is AL's 2nd-best in pitching
9. St. Paul Saints (26-24 American Association)
Erratic offense has scored just 21 runs in six games since burst of 17
10. Gary SouthShore Railcats (24-19 Northern League)
Need to outduel Winnipeg to get first-half title second straight year
LAST WEEK:
1. St. Paul
2. Quebec
3. Newark
4. Amarillo
5. Orange County
6. Camden
7. Fort Worth
8. Worcester
9. Gary
10. Somerset
And lastly, here's pitcher Greg Bicknell, the famed "age-old" success story for the Outlaws. As with any person with vast knowledge and experience in a certain aspect of a culture, pay more attention to Bicknell's answers to my questions about ways to identify a good young pitching talent and less to my jokes about his newfound "ranching" career (that's usually how the banter with Bicknell around the clubhouse ends up when he goes into his Durham schpiel and usually automatically assumes I'm going to poke fun of him about it.)
Here is my interview with rookie outfielder Gabe Riley, who started the season on the inactive list but has forged his way on to the roster and become the top hitter with a .386 average off the bench.
These Outlaws videos I'll be posting today have actually been up on the Enterprise-Record multimedia page for some time now ... next time, when another batch is produced, I'll put them up here on the blog a little sooner. Without further interruption, here is my chat with Matt Ceriani, who is hoping to get the chance to take over the void at the catcher position left by Mike Piazza on the Italian national team at next year's World Baseball Classic.