Michael Ryan Had ‘A Blast’ With Angels; Could Aldridge, Mastny Be on Deck?

This has to be a frustrating day for Michael Ryan, one of the bright alumni lights for the Atlantic League,since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheimdesignated him for assignment Thursday.

Ryan, who turns 33 in a few days (July 6), had battled his way through four other major league organizations and a 65-game stay with Somersetin 2008 (.282-15-44) in an effort to get back to the “bigs” for the first time since 2005, when he was in the last of his 127 games with the Minnesota Twins.

The left-handed-hitting outfielder and occasional first baseman had an exceptional spring training with the Angels and finally got to the American Leagueteam after pounding the baseball earlier this season in Salt Lake City .Manager Mike Sciosciahad been complimentary all along, and Ryan got into 22 games, hitting .205 with eight hits, including four doubles, and driving in two runs.  But when the Angels needed a roster spot in order to activate catcher Jeff Mathisit was Ryan who drew the short straw.

Ryan said his time with the Angels was “a blast”, according to MLBTradeRumors.com , although he said he had not decided if he would accept going back to the minor leagues if he clears waivers.

Bad Attitude Not for Hot-Hitting Aldridge

If Michael Ryanends up back in Salt Lake City he will once again be a teammate to former Newark Bearsoutfielder Cory Aldridge, who has been on another hot streak while also continuing to  display a wonderful attitude.

Aldridge has gone 9-for-17 with five RBI in the last four games to build his PCLaverage back to .314 with 10 homers and 48 runs batted in.  “It’s easy to have a bad attitude,” the 31-year-old, who has only five major league at-bats despite 176 minor league home runs spread over 14 seasons, told The Salt Lake Tribune this week.  “A lot of guys put up good numbers, but it just doesn’t matter.  So I come out and just try to have fun.”

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Mastny Starts Strong in Florida Organization

Another more recent Somerset hurler could be knocking on the major league door if he maintains his pace.  Six-foot-6 right-hander Tom Mastnyhas made two consecutive strong starts since leaving the Patriotsfor Florida ’stop farm club in New Orleans .Mastny, 29, who has a 9-5 major league record plus five saves in 80 appearances with Cleveland ,blanked Houston’s Round Rock Expresson five hits over five innings in his initial start, then gave up only four hits and two runs in six innings to Texas’s Oklahoma City Redhawkson Tuesday.  He does not have any decisions, but boasts of a 1.64 ERA.

( These are excerpts from the Atlantic League Notebook. Subscriptions to the Notebook are available via www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com or www.WirzandAssociates.com .  Bob Wirz also writes a weekly column, the Independent Baseball Insider , as well as a blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as chief spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)