If Only All 48 Indy Players Could Catch This Break

    Robert Coellohas only been pitching for four years after starting his professional career as a respected catching prospect, but the 6-foot-5, 250-pound right-hander no doubt is the envy of many of the other products of the Independent Baseball leagues who have their nameplates posted on a dressing cubicle in a major league clubhouse during these early days of spring training.

       Coello may not have felt like being envied a few days ago when the Boston Red Sox, for whom he made his major league debut last September, designated him for assignment.  That all changed earlier this week when the Red Sox swapped the 26-year-old to the Chicago Cubsbecause he moved from obviously not being in overly high regard with talent-rich Boston to the organization with the second poorest relief earned run average (4.72) among all 30 teams one year ago.

       The Golden Leaguegraduate, whose pitching talents started developing during 32 appearances with the Alberta Provinceteams in Calgaryand Edmontonin 2008, still must prove his strikeout credentials, garnered primarily via a 90-plus heavy fastball, are real in order to stick in the Wrigley Fieldcrowd’s bullpen.  But the change of uniforms would appear to give him a welcome start, which is what all of the 48 Indy grads we can account for in the major league camps would wish to have happen to them.

       Twenty-one of the 48 who make up the biggest Independent class in spring training since 2009 are on the coveted 40-man roster, which makes them prime targets for major league jobs now or in the near future.  The other 27 are non-roster invitees, most of whom know they will need exceptional springs to even get considered for the glorious 25-man Opening Day player introductions.

      Exactly one-third (16) of the players in major league training camps got their start in an Independent league. 

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Atlantic League Tops With 15 in Camps

      The Atlantic League,which caters much more extensively to players with more professional experience, has 15 of its former stars in major league camps, while the Northern League, which ended an 18-year run after last season with most of its teams joining the American Associationor the new North American League, is second with 11 graduates, including seven who are on 40-man rosters. 

Stars and Fans Both Swarm in for New Atlantic League Team

       The Loudoun (VA) Hounds, who plan to start play in the Atlantic Leaguejust outside of Washington, DCin another year, did it up right with a FanFest event this week by bringing in an all-star lineup of former major leaguers that included Frank Howard, Boog Powell, Bobby Richardson, Tommy Johnand Cecil Fielder.  Nearly 10,000 fans turned out.

  A Way to Help Cash-Strapped Schools

      It has become the norm in many ballparks for groups to be offered fund-raisers whereby half the proceeds from ticket sales go right back to the organization.  The Rockford (IL) RiverHawksput a fresh spin on it to emphasize what it could mean to the funding-challenged local school system if the North American Leaguecommunity’s 29,000 students each sold just 10 infield-box tickets at the $10 face value.  A cool $1.45 million could be returned to the schools, which surely would save some programs facing extinction.

  (This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes year round on Independent Baseball.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy his blogs, www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)