Atlantic League Record-Holder Welcomes New ‘LHP’ Son, Discusses Recent No-Hit Teammate Scarpetta

Therecord-holder for career mound appearances knows a great deal about wake-up calls for players coming into the Atlantic Leaguebecause he has seen a lot of them the last 10 years although, if I may try to interject a little humor, Ross Peepleshas learned about a different type of wake-up alert the last 20 days.

It was on June 14 when the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormersfamily gained another LHP.  No, Butch Hobsondid not find another left-handed pitcher to help his team try to claim a first-half divisional title.

That was the date Peeples’ wife Sarahdelivered the family’s first child, Levi Hardy Peeples(or LHP), a healthy seven-pound, 14-ounce son who lefty relief pitcher Ross facetiously expects to grow up “as a side-arming right-hander.” Dad claims “we actually take turns” with the nighttime wake up feeding duty, although his seem to come for two or three hours after games before Sarah takes over.

The other wake-up calls Peeples notices frequently, he said via telephone this week, are for players who “come here (Atlantic League) from affiliated baseball” thinking playing in an Independent league may be something of a cake walk until they encounter the veteran lineups they must deal with if they are to get back on top of their game and get another opportunity in a major league organization.

Ross Peeplesbelieves “this is probably my last year” of pitching, though he admits he has hinted at the same thing in recent years.  “It is a blessing to put the uniform on and compete,” he told me.  “I love to go to the field and compete every day.”

The 34-year-old is the Atlantic League’sfirst player to spend 10 seasons with the same team, coming to Lancasterfor its initial season in 2005 after a series of elbow surgeries (the count is up to four) knocked down his chances of getting to the parent New York Metseven though the southpaw was the New York-Penn League’sPitcher of the Year in 2001 (“I was in New Yorkon 9-11″), when he started the decisive game of the playoffs, helping Brooklyntop the New York Yankees’ Staten Islandclub.

Hunton Stars for First-Half Somerset Championship

Five-time Atlantic Leaguechampion Somerset,  NJhas won the Liberty Divisiontitle, which gives the Patriots13 half-season crowns, and while no one asked, my vote for first-half MVP surely goes to Jon Huntonnot only for his 21 saves for the 42-23 team but also because he is Director of Player Personnel for the Brett Jodie-managed club, which had to scramble for pitching replacements when the major leagues swooped in to sign multiple hurlers.

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Hot Streak Helps Colabello Get Back to Majors

Longtime Can-Am Leaguestar Chris Colabelloneeded several days after his demotion to Triple-A Rochester, NYbefore he could regain the swing that had betrayed him, but after hitting .318 with six homers and 25 RBI in his last 29 games (.275-6-27 overall) he is back with the Minnesota Twinsto help fill in at first base along with Chris Parmeleeand Kendrys Moralesfor the injured Joe Mauer.

Should Colabello get into the lineup tonight (Thursday) it will be to face 11-game winner Masahiro Tanakaof the New York Yankees, who could be back on the same mound to start the All-Star GameJuly 15.  Colabello had 30 RBI before he was sent to Rochester, which still ranks fourth among all Twins this season.

Four Indy Hurlers Get Triple-A All-Star Slots

Independent Baseball grads Luis Garcia (Newark, NJ, Can-Am League)and Bobby Korecky (Winnipeg,now in American Association), who have logged some major league time with Philadelphiaand Toronto,respectively, this season,will be part of the International Leaguepitching staff for the Triple-A All-Star Gamein Durham, NCJuly 16.  Chris Tremie, who played for Newark when that city was in the Atlantic Leaguein 2000 and now manages Columbus, OH (Cleveland),will be a coach.

Two other right-handed pitchers are on the rival Pacific Coast Leagueteam.  Chaz Roe (Laredo, TX,American Association) and Logan Kensing (Bridgeport, CT,Atlantic League) both logged some major league time last season.  Roe is in the Miamifarm system, Kensing with Seattle.

If You’re Good Enough Someone Will Find You’

Onetime St. Paul (MN) Saintslefty Caleb Thielbar, now entrenched in the Minnesota Twins’bullpen, gets our nod for quote of the week, courtesy of www.SouthernMinn.com.  Thielbar, who has a 1.00 earned run average for his last 10 appearances and is 5-2, 2.22 for 80 career major league games with the Twins the last two seasons, comes from Randolph, MN,population 436.

“It just shows you, you can do it,” the 27-year-old said.  “It’s not like it’s an unattainable goal (to pitch in the majors) for a kid from southern Minnesota or anywhere really.  If you’re good enough to play, someone will find you.”

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are planned during 2014.  Fans may subscribe at newly-reduced rates at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The authorhas 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)