Majors Not Alone With Storied Lefties; Lane, Willis, Paxton Bring Indy Leagues Into Play

For our weekly quiz, ladies and gentlemen, what do Jason Lane, Dontrelle Willisand James Paxtonhave in common?

Hint:  While they have not been involved in as many trade rumors or have as many zeroes in their contracts as Jon Lester, Cole Hamelsor David Pricethey also share the same similarity.

If you answered that all are talented left-handed pitchers with both Independent and major league baseball stamped all over them–either recently or today–then you certainly are paying attention.

Jason Lane made a landmark start in the majors this week, his very first at the tender age of 37 after cutting his pitching teeth in the Atlantic League, while Willis showed a flicker of his Rookie of the Yearform in the same circuit and Paxton inched his way back toward the majors where it would not be crazy to suggest the onetime American Associationproduct could impact the American Leagueplayoff picture.

“Guys like this are what make baseball, the passion to play and to keep playing,” San Diego PadresManager Bud Blacktold The San Diego Union Tribune after he had watched Lane shut out pennant-contending Atlantafor six innings as he became the oldest pitcher in the 46-year history of the franchise and the first Padres hurler 37 or older to blank the opposition for this long a time since new Hall of Famer Greg Madduxdid it almost six years ago.

Lane did surrender a home run leading off the seventh inning of the scoreless duel in Atlanta to Evan Gattiswhich led to a 2-0 loss, but this former major league outfielder had proven he had re-trained himself as a pitcher with the Atlantic League’s Sugar Land (TX) Skeeterssufficiently in 2012-13 when he went 17-9 to turn more than a few heads.  He also had hurled 4 1/3 scoreless innings in two relief outings for the Padres in June to have a combined 0.87 earned run average even though San Diego has once again designated him for assignment which means he will probably go back to Triple-A El Paso, TX.

Dontrelle Willis, who at 32 is five years younger than Jason Lanebut isremembered as being the National League Rookie of the Yearin 2003 when his 14-6 record helped vault Floridato the World Serieschampionship and a 22-game winner two years later, is still trying to capture some degree of his left-handed magic seven major league organizations and two trips to the Atlantic Leaguelater.

I saw the animated hurler struggle with his command for the first two innings for Bridgeport, CTearlier this week, then he settled down for five pretty solid frames (one run, four hits) before wilting in the eighth inning against last season’s teammates, the Long Island (NY) Ducks.   He had decent velocity, and it was only his second appearance since a very abbreviated stint plus a long time on the phantom disabled list with Fresno, CA (San Francisco)earlier in the year, so there was some encouragement.

Seattlemedia has been touting James Paxton, who started his professional career in the American Association (Grand Prairie, TX), as the possible missing piece in the rotation if the Marinersare to improve on their position three games out of an American Leaguewild card slot, and it looks like the 6-foot-5 lefty will take the mound for the first time since April 8 in BaltimoreSaturday.

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Hectic Eight-Hour Drive, Then a No-Hitter

One more left-handed pitcher with a great story is Alex Szymanski,who threw a seven-inning no-hitter in his first start for the Can-Am League’ssecond year Trois-Rivieres (Canada) Aigles. No-hitters  always are fascinating, but it is the back story on the 27-year-old from Londonderry, NHthat could keep Hollywoodscript writers busy for some time.

Szymanski had made only one previous start outside of a Manchester, NHmen’s league since undergoing Tommy Johnelbow surgery exactly two years ago today until he shut down the New Jersey Jackalsin the second game of a doubleheader at Yogi Berra Stadiumthat he nearly missed.

That one start (four innings, two runs, a loss) was against these same Jackals for Quebecon May 26, but when a scar tissue problem cropped up he was released.  Szymanski was getting innings in the men’s league although it was not until an 11 p.m. telephone call from Aigles Manager Pierre-Luc Laforestreached him in Bostonthat another professional opportunity arose.

Laforest needed a second game starter in Little Falls, NJthe next night, so Szymanski went back to Londonderry, gathered up a few things, and shortly thereafter started what he expected to be a four and a half-hour drive.  With New York City-area traffic congestion, “I didn’t think I was going to make it in time”, the pitcher told me today.

The drive took eight hours, but he arrived 45 minutes before the second game started, met a few teammates, including catcher Elvin Millan, who had been his batterymate in the Frontier League.

Szymanski used his 86-89 fastball and a “really good change”, mixed in an occasional slider and faced only 24 hitters while throwing 64 of his 98 pitches for strikes, walked one and struck out seven in the 8-1 triumph.  The run was unearned.  His next outing will be Sunday at Rockland Countyin Pomona, NY.

Ken Shepard Is Still Smiling as He Faces Major Hurdle

The biggest heart in Independent Baseball these days surely belongs to Bridgeport, CTGeneral Manager Ken Shepard, who says this will be his last of some 20 years in baseball so he can spend more time with his wife Tonyaand their two children as he battles Stage 4 kidney cancer.

“They’re (doctors) hopeful,” Shepard, 49, told The Connecticut Post recently.  “There’s really not much of a chance for a cure for this type of cancer, but everyone’s different.  You just kind of go every day and live.”

One would never realize the battle when the smiling, healthy-looking Shepard is organizing a day for Pete Roseto be a ceremonial manager or passing out chocolate chip cookies or greeting fans at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

(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.)