Winter Work as Important for Holdzkom and Delabar As for Future $200,000,000 Man Scherzer

Max Scherzeris going to sign a new contact any day now which may be worth as much as $200 million.  If everything breaks just right in the new season, two other onetime Independent Baseball hurlers could earn $1 million between them for their work in 2015, yet these winter preparatory months seem every bit as important in terms of career success to this pair of right-handers.

Scherzer’s destination is not yet known, but Steve Delabaris hoping to regain a good chunk of his 2013 American League All-Starform and cement a spot in the Torontobullpen while John Holdzkomwants to pick up where he left off in ’14 as a sudden find for Pittsburgh’s‘pen.

While Scherzer seemed destined for a big-league future from the time he made his professional debut for the Fort Worth (TX) Catsin the American Associationin ’07 while a contract could be worked out worthy of Arizona’sfirst-round draft choice of the previous summer, the other two had anything but a clear path to baseball’s top level.

Delabar was drafted in the 29th round by San Diegoin ’03 out of the less-than-renowned Volunteer State Community College, pitched in two Independent leagues after the Padres dropped him four years later, and had to overcome what some feared was a career-ending compound fracture in his pitching elbow which required a metal plate and nine screws to repair while in the Can-Am League (Brockton, MA)in 2009 and missed one entire season before his career got any energy.

Holdzkom was taken in the fourth round by the New York Mets,but his journey toward the majors did not find him above Class A until the Piratesfound him in the American Association after last season had started, then he had a meteoric jump within a few months and found himself pitching in the wild-card playoff against eventual World Champion San Franciscotwo months ago.  He used Sioux City, IAand especially Amarillo, TXas major Independent stepping stones.

“I know I can contribute like I did in the past,” Delabar told Sportsnet.ca recently.  “Physically, I feel now like I did in the offseason leading into 2013.”

If the 6-foot-9 Holdzkom’s finish to last season with Pittsburgh (1-0, one save, 14 strikeouts and only four hits allowed over nine innings in as many games plus the postseason appearance) wasn’t enough, he is now on a pedestal back home in New Zealandwhere he is a nominee for that country’s Sportsman of the Yearaward.

“During the season I was just trying to play baseball and not think about the external stuff,” the 27-year-old told stuff.co.nz.  “Coming home it has hit me hard.”  Starting to throw two weeks ago, he said:  “The main thing I want to improve on is having a more consistent off-speed pitch so if need-be I can go for it.  I just hope my cutter is still there.”

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202 PLAYERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM INDY BASEBALL TO MAJORS

Complete List Available at www.WirzandAssociates.com

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Fox, Colabello Could Compete for Same Job

With 2013 Atlantic League Player of the Year Jake Foxsigning with Torontoand being invited to spring training it is not very far-fetched to visualize he and longtime Can-Am Leaguestar Chris Colabellocompeting against each other for backup first base duty with the Blue Jays.

While Colabello is trying to bounce back from a prolonged thumb problem and somewhat down season after a great start with Minnesota,Fox is coming off a 38-homer,118-RBI campaign split between Mexicoand Philadelphia’sClass AA farm club and an end-of-season return for his third stint with the Somerset (NJ) Patriots.

East Coast League Likely for 2015

Not always quick to jump on board because of some big talk and little action about starting new leagues in recent years, this typist is beginning to believe the East Coast Leaguehas a decent chance of getting off the ground next summer.

After failing to get Welland, Ontariointo the Can-Am League, 1990s Frontier Leagueoutfielder- turned-player-agent Colin Cumminsindicates he has four teams lined up and possibly will get more before releasing a schedule of 60 or so games in mid-January.  “I’m a little more relieved to know we can start”, the Torontoresident told me this week.

Cummins and his league partners will operate teams in Newburgh, NYand Welland (the Niagara Wild) while separate owners will have teams in Watertown, NYand Waterloo, Ontario.

           (This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns were written during 2014.  Fans may enjoy added stories on the blog 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.)