106 Major League Victories This Season; You Bet, and That Is Just for Independent Leaguers

Twenty-one years ago when Kash Beauchamp was signed off the St. Paul (MN) Saints’ roster in the Northern League and assigned to Class AA the naysayers were continuing to pooh-pooh the future of this new thing called Independent Baseball.  Those who believed it could succeed likely were in the minority. We have pointed out the […]

In an Odd Way, This Former Manager Now More Valuable to Independent Leagues as a Scout

The first time I met Chris Carminucci he was managing the Can-Am League’s travel team, the Grays, in 2005.  Travel teams are not expected to do well, but his energy and upbeat nature were infectious. The Grays actually won half of their games the first half of the season, and it seemed obvious Carminucci would […]

‘Cookie-Cutter’ Approach Out the Window As Mark Mason Develops Pitchers

Mark Mason has been unusually busy in recent days as interim manager of the Atlantic League’s two-time defending champion York (PA) Revolution while Andy Etchebarren recovers from his latest back surgery, but with that stretch ending he will slide back into concentrating on being a pitching coach with a record most people can only dream […]

Indy Domination? It Was in This Eastern League Game With Mates Getting Win, Save and All Six RBI

Independent Baseball players who have had their contracts purchased by major league organizations seem to understand what a neat little fraternity they have.  They are in the minority on affiliated minor league rosters with the norm probably only a couple of hopefuls on a 25-man team. Longtime Can-Am League first baseman Chris Colabello knew all […]

‘Extra Outfielder’ Now a Hitting Star

     In forging their way to the best record in the Atlantic League, the Long Island (NY) Ducks have relied on the talents of such established players at this level of play as John Rodriguez, Lew Ford, J. R. House, Ray Navarrete and Javier Colina.  It is a substantial group.         And they have Kraig […]

Indies Have Banner Day With Five Taken In Draft

While Boston’s apparent signing of Carl Crawford seemed certain to steal the spotlight on the last day of the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Thursday also was a banner day for Independent Baseball. No fewer than five former Indy players, including three who signed during or after the season, were taken by new organizations during the […]

Lindsey Looms Large Even With New Indy Players Appearing

We have pinpointed at least two worthy candidates who could break into the major leagues for the first time in 2011, but even if they make it they will have some distance to travel before they nudge this year’s best headline-maker into the shadows.  Big John Lindsey continues to do and say the things that […]

It Is the Turn-Around Series in Atlantic League Finals

Like any other championship series time, there is no shortage of angles to the Bridgeport-York set starting Wednesday to decide the 2010 Atlantic League champion. The obvious approach to the best-of-five championship set that begins in York is that this is two teams hungrier than normal for a title.  After all, the Revolution, who host […]

He Uses ‘The Only Sane Part of My Body’ to Throw Batting Practice

It often seems that when we dig deeper a story gets more interesting.  That certainly has been the case this summer in the process of trying to find the best possible information for this Notebook.  So today we are going to veer largely away from the usual stories of pennant races and exceptional performances to […]

Rare Home Run Feats by Nava and Guerrero Make It Tough for Others to Take Spotlight

Two extraordinary feats, both a few days old now, continue to take much of the thunder away from everything else that is happening in Independent Baseball.  They deserve the attention because the accomplishments were not predictable, will not likely happen again any time soon, and they sent everyone scrambling to baseball’s treasurer record books. The […]

Oakland Takes Three More Atlantic Leaguers, Building Recent Total to Five and Passing Phils

It seems a little like a runaway freight train the way Oakland has swooped into the Atlantic League for player talent, and all of a sudden the Athletics have moved past Philadelphia as the major league organization with the most players out of the 13-year-old league active in their farm system. Oakland has purchased the […]

Who Will Be Next to Majors? Lindsey Stays Hot, Weber Warming Up

Michael Ryan had not been in the majors since 2005 until joining the Angels last weekend, and Cuban-born Raul Valdez had never been there until the New York Mets added the onetime Can-Am Leaguer (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH) a few weeks ago.  And, it is anyone’s guess on where lightning will strike next, […]

Remembering Charlie “King Kong” Keller

Charles E. “King Kong” Keller was born on September 12, 1916 in Middletown, Maryland. An outfielder, Keller played baseball and basketball at the University of Maryland where he earned a degree in agricultural economics before signing with the New York Yankees in 1937. Keller played for the Newark Bears of the Class AA International League […]

PCL Opening Day: 1953

It was the opening of the baseball season in America. As major league teams wrapped up their respective spring trainings and prepared to throw their opening pitch of the 1953 season in a few weeks time, the Pacific Coast League was ready to start now. Warm west coast weather allowed the PCL season to start […]