Audio Interview With Dodgers Prospect Scott Van Slyke

On May 6th, I had an opportunity to interview Chattanooga Lookouts first baseman/outfielder Scott Van Slyke. He was recently selected Southern League Hitter of the Week (April 18th-24th). Scott currently leads the Southern League in batting average, doubles and extra-base hits. This interview focuses on the offensive and defensive changes he’s made during the 2011 […]

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION REACH AGREEMENT REGARDING PAYMENTS FOR PRE-1980 PLAYERS

My friend Doug Gladstone, author of A Bitter Cup of Coffee: How MLB and The Players Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve, has been championing the cause of MLB players who retired between 1947 and 1980 and who didn’t qualify for a pension if they had less than four years of service time.  It looks […]

Another Indy Milestone Achieved With 150th Major Leaguer

     Independent Baseball reached another impressive milestone shortly after the major league season opened.             Appearances by rookies Tom Wilhelmsen and Aaron Crow plus a re-appearance by Eric Almonte, who is at the game’s highest level for the first time in eight years, jumped the non-affiliated branch of baseball past the 150 mark in getting […]

Son Makes Good on Father’s Pledge

I recently read a story about my grandpa, Babe Dahlgren and his father Peter that I’d never heard before. After all the years spent talking with my grandpa, all the countless months researching his life and career, somehow this one slipped past me like the easiest of ground balls. The story appeared in the Minneapolis […]

2011 Pre-Season Preview: NL East – Atlanta Braves

Braves 3B Chipper Jones The Braves begin the new season without long-time manager, Bobby Cox, who stewarded the team to a succession of fourteen consecutive division titles (from 1991-2005, absent the strike-shortened 1994 season), five World Series appearances and a world championship in his 20+ years at the help. The 2011 season will usher in […]

Many Indy Players in Running Two Weeks Before Openers

     The axe started dropping this week, sometimes unexpectedly, dashing the hopes of several former Independent Baseball players of being on Opening Day rosters with their parent major league clubs.  It does not have to be a forever disappointment, but a reality check at least for right now and their names will appear in minor […]

Clearing The Bases

It’s that time of year again where all of us fantasy players are gearing up for our fantasy draft.  Some of us may have already had a draft or two as some leagues like to get it out of the way early.  Personally I prefer drafting as late in spring training as possible so that […]

Some Background Information About the Mookie Wilson Grounder to Bill Buckner in October 1986

We all know about Buckner and game 6 of the 1986 World Series. But on October 14, 1986, a profile of Buckner by Ross Newhan noted that in 1985 he had “set a big league record for assists by a first baseman with 184.” But, Newhan also noted the long-term impact from “April 18, 1975, […]

Boston Finally Gets Their Man

The Boston Red Sox held a press conference early Monday morning to make an announcement that has been in the works for over two years. Joined at Fenway Park by principal owner John Henry and General Manager Theo Epstein, newly acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez was introduced to the Boston media for the first time. To his […]

Any Fish’ll Bite If You Got Good Bait

The Nationals continue to make notable progress in building their minor league organization.  Rated consistently in the bottom tier since the move from Montreal in 2005, the system is on the rise, but an acid test awaits. GM Mike Rizzo wants to trade for a starting pitcher. The rumor mill has the Nationals looking at […]

Astros Begin Reloading in 2010 Season

After a miserable start to the 2010 season, the Houston Astros made a mid-course correction in July.  Astro icons Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman were traded for 6 younger players and the Club made a modest recovery in the second half of the season with rookies manning four positions in most games.  Catcher Jason Castro […]

Mexican Leaguers Give Major Boost to Already Potent Bluefish; York and Somerset Also Go Outside League for Pitching

It appears successful baseball managers such as Butch Hobson, Sparky Lyle and Andy Etchebarren may want to book a little time in Mexico before the next Atlantic League season.  At the least, they should brush up on their Spanish. While the playoffs are far from over with the unpredictability of five-game series, one team has […]

Newest LA Dodgers’ 16 Years Pay Off

It was raining in Quebec and the first Can-Am League playoff series was being delayed by 24 hours, but New Jersey Jackals Manager Joe Calfapietra did not seem at all distressed.  In fact, his mood was clearly that of a happy man. Joe’s year already was a success, and only in part because the veteran […]

Babe, Joe and Marilyn Monroe

There was something about his swing that caught Babe’s eye long before the country had a chance to admire it – long before songs would be written about him. It was 1933 and Babe Dahlgren was in his second full season as the first baseman for the San Francisco Mission Reds of the Pacific Coast […]

Jeff Nettles Adds to Family Home Run Lore

Although he already has about eight and a half major league seasons, Esteban Yan would like more.  “I hope to get another opportunity”, the 35-year-old said.  “I know I’ve got a lot left.” I did not discuss future major league hopes with Willis Otanez, but the Long Island first baseman-DH would not mind seeing his […]

Just How Good is Jim Thome?

Jim Thome recently passed Mark McGwire for the #9 spot on the all-time home run list with 584 round trippers.  So, an obvious question arises: Just how good is Jim Thome?  Or, better yet, does his career really reflect Hall of Fame numbers? The answer is Yes.  At the end of the 2009 season, Jim […]

The Famous Names of Not So Famous Players

Through the years a number of baseball players have became so well known that their fame transcended the game. Everyone knew who Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle were, even people who were not baseball fans. Then you have the players whose names attracted attention for other, more unfortunate reasons. Johnny Grubb, John Wockenfuss, […]

Those Who Dominated the Mexican League in Offense Now Back in Indy Leagues for Late-Season Run

It is not uncommon early in an Independent Baseball season to see a number of quality players opt to play in Mexico or an Asian league where they can make more money.  But the Mexican League ends early so some of those who have been prominent do an about face and come back to the […]

Lancaster Loses League Home Run Leader Jason Perry

Lancaster took it on the chin four times in five meetings with the Atlantic League’s hottest team, Bridgeport, this week, but that is only the start of the potential problems facing the Barnstormers, who cling to a two-game lead in the Freedom Division race. They have to figure out a way to replace league home […]

Camden’s Von Hayes and Chiaravalloti Doing Double Duty

Camden Manager Von Hayes and part-time cleanup hitter Vito Chiaravalloti both have a lot on their mind these days, and it is only partially due to the Riversharks’ uphill battle to make the Atlantic League playoffs.             The postseason is immediate priority No. 1, but Hayes, the onetime Philadelphia Phillies star, also heads up a […]

Deacon White Named Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend

For Immediate Release Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Nineteenth Century Committee Deacon White named Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend ATLANTA, GA, August 5, 2010 — 19th Century pioneer player, James “Deacon” White has been selected the Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend for 2010 by the Nineteenth Century Committee of the Society for American Baseball […]

Break Up the Astros

The Houston Astros finished the month of July with 4 straight wins, outscoring the opposition 25-2.  It was the first winning month for the Club with a record of 13-11.  Most of the credit goes to the pitchers with the starters compiling a 2.54 ERA, the best in the league for the month.  Brett Myers […]

Elmer Gedeon – A True Hero of World War II

Elmer Gedeon, nephew of former American League infielder Joe Gedeon, was a three-sport star at the University of Michigan and a major league outfielder in the 1930s. He is one of only two players with major league experience to be killed while serving his country during World War II. Elmer J. Gedeon was born in […]

Michael Ryan Had ‘A Blast’ With Angels; Could Aldridge, Mastny Be on Deck?

This has to be a frustrating day for Michael Ryan, one of the bright alumni lights for the Atlantic League, since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim designated him for assignment Thursday. Ryan, who turns 33 in a few days (July 6), had battled his way through four other major league organizations and a 65-game […]

Is There Really Gator Baseball?

Coming out of Nationals Park several weeks ago I spied someone decked out in University of Florida garb and I quickly offered up the “Gator Nation” salute–an obscene affair–then jumped up and asked whether he knew how our Gators were doing in the SEC championship game against South Carolina.  After a quick browse through the […]

MLB perpetrates All-Star fiasco

“Vote early and vote often.” In the biggest electoral fraud since the 2000 presidential election, Major League Baseball and its 30 teams are telling fans to choose All-Star Game lineups by voting up to 25 times. They can do it on the internet or at the ballpark. It really doesn’t matter. The Yankees even show […]

Pitchers Not Always the Priority for Major League Clubs; Stavisky Retires While Phelps Is Out

It often seems like pitchers are the top priority when major league teams go shopping in the Atlantic League or any of the seven other Independent leagues for talent.  As a prime example, only four of the 16 former Indy players currently active or on disabled lists with any of the 30 teams are position […]

Strasburg in Syracuse Start Six: The Windup

It’s the fifth inning of Stephen Strasburg’s last minor league start. After Pedro Lopez flew out aimlessly to center, Strasburg himself reached out beyond the far side of the plate on an 0-2 count and slapped a ball back up the middle. Left fielder Boomer Whiting, a new call up for the Chiefs, then hit […]

Two-Time Batting Champ Victor Rodriguez, Wily Mo Pena Could Add Substantially for Bridgeport

York’s worst-to-first dash can only encourage others to keep striving to improve, and that certainly seems to be the case for Bridgeport. The Bluefish, eager to return to the upper ranks of the Atlantic League since 1999 championship Manager Willie Upshaw was available from Day One (he took over in mid-season last year), were stung […]

With 38 Players Used Already, Bears ‘Continuing to Build’; Perkins May Help

It is highly advisable for anyone going to a Newark Bears game to pick up a program.  This goes for regulars at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium as well as the casual fan or someone watching the Bears on the road. Thirty-six games into the campaign or just past midway in the first half of […]

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 […]

Baseball and Reality TV: A “Natural” Fit

The reality TV circuit has covered just about every genre of the entertainment industry imaginable. From singing and dance competitions, to former rock stars looking for love, to boxers looking to be contenders and so on, just about everything you can think of from an entertainment perspective has been covered. Everything that is except for […]

Write-In Campaign Adds Pressure on Selig?

Latino advocacy organization Presente.org is ramping up the pressure on Bud Selig with a write-in campaign to take the All-Star Game out of Phoenix in response to the Arizona Hispanic profiling bill.  After huge protest marches several weeks ago, the write in campaign provides a time-honored, American tradition to keep the pressure on Commissioner Selig. […]

Senate Bill 1070 and Baseball’s Role in the Coming Storm

There’s a storm brewing in the southwest.  It doesn’t matter how strong the retractable roof that intermittently hangs over Chase Field might be, this tempest will flood baseball in Arizona.  This inclement weather threatens to do more than delay a first pitch or wash out a baseball game.  Instead, we’re talking about a new definition […]

Kevin Millar Is Returning to His Roots To Play a Week for the St. Paul Saints

Kevin Millar’s playing days are not over. “I am going to play a week with the St. Paul Saints,” the best player ever to start his professional career in Independent Baseball told a national audience on SiriusXM Radio one morning this week. The hosts on The Power Alley wanted to know if Millar was retired […]

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