Alumni Thread -- Through 4/25, Now Closed

[dadofandrew]

Now, Coste is a player that could actually be an upgrade over Moeller. He's a consistent hitter that doesn't get out anywhere near 70% of the time.

[Mass Haas]

Jim Rushford didn't have to settle for independent ball after all, and he's back in a familiar AAA surrounding:

 

www.canariesbaseball.com/news.asp?id=712

[dadofandrew]

Rushford doesn't have much of a ceiling, but he's at least as good as many bench bats, and a LH one at that.

[djoctagone]

the royals sent mike coolbaugh to omaha.

[jwaltz]

Jamey Wright had his contract purchased by the Giants. He will open the season as their fifth starter.

[djoctagone]

evidently kevin barker couldn't bump lyle overbay from the first base job . . .

 

toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/...p?c_id=tor

[djoctagone]

while we're still not sure if victor santos will be traveling to miller park for the opening series, it looks like jose hernandez will . . .

 

predict his number of strikeouts now.

[Mass Haas]

RHP Ryan Miller has signed with Gary (Ind.) of the independent Northern League. This press release includes his career stats in six years with the Brewers:

 

www.railcatsbaseball.com/...asp?ID=624

 

Here's Miller's Power 50 history -- a fun way to review Toby's comments is to visit the P50 Player Tracker and follow individual prospects:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPow...layerId=21

 

07/25/02 -- If Ryan doesn't get back in the rotation soon, I'm going to have a conniption.

 

Classic...

[Mass Haas]

Somewhat surprising, but Bucky Jacobsen settles for an Atlantic League independent deal in Long Island:

 

www.liducks.com/index.cfm...ction=news

 

The Long Island Ducks, members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, today announced that they have agreed to terms with first baseman/designated hitter Bucky Jacobsen on a contract for the 2006 season.

 

?I?m excited to be coming to the Ducks,? says Jacobsen. ?From what I?ve heard the Atlantic League is the cream of the crop of independent leagues and Long Island has great fans and a packed stadium. It?s going to be nice to come out there and pick up where I left off in 2004.?

 

Originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round of the 1997 draft, Jacobsen is entering his 10th season of professional baseball. The 30-year old enjoyed his finest season in 2004, batting .312 with 26 home runs and 86 RBI in 81 games for Tacoma (AAA, Mariners) before being called up to Seattle after the All-Star break. Jacobsen hit .275 with nine home runs in 160 at bats with the Mariners during the season?s second half. The veteran of 824 minor league game owns a career .285 batting average with 158 home runs, 177 doubles, 574 RBI and a .520 slugging percentage.

[Mass Haas]

Mentioned in the Major League Forum, but worth noting here, are two pitchers who made the Tampa Bay Opening Day roster:

 

RHP Ruddy Lugo was the Brewers' 3rd round pick in '99, and was traded to the Dodgers in the Devon White deal. Now in his 5th organization, he's never pitched above AA until now. He's generously listed at 6'0" here:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...lugo.shtml

 

More notably, 31-year-old RHP Jason Childers is a Devil Ray big leaguer. He had previously spent eight seasons in the Brewers' system:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...ders.shtml

 

Younger brother Matt Childers (eight games with Milwaukee in 2002, three with Atlanta in 2005) was re-assigned to Yankee minor league camp on the same day, clouding some of the family's joy, but certainly not all.

 

Honestly, in positions like that, you have to push your agent to get you into the Devil Ray, Royals, Rockies, etc., organizations, at all costs, don't you?

 

Congrats, Jason!

[brettac1]

cbs4boston.com/sports/loc...71718.html

 

Philadelphia released INF Tomas Perez and assigned INF Chris Coste to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Perez has been a utility infielder with the Phillies since 2000, while Coste, a non-roster invitee who led the Phillies with a .463 batting average in spring training.

[DHonks]

great to hear about Childers, as he was a personal favorite for a long time. I may have to tune in to that game to see if he throws

[Mass Haas]

Nice job here --

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.news-journalonline.co...040506.htm

 

Local pitcher Glover starts over in Japan

By MICHAEL LEWIS

Daytona Journal-News Staff Writer

 

They're everywhere, Gary Glover says.

 

When he leaves his apartment, out on the street, in restaurants, trains and buses, there's always a ton of them around.

 

"There's just so many people," Glover says, a trace of amazement in his voice. "I've never seen so many people in one place in my life."

 

Gary Glover is more than just a stranger in a strange land these days.

 

He's also a small-town boy in one of the world's largest cities, trying to find some open space.

 

Glover is speaking by phone from Tokyo, where a kid from DeLand in the midst of a baseball career has suddenly found himself.

 

After spending last season with the Milwaukee Brewers and its Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds, Glover is now a starting pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants, of the Japanese League.

 

A 29-year-old right-hander who has bounced between the majors and minors during his six-year baseball career, Glover arrived in Tokyo, a city of approximately 12 million people, two months ago with wife Vanessa and 1-year-old son Jake in tow.

 

With the Japanese League season getting underway last weekend, Glover said the crowds have been one of the biggest adjustments he's had to make.

 

"We went to one of the shopping districts last week, and the sea of people was just ridiculous," he says, chuckling. "It's been a pretty major adjustment, being from DeLand."

 

Glover never expected to be competing against the Hiroshima Carp and the Yakult Swallows instead of the Phillies and Cardinals.

 

In 2005, Glover had a pretty solid season for the Brewers. He expected a good contract offer.

 

"I felt like (Brewers GM) Doug Melvin and the organization (were) gaining a lot of confidence and trust in me, and that I had a shot to be a fifth starter for them," Glover says.

 

But the up-and-coming Brewers made a contract offer for 2006 that Glover wasn't quite satisfied with. Meanwhile, midway through 2005, officials from Yomiuri contacted Glover's agent and asked for film.

 

After seeing Glover in person later in the year, a guaranteed one-year offer of $700,000 was issued, and Glover accepted.

 

"The guaranteed aspect was the eye-catching part," Glover says. "They really made me feel wanted."

 

Glover admitted he had some trepidation about leaving the country, and frankly admits that if he were still single, he might have stayed another year with the Brewers organization.

 

"But I've got to think about my family first now, and this was the best thing for us."

 

Glover sought advice on baseball in Japan from a former Toronto teammate, John Bale, who had been playing with Hiroshima and gave the country rave reviews.

 

Glover arrived in Japan in late January.

 

"The first few days I felt like there was no way I could stay here and get by," Glover says. "It was pretty overwhelming. But then I figured if John Bale could do it, I could, too."

 

He and Vanessa have tried to quickly adapt to the culture. They're living in a downtown apartment and relying on buses, taxis and trains to get around.

 

One of the first things Glover noticed was how beautiful and clean Tokyo was, despite its enormous population.

 

"You don't ever see any trash on the ground, and everyone picks up after themselves," Glover said. "In a way, it reminded me of San Francisco: the climate is similar, it's very pretty, and it's by the water."

 

Glover has learned about a few Japanese delicacies (cow tongue is a favorite), survived his first earthquake ("that was kind of strange") and said there's at least one Japanese phrase he can't live without.

 

"Eigo ga wakarimasu ka," Glover says. "It means 'Do you understand English?' That one comes in pretty handy."

 

Glover's adjustment on the diamond is equally challenging.

 

The Giants, Japan's most-popular team, have been one of the most successful franchises, but over the last several years have had losing seasons.

 

"It's definitely like going from playing for the Kansas City Royals to playing for the Yankees," Glover says. "And from what I've been told, when teams over here lose, it's usually the American players who get blamed by the fans."

 

Glover is off to a good start with the Giants, allowing three runs in 25 innings in the exhibition season.

 

One thing he's noticed about Japanese hitters is how much more aggressive they are than their U.S. counterparts; it's an entire league of hard-to-whiff Ichiro Suzukis.

 

"It's tough to get a read on them, because I'll get ahead 0 and 2, and throw a fastball up and in and they'll swing anyway," Glover says. "They throw their bat at everything you throw, no matter where it is."

 

Glover holds no animosity toward the Brewers, even saying that he'd be more than happy to play for them again.

 

He's not sure whether he'll be in the Far East for more than one season.

 

"A lot comes down to the financial side of things," Glover says. "I definitely want to come back and play in the States someday, but if you do well here, the money can be hard to turn down."

[Mass Haas]

Nice little story on RHP Ryan Miller:

 

www.courierpress.com/ecp/...46,00.html

[Mass Haas]

It didn't take long for just-released RHP Kenny Durost to land an independent league deal, with Schaumburg (Ill.) of the Northern League. He joins former Brewer farmhands OF Ben Van Iderstine and C Tim Marks on the club.

[Mass Haas]

Pretty incredible story with RHP Kenny Ray having his contract purchased by Atlanta today. He'll be returning to the big leagues for the first time since 1999 with Kansas City.

 

If you remember, Ray did not pitch professionaly for two seasons (2001-2002) before the Brewers gave him a shot to pitch with High Desert as a 29-year-old at high-A. Ray also pitched for Huntsville that season.

 

Very cool tale of persistence, here's Ken Ray's career path:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...-ray.shtml

[deeswan]

Pretty incredible story with RHP Kenny Ray having his contract purchased by Atlanta today.

 

He struck Bonds out Thursday and the BBTN guys are already pimping him for Atlanta's closer.

[dadofandrew]

Is that the Ben VI that we were robbing of a chance to play in AAA last year?

 

It amazes me how the heart overrules the head with family and friends on the minor league forum. Ben VI is oodles better than most all baseball players, but that does not make him a big leaguer...ask Brian Lesher.

[NlGHTWlNG]

Does anyone know where Chris Magruder went? I can't seem to find anything on what happened to him.

[pogokat]

Francisco Plascencia is playing in the SAL for the Savannah Sandgnats

 

Agustin Septimo is playing for the Greensboro Grasshoppers, also in the Sally league

 

Edit: Corrected Septimo's team

 

edit: you think i would have noticed that since he played for the home team...

 

duh...well, i guess i'll see plenty of him this year

[Mass Haas]

Just released catcher Clay Blevins has signed with the Traverse City (Michigan) Beach Bums of the independent Frontier League.

 

Also, middle infielder Todd West (last with Joliet, independent Northern League) has announced his retirement.

[Mass Haas]

Some very familiar names here:

 

Chicago White Sox 1B released Travis Hinton (Lee / Podsednik trade).

 

Cincinnati Reds released LHP Tommy Phelps.

 

Colorado Rockies released LHP's Derrin Ebert and Matt Hammons, and RHP Fernando Rijo.

 

Detroit Tigers released Tim Crabtree.

 

Houston Astros signed RHP Roberto Giron. Released RHP Steve Sparks.

 

New York Mets released RHP David Manning.

 

Tampa Bay Devil Rays released RHP Calvin Carpenter and LHP Wayne Franklin.

 

Toronto Blue Jays released IF / C Jeremy Frost and RHP Brian Tollberg.

 

Washington Nationals released OF Jason Belcher.

[heresrobin]

I'm not sure if this was already posted but,

 

Ty Taubenheim just recently had his first start for Toronto's AAA affiliate Syracuse. Here are his stats after just one start:

 

Ty Taubenheim Stats

 

In perusing the bluejayway.ca's forums, it sounds like Ty had an excellent spring training and has carried it into his first start. I'm a little surprised the Blue Jays vaulted him to AAA right away considering he had a pretty mediocore AA half-season at Huntsville last year for the Crew.

 

Good for Ty. He was one of my favorites last year.

[Mass Haas]

Jason Belcher has signed with the independent Can-Am League's New Jersey Jackals (as a catcher). Jason's still only 24 -- he could work his way back to affiliated ball.

[dadofandrew]

Belcher needs to prove he can catch, if not, he's just another guy.