Official Alumni Thread

[Mass Haas]

Canaries Add Outfielder Bibbs

 

http://canariesbaseball.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/NewsManager/659.jpeg.300.jpegMarch 12, 2008 - SIOUX FALLS, SD - The Sioux Falls Canaries of the independent American Association have signed outfielder Kennard Bibbs, who will be Sioux Falls bound for the Canaries training camp beginning on April 23. Bibbs began his professional baseball career when he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of the 2002 MLB Draft. Bibbs worked his way up through the Brewers organization, landing in Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds in 2006. An off-season knee injury kept Bibbs from playing in 2007, but he will begin his comeback with the Canaries this summer. Bibbs is a career .273 hitter with 155 stolen bases in five seasons.

[Mass Haas]

Same independent league team as Charlie Iacono (two posts above):

 

Beach Bums Ink Ex-Brewer Prospect J.T. King

 

The Traverse City (Michigan) Beach Bums have announced the signing of right-handed pitcher J.T. King to a 2008 contract. King is 6'2" 210-pounds and a native of Grove, Oklahoma, and attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College He was drafted in the 22nd round of the 2006 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers out of Junior College and spent the past two seasons pitching in their organization.

In 2007, King pitched with the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League (as a side note, former Beach Bums Field Manager Jeff Isom will be the new manager of the West Virginia Power in 2008). For the Power, King had an 8-2 record and 4.67 ERA in 31 appearances, including two starts, going 61.2 innings with 26 walks and 34 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .282 average. In King's two starts he had a 3.24 ERA in 8.1 innings while holding opponents to a .191 average.

King's success at the low-A level should translate very well at the Frontier League level. LHP Zac Cline, who was an All-Star for Slippery Rock in 2007 with a 10-6 record and 3.10 ERA, had a 5.08 ERA in the South Atlantic League in 2006.

We believe King has All-Star potential as a starting pitcher in our league, and since he was drafted as a sophomore out of Junior College, he is only 23 years old and with some success, stands a good chance of drawing some notice from other MLB organizations.

[Mass Haas]

Jim Rushford has signed a minor league deal with the White Sox. From Baseball America:

 

The lone independent Heartland Baseball League survivor in Organized Baseball, Rushford has carved out a solid Triple-A career, batting .288/.349/.405 in six seasons at the level. The HBL folded in 1998.

Brewerfan Trivia -- Rushford's wife Danielle was a very nice occasional poster here back in Jim's Brewer days.

 

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Unfortunately, former Brewer farmhand RHP Justin Barnes was released by the Royals. He went to K.C. in the Chris Demaria deal.

[Mass Haas]

Update on independent Northern League All-Star RHP Kenny Durost (Brewers 2003 - 2005)

[Mass Haas]

More independent league signings, all with the Atlantic League:

RHP Corey Thurman, LHP Wayne Franklin and OF Travis Ezi with York (PA)

LHP Jeremy Lewis with Camden (NJ)

A bit surprised Thurman couldn't ink an affiliated deal...

[Mass Haas]

LH reliever Craig Breslow, who was out of options with Boston, was claimed by Cleveland, possible reasoning here.

[Mass Haas]

Red Sox released Junior Spivey.

 

White Sox released RHP Vince Perkins and LHP Brian Logan.

[Mass Haas]

Re-signing with their independent Atlantic League clubs this week are RHP Joe Valentine (Long Island), OF Ruben Mateo (Newark), and utilityman Elio Ayala and catcher Jason Belcher (Somerset).

[Mass Haas]

RHP Justin Barnes, recently released by the Royals' organization, has signed with New Jersey of the independent Can-Am League.