Category: Minor Leagues

‘Oil Can’ hopes to pitch up north

According to the Ottawa Citizen, former MLB pitcher Dennis ‘Oil Can’ Boyd is planning to pitch for the Ottawa Voyageurs in the Cam-Am Baseball League. 

He hasn’t pitched in the majors since 1991 when split the season between the Expos and the Rangers.  He hasn’t even played pro ball since 2005. 

But the ball feels good in Oil Can’s hands, he says:

"The ball is coming out of my hand free and easy for the first time in years. I just want to prove I can throw 100 pitches for 30 starts and dominate."

Don’t know about you but Boyd is one of those baseball players that our memories supersede his contribution to the game.  That’s not to take anything away from him but he won 78 games in his career a decade ago and I still remember him vividly.  Granted, he was an colorful, outspoken individual. 

No doubt, regardless if he pitches well in Ottawa or not, he’ll be a fun character and a good draw.

Sandberg movin’ on up

Looks like that the Cubs are playing musical chairs with their minor league staff.  Mostly precipitated by the promotion of Pat Listach from Cubs triple-A team in Iowa to a coaching position for the Washington Nationals big league club. 

Ryne Sandberg who has been at the helm for the Peoria Chiefs will move up a notch and manage the double-A team, the Tennessee Smokies.  This will be a bit of a change for Ryno as he will play under NL rules for half the season.  that will be a first for him. 

Meanwhile, former Smokies infield and bunting coach Bobby Dickerson will take over for Listach at Iowa. 

So who’s going to manage the Peoria Chiefs?  Marty Pevey, who comes to the Cubs from the Toronto Blue Jay organization.  He’s bounced up and down from minor league manager role to the Blue Jay coach (most recently in the first base coach role).  His big claim to fame so far is being awarded the Florida State League Manager of the Year when Dunedin went 84-54.  Currently, Pevey has a minor league manager record of 541-510. 

Carrie Muskat has the whole list of minor league staff moves at mlb.com.

Want to be a pro baseball coach? Maybe Fort Worth can use you (at a price).

ebayftworth

Bad economic times force some creative methods to raise money.  The Fort Worth Cats have come up with one.

They’ve put up an auction on Ebay where the winner will become a “professional Baseball Coach” for them for a week.  The reserve price?  $1.999.  The team has an article on it on their web site.

Look at the perks!

*One Pristine Uniform to keep as a memento of your experience

*Official 1st base coaching salary of $1 per day

*One assigned coaches locker

*An official Cats baseball card in your likeness

*Guaranteed one inning of 1st base coaching per game

*Road Trip with the team, including hotel stay and bus ride

*Road meal money of $5.00 per day (to cover visiting clubby dues)

*The chance to participate in batting practice before every game

*A radio interview to be aired on Fox Sports Radio about your experience during your last home game

*A uniform retirement ceremony including first pitch and photo opportunity with friends and family

*A group outing on your jersey retirement night for 30 friends and family including field box tickets, hot dogs and sodas

I hope they do a good job vetting the winner of the auction.  At a dollar a day, who knows who you’ll get?

The Fort Worth team also promise to “retire” the auction winner’s name along with the club’s former managers and players.

Ugh, Minor League Baseball has always been in the forefront of fan participation and promotions but it sounds like they have just jumped the shark.

Thanks to Shawn Lee for the tip.

Champaign-Urbana minor league team will have to wait

For those in the Champaign-Urbana area looking forward to a minor league team, you may have to wait at least couple years. 

Matt Perry, a spokesman for a group of investors who said last year they want to bring a Frontier League team to Champaign-Urbana, now says the group is shooting for 2010.

National Sports Services, the sports consulting firm behind it all, are now focusing on launching a Frontier League team in Ohio. 

Former Illini Robinson interviewed by Chicago Trib

Chris Robinson who was a catcher for the University of Illinois and played for Team Canada in this year’s Olympics, did a Q&A for the Chicago Tribune. 

I was a bit puzzled by the Trib’s last question though. 

Q: Cubs vs. Tigers, World Series. Who do you root for?

Umm, considering that Robbie is currently on the roster of the Cubs Double-A team, the Tennessee Smokies, I would hope he would choose the Cubs.  Of course, he did. 

Hoffpauir sends 4

Iowa Cub Micah Hoffpauir tied a modern PCL record by homering in his first four at-bats against the Round Rock Express.   He was the third PCL history to homer in four straight at-bats and the fifth to do so in one game. 

"I’ve been working on trying to stay short on my swing and not try to do too much, and the patience and practice paid off," Hoffpauir said. "I never hit more than two homers in a game and after the third one, the guys were starting to get on me a bit.

The last PCL player to hit four homers in a game was Las Vegas’ Eddie Williams in 1998. 

Peoria Chiefs No-hit by Burlington hurlers

Things haven’t been going so well for the Cubs’ single-A affiliate Peoria Chiefs.  First they receive national attention by getting involved in a nasty brawl with the Dayton Dragons which got 15 players ejected and multiple fines and suspensions handed down. 

Since then they have been 1-7 with their one win coming at the expense of South Bend August 2. 

To top it all off, last night they were no-hit by the Burlington Bees.  Starter Danny Duffy threw six no-hit innings for the win and reliever Juan Abreu finished the final three innings for the save. 

With the unfortunate loss, the Chiefs find themselves at .500 and in 6th place for the second half of the season. 

Suspensions, fines handed down in bench clearing brawl

Yesterday, the Midwest League has issued their penalties for the "unfortunate bench clearing brawl" that took place between the Peoria Chiefs and the Dayton Dragons a little over a week ago in Dayton. 

The starting pitcher for the Chiefs, Julio Castillo gets the stiffest penalty with a 60-day penalty and a $1,000 fine.  He was also arrested and charged with felonious assault when a ball he threw hit a fan.  Castillo is no longer on the Chiefs’ active roster.

Six other Chief players were fined $150 and suspended three games. 

Carmelo Martinez, the Cubs Latin American Field Coordinator and Field manager in place of Ryne Sandberg who was at the Hall of Fame Ceremonies, was also fined $1,500 and suspended 20 games. 

I got most of this info from the Peoria Chiefs’ website.  I was hoping to get more detailed info on the Dayton Dragons on the Dragons site but no luck.  No news is good news, I guess.

—

Can you imagine what it might have been like for Ryne Sandberg in Cooperstown that weekend?  Here he is, probably hanging out with his buddies, Schmitty, Ozzie, maybe trying to avoid Morgan. 

Maybe something like this:

Schmitty:  Hey, Ryno!  How’s it goin’ in the sticks?  I hear you’re managing a single-A team?  The Chiefs?  Who’s in control while you’re gone?

Ryno:  Carmelo Martinez

Ozzie:  Who?  Never heard of him.

Ryno:  You remember… Edgar’s cousin.  Hit 21 homers in ’85.

Ozzie and Schmitty:  (nodding and looking at each other)

Ryno:  He’s got things well under control. 

Ozzie:  Uhh, Ryno.  You might want to check out the news on the TV here.  It doesn’t look good.

Schmitty:  Yeah, who’s this kid, Castillo?  He’s got quite an arm.

Ryno:  facepalm1

Phelps knocks in 7 for AAA Redbirds

Just the other day when I was interviewing Erik Manning of Future Redbirds we got on the topic of Josh Phelps who is now playing for St Louis’ Triple-A team in Memphis.  His ears must have been burning. 

Despite his advanced age of 30, Phelps is doing his best to make his presence known.  Monday night, Phelps had a big league night at AutoZone Park.  Hitting two three-run homers, he garnered seven total rbis for the night and was 3 for 5. 

The Redbirds pretty much needed all of his production as they won by a 13-11 margin. 

phelps Josh Phelps was a highly touted catcher for Toronto in the minors (way back when).  Before he got to the majors, knee problems forced him to move to first base but he was still considered a hot prospect.  So much so that he landed on the cover of the yearly Baseball Prospectus Handbook.  Some superstitious folk say that that was his downfall right then and there. 

He did have a promising rookie year hitting .309 with 15 homeruns and followed it up with a solid sophomore season (20 HR, .268).  But he never put in a full season and after the first two years, his numbers dipped.

Ironically, in 2005 and 2007 he did put in a few games at catcher for the Rays, Yankees and Pittsburgh. 

So now he finds himself playing for Memphis after years of yo-yoing back and forth from the majors and the minors.  In 364 at-bats, he’s slugged 20 homers and has driven in 73.  Last night was the second time he hit two homeruns in one game for the AAA Redbirds.  With Albert playing in the big club and first base (and DH) being his only marketable positions, his only hope would be to used as trade bait.

With his advanced age, sooner is better for the fish to bite.