Goodbye Bien.....

this from the San Jose Mercury News by blog writer Andrew Baggarly who writes a blog called "Extra Baggs" :

"Just completed all the research and interviews for the Baseball America Top-30 prospects list. If only the writing did itself!

Spoke with a few coaches who clammed up when I asked if they’d return to the same assignments next year. Changes are coming, I’ve been told, but they weren’t at liberty to discuss them.

The Giants are expected to make announcements soon. Don’t be surprised if Steve Decker rises to manage Double-A Connecticut and Low-A Augusta manager Andy Skeels is promoted to take Decker’s place in San Jose.


Skeels’ GreenJackets were 88-50, the best record among all full-season minor league teams, and went on to the South Atlantic League championship. All the more impressive, Skeels guided a team that was young for the Sally League. Madison Bumgarner, Nick Noonan and Angel Villalona were in their first full pro seasons.

Decker’s Little Giants were almost as good before losing in the Cal League playoffs; the former big league catcher has built a strong reputation for developing winning players.

The Double-A club will be a huge responsibility next season, when the Defenders are expected to get the Giants’ top two pitching prospects, Bumgarner and Tim Alderson, and possibly Noonan as well. With Decker at Connecticut, it’s reasonable to assume that top pick Buster Posey will be assigned there, too.

Posey might be a Gold Glove catcher in the making, but he’s only been playing the position a couple years and still has a lot to learn. He apparently had trouble with passed balls in Hawaii earlier this month. Decker should help him straighten out."

I saw the above posted on Tom Clifton's blog as well.

Not really surprised Bien might not be back given his feelings about Dodd which turned 180 degress from the beginning of the season.
And Witter makes out in this deal as well if Decker comes on board.

AR in NB....

Thanks for tuning in AR Fan and everyone else as well to this humble site as the number of visits this month will be 1500 or so compared to last October's total of 594.
And from yesterday's Ballparkdigest.com:

"To say we're going to be in for a contentious debate over the location of a new ballpark in Richmond is an understatement. (Assuming there is a new ballpark; we're not entirely sure a proposed $763 million redevelopment project in the city won't collapse under its own weight at some point, dragging the ballpark down with it.) The issue, really, comes down to suburban access to the ballpark. The Diamond, the former home of the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League), was on the outskirts of town and easily accessible to suburbanites -- a necessity because area counties contributed financially to construction costs. With the downtown ballpark, the city is basically going it alone -- and apparently doesn't need a large measure of suburban support, though we're not entirely sure anyone bringing a team into the city would actually agree with that assessment. Also, you can expect a huge battle regarding the Shockoe Bottom site: it was the former home of the slave trade in the city -- and, by extension, the nation -- and there are many in the community who want to see that history exposed via historical displays and careful restoration. The Highwoods development plan for Shockoe Bottom includes an installation to explain that history, but it may not be enough to placate the hardcore in the community. There are so issues that must need to be overcome before a new ballpark happens; we don't envy Highwoods Properties."

Ballparkdigest.com also reports the Newark Bears on the indy Atlantic League went into Chapter 11 recently.

Paul Oseguera...

Ben Snyder....

From today's Richmond newspaper:

By JOHN O'CONNOR
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
The minor-league baseball team that left town last month had out-of-town ownership dedicated almost exclusively to player development.

Bryan Bostic intends to shake up that formula.

"We're about family entertainment," said the local businessman.

Bostic leads a potential ownership group, Richmond Baseball Club, LC, that wants to bring baseball back to Richmond after the departure of the Richmond Braves, owned by the Atlanta Braves.

Wins and losses will be important if Bostic's group acquires a team, he said, but providing entertainment to baseball fans and non-fans will be paramount to the organization.

Bostic didn't specify how many investors are involved in his group but said it includes more than 10.

The group is working through Minor League Baseball in hopes of purchasing a franchise for Richmond. There will not be an affiliated team in Richmond next season, because 2009 minor-league schedules have been finalized.

There is a slight chance that an independent-league team could play here next season.

The Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Class AAA franchise, moved to Gwinnett County, Ga., after last season because of the Braves' dissatisfaction with The Diamond and the lack of a firm plan to replace it. Bostic's goal of acquiring a team is predicated on construction of a stadium that will be part of the development planned for Shockoe Bottom.

A Class AAA franchise is not available at this time. Bostic's group is aiming to purchase a Class AA franchise with membership in the Eastern League.

His group may buy a team -- last year, the Eastern League's Harrisburg, Pa., franchise sold for a league-record $13.25 million -- in about five months and keep it in its current city for 2009.

Bostic's group would like to have a team at The Diamond in 2010 and then occupy a new stadium in the proposed Shockoe Center in 2011 or 2012. The stadium would cost $60 million, have 24 entertainment suites, and a capacity of 8,500.
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or joconnor@timesdispatch.com.

Dave McKae........

Adam Witter.....whose defense would....

inadvertently provide us with the fan highlight of the 2008 season.

GB deals.......

Kyle Haines applies the tag while Jake looks on...

Olmo....

Jake Wald....

Kyle Haines.....

Ronnie Ray......

Ryan Rohlinger.......

former RockCat Matt Garza gets the win last night and the Rays advance! Garza is another example of why Double A baseball is the best "brand" of minor league ball.

World Series predictions? I'm going Rays in 6 games.

Ben Copeland.....

Joey Martinez.....

should be Fresno bound in '09. Who wants to project the CT starting five next season? Alderson, Pucetas, Tanner, English, Maday........

AR scores as Rohlinger and Sosa offer congrats...

and I went to bed last night with the Rays up 7-0.....

Sad news...Tom Tresh dies at 71...

"VENICE, Fla. -- Tom Tresh, the 1962 AL Rookie of the Year and part of three New York Yankees teams that reached the World Series, has died. He was 71.

Mr. Tresh died Wednesday after a heart attack, according to the funeral home handling the arrangements.

Mr. Tresh was a 1962 All-Star as a shortstop and made the team again in 1963 as a center fielder. He later earned a Gold Glove in the outfield.

"Tommy was a great teammate," Yankees great Yogi Berra said in a statement. "He did everything well as a ballplayer and was an easy guy to manage."

The Yankees were nearing the end of their decades-long dominance in the AL when Mr. Tresh became a regular, taking over at shortstop when Tony Kubek went to serve in the Army. He hit .286 with 20 homers and a career-high 93 RBIs in 1962.

Mr. Tresh joined a powerful lineup that already boasted the likes of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris and helped the Yankees reach the World Series from 1962-64.

The switch-hitting Mr. Tresh homered in the Game 5 victory over San Francisco in 1962, and made a running, backhanded catch on Willie Mays' drive to left field in the seventh inning in a 1-0 win in Game 7.

Mr. Tresh homered off Sandy Koufax in the 1963 Series loss to Los Angeles and homered twice in the 1964 loss to St. Louis, including a shot off Bob Gibson.

Overall, Mr. Tresh hit .245 overall with 153 home runs and 530 RBIs. He was traded by the Yankees to Detroit during the 1969 season and retired after that season.

Mr. Tresh, who was born in Detroit, attended Central Michigan and later was an assistant coach at the school.

"This hurts. He was my roommate for six years of my life, my hitting instructor and my best friend. He let me be me, but he was also the guy who kept me in at night," longtime teammate Joe Pepitone said.

"Tommy was a constant in my life and a calming influence. He was always there for me and stuck up for me. He was like my brother. When I had personal issues, he was always the person on the team I would turn to. During some rain delays, he would take out his guitar and we'd sing and dance," he said.

Mr. Tresh's father, Mike, spent 12 years in the majors, mostly as a catcher for the Chicago White Sox, and was an All-Star in 1945.

A memorial service will held Sunday in Venice and on Oct. 24 on the Central Michigan campus."*
*AP

I remember him well as I became a Yankee fan in the early '60s. I remember the '64 Series against the Cards very well but only bits and pieces of the the '63 Series.

Jake catches the popup.....

Pablo scores ahead of Adam Witter's homer

against the RockCats as Ryan Rohlinger steps up to the plate .

GB chillin' on an off day

in the stands at Dodd. Fresno for GB in '09?

Dave McKae deals......

meanwhile the wake for Denker continues on McCovey's with Grant putting up another post about Travis being picked up on waivers by the Padres. There is some info there on Rule V players in this post and also the previous Denker/Grant post. EME is in that mix.
Check out Joe's Norwich Bulletin recent post about the Defs--link is to the right.

Ben Copeland tracking down a fly ball....

as Jake looks on.

Goodbye Travis Denker....

claimed off waivers by the Padres. He, who just didn't feel like hitting at Dodd frame--of course the Giants rewarded him by quickly promoting him to the bigs. Check out McCovey's for the official wake. Thanks to lc for bringing it to my attention today.

Brother can you spare a dime.....

from today's Richmond newspaper...

Got $15 million for a Class AA baseball franchise?

That's about what it's going to take from a potential local ownership group to purchase a Class AA Eastern League club. Minor League Baseball's Tim Purpura said yesterday "We have a league that has been given the permission to explore the [Richmond] territory."

He chose not to identify the league, but it's believed to be the Eastern League. Last year, the Harrisburg franchise of the EL was sold for an EL-record $13.25 million.

Before negotiations involving an EL franchise and the potential local ownership group can progress, Richmond needs to resolve its stadium situation. The Braves after last season moved their Class AAA franchise from Richmond to Gwinnett County, Ga., because of their dissatisfaction with The Diamond. It's highly unlikely another franchise will replace the Braves until a plan for a new stadium has been approved.

Purpura, Minor League Baseball's executive vice president, said as far as he is concerned, Richmond's stadium situation is "status quo."

It's possible that the stadium plan for Shockoe Bottom proposed by the local ownership group, led by Bryan Bostic, could be approved at the Oct. 27 City Council meeting. Discussions regarding that plan are taking place. Bostic's group is interested in a public-private partnership to build a new facility, he said in May. Bostic yesterday declined comment, as he has for months.

The Richmond territory still hasn't been released by the Class AAA International League. "The actual release of the territory will take place upon [the approval] of a team to move into the territory," Purpura said. "It's really more of a technicality. But the Braves and the International League have granted permission to us to permit exploration."

The Eastern League president, Joe McEacharn, said late last month that the EL schedule for 2009 had been finalized, and is "not subject to change. . . . The 12 cities that are on that schedule, that's where we're playing games."

Richmond is not on the schedule. But Purpura said yesterday that "relocation applications and approvals have occurred as late as January or February and clubs played in their new cities [that year]." Rescheduling would "take some effort to work some things out," Purpura said. But he added it could be done.

An independent-league club is a possibility for 2009, if an affiliated club is not available.

Ryan, Pablo, Olmo, Bien, Justin and...

Carlos in the outfield (going from left to right).

Dave Maroul.....

Ben Snyder and Pablo....

Justin Hedrick.....

who should be in Fresno in '09.

Tater or Cutter? Who is your favorite?

For me it's Tater.

Brooks McNiven......

I recently picked up on eBay...

a 1940 baseball schedule that was sponsored by the Brooks Insurance Agency of Toledo, Ohio. I bid on it mostly because it contained in addition to the AL and NL schedules it listed minor league schedules for the Pacific Coast League, International League, American League, Southern League and Texas League. Some interesting towns and nicknames existed out there once upon a time: The Texas League featured the following: Houston Buffaloes, Dallas Steers, San Antonio Missions, Forth Worth Cats, Shreveport Sports, Tulsa Oilers, Oklahoma City Indians and the Beaumont Exporters. More stuff in future posts.
Pictured are a Houston Buffaloes game program and a replica Beaumont jersey.

Trey Webb....

by request and also my granddaughter's favorite player. Trey played in just a handful of games in early April. His injury resulted in Kyle Haines being called up. Trey has now been switched to a pitcher and is starting to work his way back up the ladder.

Jake Wald lays down a sac bunt...

against the RockCats--a task that at times was quite the challege for some CT players this past season.

Todays POTD (picture of the day) is.....

bullpen workhorse Ronnie Ray.

Kyle Haines to Simon Klink....

Haines playing second because Jake was playing short and Klink at first after TI got called up to Fresno.

THANK YOU!! For the continued readership in the just concluded month of September as the total number of visits tallied 2,176 compared to last September's 953 hits.
I'm still in the process of posting pictures taken from July's games; hence the road uniforms and the camoflague home uniforms. If there's a player picture you'd like to see please post/email your request.