Major League Baseball

Garth Brooks’ favorite Top 40 American in the ABL: #37 Chuck Lofgren of the Brisbane Bandits

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37Prior to joining the Brisbane Bandits, the closest lefty pitcher Chuck Lofgren ever came to Australia was in 2010 when Aussie teammate Trent Oeltjen from the Nashville Sounds, Triple-A affiliate for the Milwaukee Brewers, introduced him to Vegemite. It was during this time period that the Wild Wild West California Country boy, who always wears boots on days that he pitches, got a chance to meet his idol Garth Brooks at the superstar’s Teammates for Kids Foundation Fundraiser at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Brooks later summoned Lofgren from his sixth row seat at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Ford Theater to join the band onstage.

Chuck Lofgren singing with Garth Brooks and his band at the County Music Hall of Fame's Ford Theater in 2010.
Chuck Lofgren made his big league singing debut with Country legend Garth Brooks
and his band in Nashville after many years of playing in minor league cover bands.

American CowboyClick HERE to see his live performance. “Besides being drafted, that was the best thing I ever did,” said Lofgren, who plays a Seagull six-string guitar in a Country music cover band. “When you’re playing tiny mom and pop shops and dive bars, it’s a lot different than getting up there with him.” It’s been a long road for the former 2004 Cleveland Indians fourth round draft pick, who was heralded in the Baseball America 2006 Handbook “as one of the top lefthanders in the minors.” The Baseball America 2008 edition speculated that Lofgren “could make his big league debut later in the year.” However, his MLB debut eluded him after an extended stay at Triple-A Columbus did not warrant a call-up.

Chuck Lofgren in the 2008 Futures Game
Chuck Lofgren in the 2007 All-Star Futures Game
When the Cleveland Indians left Lofgren exposed in the Rule 5 draft, the Brewers claimed him in 2009. After a 2010 season-long Nashville audition, which included his unrehearsed performance with Garth Brooks at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Milwaukee set him free.
The South Bay native grew up watching his favorite player, Will “The Thrill” Clark, play at nearby Candlestick Park, and it was always a childhood dream to play for the San Francisco Giants. It was a family affair for Lofgren as his father was a 35-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department and worked on-field security near the dugout during Giants games. He signed as a minor league free agent with the Giants’ organization in 2010. Lofgren pitched in 2011 at Single-A San Jose, Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Fresno–posting a 5-3 record with a 4.31 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 6.8 K/9 rate, and 5.2 BB/9 rate. The Giants were looking for more from their local cowboy so Lofgren dug deep to his baseball roots when he was a successful two-way player and made the transition from lefty pitcher to first baseman and outfielder with his bat.
Brisbane Bandits pitcher Chuck Lofgren (Scott Powick / SMP Images)
Brisbane Bandits’ Chuck Lofgren in 2012 ABL action (Scott Powick / SMP Images)

As a teenager, he was named to the AFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic in 2003 for his precise pitching and consistent hitting after three consecutive years as a two-way player for the USA Baseball team in Mexico (Gold Medal Winners), Venezuela and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. When Lofgren was drafted by Cleveland in 2004, he was so good offensively that his contract allowed him to pitch and hit. Unfortunately, a home plate collision quickly ended his hitting career as the Tribe did not want their star pitching prospect getting hurt. Yet, after eight years of pitching in the minor leagues Lofgren was willing to lay it all on the line as a hitter for the San Francisco Giants when he re-signed as a minor league free agent for the 2012 season. If current free agent Rick Ankiel had successfully made the transition from pitcher to hitter in MLB, why couldn’t Lofgren do the same? The six-foot-four, 220 pounder was encouraged by the support of the Giants’ front office–especially Vice President Bobby Evans, who reportedly liked Lofgren’s swing and wanted to work with him.

Chuck Lofgren's baseball idol Will Clark
Childhood baseball idol Will Clark inspired Bay Area fan Chuck Lofgren to play for the San Francisco Giants.
The Giants had the lowest 2011 run total in the National League and as a result had little patience for Lofgren’s offensive transformation. On March 12th
San Francisco trimmed down its roster in preparation of 2012 Spring Training and had to part ways with
the once-heralded baseball prospect. In a classy response to his release, Chuck Lofgren (@chuckylof) tweeted: “Got released today by the Giants always thankful for the opportunity from the team that I grew up watching and loving. One door closes…” Although not a Major League Baseball club, American Association of Independent Professional Baseball’s Amarillo Sox happily opened the door for the multi-talented player. Since it is a rarity in baseball to find a starting pitcher who can serve as the team’s designated hitter on most pitching off days, Lofgren was a welcome addition to the 2012 Amarillo Sox roster. In his 200 at-bats, Lofgren compiled a .245 batting average with eight doubles, two triples, three homers, 32 walks and 25 RBI. Making 20 starts and working 119.2 innings, the veteran pitcher compiled a 4-6 record with a 4.36 ERA.

Chuck Lofgren's twitter photo
Chuck Lofgren’s (@chuckylof) twitter profile photo
2012-13 Brisbane Bandits pitcher Chuck Lofgren (4-3, 3.05 ERA) appears to have found his groove again playing in the Australian Baseball League. His most impressive
start on December 7th against the Perth Heat yielded 11 strikeouts
and was by far his best outing yet. Lofgren said, “Coming out you always want to face Perth. You hear that they’re the team to beat.” The 26-year-old American import went 6.2 innings and limited the reigning ABL champion Heat to just one earned run, seven hits and one walk. Lofgren may just have to sing Garth Brooks’ “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)” again for MLB as a reminder that he still has a lot of game left in him despite being written-off prematurely.BrisbaneBandits

Top 40 Americans in the ABL: #38 Greg Van Sickler of the Perth Heat

Roberto Angotti2 Comments

38 baseballIf you can’t beat them, join them. After Baseball Western Australia State All-Star Pitcher Greg Van Sickler held Perth scoreless and struck out five in his four innings of perfection in the Heat’s 3-2 loss to the BWA All-Stars in a Spring Training exhibition game on October 20th, the three-time All-American Van Sickler made quite an impression on the two-time reigning Australian Baseball League champions. So much in fact that Perth wasted little time in calling him up from the Carine Cats, member of the 12-team WA State League, to join the Heat.

ABLFrom Virginia to Australia by way of Belgium, Perth Heat pitcher Greg Van Sickler has ventured on the road less traveled in pursuit of his dream in playing baseball professionally. After a stellar season playing for Belgium’s Premier League Namur Angels of the Ligue Francophone Belge de Baseball et Softball, the Virginia native is now on an Aussie baseball odyssey in Perth.

Greg Van Sickler represented the red, white and blue on America's Independence Day while playing in Europe.
Van Sickler represented Team USA on America’s Independence Day while playing in Europe.
Heat pitcher Greg Van Sickler in action against the Brisbane Bandits on December 7, 2012.(Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)
Greg Van Sickler made his ABL debut for the Perth Heat against the Brisbane Bandits on December 7th. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)
Greg Van Sickler, the first player in the USA South Conference history to be named both the Player and Pitcher of the Year in the same season, was 11-1 on the mound for 2011 Shenandoah University Hornets while batting .390 with seven homers and 46 RBI from the three hole in the batting order to earn first-team accolades at the utility position. The Division III All-American led the team to the NCAA Division III College World Series twice and was named 2010 and 2011 Virginia state Player of the Year by the Virginia State Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID). Van Sickler was a four-time VaSID All-State selection who earned All-America honors during his final three seasons. In both 2010 and 2011, he was a first team All-America honoree by both D3baseball.com and the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Logo-Baseball-Heat

The six-foot-two 23-year-old tipped off his talent early on while playing baseball at Winchester, Virginia’s James Wood High School, where he was named team captain and MVP twice as well as 2007 Northwestern District Player of the Year. Over five years later, Greg Van Sickler finds himself nearly 12,000 miles away from home playing for the defending ABL champs Perth Heat. In his 6.2 innings of bullpen relief, the
Top 40 American has been dominant with seven strikeouts and a 1.35 ERA.

Perth Heat relief pitcher Greg Van Sickler in 2012 ABL action (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)
Perth Heat relief pitcher Greg Van Sickler in 2012 ABL action (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)

Top 40 Americans in the ABL: #39 Caleb Cuevas of the Sydney Blue Sox

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Blue 39When Oakland A’s closer Grant Balfour talks, people listen…especially when your father is the Australia Baseball League’s Sydney Blue Sox General Manager! Coming back from Tommy John surgery and beginning his rehab during the 2011-12 offseason, pitcher Caleb Cuevas enlisted Balfour as his workout partner to train with in Clearwater, Florida. The Aussie sent his father, Blue Sox General Manager David Balfour, an email detailing the skills Cuevas possessed. Balfour described the young American pitcher as a “flamethrower”–quite the comment from a reliever who himself lights up the radar gun with triple digits.

Oakland A's closer Grant Balfour lends a hand to the Sydney Blue Sox at Blacktown Olympic Park.
Oakland Athletics’ closer Grant Balfour lends a hand to the Sydney Blue Sox at Blacktown Olympic Park.
Not only did Balfour serve as a mentor to the 24-year-old North Carolina native, but he also recommended that the Sydney Blue Sox sign Cuevas. Caleb spoke highly of Grant Balfour and his positive reinforcement post-surgery. “Grant helped me a whole lot, particularly with my recovery and my off-speed pitching,” Cuevas said. “He was real supportive not just of
me getting back to 100%, but how
I could be an even better pitcher
once I returned completely.”

Hard-throwing reliever Caleb Cuevas is looking to make his impression on MLB scouts while working out of the Sydney Blue Sox bullpen. (Photo by Joe Vella /SMP Images)
Hard-throwing reliever Caleb Cuevas is looking
to make his impression felt while on the Sydney
Blue Sox pitching staff. (Joe Vella /SMP Images)

Although the right-handed hurler officially began his first professional season in the Can-Am League with the 2012 Newark Bears, Cuevas got his first MLB test while on the Coastal Carolina University squad when facing some big guns on the Texas Rangers lineup in an April 2012 exhibition game. Click HERE to watch him take on the likes of Napoli, Borbon, Kinsler, and Andrus. The six-foot-two pitcher was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference pick at West Henderson High School prior to playing for Louisburg College, the Outer Banks Daredevils and Coastal Carolina.

Caleb Cuevas (Joe Vella / SMP Images)
Caleb Cuevas is the wildcard on the Blue Sox. (Joe Vella / SMP Images)
He began the 2012 season as a starter in Indy
League play before moving to the Newark Bears bullpen. In his final 14 appearances as a reliever, Cuevas posted a 2.38 ERA over 15.1 innings
of work, allowing 17 hits, six walks and four
earned runs, while striking out 18. Blue Sox
manager Jason “Pops” Pospishil took notice
of his good numbers and immediately thought
how valuable the young import could prove to be
for Sydney while echoing the sentiment shared by Oakland Athletics’ Grant Balfour. “His numbers out
of the bullpen were extremely impressive and he
also has some experience as a starter, so he will
be a flexible piece to add to our pitching staff,”
said Pospishil. The Blue Sox skipper believes that
with Cuevas’ versatility he could play various
pitching roles for Sydney this season. During his
10 ABL appearances and 10.2 innings of relief,
Cuevas has given up opponents ten runs (8.44 ERA).Sydney Blue Sox

Top 40 Americans in the ABL: #40 Dustin Loggins of the Canberra Cavalry

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40Recent College of the Ozarks graduate Dustin Loggins is the youngest of four Kansas City T-Bones pitchers, who currently serve as the nucleus of the Canberra Calvary pitching staff–including teammates Steven Kent, Brian Grening and Sean Toler. The six-foot-five right-handed Missouri native was named to the 2012 All-Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference First Team after posting career bests in wins, strikeouts, and ERA during his final season of his four years playing for the Bobcats. Before joining the T-Bones, Loggins pitched 37 1/3 innings and struck out 43 with a 2.89 ERA for the Ozark Generals of the MINK Midwest Summer Collegiate Baseball League.

Canberra Cavalry pitcher Dustin Loggins (Photo courtesy of Ben Southall/SMP Images)
22-year-old Cavalry pitcher Dustin Loggins (Photo courtesy of Ben Southall / SMP Images)
Canberra Converting from a starting pitcher in college to a reliever professionally has helped his velocity touch the mid-90’s. In his 21 ABL relief appearances so far, Loggins has logged 23.1 innings and has struck out 31. With a 4-2 record, 2.31 ERA, and one save under his belt, the 22-year-old will be the Cavalry’s stopper late in games to ultimately halt the ABL reigning champion Perth Heat from a never seen before three-peat.hot-horse

Prelude to the Top 40 Americans in the ABL: MLB success story of Houston Astros’ Brandon Barnes

Roberto Angotti2 Comments

Top40Last December MLBblogger profiled the Top 20 Americans playing in the ABL, which was considered a holiday present to the homesick yet aspiring MLB prospects. The prized imports shared the good cheer with friends and family in the U.S.A. while playing during the offseason in Australia to fulfill their dreams of reaching the big leagues.

2011 Top 20 American in the ABL Brandon Barnes made his MLB debut in 2012
2011 Top 20 American in the ABL Brandon Barnes (Sydney Blue Sox) made his MLB debut for Houston in 2012. Photo by Tom Gannam/Associated Press
Ranked 15th in the 2011 Top 20 Americans in the ABL, former Sydney Blue Sox outfielder Brandon Barnes made his MLB debut for the Houston Astros on August 8, 2012 and became the first non-Aussie from the recently reformed Australian Baseball League to debut in the Major Leagues. As the seventh ABL star to compete in MLB after hitting .321 with 6 HRs and 30 RBI in 29 ABL games last season, Barnes joined Sydney’s Rich Thompson and Trent Oeltjen, Melbourne’s Travis Blackley and Shane Lindsay, and Perth’s Luke Hughes and Liam Hendriks as one of baseball’s elite. Brandon ventured Down Under to work on his swing and gain momentum going into Astros’ 2012 Spring Training. Although Barnes made a strong case to make the big league club, the promising Orange County, California native spent a majority of 2012 at Triple-A Oklahoma City (62 games) and Double-A Corpus Christi (44 games). The right-handed hitter was batting .321 with a .381 on-base percentage and a .514 slugging percentage when he was called up.
@TheBarnyard15 Brandon Barnes tweeted in January 2012: "Bondi Beach. One of the most amazing beaches I have ever seen.
Southern California-born and bred Brandon Barnes @TheBarnyard15 tweeted enthusiastically from Sydney on 01/10/12: “Bondi Beach. One of the most amazing beaches I have ever seen.”
Americans
Back by popular demand this holiday season, MLBblogger now presents an expanded Top 40 Americans in the ABL format to the delight of even more players and their most loyal fans abroad. Visit MLBforLife.com often for updates on all the imports. Americans Zachary Arneson, Jeremy Barnes, Anthony Claggett, Cody Clark, Zachary Fuesser, Brian Grening, Tyler Herr, Kody Hightower, K.C. Hobson, Jonathon Jones, Jack Murphy, Zach Penprase, Kevin Reese, Chris Smith, Carlo Testa, and Virgil Vasquez were named World All-Stars and are playing host Australia in the Second Annual ABL All-Star Game on December 16th.ABL All-Star Game Results

Panama’s Rubén Tejada may be small in stature but a big factor in decisive World Baseball Classic

Roberto Angotti1 Comment


Despite being labeled “The Rookie” for his his small size dating back to his childhood living across the street from Panama’s Omar Torrijos Herrera Stadium, Mets shortstop Rubén Tejada has big league intelligence and baseball embedded in his DNA. The Santiago de Veraguas native wants victory for his country. Host Panama battles neighboring Colombia, Brazil, and Nicaragua in the upcoming World Baseball Classic Qualifier beginning November 15th at Panama City’s renovated Rod Carew Stadium. “The only reason we are here is to win and clinch a spot on the Classic,” Tejada said. “The main thing is move on to the Classic, and God willing, everything will go our way. I come with more experience, so hopefully everything will come out as planned.”

Panama’s secret weapons: Rubén Tejada (on right) and speedster Luis Durango of the Kansas City Royals
The winners from the Panama and Taiwan qualifying pools will join Spain and Canada in the first round World Baseball Classic competition against Australia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela March 7-10, 2013 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. Proud to be representing his country again after showcasing his talent in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and having matured into an everyday player for the Mets, 23-year-old Rubén Tejada brings an innate understanding of the game which rivals that of a seasoned veteran or manager twice his age.
Rubén Tejada in 2009 WBC action in Puerto Rico
However, his interpretation of the strike zone sometimes gets lost in translation. In young Rubén’s case, patience at the plate came with a price for the right-handed hitter, who until 2012 had struggled for playing time since making his MLB debut on April 7, 2010. With the strike zone in Panamanian youth leagues being bigger than it is in America, Tejada was trained to swing at pitches that would be called balls in the USA. With this international anomaly, he had
the tendency to swing early at-bat.
Rubén Tejada hit .289 as the 2012 Mets’ leadoff hitter and everyday shortstop with the departure of 2011 National League Batting Champion Jose Reyes.
At age 20, Tejada was the youngest position player on the Mets Opening Day roster since Tim Foli in 1971. Mets hitting coach Dave Hudgens implemented a more disciplined approach to Tejada’s at-bats by making pitchers work. Since then, Rubén now works the count in search of his pitch. “He can hit,” said ex-Mets scout Ismael Cruz–who signed Tejada in 2006. “People don’t give him credit for hitting. He’s not flashy, he’s not making noise, but he’s a guy who can hit .270, .280. I’ll take that any day. And he’ll jack one every so often.”
Rubén Tejada slides head first to score on a hot summer August 2012 night in San Diego.
2011 Mets teammates Jose Reyes and Rubén Tejada faced each other on opposing teams for the first time.
With a career-high 25 doubles, a .289 batting average and a .333 on-base percentage in 112 games played during the 2012 season, Rubén Tejada had a breakout year despite missing nearly six weeks in May and June with a strained groin muscle. Serving as the replacement for 2011 Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who took the the $10 million bait lured by the 2012 Miami Marlins, Tejada proved to be worth his weight in gold–earning a fraction of Reyes’ salary ($491,000).
Mets’ Rubén Tejada completes a routine double play regardless of Brandon Phillips’ attempt to break it up.
Perhaps what was most impressive about Tejada in 2012 was his defense. The 5-foot-11 Panamanian made spectacular web gem worthy plays and ironically finished the season with six fewer errors than Jose Reyes. The two former teammates remain best of friends and workout buddies. After the WBC Qualifier, Tejada will return to a Garden City, Long Island, New York training facility for his annual post-season pilgrimage with MLB All-Star Reyes. For now the business at hand is in Panama. “I’m very happy to be here, especially to be healthy and ready to do all that is needed to help the team,” said Tejada. “First we will try to win our pass, then we will start thinking about the 2013 Classic.”

Panama’s Carlos “Chooch” Ruiz ready for 2013 Philadelphia Phillies and World Baseball Classic

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Thanks to a clubhouse joke played by pitcher Antonio Alfonseca–who in a 2008 television interview referred to Ruiz as “chucha” (a Colombian slang term for “underarm odor”)–teammates, the media and baseball fans have since referred to the Panamanian MLB All-Star catcher by his beloved nickname “Chooch”. The sweat rebels sacrificed over a century ago which gave Panama independence from Colombia is reminiscent to that of national hero Carlos Ruiz’s in his improbable “I Think I Can” MLB ascent.

“The Panamanian Express” Allan Lewis stole 116 bases for the ’66 Leeburg A’s before playing six seasons in MLB.
Having passed on the 5-foot-8 Ruiz in two prior 1998 tryouts–once as a pitcher and a second time as an infielder–Phillies’ Panamanian scout Allan Lewis (AKA “The Panamanian Express” for being the 1967-73 Athletics’ pinch-running specialist) insisted on new international scouting director Sal Agostinelli fly to Ruiz’s hometown in David, Panama to give the Phillies organization one last look before giving up on this natural-born talent with an outstanding bat. While Agostinelli was having trouble considering Ruiz an infield prospect during the 1998 work out, Lewis suggested they try him out at catcher. After a few drills behind the plate with former Phillies Minor League catcher Agostinelli, it was apparent that Ruiz possessed enough athleticism, physical arm strength and promise to suggest it might just work. In what appeared to be a long shot $8,000 signing bonus in converting a second baseman to a position he had never played before, Philadelphia offered Ruiz a pro contract and an invitation to the Phillies Dominican Baseball Academy to become a catcher.
Phillies scout Sal Agostinelli signed MLB All-Star Catcher Carlos Ruiz in 1999.

When Ruiz shared the news with his schoolteacher mother that he had been offered a $8,000 signing bonus with the opportunity to play in the Dominican Republic to start his professional baseball career in the Phillies organization, Inocenicia Rios was a bit nervous. After all, her 19-year-old son would be dropping out of school and abandoning his college coursework toward a degree in physical education for little money to beat the odds of making it to the Big Leagues at a position he was unfamiliar with.

Carlos Ruiz’s parents (shown above) knew how important it was for their son to pursue his dream of playing MLB and ultimately supported him.
Nearly a decade later when her son caught the final pitch of the 2008 World Series to give the Phillies their second championship in franchise history, Panamanian President Martin Torrijos called Ruiz’s mother to congratulate her for supporting Carlos’ decision to realize his dream. Call it Panamanian pride or unconditional love for her son in what seemingly was a futile trip to the Dominican catching baseballs… In the end, the journey to MLB was definitely worth the 2008 World Series ring and the subsequent Presidential Ceremony honoring the Phillies catcher at President Torrijos’ residence at Palacio de las Garzas. When Ruiz was caught between a rock and a hard place having to decide whether to report early to 2009 Phillies Spring Training to work with the Philadelphia pitching staff or represent his country in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, President Torrijos sealed the deal for Team Panama with a personal phone call to encourage the isthmuth nation’s eighth ranked all-time leader in hits to participate in the international competition.
Panama’s Rubén Rivera, left, jokes around with Carlos Ruiz during a training session before the 2009 World Baseball Classic in San Juan, PR. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)
Howard, Halladay and Ruiz celebrate
the 20th perfect game in MLB history.
Although Ruiz has been heralded as one of baseball’s best hitters today, his skills behind the plate are top-notch. He has taken the initiative to study as much as he can about hitters by reading countless scouting reports on players. As he began to notice things take place on the field, Ruiz learned about which situations required certain strategies. By seeing the adjustments hitters were making, he adapted by calling pitches to counteract them. His confidence to call pitches and to control the pace of the game garnered him the trust of the Phillies pitching staff. Ruiz’s natural leadership skills and keen understanding of the game has made him perfectly suited to playing catcher. Perhaps the true testament to Ruiz’s mastery came and went twice when he caught Roy Halladay’s perfect game during the 2010 regular season and Doc’s no-hitter encore in the 2010 postseason.
Panama’s Carlos “Calicho” Ruiz & “El Hombre Araña” Rubén Rivera.
Phillies cleanup hitter Carlos Ruiz
It was recently announced that the Phillies picked up the $5 million club option on Ruiz’s contract for the 2012 All-Star catcher to return next season. That’s a good move for the rebuilding organization–considering that in 2012 Ruiz posted an all-time career best .325 batting average, which put him in a tie for seventh-best in the league among players with at least 400 plate appearances. His 32 doubles, 16 home runs, 68 RBI and a .935 OPS in 114 games kept Philadelphia alive in the NL wild card hunt late in the season. Despite a lagging foot injury in August which kept Chooch out of the lineup for some time, Carlos Ruiz hit cleanup for the 2012 Phillies in 32 games and fifth for another 32 games. However, Ruiz absolutely raked in the four hole, batting .365 with a .587 slugging percentage and 1.008 OPS in 138 plate appearances.
If Philadelphia doesn’t acquire a big right-handed slugger during the offseason, the Phillies may very well use Ruiz again in 2013 as their cleanup hitter.
Panamanian flags will be waving during the World Baseball Classic Qualifier on November 15-19
at Panama City’s Rod Carew Stadium. Host Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia and Brazil compete
in a modified double-elimination tournament with the winner qualifying for the 2013 WBC.
The pride of Boquerón–Carlos Ruiz will undoubtedly give host Panama an edge over neighboring Colombia, Brazil, and Nicaragua in the upcoming World Baseball Classic Qualifier on November 15-19 at the newly renovated Rod Carew Stadium in Panama City. If you can’t make it there in person, MLB Network will televise the final Qualifier game live from the Panama City, Panama pool on Monday, November 19th beginning at 5 PM (PST). The WBC Qualifiers, which expanded the competitive field of the tournament from 16 to 28 countries, has already seen Spain and Canada advance to the main tournament.

The winners from the Panama and Taiwan qualifying pools will join Spain and Canada in the first round WBC competition against Australia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela March 7-10 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. Second round WBC games will be held March 12-16 at Marlins Park in Miami, while the WBC Semi-Finals and Final take place March 17-19 at San Francisco’s AT&T Park. MLB Network will televise all 39 games of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. iViva el Béisbol!

Carlos Ruiz is mobbed by his Phillies teammates after hitting a walk-off home run in May 2010.

Toronto Blue Jays prospect Marcus Knecht brings Can Do Attitude from Canada to Canberra Cavalry

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Detroit’s Octavio Dotel usually wrecks havoc on right-handed hitters like Canadian-born Marcus Knecht, but on April Fools in a 2012 Jays Spring Training game Toronto’s 2010 third-round draft pick had the last laugh by blasting his first Grapefruit League home run off the veteran Dominican bullpen specialist.

Ex-Jays skipper/new Boston Red Sox Manager John Farrell sits and watches Marcus Knecht
launch a home run off Octavio Dotel in a 2012 Blue Jays Spring Training game on April 1st.
Originally selected in the 23rd round of the 2008 Amateur First-Year Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers after making Langley, British Columbia’s Brett Lawrie their first-round pick, former Brewers scouting director and current Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik thought that a common denominator of Canadian blood would add up to two of the country’s finest prospects crossing the border together as one into Wisconsin. Mathematicians would agree that the strategy was logical since Knecht was Lawrie’s teammate on the Canadian Junior National Team, and the Brewers believed that Lawrie might be able to influence Knecht to sign with Milwaukee. Lawrie signed with the Brewers for a $1.7 million signing bonus before going to play for Team Canada in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games and eventually became a Blue Jay in a late 2010 trade for pitcher Shaun Marcum (who recently became a free agent and expressed interest in returning to the Blue Jays if the team is interested in having him back). Unlike Lawrie, Knecht instead passed on the offer to play professionally in the Brewers organization in favor of perfecting his game in U.S. collegiate ball while continuing to represent his country on Team Canada in international baseball competitions worldwide.
Brett Lawrie (center) practices with members of the Canadian Junior National Team before a
2012 Blue Jays Spring Training exhibition game. (Photo by the Canadian Baseball Network)
Jays’ Marcus Knecht
After playing on Team Canada in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championships in Edmonton and being named to the Tournament All-Star Team, Knecht was a major contributing member of the bronze medal- winning 2010 Baseball World Cup team and the gold medal-winning 2011 Pan American Games squad. Transferring from Oklahoma State University, where he struggled to get at-bats as a freshman, to Connors State College was instrumental for Knecht to develop in an everyday role in 2010. The results were off-the-charts as Knecht hit .453 with 23 homers, 20 steals and a .540 on-base percentage. He was selected in the third-round of the 2010 Amateur First-Year Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays after being followed by ex-Jays’ scouting director and current assistant GM Andrew Tinnish.
Markus Knecht awaits the call-up to home at Rogers Centre. (Photo by Alexis Brudnicki)
Accepting a $250,000 signing bonus, Knecht signed on-the-spot with Toronto and went straight to work in launching his pro career with Short-Season Single-A affiliate Auburn Doubledays (now affiliated with the Washington Nationals). After being voted the Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Year in 2010, the six-foot-one North York, Toronto native outfielder was promoted in 2011 to Single-A Lansing, where he posted a .273 average with a team-leading 16 home runs and 86 RBI for the Lugnuts. Knecht’s offensive power was noticed early on, and he was named a 2011 Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star. After impressing Jays skipper John Farrell (now with the Boston Red Sox) with his powerful bat and quick feet on the field during 2012 Blue Jays Spring Training, Knecht was assigned to Single-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays. It was May Day everyday for opposing pitchers who could not stop the red-hot Knecht during the month of May, when he rattled off 28 hits (including 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 6 home runs) accounting for 22 RBI.
The 22-year-old is hoping to continue with his offensive prowess and defensive excellence as a member of the Australian Baseball League’s Canberra Cavalry. Second only to last season’s ABL Champion Perth Heat in team offense and pitching, the Canberra Cavalry narrowly missed the ABL playoffs. With the injection of Knecht’s “Can Do” attitude, Canberra will be charging right out of the gate for a 2013 playoff berth.

Perth Heat add bite to lineup with Canadian import and Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Carter Bell

Roberto Angotti7 Comments

Like Sex and the City starlett Kim Cattrall, Carter Bell grew up in the small Vancouver Island, BC city of Courtenay. Opting out of the A-Rod spotlight method with the usual Hollywood fanfare and paparazzi, the 22-year-old Bell chose a lower profile means of pursuing his professional baseball career under the radar by playing for the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League.

Brewers’ Taylor Green made his MLB debut in 2012.
Following the same path as Milwaukee Brewers’ infielder Taylor Green, the six-foot-one Canadian third baseman played high school baseball for the Parksville Royals of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League. Upon graduation, Bell was a 22nd-round selection by the San Francisco Giants in the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft but did not sign in favor
of accepting a scholarship to play ball for the Oregon State Beavers.
Carter Bell (far right) and fellow 2010 OSU Beavers

MLB noticed Bell early on when he donned a Team Canada uniform for the first-time at age 17. Representing his country in far away competitions held in Mexico, Japan as well as on his home turf, the BC All-Star chose the 2006 and 2007 NCAA National Champ Oregon State University baseball program to further develop his craft. The decision was sound as he was selected in the 29th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft and signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks following his junior year at OSU.
Former Yakima Bear Carter Bell stands at attention during the playing of the national anthem.
Hitting .270 in 41 games with eight doubles, two triples, one home run and 17 RBI, Bell’s pro debut with the 2011 Single-A Short Season Yakima Bears catapulted him to Single-A Advanced Visalia Rawhide in 2012. In Cal League play, he batted .259 in 81 games with 11 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 36 RBI. The road leading Down Under to the Perth Heat originated back in Oregon, where Bell played for former Perth Heat manager and long-standing Corvallis Knights skipper Brooke Knight after his first year at OSU. In his limited 10 games of 2009 West Coast League action, Bell hit .303 (10-33) with three RBI before suffering a season-ending concussion.
Former Perth Heat Manager Brooke Knight led his team to two ABL Championships.
MLB veteran and OSU All-Star Mike Thurman, a scout for the New York Yankees, was first to notice of Carter Bell’s athleticism.
Brooke Knight credits his best friend since his college days in playing ball together at Oregon State University, Mike Thurman, for pointing him in right direction just north of the border to find the Victoria-born Carter Bell, who rapidly rose to prominence in the Comox Valley Baseball Association and BC Premier Baseball League before playing as a teenager for Team Canada. Speaking on the eve before departing to Australia to assist new Perth Heat skipper Steve Fish in preparing the reigning Australian Champions for next month’s Asia Series against its foreign counterparts from Japan, Taiwan, China and South Korea, Knight explained how Canadian import Carter Bell landed Down Under: “To his credit, Carter took the initiative to call me and express his initial desire to play for the Perth Heat. He still considers it a privilege to take on this challenge. I told him it was the perfect winter league for him to get his body ready for spring because the ABL offers something that cannot be found anywhere else. The atmosphere and structure keeps players healthy because the league emphasizes safety first by limiting play to four games a week, which allows you to rest your body and properly heal.”

Knight also read Bell the disclaimer and warned him of the Aussie side effects: “I told him that Australia was culturally different as well and when it gets hot in December one can get homesick real fast and start crying out for girlfriends.” Knight feels blessed to have had the opportunity to coach such fine players as Carter Bell in Perth and Corvallis. “With guidance, I have luckily ended up with the right kids. Carter is a solid player. I’m just waiting for him to breakout. He’s got gap power and can hit the ball well the other way (to the opposite field). His power numbers will bump up as they did for import Adam Melker, a St. Louis Cardinals prospect.” Adam was Carter’s teammate on Brooke Knight’s 2009 Corvallis Knights. They will reunite under Knight’s leadership on the Perth Heat in the upcoming 2012 Asia Series on November 8-11 in Busan, South Korea. Melker hit 10 home runs for Double-A Springfield in 2012 as compared to none in 2011. Knight believes in Carter Bell. “He’s got a chance to make a difference. Carter has good range and can play the corners, not to mention he’s a Team Canada All-Star Shortstop.”

After impressing many in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization while playing for Single-A Advanced Visalia Rawhide in 2012, prospect Carter Bell will parlay his aggressive play for
the Australian Baseball League’s Perth Heat. (Photo by Ken Weisenberger/Strike3Photos.com)

MLB veteran and Padres Double-A pitching coach Tim Worrell likes Hayden Beard’s competitiveness

Roberto AngottiLeave a comment

With 14 years of Major League Baseball pitching experience under his belt, it was a no brainer for San Diego’s AA affiliate in San Antonio to call on Tim Worrell to fill the shoes of former Missions’ pitching coach Jimmy Jones, who was summoned to become the new Padres bullpen. Hired by the parent-club San Diego Padres in 2010, Worrell had been working in Peoria, Arizona with the organization’s players in extended spring training and on rehab assignment prior to reporting to the Texas League team. Having to leave his wife and six boys back home in Phoenix to take on pitching coach duties in San Antonio, it wouldn’t be long before Worrell would be adopted by his new baseball family of international pitchers led by Aussie Hayden Beard.

San Diego prospect Hayden Beard
Hayden “Big Dog” Beard came off a strong 2011 campaign after pitching for Team Australia during
the Baseball World Cup in Panama as well as for
the Australian Baseball League’s Canberra Cavalry. During the 2011-12 Cavalry season, he earned himself ABL Player of the Week honours and a team-leading five wins with a 2.82 ERA. Heading into 2012 Padres Spring Training Camp, Beard looked radiant and as confident as ever. After leading High-A Lake Elsinore Storm to a 2011 Cal League Championship, it was natural for the right-handed hurler to saddle up for a promotion to Double-A San Antonio Missions. Although there were a few bumps in the road during the seemingly rough ride, the Aussie pitcher finished strong with a 6-5 record in just over 119 innings of work. Starting in 19 games, Beard gave his team a chance to win every outing. However, he relished after the All-Star break in his 12 bullpen appearances during which his strikeout totals accelerated to 69.

We caught up with family man Tim Worrell in the San Antonio Missions’ dugout recently and discussed how Padres pitching prospect Hayden Beard’s best years may have yet to come.

Roberto: 27-year-old Aussie pitcher Hayden Beard is a late bloomer because he had to sit out for three years due to nerve damage in his arm. The Padres obviously have faith in him by sending him your way in Double-A San Antonio. Having said that you reached the prime of your career at age 31, do you see some parallels between the two of you in showing him that there is light at the end of the tunnel?

Tim Worrell: Yeah, sure. Again, I never try to tell these guys where their careers could finish at. I’d be a dummy to tell them that. First off, he’s got a great live arm and great movement on his pitches. Sometimes he struggles a little bit with control and that obviously puts us in trouble. When we’re behind in the count regularly, it puts the hitters in hitter’s counts. But he’s definitely starting to get some of these approaches knowing that is an area he needs to work on. And that in itself ends up helping to control some of the results that end up happening to us. (You) can’t always control them all, but it does put us in a better position. And he is still working on fine-tuning his game. It wasn’t long ago that we sped him up a little quicker to the plate without giving up quality of stuff so that he could hold runners on first better. So there are definitely physical things we need to do and he needs to do to make his game better. But a lot of it is just believing and trusting his stuff.

Roberto: Watching his roommate Miles Mikolas get the call-up to the Padres, rubbing shoulders with last year’s surprise in the San Diego bullpen, Erik Hamren, and this year’s sensation, Nick Vincent, must have been inspirational for Hayden with the realization that he could be next. Having watched him pitch in Australia and in Lake Elsinore, the fact remains is that Hayden Beard is a great competitor. Now that he is paired up with you in San Antonio, I think it’s an awesome combination. I’m really happy that you guys are really able to work together in developing his craft.

Tim Worrell: Yep. And you brought up probably his number one attribute and that’s his competitiveness, which is probably the most important thing. Because a true competitor never gives in. We have to remind ourselves at times maybe that we are that. But they don’t give in, and they are always looking to get better and always looking to get the job done.

Hayden Beard pitches during the MLB offseason for his hometown Canberra Cavalry.