A panoramic view of the archaeological site of Rocchicella di Mineo, ancient Palikè, the location
of the most important sanctuary of Sicily's indigenous Sikel people in the eastern part of the
island with Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, towering over Catania seen far awayThe Siculi (Sikeloi; Sicels; Sikels) were the native inhabitants of the eastern regions (including Mineo) of Sicily south of the Italian Peninsula over 10,000 years ago. The island of Sicily takes its name from the indigenous Siculi people. With its strategic location at the center of the Mediterranean, Sicily is rich in its history of conquest and empire. It is a melting pot of cultures with over a dozen ethnic groups whose warriors and merchants walked her shores. Although the other two indigenous societies of the Sicanians and Elymians assimilated easily with the Greeks, the Sicels constituted a highly developed society that the Greeks respected profoundly. Despite conflict and its desire to remain autonomous, it took several centuries for the Sicels to completely assimilate and amalgamate with their Greek neighbors. Except for the Romans, the Sicels were the only predominantly Italic people to settle in Sicily in large numbers as colonists.
Italy leads all European countries in its number of immigrants to America. Beginning in the late 1800’s, poverty and natural disasters drove Italians out–especially in Il Mezzogiorno, the southern and poorest provinces of Italy. As late as 1900, the illiteracy rate in southern Italy was 70 percent. The Italian government was dominated by northerners, and southerners were hurt by high taxes and unfair tariffs on the north’s industrial goods. Southerners suffered from exploitation by people of the same nationality and religion.Piazza DiMaggio commemorated the legendary son of an Italian immigant, Joe DiMaggio, who lived the American Dream of playing baseball and the tens of thousands of Italian immigrants who came to America through the Taylor St. U.S. port of entry seeking a new life in the heart of Chicago's Little Italy during the early part of the Twentieth Century.
Self-reliant on only themselves for mere survival, southerners had an allegiance to la famiglia (the family) and l’ordine della famiglia (the rules of family behavior and responsibility). Suffering from a scarcity of cultivatable land, soil erosion and deforestation as well as a lack of coal and iron ore needed by industry, life in the South was difficult. Southern Italy was ravaged in the early 20th century when Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna erupted and buried towns nearby. In 1908 an earthquake and tidal wave that swept through the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the Italian mainland killed more than 100,000 people in the city of Messina alone. For many Italian immigrants, fleeing to the United States was not to be interpreted as a rejection of their homeland. Instead, it defended the Italian way of life because the money sent home helped to preserve the traditional order. Rather than seeking permanent homes, they desired an opportunity to work for a living and aspired to save enough money to return to a better life in the country of their birth. Unable to earn enough to support their families in their native Italy, they were migratory laborers. The majority were young men–aged 18 to 25–who planned to work, save their money and return home. Hoping their absence would not be too long, they left behind their parents, young wives and kids. Fast forward a century later and native Italian athletes are still clinging to their roots and culture despite being lured by U.S. professional sports to homogenize into the American lifestyle. The first Italian-born baseball player awarded a MLB contract was pitcher Alessandro Maestri. Signed by Chicago Cubs scout Bill Holmberg, Maestri never pitched at Wrigley Field–even though he was a Minor Leaguer with a wicked Major League slider. However, the Cubs struck gold in 2010 when Holmberg signed then 16-year-old Italian catching prospect Alberto Mineo to a contract.Chicago Cubs Italian catching prospect Alberto Mineo at 2012 Spring Training in Mesa, ArizonaCatcher Alberto Mineo calms his pitcher down and discusses strategy to get the next batter out.Now ranked 58th behind #1 Cubbie Starling Castro in the Chicago Cubs Top Players Under 25 Organizational List, catcher Alberto Mineo has his eyes set on making it all the way to Wrigley. The defensive standout with excellent catch-and-throw skills said, “The part that I like most about being a catcher is throwing runners out at second.” The 5-foot-11, 170 pounder has strong hands and forearms which assist his receiving skills and defensive instincts. Blessed with outstanding arm strength and a quick ball transfer exchange, Mineo looks comfortable behind the plate. Exuding confidence as a first-rate catcher, opponents will need to exercise caution on the bases.Left-handed hitting slugger Alberto Mineo
played for Team Italia at the 18 Under Junior World Championship in Thunder Bay, Canada
Holmberg watched Mineo develop into a natural talent from age 10 and knew early on he was special. Alberto was mature enough to accept feedback and listened to Holmberg and Maestri’s sound advice. He commented, “Both of them, they would always say to me ‘Work hard everyday because there is somebody somewhere else that is working hard to get to the Big Leagues’ and I started believing that I could sign with an American team.” Exercising good plate discipline, Mineo is a patient hitter who jumps on a pitcher’s mistake. “I always think as a hitter that I must wait for my pitch until I get two strikes,” Alberto explained. The left-handed hitting Mineo can demolish the ball with his technically sound swing, and once on base he can demonstrate great speed for a catcher.Cubs prospect Alberto Mineo has speed on the bases and is very quick with his glove defensively.
After being signed by Bill Holmberg–who also is the pitching coach for the Italian National team and operates the Major League Baseball International European Academy at the Olympic Training Center in Tirrenia, Italy–Ronchi dei Legionari New Black Pantherscatcher Alberto Mineo began his professional career in the month-long MLB Australian Academy Summer League, where he became friends with Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim promising pitching prospect Alex DaSilva–who later moved up the competitive ladder to play for the Australian Baseball League (ABL)
2012 Runner-Up Melbourne Aces. Mineo played well in Australia (.270 batting average, 1 HR) as did his Italian mentor Alex Maestri, who was so popular that he won the 2012 ABL Fan Choice Award. Catcher Alberto Mineo has all the tools to follow fellow MLB International European Academy graduate Alex Liddi of the Seattle Mariners and become the second Italian-born player in the Big Leagues.
The ABL’s first Italian pitcher/catcher combo with Maestri and Mineo could become reality if Alberto has his way. Mineo commented, “I had a nice experience in Australia, where I met a lot of great players that I still remain in contact with via facebook. I would really like to play with Alex in the ABL.” The dynamic duo could possibly make their debut in the near future as members of the Italian National team under the guidance and direction of pitching coach Bill Holmberg and former Major League Baseball All-Star hitting coach Mike Piazza. Mineo has played as a member of several Italian National teams at various levels– including the 18 Under Junior World Championship in Thunder Bay, Canada. Italian National team catcher Francisco Cervelli of the New York Yankees now has Mineo as back-up.
Mineo said, “I don’t feel the pressure to be the next Italian to make it in MLB. I just want to have fun and enjoy this amazing experience that I’m living right now. But it would be really nice to play with Alex Liddi on the Italian National team…”Lady Liberty of a Cubbie kind stands tall and proud in the city of Chicago.
Alberto had an exceptional Cubs 2011 Arizona Instructional League four-game campaign with a
.500 batting average, .556 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage. “The Cubs Instructional League was an awesome experience. I really like
to practice with Casey Kopitzke, the catching coordinator. I think he’s really good,” Mineo said.
“So far Cubs Spring Training is going very well. I like to work hard on the field and in the gym. It’s the best place you can go if you love this sport. A couple days ago Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster and Rodrigo Lopez came to the complex to talk to us about the right way to get to the Big Leagues, but my favorite Cubs player is still Marlon Byrd. Inspired to play baseball at age five by his father and become a catcher three years later, Alberto followed American baseball religiously. “My favorite player has always been Derek Jeter. Now it is Joe Mauer. I really like how he plays, and I also think that he’s a very professional guy,” Mineo said.Wrigley Field, National Historic Landmark and home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916, is the second oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues and the oldest standing National League ballpark. Although there had been a long-time association of Italians being die-hard Cubbie fans,
the connection got even stronger when the late and great Hall of Fame Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray–whose real Italian last name was Carabina–signed on to the super station WGN Network in 1982. Although he passed on to baseball heaven in 1998, his legacy is still alive and well today as the legendary Caray’s Italian Steakhouse remains a Chicago restaurant icon. Now with Alberto Mineo in the Cubs organization, Italians in Chicago and beyond should rejoice and be thankful for their ancestors’ sacrifices years ago for the opportunities bestowed upon us in 2012. In the case of the young catching prospect Mineo–not only does he possess the natural skills necessary to become a professional ballplayer–
but he has the unconditional love and support of a dedicated team of international coaches, players, fans and family to be a true Italian baseball ambassador worldwide. Forza Italia!
Italian Cubbie fans of all shapes and sizes await Alberto Mineo's imminent arrival at Wrigley Field.
Italian landmark, the Grosseto CathedralTuscany is regarded as the true birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and home to many influential legends in the history of arts and science–including Petrarch, Dante, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Niccolo Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Amerigo Vespucci, Luca Pacioli and Puccini. The province of Grosseto lies in southern Tuscany and possesses a rich artistic heritage as well as a small and fascinating center of medieval and Renaissance material and archeological sites that preserve Roman and Etruscan treasures.
Baseball in Italy got its first break in the late 19th century when two American naval ships, the USS Lancaster and the USS Guinnebaug, arrived in the Tuscan port of Livorno. The American servicemen held their first baseball game on January 23, 1884 at the Campo d’Osservazione AKA Observation Field. Enthusiastic crowds cheered on the players, and the games garnered enough interest in the media to include coverage by Livorno’s newspaper, La Gazzetta Livornese. With an eager international following in Italy, early baseball pioneer Albert Goodwill Spalding served as a ‘Goodwill’ ambassador of the sport and held tournaments in Florence, Naples, and Rome in 1889. In an effort to unite forces with the allied Italian Army during World War I, the American Army taught Italian soldiers the sport and held baseball games between the two armies.
Any inter-war following was soon decimated upon the rise of Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime, which banned baseball for its American influence. Baseball experienced an Italian Renaissance post-World War II under the leadership of Ottino and Graziani, when the Lega Italiana Softball and the Lega Italiana Baseball leagues were created. The first professional baseball game between two Italian teams was held on June 27, 1948 in front of 2000 fans at Giurati stadium in Milan. These two leagues would eventually evolve into what is known today as the Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS), the governing body of baseball in Italy.
The Italian Baseball League (IBL) was founded in 1948 and is comprised of teams from Bologna, Parma, Nettuno, Rimini, Godo, Novara and Grosseto as well as the culturally Italian yet independent country San Marino. These eight teams compete in a 42-game season. Each team is allowed to have up to four non-Italian citizens, and each team must have at least six Italian citizen baseball players on the field at any given time. Former American players have found a second home in the IBL, including Jay Palma–the 1980 sixth-round draft pick of the New York Mets and current coach for the Novara United team. Pitcher Mike Hartley believes Italy will rally round a winning team as manager of Grosseto.Perhaps the most interesting catch for the Italian Baseball League is the recently signed 50-year-old Grosseto manager Mike Hartley. The former San Diego Grossmont College ace and Major League pitcher was in his late twenties when he made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 10, 1989 and went on to play for the Phillies, Twins, Red Sox and Orioles. In his six Major League seasons, he made 202 appearances and complied a 19-13 record with a 3.70 ERA. Hartley also pitched successfully internationally in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in 1994 and for Nettuno (Serie A1) in Italy in 1998. His coaching skills were just as impressive as he led the German club Heidenheim Heidekoepfe to a national championship in 2009 and the European Champions Cup Finals in 2010. In addition, Hartley coached the Croatian national team back to the 2011 European Championship (A Pool). The new Grosseto manager commented, “At higher levels, I coach to win and I hate to lose. At lower levels, the focus is on development. In short, work hard, believe in yourself and respect the game of baseball.”Grosseto will benefit with the addition of former MLB pitcher Mike Smith on the mound and as pitching coach. Michael Anthony Smith was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round of the 2000 amateur draft at the end of his college career at the University of Richmond. He pitched in 14 games for the Blue Jays in 2002 including six starts. The Minnesota Twins acquired Smith from the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2005-2006 offseason, but he was not called up to the Major Leagues until August 2, 2006. Smith played for the 2009 Brother Elephants team in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).
He led the 2010 Brockton Rox of the Can-Am League in wins (12) and ERA (2.87) in 125.1 innings. He was also named to the 2010 Cam-Am All-Star Team, along with Rox teammate and newly signed Grosseto catcher Chris Grossman. Smith went 8-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 94.2 innings during his 2011 Brockton Rox pitching campaign. The 34-year-old MLB veteran will prove to be a valuable asset for the Tuscan squad both as regular starting pitcher as well as mentor and pitching coach for the talented roster of Grosseto hurlers. Having played for the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Grosseto catcher Chris Grossman is a huge boost to any pitcher's confidence and mental stamina.Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 235 pounds, Grosseto catcher Chris Grossman will intimidate any hitter approaching the batter’s box with his mere physical presence. Having played for the last three-plus seasons for the Brockton Rox, the 31-year-old former Cal Berkeley star is a pitcher’s best friend for having a brilliant mind and an innate sense for knowing how to call a game behind the dish. Former Brockton pitcher and pitching coach (and new Grosetto pitcher and pitching coach) Mike Smith said, “It definitely makes things easier having him catch you. He knows the hitters that have been in the league. He knows how to pitch them and get them out. He is pretty smart about setting up hitters. From a pitching standpoint, you don’t have to worry about what pitch you have to throw. He knows how to set them up, and that is one less thing that you have to worry about. Chris also has a great arm. You know if you can’t hold the guy on, he is able to throw him out. He is always willing to go out there no matter how he feels. He wants to play every day.” The durable catcher hit .296 in 2009 and .313 in 2010 with a career-high 57 RBI, which earned him spot on the Can-Am League All-Star team. A reliable contact hitter who can choose his spots to hit for power, Chris GrossmanGrossman can be a manager’s secret weapon strategically with men on base for his excellent hit-and-run potential. Having hit over .300 in the first half of the 2011 season, Chris led in the team in walks (36) and stole 17 bases in 93 games. Former MLB player and current Brockton Rox manager Bill Buckner said, “I have been happy with the way that Chris has played. He is a smart player and base runner.” Having tasted the life of a pro Minor League player while a member of the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Grossman would like to get another opportunity to break into the Big Leagues. He echoed, “I am still hoping to get the chance. Meanwhile, I am enjoying what I am doing and being around guys that enjoy playing the game. It is a lot of fun.”Switch-hitting shortstop Jay Pecci adds spark to a Grosseto team charged with MLB experience.
35-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Jay Pecci has wanted to play in Italy for nearly a decade when he tried out in January of 2005 for the Italian national team that played in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. Although he had hit a home run and a single
in his final scrimmage game, Pecci was cut from the Italian team before the international competition.
Pecci recalled, “It was real close. I felt like I was on
the bubble.” The versatile athlete has always had a knack for high drama going back to college when
Pecci walked on to the Stanford baseball team and impressed enough to become a everyday starter.
A 1998 All-Conference player, Pecci led Stanford to
the 1995 and 1997 College World Series and boasted one of the all-time best College World Series batting averages after going 10-for-17 (.588). At Stanford
he played with MLB success stories Jody Gerut,
Joe Borchard, Chad Hutchinson and eventual Gary SouthShore RailCats teammate Tony Cogan. Gary SouthShore RailCats All-time leader in hits and at bats, Jay Pecci was the 2008 Northern League
All-Star Game MVP and ranks in the top five in nearly every offensive category in Northern League history.Originally selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 11th round of the 1998 Major League Entry Draft out of Stanford, Pecci played four seasons in the Oakland A’s system–including a stint at Double-A Midland in 2001. The Novato, California native was claimed the following season by the Seattle Mariners in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. He advanced all the way to Triple-A Tacoma before the end of the 2003 season. Pecci finished 2003 as a San Francisco Giants farmhand and spent the entire 2004 season with the Double-A Norwich Navigators in the Eastern League.Grosseto shortstop Jay Pecci demostrates his acrobatics and athleticism everyday on the field.
Pecci came close to early retirement in 2004 when he fractured his skull and broke his jaw colliding with a Norwich teammate while chasing a flyball in Trenton, New Jersey. Having his jaw wired shut for a month, Pecci was determined in making a comeback. He remarked, “I thought at that point, I wouldn’t let that be my last game in baseball.” In his 15-year pro career, nothing came close to his personal best 2008 campaign with the Indy League Gary SouthSide RailCats. Pecci set the RailCats single-season hits record (115) that season and hit a career-best .317 batting average and .474 slugging percentage along with 26 doubles and nine home runs. He homered in the Northern League All-Star Game in 2008 and earned Most Valuable Player honors after hitting the game-winning home run in the ninth inning of the decisive Game Four of the Northern League Semifinals. Following the 2008 season, Pecci earned his first Post-Season All-Star commendation from the league as the circuit’s top shortstop. An agile and seasoned veteran ballplayer with well over 1000 games of experience, Jay Pecci will give Grosseto a competitive edge in the IBL. A proven expert in teaching the fundamentals of pitching, hitting, fielding, base running, and game strategy, Grosseto hitting coach Jefferson Infante draws from his experience as a minor leaguer and assistant scout for the Kansas City Royals as well as collegiate coach.Grosseto hitting coach Jefferson Infante played baseball at Dewitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, where he earned All-City honors and played the all-star senior game at Yankee Stadium. After high school, Jeff played in the Dominican Republic in a recruiting league against professional teams before accepting an athletic scholarship to play at Louisberg College and leading his squad to the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series. MLB scouts took notice of Infante while playing for Ramapo College, where he was named to the All-Conference team and earned All-American Honors. Jeff was drafted as a catcher by the Kansas City Royals in 2004. He went on to play for three years in the Royals farm system for Idaho Falls, and later signed an Indy League contract with the St. Joseph’s Black Snakes in Missouri. Although Jeff’s professional baseball playing career would come to an abrupt ending when he sustained a shoulder injury, he remained in the game as an invaluable coach to collegiate players. As the assistant baseball coach at Baruch College in Manhattan, Infante’s ability to convey information to players and make the game simpler has paid off as Baruch has made three championship appearances and won the 2009 championship title.Grosseto hitting coach Jeff Infante is the nephew of New York Yankees bench coach Tony Pena (shown here standing to the right of Yankees manager Joe Girardi in the Yankee dugout). With over 10 years of baseball instructional experience, Infante has been sought after to serve as personal training coach for some of New York’s finest. While offering private baseball instruction for the Cooperstown Athletics Sports Performance Training Facility in Manhattan, five of Jeff’s private alums have gone onto playing professional baseball within the last few years. Coupled with the injection of manager Mike Hartley and pitching coach Mike Smith, Infante and the new blood on Grosseto’s coaching staff now have the ability to positively impact the team’s bright future ahead. Finishing 13 games behind 2011 IBL Champion San Marino last season, the newly revamped and much improved Grosseto squad will be a top contender in Europe as a result of the 2012 MLB Italian Renaissance in Tuscany.
The LA lifestyle Dodger True BlueWhen asked to special guest Friday morning at 8 am (Perth, Australia time) or Thursday afternoon at 4 pm (PST, USA time) on ABC Grandstand Strike Zone baseball radio show by host @CJColeman after completing my most comprehensive article to date
“MLB digs ‘Down Under’ and find nine Aussie stars”, I requested to include one of the featured Australian players–Pitcher Shane Lindsay of the Los Angeles Dodgers–because of a recent tweet received from @ABQTopes (LA Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes). I thought to myself that if anyone deserved to go directly from the Australian Baseball League straight to Major League Baseball without any pit stops it was the recently signed Dodger flamethrower. After the Isotopes were kind enough to retweet my article to its 2500 followers, I tweeted back: “Thanks for the RT (retweet) and for sending the Dodgers your best talent. Do you think Aussie Shane Lindsay will wear True Blue after ST (spring training)?”
Moments later @ABQTopes replied,
“He has the tools to impress, but new ownership will have the final say.” Time will tell who exactly will sign Lindsay’s checks, but in the meantime he is training rigorously in Arizona to prepare for the pitcher and catcher February 21st report date at Camelback Ranch in Glendale. Shane emailed me: “Hey mate, doing good…working my butt off in Phoenix and getting ready for camp at athlete performance.” Lindsay is taking this challenge very seriously.Lindsay will be Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Without a doubt, Lindsay could very well be vintage Jonathan Broxton
with additional strength out of the bullpen. Last season wearing Chicago White Sox silks, the gutsy and often “wild” Australian hurler was not afraid to throw inside with his intimidating signature upper 90’s fastball to strike out hitters. The Dodgers believe Shane Lindsay has what it takes to become successful in MLB, and all he has to do now is figure out who to impress…the “wild” Kim Kardashian?Located at the corner of 4th and Broadway in Manhattan, the MLB Fan Cave hosts interactive fan activities and visits from MLB players, baseball personalities and celebs.Sublime with Rome in the 2011 MLB Fan Cave.In order for me to impress on why you should vote for me to be in the 2012 MLB Fan Cave by clicking HERE so that I may deliver an innovative and fresh approach to the coverage of pro baseball and also report on the latest cutting-edge music and pop culture trends, it is imperative to hear from others about my positive influence on them–as I am not accustomed to being my own publicist! Let’s first connect the dots through the Skunk Records and Sublime stories as told by San Diego-based Slightly Stoopiddrummer Ryan ‘RyMo’ Moran.
While on the road with Rebelution , Ryan Morgan recently spoke about my good friend, Mike ‘Miguel’ Happoldt–co-founder of Skunk Records and producer for Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Unwritten Law, Long Beach Dub All-Stars and Long Beach Shortbus. ‘RyMo’ explained, “In a nutshell, Skunk Records was two people. It was Brad Nowellfrom Sublime, and Mike Happoldt. Mike Happoldt is still one of our producers to this day, we work with him all the time. Basically those two guys started that record label as an underground Long Beach record label. It was basically two friends who just put their heads together and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to start recording.’ At the time, Mike Happoldt was called ‘Miguel’. Miguel was going to Long Beach State and he was in a recording arts music program there … and so after hours there they would sneak into Long Beach State, and Sublime recorded a whole bunch of stuff there. They would basically just sneak in after hours and use the studio from like, 8 p.m. ‘till 4 in the morning and then come back in the next night and do it all again. Skunk Records really was just a grass roots movement between those two guys.
Now sadly, we all know the story that Brad Nowell passed away in ’96 from an overdose on heroin, which sucked. At that point Mike, or Miguel, basically kept the label going, but it shrunk considerably. It went from like a full-on functioning label to just basically him doing stuff out of his house on a smaller scale. Basically, Skunk Records released quite a few records from bands like The Ziggens, one of Sublime’s favorite bands from back in the day. They released a good amount of other stuff —- obviously the work they did with Long Beach Dub All-Stars. Basically, Skunk Records is just Miguel Happoldt. It’s his project.”DJRoberto at KROQ 106.7
When LA music industry insider executive Dana Smart interviewed Mike ‘Miguel’ Happoldt about Sublime and the influence of reggae, yours truly got some serious props.
Mike said, “Brad was a huge fan of DJ Roberto Angotti of KNAC (not metal yet) in Long Beach. He taped every show between 1985 and 1986.” You can listen to some of the songs that Brad loved by clicking on the following podcast link–The Waxcast Episode 2: Homage to Reggae Revolution–a loyal listener’s tribute to my radio show
before moving on to Los Angeles’ #1 Young Adult Radio Leader, ‘The World Famous KROQ 106.7 FM’, where I deejayed from 1986 through 1992.
I would see Brad regularly when I promoted Club Reggae at Fenders Ballroom in downtown Long Beach, where huge punk groups would perform in the larger room and Jamaica’s Wailing Souls and Eek-A-Mouse, England’s Pato Banton and Tippa Irie as well as LA’s Untouchables and Fishbone and other reggae/ska groups would play in my part of the ballroom on weekends. We would not discriminate against anyone who would enter our Punky Reggae Party. Long Beach experienced a London boomtown feeling in the early/mid-80’s. I clearly remember Brad joining me in the DJ booth when I promoted Eek-A-Mouse and Sublime together at Bogart’s in Long Beach. He came again to check me at an Andy Summers gig as well. When singer Gwen Stefani and bassist Tony Kanal from No Doubt were a couple without a contract, they would frequent my OC Club Reggae where I would test market their records on the dance floor. After graduating early in 1980 from high school at age 17, I studied abroad in London and immersed myself in the 2 Tone movement. Borrowing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and New Wave, bands like The Specials, The Selecter, The (English) Beat, Madness, Bad Manners, and The Bodysnatchers were the talk of the town. However, it was UB40’s “My Way of Thinking” that captured my imagination. Their progressive and upbeat style of British reggae was ear candy, and I could not get enough of it. I also learned of another Birmingham-based band called Steel Pulse. I collected records from London’s Aswad and Linton Kwesi Johnson as well. The artists trusted me, and I traveled with UB40 throughout America as their emcee while supporting Sting and The Police. I became the first radio deejay to interview British reggae, ska and two tone artists and break their records in America while hosting “Roberto, Rock, Reggae” on KSPC 88.7 in Claremont, California. Although a college station, the strong 3000 watt signal penetrated in Orange, LA, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Within two years in 1982, I got my first real job in commercial radio when I was hired as a new music jock.
Working overnights at ‘Rock N Rhythm KNAC’ in Long Beach, I mixed New Wave and Classic Rock from the 50’s-70’s in this unique format which allowed deejay freedom with two personal choices per hour. I would bring in my crate of records from independent and unsigned artists to customize my radio show with a healthy dose of reggae and ska. After I had created a huge buzz for the music, I was rewarded with the first reggae show–“Reggae Revolution”–on commercial radio in addition to working my KNAC new music weekend deejay shifts and serving as program director of Pomona College’s KSPC. Often I would receive acetate test press copies of songs fresh out of the studio from up-and-coming LA New Wave bands like the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo (who would later drop the long name), The Motels, X, The Blasters, The Plimsouls and Missing Persons. The groups would have listening parties while paying close attention to the audio quality of the recording on-the-air before going back in the studio to master the song.
Although we did not have the signal strength of LA powerhouse KROQ, Long Beach’s KNAC–lead by the innovative program director Jimmy ‘The Saint’ Christopher (who would later become the PA announcer for the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark at Arlington)–was looked upon by the music industry as an indicator station. While other stations would only play one or two tracks from an album, KNAC would dig deeper and play as many as four or five. Once research had indicated that the public liked the tracks, then only would the more conservative and bigger KROQ’s of the world would add songs to the playlist–especially if there was payola.Reggae legend Peter Tosh granted DJ Roberto his final interview before his untimely death in Kingston.
I thought that I would never sell my soul to the corporate giants, but it took a KNAC format change to Metal in 1986 for me to take a sabbatical in the UK and come back stronger than ever at KROQ. While a Film Studies major at Claremont McKenna College, I had done a documentary of the English Beat and written my thesis on reggae based upon two interviews with legendary original Wailer, the late and great Peter Tosh. He was the Original Jamaican Rude Boy that many of the two tone characters emulated years later in England.Original Jamaican Rude Boys Bunny Livingston (Wailer), Bob Marley and Peter ToshPato Banton performs live in front of 50,000 fans and a nationally-televised audience with Los Pericos in Buenos Aires, Argentina at 2007 Pepsi Music Fest.After graduating from college and taking some time off, I embarked on a journey to document UB40’s making of the ‘Geoffrey Morgan’ Album in their hometown of Birmingham, England. Staying at each band-member’s house a week at a time, it goes without saying that the lads were tired of my eternal smiling grin and my video camera staring at them every step of the way. Upon arriving at their DEP studios in the industrial section of Birmingham’s Digbeth, the band suggested I go down to an open audition held underground at a local pub where local talent would be performing live.Ranking Roger, Yaz Alexander and Pato Banton
My life would change forever… At the time, a local MC by the name of Pato Banton had recorded two tracks on UB40’s ‘Baggariddim’ Double Album. One of the tracks, “Hip Hop Lyrical Robot”, was a B Side to the #1 song “I Got You Babe” featuring Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders. After the success of the Beat’s “Pato and Roger Ago Talk” off the Beat’s ‘Special Beat Service’ Album, Ranking Roger continued to produce Birmingham’s top MC while Pato was on fire.Fergie with Tippa Irie (in red) & the Black Eyed Peas
Roger did not disappoint the local reggae massive when he produced Pato’s 12″ single called “Mash Up The Telly”, which was the song that I had videotaped at the audition and later became a big UK smash hit. Before I could stop the camera and say hello, Pato was out the door and gone… I was blown away at his amazing talent and charisma on camera. I showed the footage to UB40 back at the studio, and the next day keyboardist Mickey Virtue game me Pato’s 12″ single “The Boss” and business card.
I immediately phoned and arranged a meeting with Pato’s manager, Grantley ‘G.T.’ Haynes. I learned that he also managed another client from London’s #1 Saxon Sound named Tippa Irie, who had massive success with “Hello Darling”. I had been sending postcards to KROQ Program Director Rick Carroll so he would expect me when I arrived back in LA. Equipped with new vinyl and a vengeance to get back on the radio, I brought back “Reggae Revolution” to the Southern California airwaves with a much improved signal that reached five times the amount of listeners I had previously at KNAC. Within a few months,Pato Banton and Tippa Irie were signed to U.S. recording contracts.
I arranged for Pato to record a song at the KROQ studios with the San Diego-based rock group Private Domain. The end result was “Absolute Perfection”, and the song became an instant hit on commercial radio throughout America in addition to a staple in the KROQ Top 10 playlist. Later I took Tippa Irie to see his first Black Eyed Peas concert at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. The end result there was “Hey Mama”, a track that broke radio charts internationally and was a MTV favorite. UB40 have always respected my writing style, and they paid me the ultimate compliment when they asked me to write the liner notes for their Dancehall Album.
After they flew me to Jamaica, I was able to work out of Ali Campbell and Brian Travers’ Oracabessa Records HQ in St. Mary. There I would vibe up full stop and meet a long cast of Jamaican stars passing through including Sly & Robbie, Rappa Robert, Toots Hibbert, Jack Radics and Mr. Vegas. Once word got out that I was writing liners, the phone rang constantly. The Sublime camp always loved my articles for Mean Street Magazine and asked for to write the liner notes for ‘Sublime: Everything Under the Sun’ Box Set. Mad Professor requested that I write Macka B’s ‘Global Messenger’ CD liners as well.
Music Club U.S.A. allowed me to go through the entire Fashion Records catalogue out of South London and produce two compilation CDs: ‘Love All Night’ and ‘Essential Dancehall Classics’. Despite having my plate full between teaching English in Orange County and freelance writing nonstop, I continued working with Pato Banton as he had a long list of recording artists who to this day consider him an inspiration and a foundation artist. Sting recorded with Pato on a couple occasions and flew he and his band on his private jet to Spain. Peter Gabriel recruited Pato to join him on his international WOMAD Tour. Ali and Robin Campbell scored a #1 hit with Pato on “Baby Come Back”. I have since arranged for Pato Banton to tour with the likes of 311, Matisyahu, English Beat, and Argentina’s Los Pericos. Tippa Irie and Pato Banton are first-rate live performers and consummate professionals in the recording studio. Both constantly in demand, it won’t
be long before they each throw out the first pitch at an upcoming MLB game and perform live in the MLB Fan Cave.
Aaron Sookee of the ABL's Sydney Blue Sox (Jen Edwards/SMP Media)Grant Weir, Australian scout for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, has not let anyone down in the past with his baseball wit and intuition in discovering raw talent. Just ask Angel owner Arte Moreno and manager Mike Scioscia, both of whom are very pleased with Weir’s 2002 find of one of the team’s longest-tenured players, Aussie pitcher Rich Thompson. A decade has passed, and Weir is still finding hidden gems. Among his Angel signings are two young up-and-coming MLB pitching prospects currently in the Australian Baseball League: 20-year-old Aaron Sookee of the Sydney Blue Sox and 18-year-old Alex Da Silva of the Melbourne Aces. Both pitchers have seen limited action in the ABL. Aaron Sookee (0-1, 5.68 ERA) has pitched 6.1 innings of relief while striking out seven, and Alex
Da Silva (0-0, 0.00 ERA) has made one appearance. Despite their limited visibility in the spotlight, the education these young hurlers are receiving behind-the-scenes is what is most impressive and valuable.The sky is the limit for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim right-handed MLB pitching prospect Aaron Sookee.
Aaron Sookee is being mentored
by past and present MLB pitchers–including Korea’s Dae-Sung Koo
(New York Mets) and fellow Aussies Chris Oxspring (San Diego Padres) and Brad Thomas (Detroit Tigers), while Alex Da Silva gets to rub shoulders in the dugout with American Jason Hirsh (Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies) and Aussies Travis Blackley (Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants) and Shane Lindsay (Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers). 18-year-old Melbourne Ace pitcher Alex Da Silva has been known for shooting down hitters effortlessly with the fastest gun in Australia. (Joe Vella/SMP Images/ABL)Aaron Sookee has spent most of his two minor league seasons playing Arizona League Rookie ball with modest success. Last year for the Arizona League Angels, the six-foot-three reliever went 3-3 with three saves and a 4.63 ERA. In 14 appearances, he pitched 23.1 innings and struck out 28. Averaging more than one strike out per inning in both the Arizona League and ABL is an encouraging sign. International scout Grant Weir commented, “The Angels are very excited with the signing of Aaron, and we believe he has an enormous future in professional baseball. He has physical attributes that are going to help him have a long and fruitful career, but more importantly he is a great kid who works hard.” Having a seven-year professional contract with a probable World Series contender a la Pujols, Sookee can potentially develop into a huge Major League Baseball talent over time.
It took Aussie Angel predecessor Rich Thompson over five and a half years to make his MLB debut in 2007.
Based on the Thompson timetable, Aaron Sookee is right on schedule to have a significant impact on this franchise’s young pitching promise and future.
Named MVP of an international competition in America while playing for the Penrith and Sandringham Baseball Clubs and the NSW team in Blacktown, the younger Aussie Alex Da Silva was watched meticulously by MLB scouts during the national youth tournament in Perth and was signed shortly thereafter by Angels’ scout Grant Weir, who was blown away by the velocity of his 90 mph fastball.Ladies' man Alex Da Silva prays for the opportunity to give one-on-one lessons to TV starlet Eva Longoria.
With a keen eye for the ladies and his sights on some
of the Angels’ Hollywood heartthrobs and playmates, Alex Da Silva hopes that his pitching arsensal of a wicked fastball, curveball, change-up and cutter will expedite the process of an invitation to Angels’ Spring Training Camp and Hefner’s Playboy Mansion. Having completed eight weeks of intensive training at the
MLB Academy on Australia’s Gold Coast, the young
work-in-progress pitcher will join the Arizona Angels’ Rookie Camp in March. Weir said, “Alex probably throws harder than anyone in the country. Just his tools are impressive. He has the fastball, and he just has to learn how to pitch. He’s got the right tools to pitch.
But he’ll learn in the right environment.” Da Silva has an uphill battle ahead as he experiences the growing pains of rookie camp with aspirations of turning heads and being selected on one of the organization’s minor league teams. Having followed Alex’s pitching finesse since playing for the U13 development squad, Weir believes Da Silva has what it takes to be successful.Alex Da Silva hopes to play with and catch Holly Madison in MLB.
“He’s a smart kid. I think he’s realistic, and he knows that this is just the start for him. There’s a lot of work to be done yet,” Weir said. Beginning his baseball playing days when he was nine years old, Alex’s athletic career has progressed from participating on club teams to Victorian State teams and then on to Australian national squads. Alex feels blessed that he was born with what he called “natural pitching ability that cannot be learned.” Da Silva credits his dad for his six-foot-two stature. He said, “I’m a pretty good build, and I get that from my father’s side so I think I just have naturally improved as a pitcher. I really want to see where my talent can take me. I want to make the Major Leagues.” Given Derek Jeter’s Major League relationships with the likes of Minka Kelly, Mariah Carey, Lara Dutta, Joy Enriquez, Jordana Brewster, Vanessa Minnillo, Vida Guerra, Jessica Alba, Adriana Lima, Jessica Biel, Rachel Uchitel, Tyra Banks and possibly Scarlett Johansson, the future looks bright for both Alex Da Silva’s personal dating life and his potential to join the game’s elite as a pitcher for the LA Angels.
Perth outfielder Corey Adamson provides speed
and added fuel to the fire for the Heat to win two consecutive championship titles in the Australian Baseball League. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images) Randy Smith, Vice President of Player Development and International Operations for the San Diego Padres, believes that the six-foot-two left-handed hitting Corey Adamson is an athletic specimen that has immense potential well worth the $500,000 signing bonus used to lure one of the finest five-tool players with plus speed to come out of Australia. The sky is the limit for the Friars’ MLB prospect as there appears to be no lack of faith.
Last year San Diego thought so highly of the Aussie’s potential that he was among 30 of the Padres’ best Minor League players invited early to Peoria, Arizona to take part in the team’s annual minicamp for its top lower-level prospects. The accelerated development program for players entering their first or second full season or players who might be jumping a level has proven to be a successful fast track for many prospects as three players from the 2010 program were invited to 2011 Major League camp. If Adamson continues to play as well as he has since joining his hometown Perth
Heat this season, it would not be surprising to see him invited to join the Padres at their 2012 camp.Corey Adamson is Australia's pride and joy. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images/ABL)With his 20th birthday and the ABL playoffs fast approaching, Adamson is clearly enjoying his time in the Australian Baseball League as witnessed by his .429 batting average. Perth manager Brooke Knight’s secret weapon to ward off challengers from the throne of the defending champions adds pure firepower to the Heat roster and completes a speed-injected all-star outfield, which features Seattle Mariners prospect James McOwen and Baltimore Orioles prospect Brenden Webb. It not only affords skipper Knight many managerial strategies in a pinch when needed most, but also rests the legs of ABL triple crown candidate–outfielder Tim Kennelly–by penciling him in as the team’s designated hitter on the line-up card. Without a shadow of a doubt, Adamson has aligned himself with a group of dedicated individuals who have a proven recipe for success and always play to win.In the eyes, hearts and minds of his faithful fans and followers on the west coasts of Australia and America, Corey Adamson is #1 for the Perth Heat as well as the loyal fanbase waiting for his imminent arrival at San Diego's PETCO Park. (Ben Southall/SMP Media)
Last year Adamson played most of the season for the Padres Rookie team in Arizona, where he hit .245 in 48 games. As a Padre minor leaguer, he has also spent time with Single-A Short Season Eugene Emeralds and Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. Prior to being signed by San Diego in 2008, he led his Western Australia Under-16 team to a national title by hitting .520 with a .618 OBP and a 1.040 slugging percentage during the championship tournament. As the son of Australia’s Baseball Hall of Famer, Tony Adamson, Corey has only scratched the surface in becoming a future international baseball star and an Aussie hero.SD Padres prospect and Perth Heat spark plug Corey Adamson (Ben Southall/SMP Images)
Travis Scott of the ABL's Canberra Cavalry (Ben Southall/SMP Images)Considering the Australian Baseball League Canberra Cavalry catcher’s daunting six-foot-three solid muscle build, Madonna should consider recording a 2012 remix of “Don’t Cry For Me Australia!” There has always been a constant debate about whether home plate collisions should be banned throughout baseball history. By prohibiting the catcher from blocking the plate and banning base runners from making contact intentionally with the catcher, many argue the game would be a lot safer. However, baseball purists protest that combat at the dish has been around for years and is deeply entrenched in the sport’s tradition and its fans’ expectations of finding entertainment value in home plate drama. Selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 20th round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft as a catcher out of Illinois’ Lincoln Land Community College, Travis Scott knew the occupational hazards inherent to his vulnerable position when he read the disclaimer and signed his first professional baseball contract.Travis Scott collides with Brisbane catcher Ayatsugu Yamashita. (Ben Southall/SMP Images)Pitcher Mike McGuire and Travis Scott discuss strategy to put out the fire of ABL defending champ Perth Heat and make it to the playoffs. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)
While the lead singer for rock and roll bands usually receive all the attention (and more…), the drummer is virtually unnoticed until he gets a crack at a drum solo (if he’s lucky). The same concept applies to the dynamic between the pitcher and his catcher. The pitcher gets all the hype (and salary), while the catcher keeps the beat (and the leftovers) of the game. He must have the intuition and knowledge to deal with every fine-tuned intricacy that starting pitchers and relievers have in their vast repertoire. As with the world of corporate rock, if your band or team does not possess a solid drummer or catcher, then your franchise will lose on the field and at the box office. While what a catcher can produce offensively at the plate is very important, what he does behind the plate is even more significant. The catcher must have a keen sense of intelligence to call a good game and have the ability to throw out base runners. Travis Scott possesses all the innate qualities necessary to become a successful MLB catcher.Left-handed slugger Travis Scott has extreme power and discipline at the plate.
Canberra Cavalry manager Steve Schrenk wasn’t caught off guard by catcher Travis Scott’s batting potential but more shocked by his power. Skipper Schrenk explains, “He knows how to hit. He hit well last year in Double-A for the Pirates so I was expecting some good things, but he brings a little bit more power than I thought.” The 26-year-old Milwaukee-born American import put up good enough numbers to earn himself a 2009 California League All-Star slot while playing for the Mariners Single-A Advanced affiliate High Desert Mavericks. In the first half of the season alone, Scott hit .324 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI. While playing for the 2010 Rockford River Hawks Professional Baseball Club in Illinois and after being signed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he was voted the Hawks’ MVP with a .302 batting average and a 34% success rate of throwing out attempted base stealers to lead the Northern League. Scott credits Mariners minor league catching coordinator Roger Hanson for his defensive prowess. He elaborates, “I put in a lot of hard work in my four years with the Mariners, and we had one of the best catching coordinators in minor league baseball in Roger Hanson. You know it’s just all about proper balance and putting myself in position to get the most out of my arm.” Scott’s signing to the LA Angels was short-lived as the Pittsburgh Pirates quickly took him hostage before he could become Scioscia’s protege in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. He is now a free agent looking for a new pro contract. Travis Scott is a valuable asset to any team he chooses to play for.(Ben Southall/SMP Images)
Currently second in doubles (13) and ninth in walks (14) in the ABL while hitting .250 for the Canberra Cavalry, Travis Scott knows in order to achieve his personal goal of a .300 batting average that he must pump up the volume for the remainder of the season. He concides, “In my position as a free agent, any time you get the opportunity to get some at-bats you want to put up good numbers because ultimately scouts in America are looking at your offensive numbers before your defensive numbers. I want to put up .300 or above numbers with a little bit of power to all fields. If I can do that, I’ll have a pretty good opportunity to find a club in the United States.” With eight regular season games left for the Canberra Cavalry catcher, Travis Scott will have to dig down deep and catapult his team into the playoffs so that scouts will have the opportunity to see for themselves why he deserves another chance to join the game’s elite in Major League Baseball.
Leading the Australian Baseball League (ABL) in batting average (.383) and OPS (1.140) as well as being second in OBP (.474) and SLG (.667), 26-year-old American import Kody Hightower has made MLB scouts scratch their heads and ponder how their organizations could have been granted a new lease on life if he had not been left for dead on draft day years ago and had been added as their teams’ spark plug and late-budding baseball star.
Putting everything on the line with a solid spiritual foundation and faith to beat the odds in pursuit of competing with the game’s elite, Hightower is currently walking an Aussie tightrope by simultaneously playing shortstop for the Australian Capital Territory Baseball Association’s Ainslie Gungahlin Bears and the ABL’s Canberra Cavalry. The high stakes North Carolina native and versatile ball player came to Australia after leading the Swiss Baseball League Zurich Barracudas into the playoffs.
When America turned her back on Kody Hightower, he launched a strong European baseball campaign as a pitcher and shortstop for the German HSV Stealers and the Swiss Zurich Barracudas with massive success and international fanfare to go along with it.
Known for his outstanding arm, Hightower traveled to countless U.S. tryouts and showcases to be seen by the movers and shakers in professional baseball. Kody elaborates, “At one tryout in Atlanta, I was videotaped pitching and a manager in Germany saw it on youtube. He got in touch with me, and I signed almost immediately. I figured if I couldn’t play in the states, I might as well see the world and continue playing. I really enjoyed my time in both Germany and Switzerland. I used it as a stepping stone to continue trying to get my name out there.” The Lenoir, North Carolina hometown hero expanded his European fan base by playing for the HSV Stealers and the Zurich Barracudas. Hightower recently led the Barrcacudas to the post-season in late August with a near perfect outing on the hill as the Zurich hurler clinched a playoff spot when he pitched a nine inning 7-0 shutout over crosstown rival Challengers while striking out 16. Hightower helped himself to earn the win offensively by going 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI. It was business as usual for Kody as he relished European pitching throughout the entire season. Before heading to Australia, he was named as the recipient of the 2011 Barracudas’ Best Hitter Award.
Kody Hightower's swing led Southern Wesleyan University to a 2007 NCCAA National Championship.
After being selected as a NAIA All-America Honorable Mention at Brevard College, Hightower was named to the 2008 Southern States Athletic All-Conference team, NAIA Region XIII team, NCCAA All-South team as well as an All-American and NCCAA South Region Player of the Year in his final two seasons at South Carolina’s Southern Wesleyan University. He compiled a .427 batting average with six home runs, seven triples, 16 doubles, 61 runs scored and 64 RBI in 58 games during 2008.
Having only struck out only five times in 234 at bats and been caught stealing once in 24 stolen base attempts in his final year of college ball, Hightower demonstrated great presence of mind and Big League potential at the plate and on the base paths. Considered a natural 2008 MLB Amateur draft selection by coaches and fans alike, Kody got no love from American professional baseball. He was left out in the cold without a contract or any leads to continue his hot hitting ways in MLB.
Kody Hightower leads the ABL in batting and the Canberra Cavalry charge to victory.
The eternal optimist Hightower reflects, “Out of college I had a couple looks from the Pirates and the Reds, but no calls came on draft day. I was disappointed, but you just have to bite your tongue and keep moving forward. It’s not the end of the world. There are still other options. It’s great playing for the Cavalry, and I really enjoy the guys on the team as well as the management. My rituals aren’t too ‘out there’–even though I went through a phase of eating veggie mite before games (laughter). It’s an Aussie spread they put on toast–not very tasty–but I believed it to be helping me in the batter’s box. After I went 0-9 in a series, I stopped with that because you have to start fresh and try something new if it doesn’t work for you.” Despite his love for the ABL and the Cavalry, Hightower is contracted to play for the Ainslie Gungahlin Bears and could miss out on Canberra’s final push for the playoffs.
Kody sheds light on the possible conflict, “I knew the situation before I came and agreed to put the (Bears) club first. That’s just the way it is. My host family here has really done a lot for me, and I don’t want to do anything to disrespect that by any means.” Regardless of the situation, he remains upbeat about his future. Hightower concludes, “It has been a tough road. I am not getting any younger, but I am having a lot of fun traveling and playing this wonderful game. I couldn’t do it without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Will anyone answer MLB’s MIA prayers for a professional baseball contract? Faith can move mountains…
#1 Kenny Wilson (Theron Kirkman/SMP Media)Citing Ken Griffey Jr. as his favorite MLB player growing up and Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips as his role model for having fun while playing pro ball, Canberra Cavalry’s outfielder Kenny Wilson is a mixed hybrid of both baseball idols. A Blue Jays 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft out of Tampa’s Sickles High School, Wilson was offered a full-ride to the University of Florida. Rather than going on to play college ball, Wilson opted to take the loonie loot offered by Toronto instead and accepted a $644,000 signing bonus on June 10, 2008. Blessed with blazing speed, the teen that dreamt of being the fastest law enforcement officer on the Florida Turnpike matured into the U.S.A. Sunshine State’s finest baseball player.Canberra's Kenny Wilson (Martin Caulfield/SMP Media) Prior to joining the Cavs this year in the ABL, the switch-hitting 21-year-old completed a rehab assignment in the Dunedin Blue Jays Instructional League after missing the final four months of the 2011 season due to shoulder surgery. With four home runs and 122 stolen bases as a Toronto minor leaguer, he is known more for his speed than his power. Currently tied for 4th in doubles (7) and 5th in stolen bases (6) in the ABL, Wilson undoubtedly will be looking for more opportunities to get in scoring position for Canberra in 2012. He has also come through in the clutch with 15 RBI, which ranks 7th best in the league. Watch for Kenny Wilson to come flying late for a photo finish.#2 Calvin Anderson (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images) Named bonorable mention for the ABL Round Six Player of the Week batting award, Adelaide Bite’s first baseman and clean-up hitter Calvin Anderson came back strong to earn ABL Round Seven Player of the Week recognition for his .333 batting average (5-for-15, including two home runs and four RBI in the four-game series against Brisbane. Currently 4th in home runs (6) and tied for 5th in RBI (17) in the ABL, Anderson made ABL history with his 12-game hitting streak. He had 19 hits in 52 at-bats during the offensive outburst (.365 BA). His hot streak has been instrumental in elevating the Bite, which sat near the cellar of the standings before Anderson propelled them into 2nd place.Bite celebrate Anderson's walk-off home run against the Sydney Blue Sox in Round Four of the 2011-12 ABL season. (Ryan Schembri / SMP Media / ABL)
Calvin Anderson was selected in the 12th round of the 2008 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 24-year-old six-foot-seven Kirkland, Washington-born slugger was Goliath during the first half of the 2011 season at Single-A Advanced Bradenton blasting 13 homes runs in 225 plate appearances while batting .271, but the former Southern A & M College star sat out the second half with a knee injury. Anderson’s power numbers doubled as he hit 11 homers in 464 at-bats in 2010. Look for a break out 2012 from this MLB prospect and Big League muscle for Adelaide down the stretch. #3 Aaron Baker (Jen Edwards / SMP Media / ABL)Drafted in the 11th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Oklahoma University in 2009, Texas native Aaron Baker was also at Single-A Advanced Bradenton this past summer before being traded by the Pirates to Baltimore in exchange for MLB veteran Derek Lee. The 24-year-old Baker was hitting .282 with 21 doubles, 15 home runs and 73 RBI at the time of the trade. The former UO catcher and first baseman was named a 2011 Florida State League All-Star.
The left-handed hitting first baseman became the Bradenton Marauders’ fan favorite and was considered the Pirate organization’s most promising prospect to break into the Bigs before flying away as an Oriole. Playing for ABL defending champion Perth Heat, Baker is currently 5th in the league in HR (5), RBI (20) and SLG (.524). It’s best to use his hot bat in all 2012 exotic wagers or else…#4 Trent Baker (Scott Powick / SMP Images / ABL)Trent Baker has been on a 2011 MLB roller coaster after being down-and-out when released by the Cleveland Indians in March and then being high-in-the-sky while seeking redemption when signed by the Atlanta Braves in July. Originally signed as an outfielder by the Tribe in 2008, the 21-year-old Aussie will report to 2012 Braves Spring Training as a left-handed throwing hurler. In 10 innings pitched for the Brisbane Bandits, Baker is 2-1 and has struck out 11. Beware as this outsider will make a run for the money at the wire.#5 Todd Van Steensel (Ryan Schembri/SMP Media) splits his time blogging for the Clubhouse Chronicles, tweeting on twitter @toddvs35 and playing MLB 2K12.
Todd Van Steensel experienced the same euphoric yo-yo effect after being signed by the Philadelphia Phillies at the 2008 U18 Championships in Perth only to be released in March 2010. As the youngest member on Team Australia, the 20-year-old Sydney socialite trained diligently at the Australian MLB Academy, where he signed with the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Sox pitcher should not be over-looked as it would not be surprising to see him and his American teammates in the 2012 ABL Winner’s Circle.#6 Bubbie Buzachero (Brett Crockford/SMP Media)
Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2002 draft out of Tennessee Tech, Bubbie Buzachero has also played for the Houston Astros organization in ten minor league seasons. The 30-year-old pitcher compiled a 38-29 record, a 3.74 ERA, and 70 saves in 392 games. Playing for the ALPB Long Island Ducks in 2011, he made 57 appearances and posted a 8-2 record with a 2.42 ERA. Bubbie Buzachero–Melbourne Ace and the longest shot in the field–was born to perform and to deliver nothing short of his best effort.
Taking on the responsibility of selecting the Top 20 Americans currently playing in the Australian Baseball League is risky business. For the 20 up-and-coming MLB prospects, it’s an early holiday present to share with friends and family back home while playing ‘Down Under’. Yet for the others unfortunately not mentioned in the Top 20, it’s another Big League blow… As a sign of good faith, we will feature the missing in action in future articles. In the meantime, let’s now look at numbers 11-20 of the Top 20 Americans in the ABL.
#11 Mychal Givens of the Perth Heat is a very hot prospect for the Baltimore Orioles. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)
Considered baseball’s best all-around high school player in the nation at the time, Mychal Givens was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft as a shortstop and reportedly received a $800,000 signing bonus just hours before the Orioles’ rights to Givens would have expired. Not only was the six-foot-one high school athlete an All-State shortstop during his junior and senior years at Florida’s Plant High School, but Mychal Givens’ cannon for an arm was utilized on the mound because of explosive mid-90’s speed and a 1.71 ERA. With aspirations of one day soon helping the Orioles win the World Series, he sped through four levels of low minor league action in his first season as a professional playing second baseman and shortstop. Impressing the O’s with his athleticism and maturity only a year out of high school, Givens had exceeded the Orioles’ expectations during extended spring training and started his season at a higher level than expected.
In the 2011 Asia Series against the Korea Baseball Organization Samsung Lions, Mychal Givens showed the world his natural talent. (Scott Powick / SMP Media / ABL)
In June 2010, a minor setback sent Givens back to his Tampa area home to nurse a sprained left thumb shortly after being promoted to the Delmarva Shorebirds. Despite injuring his thumb sliding into a base and as a result missing significant time off the diamond, the 2011 Prospect Handbook ranked the 21-year-old #7 in their list of the Top 10 prospects in the Baltimore organization. After hitting nearly .300 and projecting a nice contact bat, MLBDirt.com recently ranked Givens #16 in their 2012 Oriole’s prospect projections in hopes that the team would use their infielder as a pitcher. As an impact player committed to playing whatever position the O’s want him to play, Mychal Givens is determined more than ever to make it to Major League Baseball as quickly as possible. His move to align himself with the Australian Baseball League’s defending champion Perth Heat was a solid decision. Playing in the 2011 Asia Series with some of baseball’s best was a bonus nonetheless. Among the top twelve hitters in the league with a .308 average, Givens is tied for fourth in doubles (5) and stolen bases (4). Look for him to turn on the Heat down the stretch.
Mariners prospect #12 James McOwen 2010-11 ABL MVP Silver Slugger/Helms Award Winner (SMP Media)
Perth teammate James McOwen will always be known as the one who came really close to beating some Big League names for the longest hitting streak in Minor League Baseball in 2009. With the record set almost a decade earlier in 1919 by Joe Wilhoit (69) and the legendary Joe Dimaggio checking in second (61), Single-A Seattle Mariners affiliate High Desert Mavericks outfielder James McOwen went down in California League record books for his 45-game hitting streak and compiled an impressive season .340 batting average with 10 home runs and 82 RBIs.
Snagged by the Mariners as their 6th round selection in the 2007 draft and reeled in with a $123,000 signing bonus, James McOwen was always considered a contact hitter rather than a power hitter during his college career at Florida International University. The franchise was so confident in his MLB promise that he was invited him to 2010 Mariners Spring Training.
Mariners hopeful James McOwen in the LA Angels of Anaheim dugout in 2009 (Geoff Baker/Seattle Times)
On the final weekend before the start of the Mariners 2009 Season in an exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies in Albuquerque, things looked good for the bright new MLB hopeful. McOwen was where he longed to be: playing left field in a Mariners uniform. However, a deep drive hit by Rockie Clint Barnes sent him to the warning track and beyond. Trying to track down the fly ball to keep the game tied, McOwen slammed into the outfield wall and suffered a separated left shoulder–thereby eliminating the opportunity to play in MLB in 2009.
James McOwen in the 2011 Asia Series against Japan's SoftBank Hawks (Scott Powick/SMP Images)
McOwen attempted to rewrite history after one year of rehab when he was sent to Scottsdale in 2010 to start as the Mariners left fielder against the Colorado Rockies in the final spring training game in Arizona. The 26-year-old made a lasting impression on the Seattle franchise by going 2-for-3 and scoring a run that day. McOwen worked hard to get up to speed before making his splash last year in the newly reformed ABL’s inaugural season, when he led the league in home runs (11), RBI (30) and slugging percentage (.613). As Adelaide’s best hitter with a .340 batting average, he was also recognized as the league’s finest player being voted ABL Silver Slugger and MVP/Helms Award recipient.
In quite a shocker, McOwen signed with Perth in the off-season. The move was a sound one as he was recently selected as ABL Player of the Week for Round Six. Now leading off for the Heat, McOwen has hit safely in each of the Round Six games–thereby extending his hitting streak to seven games during which he has four multi-hit games, 10 runs scored and six RBI.
Could this be the return of the record-breaking James McOwen? His seven-game ABL hitting streak is no accident as he has really developed an eye for the strike zone. Over the past few years, McOwen has really transformed himself into quite a patient hitter. In the current 2011-12 ABL season, he is first in stolen bases (10) and triples (2), third in batting average (.367), fourth in doubles (5) and OBP (.449) and sixth in walks (9). McOwen has been known to perform even better the second time around.
#13 Nic Ungs (Brett Crockford/SMP Images/ABL)
Dubuque, Iowa’s Nic Ungs of the Melbourne Aces delivered possibly his best pitching performance against the Brisbane Bandits last month and was named as one of the ABL Players of the Week for Round Three. Coming within two strikes and inches away from throwing the first ever perfect game in ABL history, Ungs now wishes that he could get the pitch back that Brisbane’s Brad Dutton drilled just out of Aces first baseman Justin Huber’s grasp to end his no-hit bid.
Having already pitched a no-hitter before in his professional baseball career, it would have been a first perfect game for the 32-year-old Midwesterner. Being the 12th-round draft pick by the Marlins in 2001 after his junior season at the University of Northern Iowa, Ungs has also played in the Chinese Professional Baseball League as well as for Brewers organization in the minor leagues, where he has career 71-56 record and a 3.64 ERA.
Ace hurler Nic Ungs is one of the most dependable and consistent pitchers in the Australian Baseball League. (Joosep Martinson/SMP Images/ABL)
In 2009 while pitching for the Marlins Double-A affiliate Jacksonville Suns, Ungs went 10-3 with a 2.37 ERA in 18 starts. With four years of Triple-A experience under his belt, Nic Ungs has flirted with graduation to Major League Baseball. Prior to signing on with the ABL’s Melbourne Aces, Ungs spent the 2011 season with the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Somerset Patriots. Currently one of the ABL’s Top 10 Pitchers with a 1-1 record in four starts and a 3.05 ERA, Nic Ungs strives for absolute perfection every time on the rubber.
#14 Trevor Caughey (Scott Powick/SMP Media/ABL)
San Luis Obispo, California pitcher Trevor Caughey was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 9th round of the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft after playing at Cuesta College, where he posted a 3.14 ERA and was a All-California First Team selection. Remaining in the O’s minor leagues for five and a half years before launching a very successful career in the independent league circuits in the U.S. and abroad, Caughey was unable to demonstrate his ability to play first base and outfield while a MLB pitching prospect in the minors.
Trevor Caughey started for the Perth Heat and made Australia stand tall and proud in the 2011 Asia Series against Japan's SoftBank Hawks. (Scott Powick/SMP Images)
The six-foot-one southpaw wasted no time free from the restrictions and was named to the 2008 Baseball America All-Independent Team while pitching in the Golden Baseball League. In 2010 he ventured to Europe, where he pitched for Technika Brno in the Czech Extraleague and compiled a 7-1 record with an ERA of 1.86 in eleven games. He averaged one strike out per inning and only walked 14 in over 77 innings of work. Last winter in the ABL, Trevor Caughey was outstanding while collecting two post season wins and propelling the Perth Heat to the championship title. So far, 2011 has proven to be a renaissance year for the 29-year-old pitcher. Making 15 appearances in 108 plus total innings and starting in 13 games for the Spanish Division de Honor club Astros Valencia, the California Central Coast import performed even more EU magic by posting a 11-3 record and a 0.83 ERA. Back ‘Down Under’ in the ABL for the 2011-12 season with defending champs Heat, Trevor Caughey has won both of his starts (2-0) and has struck out nine in 12 innings pitched. Expect Heat manager Brooke Knight to ignite Caughey’s fire power to defend the ABL crown.
#15 Brandon Barnes of the Sydney Blue Sox is Houston Astros property. (Murray Wilkinson/SMP Images/ABL)
During the recent World Series, news came out of the Houston Astros camp that they had re-signed Orange County, California’s Brandon Barnes to another Minor League contract with a Spring Training invite. Was it because the Houston Astros Player Development Department honored Barnes in May 2011 for his defensive excellence at Triple-A Oklahoma City after playing in 33 games and attaining an impressive .988 season fielding percentage? Or maybe it was because out of his 45 hits for the RedHawks, 26 of them (58%) were doubles or better? Better yet, perhaps it was due to the fact that he was originally a high school football player who tried out for the Cypress College team, only to become a Freshman All-American and is still learning the game? Regardless, the fact remains that Barnes was drafted in the 6th round of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Houston Astros for a Big League reason. In his seven-year tenure with the rebuilding organization, he has put together a combined .250 batting average with 77 home runs and 300 RBIs.
Brandon Barnes (on the far right) and friends lend a helping hand to local families during the holiday season while playing for the Corpus Christi Hooks.
The 2008 Baseball America Prospect Handbook Astros Minor League Depth Chart described Barnes as “a sleeper with limited baseball experience who became Tri-City’s MVP after bashing 10 homers in 2007.” Since his first game in a Sydney uniform on December 1st, word is out in the ABL that this 25-year-old Blue Sox slugger is not sleeping in the batter’s box. His .386 batting average ranks third and his .455 OBP ranks fourth among ABL’s leading hitters. Beware…
Sydney Blue Sox #16 Joey Hage is making a speedy comeback to Major League Baseball by playing in the Australian Baseball League.
Sydney Teammate Joey Hage was drafted at age 18 by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 23rd round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft as a second baseman. He played for three years for both the Gulf Coast League Cardinals and the Johnson City Cardinals in the Appalachian League from 2007 until an abrupt halt to his young aspiring career in 2009, when diagnosed with colitis. In those three seasons, Hage recorded a combined .248 batting average with three home runs and 43 RBIs in 130 games. He returned to baseball when the Toronto Blue Jays signed him to a minor league contract in January 2011. Hage began playing with the Rockland Boulders of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. On July 24th against the Quebec Capitales, Hage made Can-Am baseball history with one swing. With the bases loaded , two outs and the Boulders trailing by a run in the top of the ninth, the South Florida-native rocketed the first pitch he saw out of the park to give Rockland a 7-4 victory and record the Boulders’ first grand slam ever in their young history.
Experienced Cardinals and Blue Jays minor leaguer Joey Hage will get his share of plate appearances and starts at second base for the Sydney Blue Sox. (Joe Vella/SMP Media)
The 22-year-old has kept up his reputation for heroics in the ABL. In his debut on December 1st, Hage scored the winning run of a 15 inning marathon against the Brisbane Bandits and was batting .429 (3-for-7) with two runs scored and one stolen base by midnight. Based on 20-year-old Minnesota prospect and Aussie teammate Todd Van Steensel’s tweets: “Rain out today, so back at the house playing MLB 2K10 with the Americans” & “Taking the Americans out for dinner in the city, show them the lights and sounds and everything good #Sydney”, Barnes and Hage have been captured and held hostage by the Clubhouse Chronicles.
Pirates closer prospect #17 Ryan Beckman was named to the Team World roster in the inaugural 2011 ABL All-Star Game against Team Australia in Perth on December 21st (Ryan Schembri/SMP Media)
ESPN’s Tristan Cockroft recently selected Adelaide Bite 21-year-old closer Ryan Beckman as the fantasy sleeper to own in the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen. After pitching in a Pirates Spring Training game in Bradenton, Florida against the Tampa Bay Rays on February 27th, the Pittsburgh organization saw they had something special in 21-year-old Ryan Beckman. Summoned from the bullpen to relieve roughed up starter Kevin Correa, Beckman took on a line-up that included Desmond Jennings, Sam Fuld, Kelly Shoppach, Matt Joyce and Casey Kotchman.
Ryan Beckman during 2011 Pirates Spring Training
In the end, Beckman prevailed to keep hitters off the bases in his 1 2/3 innings of relief and retired all five Rays he faced. Scouts already knew that the six-foot-four Texan was a rarity when he was drafted by the Pirates in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft. Before joining the Adelaide Bite in the ABL, Beckman spent most of the 2011 season as the Single-A Advanced affiliate Bradenton Marauders closer. Posting a 3.12 ERA and striking out 46 in 52 innings, he tallied 11 saves. The sidearm right-handed pitcher had a brilliant summer beginning in July, when his ERA was 2.05 and hitters batted just .172 against him.
Adelaide Stopper Ryan Beckman (Ryan Schembri/SMP Media/ABL)
Equipped with a fastball in the low 90′s with a wicked curve and change-up, Beckman’s delivery is from a different arm angle than most pitchers to create even more deception. Recently named to Team World in the inaugural ABL All-Star Game, which will televised on Fox Sports Australia and MLB Network on December 21st, Ryan Beckman has earned the right to showcase in front of a worldwide audience after leading the league in saves (4) and keeping batters at bay with a 1.38 ERA. Making nine appearances and providing 13 innings of relief for the Adelaide Bite, he has a 1-0 record and has averaged one strike out per inning while only allowing two walks. Although he was home schooled, Beckman played baseball for the same Grayson County High School that produced the big Abilene, Texas MLB star John Lackey. Following in his footsteps, Ryan Beckman could very well be the next Big League pitching sensation from the Lone Star state in 2012. Saddle up and watch the ride–yee haw!!!
Ex-Rockie #18 Sean Jarrett (Joe Vella/SMP Media)
Upon the urging of rehabbing major leaguer Jason Hirsh and current Los Angeles Dodger Shane Lindsay, Colorado’s 28-year-old pitcher Sean Jarrett is now playing in the ABL for the Brisbane Bandits. Drafted by the Rockies in the 20th round of the June 2006 First-Year Draft out of Tulsa’s Oral Roberts University, the six-foot-five reliever went straight to work as a minor league closer with fifteen innings experience and a sparkling 1.10 ERA before blowing his arm out.
Shortly thereafter, he underwent Tommy John surgery and was out of baseball-related activities until after 16 months of rehabilitation. Jarrett worked his way back through extended spring training followed by short-season ball. He eventually moved on up to the Colorado Rockies Double-A affiliate Tulsa Drillers bullpen as the club’s reliever. After going 3-1 with a 1.85 earned run average in 2010, Jarrett expected to get more playing time with the Drillers in 2011. Although his velocity had decreased following his 2007 surgery, he was still very effective with the command and movement of his pitches. In a less-than-optimal position stuck in between the inactive list and the Tulsa roster, Sean was used to eat up innings and fill in gaps. He sought to be released from the Rockies organization after being fed up with the way things went down with the Drillers.
After five and a half seasons in the Rockies minor leagues–where he had thrown 193 career strike outs while recording a 3.56 ERA, Sean Jarrett was released by Colorado on August 5th and was quickly snapped up 11 days later by the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Camden Riversharks, who coincidently picked up the ABL’s current #1 American pitcher–Canberra Cavalry’s Mike McGuire–one month later. Since joining the Bandits, he has been working on his slider and building his arm strength. Although only seen in 6.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with opponents batting a whimpering .143 against him in the ABL, it would not be surprising to see him stretch out and start for Brisbane.
John Tolisano, the pride & joy of Toronto (Ben Southall/SMP Media)
It would be unfair if we did not at least acknowledge a player who could quite possibly have been the league’s MVP if he had not been injured during ABL action in November. Canberra Cavalary’s John Tolisano was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2nd round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft and was lured to sign for a $391,500 bonus, instead of accepting a full-ride scholarship to the University of Florida. After hitting 30 career home runs in four seasons as the starting shortstop for Southern Florida’s Estero High School, the Jays had high hopes that Tolisano could become Canada’s future home run king and follow the lead of the MLB All-Star Jose Bautista. He led the Gulf Coast League with 10 home runs in 2007 and was named to the GCL Post-Season All-Star team. Tolisano moved up the ranks as a 2008 Midwest League All-Star. Things were looking prosperous for the Toronto prospect as he progressed to the Jays Single-A Advanced affiliate Dunedin Blue Jays for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Despite being a a jack of all trades and playing five different infield and outfield positions in 61 games in 2010, Tolisano was injury-plagued. He still managed to move up the ladder to the Jays Double-A affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats. However, history would repeat itself again in 2011 for the 23-year-old switch-hitter as a dominant force behind the Canberra Cavalry charge in the ABL. The Cavs lost its star slugger when he slid into second base in a game against the Adelaide Bite last month and experienced a small tear in a shoulder tendon. Later medical scans confirmed John Tolisano’s shoulder injury was worse than first thought, which resulted in him returning to Florida for treatment.
Whatever the cost, Canberra Calvary's John Tolisano plays to win games. (Ben Southall/SMP Images/ABL)
Before Tolisano got hurt, he was by far the best player in the ABL. In his first game on November 4th, he went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and two runs scored in Canberra’s season-opening victory against Brisbane. On the next day in a doubleheader against the Bandits, he reached base five of seven times and slammed a walk-out home run in the nightcap. Tolisano continued on his torrid pace, going 6-for-14 (.429) with a .529 on-base percentage, one double, two home runs, three walks and 13 total bases in his first four games.
John Tolisano hits a walk-off home run, and his teammates are standing by to celebrate Aussie style. (Ben Southall/SMP Images/ABL)
John Tolisano was named ABL Player of Week for Round One as a result of his terrific start in the ABL. Prior to his injury on November 11th, he was batting .333 and led the team in almost all hitting categories. The Cavs second baseman will be sorely missed for the remainder the year, and we hope that the future Toronto MLB All-Star will return sometime in 2012–especially if Canberra can make it into the playoffs. Tolisano is expected to make a full recovery by January, so we anticipate a bright road ahead for this budding superstar. Come back!
#20 Dominic Ramos hustling for the Melbourne Aces (Joe Vella/SMP)
28-year-old Melbourne Aces shortstop Dominic Christian Ramos was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 17th round of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft. During his two years in the Red Sox farm system, the former Texas State University player made a few stops–including Boston Single-A affiliates Lowell Spinners and Greenville Drive–before joining the Can-Am League in 2007. Making his debut with the Worcester Tornadoes in Massachusetts, Ramos put together a .311 batting average with five home runs and 43 RBI. After being traded to the Brockton Rox in 2008, he broke loose with 116 hits–second-most in club single-season history. 2009 was equally as impressive as he hit .294 and finished fourth in the league with 108 hits. Ramos hit at a .288 clip in 2010 with 35 RBI, 19 doubles and one homer. Before heading ‘Down Under’ to play in the ABL, the five-foot-ten Texas native finished the 2011 Brockton season with a .284 batting average, 34 RBI, 23 doubles and four home runs.
Dominic Ramos keeps the faith that he will make an impact in the ABL. (Ryan Schembri/SMP Images)
Putting a cross in the dirt every time he steps up to the plate, Dominic Christian Ramos carries his faith out on the field with him to withstand the intense and competitive pressure. The Melbourne Aces are believers in his ability to put up numbers offensively and provide solemn defense. Now among the Top 15 ABL hitters with a .295 batting average, he is living up to his word by ranking fourth in runs scored (16) and seventh in hits (24). Taking a leap a faith with a blessing from above, Ramos and the Melbourne Aces pray everyday to make the ABL playoffs. God bless baseball. Amen!!!
Slugger Chih-Hsien Chiang shattered club records as a Red Sox Minor Leaguer and was chosen Eastern League 2011 Player of the Year.
Acquired by the Seattle Mariners on July 31st in the trade that sent pitcher Erik Bedard to the Boston Red Sox, 23-year-old Taiwanese-born outfielder Chih-Hsien Chiang was recently selected as the recipient for the George M. Trautman Award for Topps Eastern League 2011 Player of the Year after being the driving force behind the Red Sox’s AA affiliate Portland Seadogs in Portland, Maine. The awards are presented to the player of the year in each of the 16 domestic Minor Leagues by the Topps Company of New York, in conjunction with the Minor League Baseball. Leading the Eastern League in batting average (.340), runs batted in (76), doubles (37), extra-base hits (59), runs scored (68) and slugging percentage (.648), Chiang was the Eastern League Player of the Month for June and July as well as the 2011 Most Valuable Player runner-up. Racking up 18 home runs and four triples in 88 Seadogs games this past season, the left-handed hitting Chih-Hsien Chiang combined his 2011 impressive numbers to his 2010 campaign in setting a new franchise record for grand slams (3) and being only one of two players to homer in four straight games.
Chih-Hsien Chiang in the 2011 Arizona Fall League adds new life to the Seattle Mariners bright future.
Prior to playing for the Peoria Javelinas–a team of professional baseball prospects from the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers and the recently crowned 2011 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals–in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), Chiang was a stand out in both the Major League Baseball Futures Game on July 10th in Phoenix, Arizona and the Eastern League All-Star Game on July 13th in Manchester, New Hampshire. Ranked by Baseball Prospectus as the Mariners number 10 prospect with a projected 2013 Major League debut, Chih-Hsien Chiang blasted his first home run of the AFL season off Surprise Saguaros reliever Alejandro Ramos in the 10th inning of Wednesday’s extra inning 10-7 heartbreak and then went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in Thursday’s 9-5 loss to the Salt River Rafters. Batting .297 overall and .421 against left-handed pitching in 64 at bats in the AFL, the six-foot two slugger is quite intimidating in the batter’s box. Switching off as designated hitter and right fielder for Peoria, the reverberation of Chih-Hsien Chiang’s bat will be felt after every swing well beyond the Arizona desert and across the Pacific Rim to the delight of baseball lovers worldwide. Stay tuned as the best has yet to come!
The Siculi (Sikeloi; Sicels; Sikels) were the native inhabitants of the eastern regions (including Mineo) of Sicily south of the Italian Peninsula over 10,000 years ago. The island of Sicily takes its name from the indigenous Siculi people. With its strategic location at the center of the Mediterranean, Sicily is rich in its history of conquest and empire. It is a melting pot of cultures with over a dozen ethnic groups whose warriors and merchants walked her shores. Although the other two indigenous societies of the Sicanians and Elymians assimilated easily with the Greeks, the Sicels constituted a highly developed society that the Greeks respected profoundly. Despite conflict and its desire to remain autonomous, it took several centuries for the Sicels to completely assimilate and amalgamate with their Greek neighbors. Except for the Romans, the Sicels were the only predominantly Italic people to settle in Sicily in large numbers as colonists.
Fast forward a century later and native Italian athletes are still clinging to their roots and culture despite being lured by U.S. professional sports to homogenize into the American lifestyle. The first Italian-born baseball player awarded a MLB contract was pitcher Alessandro Maestri. Signed by Chicago Cubs scout Bill Holmberg, Maestri never pitched at Wrigley Field–even though he was a Minor Leaguer with a wicked Major League slider. However, the Cubs struck gold in 2010 when Holmberg signed then 16-year-old Italian catching prospect Alberto Mineo to a contract.
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