#independentbaseball

[drumm2des]

Made the playoff newspaper, just got to keep repeating, patterns, rhythms and excersizes.

youtube.com/c/dizzydrummond

[pbjmediaottawa]

This is the intro for my latest video review for @stadiumjourney Stereo Plus Stadium home of the @aiglestr of the @canamleague www.stadiumjouney.com ================= #baseball #travel #stadium #baseballstadium #troisrivieres #independentbaseball #travelblogger #travelgram (at Stade Fernand-Bédard)

[kallicat]

Wrapping up summer at a @kctbones game! Beautiful night to be hanging with Mama Kim! ❤️⚾️ #KC #independentbaseball #motherdaughter #tbonesbaseball (at CommunityAmerica Ballpark)

[evret08-blog]

Portland Pickles #baseball 5pk of tickets, including the home opener. Looking forward to #independentbaseball being played in #pdx again.

[bridgeportbluefish]

The ‘Fish Are Back And In It To Win It

Back in June, I wrote about Bridgeport’s lack of a big bat--a slugger if you will. By mid-June they were well into their rapid plummet to last place, where they finished the first half. Luckily, all is not lost, the roster continues to evolve. Fast forward passed the All Star break to the present and, somehow, they’ve turned things around enough to be tied for first place for the second half reboot.

In the wake of losing starter Mike Antonini and 2B Luis Rodriguez, the organization made several moves in hopes of building a stronger team, knowing the first half was gone and a team that was once the biggest loser can turn around and head to the postseason. 

Now 24 games into the second half and Bridgeport is tied for first with the Somerset Patriots.  Core players like Welington Dotel, John Alonso, Eric Draxton, and Pat Mincey have found a way to mesh with newer guys like Bryant Nelson, Eric Niesen, Steven Ames, and Kameron Loe. Add to that the return of Sean Burroughs from the DL and Ricky VanAsselberg just may have found the right combination to bring back champion caliber play to the Park City. 

Since the All Star break, they’ve won 4 out of the 7 series played, including sweeps of both the Camden Riversharks and the Long Island Ducks. Today they leave Long Island having split the series against them 2-2. 

Here’s a quick run down on who’s helping the cause:

Offense

RF Welington Dotel leads the league in BA (.325).

1B/DH John Alonso and Dotel are the team’s RBI (46 and 42 respectively) and runs scored leaders.

CF/SS Josh Prince had a 16 game on-base streak until August 1st when he went 0-for-5 against the Ducks.

2B Bryant Nelson has improved his average to .324 for the year since joining the Fish in July; he had a .286 average with the Barnstormers before that. He batted .357 in Bridgeport’s last two series. 

Pitching

DJ Mitchell continues to lead the team’s rotation in ERA (2.82), wins (5), and strikeouts (76).

Reliever Pat Mincey has solidified his role as the team’s closer after accumulating 11 saves in the month of July.

Reliever Eric Draxton continues to be one of the best in the league with  a 2.15 ERA in 37.2 innings.

You’ll need a magnifying glass to find reliever Eric Niesen’s ERA, now a tiny 0.77 in 23.1 IP with 12 SO per 9 innings.

Up Next: The Fish are back home Aug 5th through the 8th vs the Lancaster Barnstormers. Wednesday (Aug 5th) will feature the Bobby Valentine Bobblehead Giveaway, so make sure you get your tickets soon and get there early. The giveaways have been going pretty quick.

[mah-ti]

Rockland Boulders "Beach Boulder Bird" SGA #milb #baseball #independentbaseball #sga #sports #memorabilia #sportsmemorabilia #beach #bobblehead #bobbleheads #rocklandboulders #boulderbird #mascot #mascots

[thegmsperspective]

Indy Ball Weekly Perspective: May 11, 2014

[drumm2des]

Glad to be a part of the "Old Orchard Beach Surge" starting in Right Field and being a Relief Pitcher. You can watch our games live here https://www.baller.tv/users/empireleague. The games are usually at 7pm you can see the schedule on our team website, for when we travel to play the Puerto Rican teams. (On a side note I uploaded a new youtube video, check my channel the link is in my bio). #oldorchard #oldorchardbeach #oldorchardbeachmaine #testingthelimits #testingthelimit #baseball #baseballlife #oldorchardbeachsurge #empireleague #independentbaseball #professionalbaseball #athletes #athlete #athletelife #baseballgame #baseballs #baseballplayer #baseballgame

[drumm2des]

The team bet me that I couldn't hit a homerun off the tee over the 350 foot left field (biggest field in our Independent Professional Empire League). Well I ain't in college anymore, have that professional athlete power now.

[bridgeportbluefish]

‘Fish In Need Of Boom-Stick, Stat

Tonight the Bridgeport Bluefish return home after a long road trip in which they went 2-5. Unfortunately, immediately before that they were swept at home by the Somerset Patriots. They really haven’t caught a break since the departures of Nick Van Stratten and Ildemaro Vargas.

The Bluefish haven’t been a slugging team, but at least when Van Stratten was around the fans felt like the combination of Van Stratten, Sean Burroughs, and Welington Dotel could string together enough hits, walks, and stolen bases to get the runs when needed. Without him, the only consistent hitters are Dotel and Burroughs, with John Alonso trailing a little further behind (.236 AVG, .285 OBP, .376 SLG). 

With Van Stratten gone, the Bluefish need a boom-stick more than ever. The clean up spot in the lineup--no matter who gets put in there--seems to be an automatic out most of the time. If there’s one thing the Fish need to do, its to find a slugging DH or outfielder. 

In the last 10 games, the clean up spot in the order has produced a .162 batting average and I’m willing to bet that’s not too far off from the stat for the entire season. For most of the season, that’s been Andres Rodriguez’s fault, but more recently Ricky VanAsselberg finally decided to give some other guys the opportunity to bring in some runs (Chris Garcia-released, Alonso, and Jobduan Morales). Unfortunately, Rodriguez may have just stunk up the spot because it seems that no matter who Ricky puts there, they don’t hit. 

At least in the last 10 games, a real clean up hitter might have made a key difference for many of those games (except for the 8-1 loss to the Patriots); they never lost by more than 3 runs and most of the time by only 1 run. The pitching staff has done a decent job at keeping the games within reach, but the offense has not executed after creating opportunities.

Scott Maine is due to take the mound for the Fish tonight. Unfortunately, Maine is the worst of the starters right now (6.05 ERA, 1.88 WHIP), but maybe that just means he’s due for a decent outing. On the bright side, first 500 guests get a free Jurassic T....and, well, can you really ask for anything more?

[bridgeportbluefish]

Bluefish Update

Here’s a quick rundown on how some individual’s are doing after winning only one of the three series played so far (4-5). Surely, today’s 20-0 win over the Riversharks gave everyone a little boost. 

Offensive Notes

The biggest surprise for me, but surely not for the manager, has been the offensive burst from outfielder Welington Dotel. Dotel started the season 3-for-21; despite the slump, manager Ricky VanAsselberg kept him, not only in the lineup, but in the heart of it. Early on, Dotel looked overmatched at the plate--impatient, anxious, and flailing at the ball. He struck out 7 times in his first 13 at-bats. VanAsselberg’s loyalty to him soon paid off as he’s now 8-for-12 in his last 3 games. Dotel had 6 RBI in today’s harpooning of the Riversharks. He now leads the team in RBI, AVG, SLG, and OPS among players with 30+ AB.

Another sweet surprise has been the shortstop Ildemaro Vargas. As one of the smallest and youngest players (23 years old), Vargas came with limited experience beyond Single A ball and numbers that most definitely brought some doubt. I expected to see a flashy glove and not much more from the Venezuelan. The fact that he was the last batter in the lineup didn’t help for expectations either. Now that the season is getting going, it seems like Vargas is always on base and making things happen. He’s batting .314 with a .385 OBP. Vargas leads the team in stolen bases (4 SB) and is tied for most runs scored with lead off man Nick Van Stratten (8 R). 

Offensively, the biggest worry was 1B/DH Andres Rodriguez. To start the season, he went 0-for-14 before getting his first hit as a Bluefish.  Same as with Dotel, VanAsselberg is counting on big offense from Rodriguez; he’s been in the 4, 5, or 6 spots in the lineup since the start of the season. Rodriguez’ bat is finally warming up--he went 5-for-12 in the recent series against Camden, including a home run and a double. With only 1 RBI, we have yet to see if he can bring guys home consistently. 

Bottom Line: The Bluefish lead the league with a .722 team OPS.

Pitching Notes

Bluefish pitching has been fairly stable, except for Cory Riordan who was scratched from his start Saturday. The starters have gone respectably deep in the games for so early in the season and relievers have been able to limit walks and runs.  The average length for Bluefish starters is a little over 5 innings. The bigger worry early on was definitely in the offense. Starters DJ Mitchell and Parker Frazier are in the league’s top 10 pitchers in ERA, while starter Scott Maine is third in the entire league with 14 K’s (9.2 innings). 

Reliever Patrick Mincey is standing out as a top reliever for the team early on. In 4 innings pitched he has yet to give up a run. He can be a little wild (4 BB), but that seems to be a problem with most of the pitching staff--too many walks (39 in 9 games). Mincey will need to gain better control to consistently shut down the opponent. The bullpen’s strikeout machine has been Eric Draxton (9.6 K/9). 

Bottom Line: The Bluefish have the third best team ERA in the league (3.07) while giving up the second most walks in the league. 

Coming up: The Bluefish will be back home on Tuesday to start a 3 game series against the Long Island Ducks (7:05 pm games).

[bridgeportbluefish]

#AtlanticLeague #BridgeportBluefish #baseball #mlb #milb #independentbaseball #baseballfield #sports #openingnight #b&w #bridgeportct #spring #playball Check my profile for a link to my blog #TheFishPen #GeauxBluefish Edited with #Phonto. @phontograph

[bridgeportbluefish]

Good Times Were Had At Bluefish Meet & Greet

Last night Tiago’s Bar & Grill, located in downtown Bridgeport, just minutes from the ballpark, hosted a team meet & greet for the players, front office staff, and fans. The beer was flowing and good times were had by all. Every part of this team is so excited for the season--an excitement that I, as a fan, hadn’t felt since the early years. There’s a magic brewing and folks better get to the ballpark to check it out! Don’t miss opening night tomorrow--game time is 5:30. Here are some fun pics from the night. 

You know the night is going well when 3B Sean Burroughs and CF Nick Van Stratten get themselves involved in a 3-way thumb wrestling match! The kid with the hat is Rodney Polonia, a new infielder formerly in MiLB with the Pirates and the Rockies organizations. Shortly thereafter, thumb wresting was outlawed due to risk of injury to Burroughs. 

There’s always a goof ball in the bunch. Fans should be happy with the return of Sean Burroughs and you’ll be impressed by Van Stratten’s defensive skills if not by his offense. On the bottom left is CT native pitcher Matt Iannazzo who will be sticking to the bullpen this season. On the bottom left is pitcher Tim Gustafson. Both guys are happy to be back and eager to get the season started. 

Head over to Tiago’s facebook page to stay updated with their events and announcements!

Opening Night Notes:

Don’t forget the Two Roads Beer Garden will have a grand opening of sorts at 4 pm before the game. Click for more info:

Fans in attendance will have the opportunity to participate in a very special ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as enjoy live music, networking, and raffles before the game. Tickets are $35, which includes entrance to the reception, two drink vouchers, a hot dog, and a ticket to the game.

Also on Opening Night tomorrow they’ll have a magnet schedule giveaway, the Human Fireball, and new postgame 3D fireworks. You won’t want to miss it.

[bridgeportbluefish]

Photos: Bluefish Spring Training Game 1

DH Andres Rodriguez will make his Atlantic Debut with the Bluefish. The 36 yr old indy ball veteran comes to Bridgeport from the American Association. (2014 stats: .254/.315/.351).

3B Sean Burroughs returns for his second season with the Bluefish. In between nursing injuries, Burroughs put up very solid numbers last year. (2014 stats: .344/.401/.430)

2B Luis Rodriguez will make his Atlantic League debut this season and brings 6 years of MLB experience to the team. He been playing professional baseball since 1998 when he started in affiliated ball with the Twins organization. (Triple-A stats: .289/.359/.415)

Standout pitcher Matt Iannazzo returns to Bridgeport for a second season. The reliever showed flexibility as he turned out to start more than relieve last season. He was ready for whatever the team needed. Hopefully, the starting rotation will be solid and Iannazzo can work exclusively out of the bullpen. (2014 stats: 125.1 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP)

The old and the new: On the left is Bluefish veteran catcher/coach Luis Rodriguez standing with the new starting catcher Ryan Babineau. Babineau is also making his Atlantic League debut after spending the last three seasons playing in the American Association. (2012-2014 stats: .271/.362/.360)

Former Red Sox minor leaguer Matty Johnson will start his first season out of affiliated ball. He’s been in the Red Sox minor league system for the past 4 years, mostly in Single-A. Expect this speedster to wreak havoc on the base paths when he gets on. He stole 40 bases last season in MiLB’s Carolina League. (2014 Single-A+ stats: .276/.377/.375)

[bridgeportbluefish]

Bluefish Roster Highlights

Ahead of the spring training games that start tomorrow, I thought I’d highlight some of the players to keep an eye on. 

Bluefish fans will be happy to see the returning ‘Fish:

3B Sean Burroughs - There’s no question he can hit, but can he stay healthy this year? When all was said and done, Burroughs only played in about half of the games last season. 

Pitchers DJ Mitchell & Matt Iannazzo - Fans will be happy if they perform as well as they did last season. Mitchell could be working on being more consistent this season. Iannazzo ended up as a starter out of necessity last season, despite being much better suited for the bullpen. Hopefully the ‘Fish can maintain a stable rotation so that Iannazzo works out of the pen this season. 

RF Prentice Redman - The 35 year old veteran and fan favorite will be playing his 4th season in Bridgeport. He has always been a consistent reliable bat,  but a more significant role for him this season will be as a veteran  resource to all the 20-somethings Manager Ricky VanAsselberg has brought over from the smaller indy leagues (Can-Am, Frontier, American Association). 

Player/Coach, C Luis Rodriguez - As a player, fans should hope we have a solid starting catcher so that Rodriguez doesn’t have to play the field. Unfortunately, the 41 year old had to play way more than expected with all the time JR Towles spent of the DL last year. It turned out to be his worst season not only offensively (.232/.275/.287), but defensively as well. During his best seasons, Rodriguez threw out over 30% of runners attempting to steal; last year he only threw out  19%. Granted that’s probably right around league average, but it didn’t look pretty when the team was losing as much as it did.

New prospects and MLB veterans will inject some excitement into the team:

CF Matty Johnson - Johnson has been buried in the Red Sox farm system for the past 4 seasons. The 27 year old started his pro career in the Frontier League, then was signed by the Red Sox organization after his first season. Unfortunately, he’s spent most of his time in single-A, with very limited time in double-A and triple-A. Not until 2014 did he stay with a single team for an entire season (.276/.377/.375). Every Bluefish fan should be excited to see this guy--expect web gems out in center and plenty of stolen bases. Johnson can be the quintessential lead off man with his speed. The positive for him will be that many more scouting eyes will be on him in the Atlantic League than would be if he was still playing for a single-A MiLB team.

OF Nick Van Stratten & IF John Alonso - These two American Association offensive standouts will be two case studies in the debate over talent level in the various independent leagues. Most fans agree the Atlantic League leans toward the triple-A talent level, while leagues like the American Association lean more toward single- and double-A talent level. What will the conclusion be if Van Stratten’s power and Alonso’s average transfer successfully to the Atlantic League? That will be great for the Bluefish, but would force a shift in the talent level debate. 

SP Greg Smith & IF Luis Rodrigues - MLB experience is priceless in the Atlantic League. Both Smith and Rodriguez have significant time in the bigs, more than we usually see in the Atlantic League. After 6 seasons and over 400 games played with Minnesota (2006 Division Champs), San Diego, and Seattle, Rodriguez, will be an asset all around. Smith has 40 major league starts under his belt from his time with Oakland and Colorado. The lefty’s triple-A and MLB numbers are respectable (ERA’s between 3.50 and 4.50); they should translate well to the Atlantic League. 

Stay tuned for more extensive player previews as the roster solidifies. Don’t forget you can go see the Bluefish spring training games starting tomorrow. A $5 donation to the Bluefish Educational & Sportsmanship Foundation will get you into the game.

Click here for the spring training schedule and information.

[bridgeportbluefish]

Top 10 Reasons To Head To A Bluefish Game This Season

10. Have any favorite Bridgeport food establishments? Get to the ballpark to find out who has made their way to the Bluefish family. Centerplate knows you’re tired of those chicken fingers and fries; let’s just say you’ll have plenty to chose from this season.

9. Can’t miss ticket, food, and drink deals almost every game:

Mondays: Moms get a FREE seat with the purchase of a kid’s seat. Are you a fan of food? Go for the $19.99 All You Can Eat Ticket in Karma Club (Formerly the Harbor Club)

Tuesdays: Buy one box seat get one FREE; follow the team on twitter for even more deals.

Wednesdays: Kids 13 and younger eat for FREE.

Thursdays: Half priced beer!

Fridays: Ticket deals offered to the team’s facebook friends (Go “Like” the team page right now!)

Sundays: Bridgeport residents will get in to the game for only $7 with a valid ID and Big Y Kids’ club members get in FREE! 

8. Take in a game in style. You’ll feel like the toast of the town when you rent a luxury suite:

Indoor AND outdoor seating 

TV available (that way you don’t miss that MLB game)

PA system and video board recognition

Climate controlled

Wait staff assigned to each suite

7. Already been to the ballpark? Well, you haven’t seen THIS HarborYard before. The organization has been putting in overtime to make HarborYard look and feel like something fresh and new. It’s the oldest park in the league, but it won’t feel that way. You will be impressed with new fixtures, fresh paint, fresh signage, and new presentation around the food vendors among other changes.

6. It’s right in your backyard. The ride home won’t be as miserable as the ride home from Yankee Stadium or CitiField. Say no to traffic.

5. The Karma Club: The former Harbor Club has been rebranded as a tequila oasis where you’ll find the margarita of your dreams! The view isn’t so shabby either.

4. The chances of you walking away with a fun giveaway are about %100. The Bluefish are most definitely in the giving spirit this season. They will being giving fans collectors’ pins, bobble-heads, T-shirts, BB Bucks–even flat screen TV’s! 

3. New Manager Ricky VanAsselberg is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get! The lovingly boisterous Louisiana native will do whatever he needs to make sure the team leaves everything out on the field for the win! I may or may not have heard him referred to as Rick Van F-bomb. 

2. The new Two Roads Brewing Company Beer Garden: The Garden will be an attraction in and of itself. You can expect pre and post game live music some nights, games, prizes, giveaways, and plenty of beer. 

1. The Bridgeport Bluefish are YOUR hometown team. The team is part of the Bridgeport family. Be their to support these young men; they’ve left their own friends and family to chase their dreams here in the Park City. Lets do our part to make these boys feel proud to be here!