News of the Midwest League

A few stories that caught my eye over the last few days.

Consider this one from Fort Wayne a minor surprise:

TinCaps extend pact with Padres

The baseball club announced Thursday it signed a two-year extension to be the Low-A affiliate of the Padres’ organization.

TinCaps President Mike Nutter said he was excited to continue the relationship as the club nears the end of its 12th season with the Padres. During that time, the team is 830-828, according to the Padres.

“They have been a big part of this franchise’s success over the last several years, and we’ve really enjoyed working with the player development staff,” Nutter said.

What kind of decision was it?

Randy Smith, Padres director of player development, said re-signing with the TinCaps was a “no-brainer.”

“The entire environment, including Mike Nutter’s staff, Parkview Field and the city of Fort Wayne, is conducive to player development,” he said.

Minor league teams are allowed to sign two- or four-year contracts with major league affiliates, Nutter said. While the Padres initially wanted to sign a longer deal, Nutter said the team felt the two-year extension provided the most flexibility.

Why was this a minor surprise?

Recent speculation centered on the possibility the team might look to sign with a more regional affiliate, but when the Chicago White Sox opted to stay in North Carolina after signing a four-year deal with Kannapolis on July 2, there were not many regional options left for the TinCaps.

Turning the affiliate page to Kane County.

Among the select merchandise recently on super sale at the Cougars’ Elfstrom Stadium team store is a green and gold Oakland A’s visor for $2.

Fans of Kane County’s parent club might be wise to snatch the almost-hats up. They could be a collector’s item by Opening Day 2011.

The Cougars still are pondering an affiliate change for the first time since leaving the Florida Marlins for the A’s before the 2003 season. General manager Jeff Sedivy and other club officials continue to mull their options and expect to make a final decision in the next few weeks.

“We’re not ruling anything out as far as going back with Oakland,” Sedivy said, “but we’re still exploring what’s out there.”

A tampering clause prevents Sedivy from naming names, though fans should know the Cougars are guaranteed Major League affiliation as they conclude their 20th season in Geneva.

Suspend any hopes of seeing the newest Cubs and White Sox in training, however. The Cubs are in bliss with Peoria – the Cougars’ in-state rival in the Midwest League – while the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators announced in July a four-year extension as the White Sox Low-A affiliate.

Cedar Rapids is in its 18th season as a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim farm club, representing the longest partnership in the Midwest League.

Speaking of the Kernels...Here is a look at their playoff chances.

[W]ith the Midwest League playoffs next week, how are the Cedar Rapids Kernels playing and what are their postseason chances?

Let’s give the wishy washy answer in both cases of “so-so.”

The Kernels beat the Burlington Bees last night, 4-1, to go 2-0 in September. On the other hand, both wins came again a Burlington club that has the second-worst record in full-season minor league baseball.

And the Kernels’ August record was a less-than-awe-inspiring 13-18.

“It is what it is,” said Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. “We’ve been where we’ve been, and now we’ve got to play better.”

Against whom is yet another good question. Cedar Rapids has home-field advantage in the first round because of its first-half championship, but doesn’t know what Western Division club it will face in a best-of-3 series that begins on the road Wednesday night.

It could be Clinton, Kane County or Beloit. Quad Cities also is in the playoffs via its second-place division finish in the first half, and has all but wrapped the best overall record, which is significant because that’s worth home-field advantage in the second round.

But there’s a LONG way to go before that.

Finally, from Dayton, there is this note:

When new third baseman David Vidal took the field Thursday, Sept. 2, the Dayton Dragons set a single-season franchise record for players used. Fifty-five have appeared, five more than last season.

They have made 81 roster changes and just five players — catcher Mark Fleury, third baseman Frank Pfister, outfielder Alex Oliveras and pitchers Jacob Johnson and Junior Martinez — have been on the roster all season.

Some, such as relief pitcher Donnie Joseph and first baseman Chris Richburg, outgrew this level and were gone quickly. Others, such as shortstop Didi Gregorius and second baseman Henry Rodriguez, hung around until the final week before receiving their promotions to Lynchburg.

“You look at Lynchburg and who’s playing up there and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s a pretty talented team.’ And most of them were here in Dayton — this year,” Dragons manager Todd Benzinger said.

The Dragons were 30-39 in the first half, then fell apart in the second half partially due to the many call-ups.

Rounding up some stories

I have had a few stories sitting in the inbox for a few days and tried to figure out a way to post them, but this digest was the best I could come up with for them.

In Rattler Alumni News:

Juan Diaz ('07 & '08) traded to the Indians.

Michael Pineda ('08) promoted to Triple-A; Here are links to the stories about his first two starts for Tacoma.

Greg Dobbs ('02) is on a bit of a yo-yo with the Phillies.

In Midwest League News:

Mark Haley's # retired by Silver Hawks

Haley is the fifth person to have his number retired by the South Bend franchise. After spending 1991, 1992, and 1995 as hitting coach for South Bend, Haley returned to the area in 2005 to manage the Silver Hawks and led the franchise to its third Midwest League championship. In his five-plus seasons as Silver Hawk skipper, Haley has amassed 408 wins in South Bend and is only 11 shy of reaching 500 for his minor league career.

JJ Hardy rehabbed with the Snappers....JJ Hardy rehabbed with the Snappers...in Beloit.

Around the MWL: 4/7/10

A couple of stories on the first opponent:

Young and restless: Cougars ready to go

Youth will be served.

With some fava beans and a nice chianti?

If the Kane County Cougars were looking for a team motto for the 2010 season, that might be a good place to start. As usual, the roster is littered with new faces -- 17 in all, but with five of those players 20 or younger, it is the youngest team assembled since the Cougars became an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics prior to the 2004 season.

Kane County Cougars get a leg up

Kane County Cougars infielder Conner Crumbliss prevented at least one media day disaster with a textbook execution of etiquette on Tuesday afternoon.

Asked by rookie outfielder Rashun Dixon whether he smiled for each camera assembled, the veteran of 15 Midwest League games turned and answered simply.

“Yeah,” Crumbliss said. “You have to.”

Well, you don't have to.

Fort Wayne TinCaps fans expecting another 100 win season might not like this headline.

TinCaps temper expectations

The familiar names of the franchise’s most magical season; names that were just as unfamiliar then – Tekotte, Carroll, Dykstra, Decker, Cumberland – have all moved on, and taking their places are Nate Freiman, Edinson Rincon, Wande Olabisi and Everett Williams.

The 2009 Midwest League season in Fort Wayne wasn’t just a summer of love; it was a happening, if not an awakening of a city’s spirit.

Last year’s TinCaps didn’t just win the league championship; they stepped on it, grabbed it by the throat with a 10-game winning streak to begin the season, and never let go, winning an unheard of 101 games, setting 16 franchise records and ending it all by being selected as the MiLB.com Team of the Year.

All very nice, first-year manager Jose Flores says inside the same office where last year’s manager, Doug Dascenzo, held court. Glad the town enjoyed it.

“It’s up to me to let (the players) know there’s a difference this year,” said Flores, who is coming off a two-year, 61-51 stint with the Padres’ rookie team in Arizona. “We’re not going to duplicate what they did last year; it’s almost impossible. With the team they had last year, they were put together to win. It was a great team from top to bottom. That’s one of the things I’ll mention here in my team meeting later on (Tuesday) evening about the expectations that I have. … As everybody knows, we’re a real young team, and there’s going to be a lot of learning as we go on with this team.”

And in the QC...

Bandits revise tandem system

When the Quad-Cities opens its Midwest League schedule Thursday at Burlington, River Bandits pitchers will be part of a modified tandem starter system.

Unlike recent seasons when as many as 10 Quad-Cities pitchers were put into two-pitcher tandems who rotate between starts and relief appearances, this year's rotation has a different look.

There still will be three tandems that rotate roles every fifth day, but pitchers on the second and fourth days will find themselves in a more traditional starting role.

"It's a bit different, but I think it is an arrangement that will work well for the pitchers on this staff," River Bandits pitching coach Tim Leveque said. "I'm excited about seeing it how it plays out."

Scott Schneider and Deryk Hooker form the tandem that takes the mound in Thursday's 6:30 p.m. opener against the Bees, who will counter with a tandem of their own.

Eric Fornataro, who is scheduled to start Friday at Burlington, and Shelby Miller, the scheduled starter for Sunday's 1 p.m. home opener against Cedar Rapids, will fill traditional starting roles.

Jorge Rondon and Michael Blazek will form a tandem scheduled to pitch Saturday, while Joe Kelly and Dan Calhoun are penciled in for tandem work on Monday.

That system sounds familiar.

That time year

If it is about two months to Opening Day, it must be time for an article about what is going on with a new stadium for the Beloit Snappers.

The topic of conversation at the Country Club of Beloit on Monday evening was as much about a new stadium as one that hasn’t been built.

The Beloit Professional Baseball Association, Inc., kicked off its 29th season for the Snappers with its sixth annual Winter Hot Stove Banquet. It featured current Minnesota Twin and former Snapper Brian Duensing, Twins legend and current special assistant Tony Oliva, Twins director of minor leagues Jim Rantz and former Twins general manager Terry Ryan, a Janesville native, who now is a senior advisor to the general manager.

It also included Snappers pitching coach Gary Lucas and new Snappers hitting coach Tommy Watkins.

And while members of the Twins organization glowed over sparkling new Target Field, set to host the Twins this spring, they were also mindful of the plight of their Class A affiliate, the Snappers, in an effort to build a new stadium.

Venerable Pohlman Field is a Midwest League staple and has hosted the Snappers since 1982. But it’s outdated, and if a new stadium isn’t built in the near future, the Snappers could be forced to leave Beloit.

...I'm sorry...did you just say 'Venerable'?

"We’re basically focusing on a plot of land right on the Interstate, basically right by where 43 and 90 share,” Vohs said. “We did a study last summer that came back positive, basically checking to see if the site was able to support a stadium.”

Vohs said that using tax dollars to finance the stadium would be “pretty much impossible.” As far as a timetable for construction, it’s definitely too early to tell. Vohs said the absolute earliest season to begin play in a new stadium would be 2012 if everything goes well.

“We don’t want to go and start showing pictures all around town or around the area, and then all of a sudden the money isn’t there,” Vohs said.

Read it all.

Off the grid

Sorry. No internet until now.

A couple of things and then, I have to go again.

First, the San Diego Padres have named the staff of the Fort Wayne TinCaps for 2010.

Jose Flores will manage the 2010 Fort Wayne TinCaps. Pitching coach Bronswell Patrick comes to Fort Wayne from Short-A Eugene while Tom Tornincasa returns for his seventh season as hitting coach and athletic trainer Nate Stewart is back after a brief stopover in 2009.

Bronswell Patrick is a former Milwaukee Brewer and made his major league debut with the Crew in 1998. He also pitched for the Madison Muskies in 1988 and 1990. The MWL has changed a little since that time.

Also, if you go to that link for the TinCaps, you will notice that they have now joined the MLBAM fam. Also, the Cedar Rapids Kernels are now part of MLBAM.

I believe that makes everyone in the MWL -- except for Lansing and Kane County (wherever that is) -- now with MLBAM for their website.

Back tomorrow with more.

What?

That was my reaction when I read this headline. Because, frankly, I did not see this day anywhere on the near horizon.

Roeder stepping down as Kernels GM

They essentially are 12 to 16-hour days, seven days a week, 365 days a year. And Jack Roeder has had his fill.

The longtime Cedar Rapids Kernels general manager Jack Roeder will step down from his position after the 2010 season and be replaced by Chief Financial Officer Doug Nelson.

Roeder, 58, came to Cedar Rapids from the Wausau Timbers of the Midwest League in 1991. Perhaps the most well-liked GM in the MWL, he was instrumental in helping get the newer Memorial Stadium built in 2002. He has been a minor league general manager or assistant general manager for 30 years.

The Kernels won Minor League Baseball’s John H. Johnson Award last year as the top MiLB organization.

“I’m very content with my decision,” Roeder said Monday. “It’ll be 20 years (in Cedar Rapids) this summer. That’s a long time in this business. We’ve done a lot, and we’ve got a lot to do, yet.

"I want to go out with 200,000 (yearly attendance). And I’ve got one more chance to get a (Midwest League) championship.”

I'll apologize to Jeff Johnson here for swiping the whole post. That August, 2010 trip into Cedar Rapids just got a little bit more interesting.

Awards for the Week (4/27)

MiLB.com announced the Pitchers and Batters of the Week for the various leagues yesterday.

Midwest League
Matt Fairel, Dayton
1-0, 1.38 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 20 SO
Matt Fairel was dominant in two starts for the Dayton Dragons last week. Facing Great Lakes, the Reds' 35th-round selection struck out 12 batters in his third career start. He then picked up his first pro win against South Bend on April 26, allowing one run on five hits and a walk while fanning eight in seven innings. He leads the Midwest League with 20 2/3 innings pitched and is second with 24 strikeouts.

Johermyn Chavez, Lansing
.421 (8-19), 7 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 SB, 1.158 SLG
Johermyn Chavez started the week with a homer in three consecutive games, followed by a 3-for-5 performance in which he fell a homer short of the cycle and plated four runs. The Blue Jays prospect leads the Midwest League with four homers and nine extra-base hits. The Venezuelan native had an eight-game hitting streak snapped on April 26.

BREWER FARMHANDS:
Southern League
Chris Cody, Huntsville
2-0, 0.75 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
Brewers prospect Chris Cody opened his two-start week by holding Carolina to an unearned run in six innings on April 21. He capped it off with six more dominant innings against Chattanooga, holding the Lookouts to a run on just two hits. The lefty didn't allow a walk in either outing and lowered his ERA to 1.29, tied for fifth in the Southern League.

Florida State League
Caleb Gindl, Brevard County
.522 (12-23), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB, .783 SLG
The Brewers' Caleb Gindl cleaned up at the plate this week for Brevard County. The '07 fifth-round pick started the week going 4-for-4 with three RBIs on April 21 and capped it off with a homer, three runs scored and two RBIs on April 26. He broke out against Dunedin on April 24 with a homer and four RBIs, while going 3-for-4 at the plate. The shortstop prospect leads the FSL with a .397 average and 23 hits.

Ex-Brewer farmhands:
International League
Matt LaPorta , Columbus
.520 (13-25), 10 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SO, 0 SB, .840 SLG
Indians top prospect Matt LaPorta swung a hot bat this week, collecting a hit in every game to extend his hitting streak to seven games. The outfielder homered in back-to-back games against Indianapolis on April 24 and 25. He also had four multi-hit games, including a 3-for-3 effort on April 25. LaPorta, a 2008 Southern League All-Star, leads the International League with 19 runs scored and a .767 slugging percentage.

Ex-Rattler:
California League
Kuo Hui Lo, High Desert
.429 (9-21), 7 R, 0 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 SB, 1.190 SLG
Taiwan native Kuo Hui Lo ripped apart Cal League pitchers this week, with four homers in five games -- including a pair of roundtrippers to cap off the week on April 26. The Mariners prospect hit safely and had at least one RBI in each game this week. He currently leads the circuit with six triples and an .811 slugging percentage. Lo is riding a six-game hitting streak into the third week of the season.