http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/ News from the American Association en-us Wed, 22 May 2013 11:17:01 -0400 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:17:01 -0400 info@baseballoffice.com info@baseballoffice.com http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1369194424 In an entertaining evening of games, Sioux Falls starter <b>Ben Moore</b> (pictured) won his 40th career American Association game, a league record, as the Canaries defeat St. Paul, 7-4. <br><br>Elsewhere, Lincoln built a 5-1 lead and held off a Kansas City rally to win, 5-4, while Laredo CF <b>Sawyer Carroll</b> hit a two-out walk-off home run to help his team defeat Grand Prairie, 4-3 and improve its record to 6-0. Amarillo and Winnipeg were rained out and will play a doubleheader Wednesday. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1369194424 Tue, 21 May 2013 22:47:04 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1369166796 Both the RailCats and the Wingnuts got quality outings from their starters, but it was Gary SouthShore LHP Ari Ronick (pictured) who came out on top in a 2-1 RailCats victory. Ronick pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits to pick up the win and improve to 1-1.<br><br>Elsewhere in the American Association, El Paso beat Fargo-Moorhead, 8-3 and Sioux City fell to interleague opponent New Jersey of the Can-Am League, 9-6. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1369166796 Tue, 21 May 2013 15:06:36 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1369111014 The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks toppled the El Paso Diablos 12-3 behind a monster game from RF Tim Alberts (pictured). Alberts blasted three home runs in the contest and the last two were two-run shots. He finished the night 4-for-6 with five RBI and four runs scored. LF Buddy Sosnoskie also had a solid night at the plate going 4-for-5.<br><br>Elsewhere in the American Association, Kansas City hit a record five home runs in one inning to defeat Lincoln, Laredo walked off on Grand Prairie 6-5, Gary SouthShore beat Wichita 5-1, Sioux City fell to New Jersey of the Can-Am League 13-5 and Winnipeg handled Amarillo 11-5. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1369111014 Mon, 20 May 2013 23:36:54 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1369082895 DURHAM, NC - Former St. Paul Saints LHP Caleb Thielbar (pictured) is heading back to Minnesota, but he'll be donning some different colors. After compiling a 3.76 ERA out of the bullpen for Triple-A Rochester, Thielbar has been called up to the Major Leagues with the Twins.<br><br>Thielbar pitched for St. Paul during the 2011 season, going 3-3 with a 2.54 ERA out of the bullpen. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1369082895 Mon, 20 May 2013 15:48:15 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1369069593 DURHAM, NC - The official statistician of the American Association, Pointstreak, has announced that Lincoln Saltdogs 1B Dennis Raben (pictured) and Sioux City Explorers RHP Jason Jarvis have been named this week's Pointstreak Batter and Pitcher of the Week.<br><br>Raben played a key role in a tight win over the Gary SouthShore RailCats on Saturday. Raben's two run double in the eighth inning that night broke a 2-2 tie and provided the Saltdogs with the winning runs in a 4-3 victory. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1369069593 Mon, 20 May 2013 12:06:33 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1369023116 Though he never put the ball in play from the plate, Gary SouthShore 3B Daniel Pulfer (pictured) made the difference in the RailCats 6-5 win against the Lincoln Saltdogs. In the boxscore Pulfer had zero at bats because he drew five walks on Sunday. But, he scored three runs including the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a Chase Tucker single.<br><br>Elsewhere in the American Association Winnipeg downed Grand Prairie 10-5. Wichita edged Kansas City 3-2 in a rain-shortened six inning game. Laredo beat Fargo-Moorhead 4-2 and El Paso avoided a sweep by holding off Amarillo 12-8. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1369023116 Sun, 19 May 2013 23:11:56 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368997061 Behind homeruns from C Steve Domecus (pictured) and SS Cory Morales, the Sioux Falls Canaries took the fourth game of the series from the Sioux City Explorers 3-1 after losing the first three games. Domecus was just 1-for-3 on the day but his fourth inning blast gave the Canaries a lead that they would not relinquish. <br><br>Elsewhere in the American Association St. Paul beat the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League 9-3 in a rain-shortened eight inning game. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368997061 Sun, 19 May 2013 15:57:41 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368937474 A long night came to an end in Laredo when third baseman-turned-pitcher Garrett Rau (pictured) lofted a game-winning sacrifice fly to give Laredo a 4-3, walk-off win over Fargo-Moorhead in 11 innings. Rau came in to pitch in the 11th and struck out a pair of RedHawks with the go-ahead run on third. He then won the game with his sac fly in the bottom half of the inning.<br><br>Elsewhere in the league, Lincoln edged Gary SouthShore 4-3, Sioux City squeezed past Sioux Falls 5-4, Winnipeg shut out Grand Prairie 5-0, Wichita got by Kansas City 4-3, Amarillo beat El Paso 14-4 and St. Paul downed interleague opponent New Jersey, 12-8. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368937474 Sat, 18 May 2013 23:24:34 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368853441 One hit over seven innings. That was the line for Explorers RHP Jason Jarvis (pictured) in a 3-0 Sioux City victory over Sioux Falls. The starter faced just one batter over the minimum, as he induced two double plays to evade trouble in the fourth and fifth. Sioux City RF Peter Barrows delivered a two-run home run in the seventh, which provided the distance the Explorers needed to secure the victory.<br><br>Elsewhere around the league, Winnipeg downed Grand Prairie 4-2, Kansas City beat Wichita 5-4, Gary SouthShore fell to Lincoln 10-4, Laredo knocked off Fargo-Moorhead 5-3, Amarillo came back to beat El Paso 11-8 and St. Paul defeated Can-Am League opponent, New Jersey, 5-1. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368853441 Sat, 18 May 2013 00:04:01 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368826768 Several former Independent players have been given nice promotions in recent days in the affiliated minor leagues. These include:<br><br>-RHP Lance Day, who started his pro career at Grand Prairie, TX (American Association), from Class A to AAA by Houston.<br><br>-RHP Chris Martin, another who started in the Indy game at Grand Prairie, from AA to AAA by Boston.<br><br>-INF Vance Albitz (Lincoln, pictured) from AA to AAA by St. Louis info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368826768 Fri, 17 May 2013 16:39:28 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368767615 Left fielder Adam Klein's single in the bottom of the 11th inning scored SS Zac Mitchell from second base and gave the Gary SouthShore RailCats a dramatic 9-8 opening night win over the Lincoln Saltdogs. Klein (pictured) and Mitchell both collected two hits on the night and scored two runs. <br><br>In other action, Sioux City beat Sioux Falls 5-3, Wichita blanked Kansas City 8-0, Laredo defeated Fargo-Moorhead 2-0, Amarillo downed El Paso 9-5 and in interleague play, the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League beat St. Paul 6-4 in 10 innings. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368767615 Fri, 17 May 2013 00:13:35 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368650487 The 2013 American Association season begins play tomorrow, May 16. Sioux Falls RHP Ben Moore (pictured) highlights the opening weekend, as he goes for the 40th win of his American Association career against Sioux City. A win for Moore would give him sole possession of the league's career wins record. Elsewhere around the league, Amarillo visits El Paso, Laredo hosts Fargo-Moorhead, Kansas City plays at Wichita, Lincoln goes to Gary SouthShore and St. Paul hosts interleague opponent New Jersey, of the Can-Am League. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368650487 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:41:27 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1368193429 The picture seems permanently implanted in my head. It shows a smiling Paul Edmonds (pictured)holding this spotted 42-inch Northern Pike. He could nearly be lost in the photo because of the massiveness of the fish, caught on a Winnipeg Goldeyes-organized charity fundraising trip only about four days after they won last season's American Association championship. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1368193429 Fri, 10 May 2013 08:43:49 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1367600084 Durham, N.C. -- As the American Association begins its eighth season in less than two weeks, its 13 teams open their training camps this weekend. <br><br>36 exhibition games are scheduled during the preseason, starting Sunday, May 5, as the Wichita Wingnuts take on the Friends University baseball team at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium (pictured). info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1367600084 Fri, 03 May 2013 11:54:44 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1367532738 Tanner Scheppers (pictured) had his streak of leading all major league relief pitchers in innings without giving up a run snapped in his 12th appearance of '13 this week, but the 26-year-old, who started his professional career in the American Association (St. Paul, MN), still has a dazzling 0.66 ERA along with two wins for the Texas Rangers. "The key is keeping focused and taking one pitch at a time to really slow the game down," he told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "The game can speed up really quickly for pitchers. If you focus on one pitch, it gives you a better chance." info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1367532738 Thu, 02 May 2013 17:12:18 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1366925520 Two pitchers who started their careers in Indy leagues are putting up impressive pitching stats in the Class A Midwest League as teammates on the Arizona farm club in South Bend, IN. Kyle Schepel is the headliner because he threw a seven-inning no-hitter in his second start, then came back with five more shutout innings the next time out, but Brandon Sinnery (pictured, Lincoln, NE, American Association) also has been good with 13 shutout innings in which he has both started and relieved. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1366925520 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:32:00 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1366729917 I had it reinforced one more time the depth of impact Independent Baseball players make on virtually any major league-affiliated game when I took my three grandsons to an Eastern League game this week.<br><br>I was especially excited to see New Britain first baseman Curt Smith (pictured), who had played in the American Association (Lincoln, NE) and was signed by the Twins shortly after his dominant bat played a major role in getting The Netherlands to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic.<br><br>For New Hampshire, Toronto's No. 2 farm club, Amadeo Zazueta played very solid shortstop and had a hit. Like Smith, he had played at Lincoln before his contract was sold to the Blue Jays.<br> info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1366729917 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:11:57 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1366377572 Being totally honest, players who start their pro career in an Independent league bring more prestige than those getting a second opportunity. Such is the case for 6-foot-7 stringbean right-hander Chris Martin (pictured), the initial Pitcher of the Week in the Class AA Eastern League. <br><br>Martin came out of McLennan Community College in Waco, TX and broke in by winning all four decisions and posting a 1.96 earned run average with Grand Prairie in 2010, one of the American Association teams in the Lone Star State. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1366377572 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:19:32 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1365778554 Kevin Winn couldn't be blamed if he popped a few pride buttons these days with three of the umpires he has supervised working major league spring training games and half of the 10-man umpire contingent in the Class A California League coming out of the American Association.<br><br>Current California League umpires Ron Teague (pictured), Blake Felix, David Marcoe, Mike Huus and Lee Meyers all worked in the American Association between 2006 and 2010.<br> info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1365778554 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:55:54 -0500 http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1365617603 Dane DeLaRosa, the well-traveled former Independent hurler (El Paso, 2009) who spent most of spring training with the Tampa Bay Rays, finds himself back in the major leagues today, taking the Los Angeles Angels' roster spot that opened up when Jered Weaver was disabled after being hit on the elbow of his non-pitching hand.<br><br>DeLaRosa, (pictured) a 6-foot-7 right-hander who got in a dozen major league appearances with the Rays the last two seasons, was traded to the Angels late in spring training and started the season with Salt Lake City. info@americanassociationbaseball.com 1365617603 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:13:23 -0500