I went to the Triple-A Indianapolis-Toledo game Friday night.  Admittedly, the main reason was to see my friend and former Illini Shawn Roof play.  It’s the first time he’s played close to this area so I couldn’t pass up the chance. 

But the idea of going to Indianapolis’ Victory Field thrilled me too.  It’s been a while.  The last time I went the Indians were the Brewers’ farm team.  Victory Field is one of nicest Triple-A minor league parks I’ve been to.  I’m not the only one to think so… Baseball America named it Best Minor League BallPark in America.

The banners along the runway of former Indian player like you see above (I know a couple readers who might appreciate my choice of Minnie Minoso) were a nice touch and very well designed. 

Look out!  Indian mascot Rowdie looks angry.

I thought the scoreboard designed like a Facebook page was kinda hokey but I bet it goes over pretty well. 

Not a particularly great photo but it does show how many people show up at games.  Over 12,000 were at Friday’s event. 

No one left after the last out.  It was Fireworks night. 

The Mud Hens won 8-2.  Shawn Roof helped the cause by going 1 for 3, scoring a run. 

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Posted in: Minor Leagues by nelshopp
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As we were passing by going north of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, I got took this photo of the home of the Normal Cornbelters. 

The Cornbelters who are in the independent Frontier League, have one of the more original names for a ballpark, in my opinion.  It’s called “The Corn Crib”. 

My city-dwelling friends are snickering already.  I know it.  But as a farm kid who had a “corn crib” not too far away from the house, I think it’s pretty cool. 

The Corn Crib is officially sponsored by the Illinois Corn Farmers.  In this day and age of sports sponsors that consist of wireless phone companies, soda drinks manufacturers, and insurance companies, that’s a little refreshing in my opinion.  Note the tractors out front of the stadium. 

For those University of Illinois sports fans, the Cornbelters have declared August 26th, “Illini Night” and have even convinced men’s basketball coach Bruce Weber to come down and throw out the first pitch.  There’s added significance since the Cornbelters will be playing a team in the vicinity of Weber’s former team, the Southern Illinois Miners.  More info at the Normal Cornbelters website.

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Posted in: Minor Leagues by The Baseball Zealot
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Here’s a hint… talk smack AFTER you round the bases. 

The word is, he actually did get around to home plate.  Here’s the write-up from Huff Po. 

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Posted in: Minor Leagues by The Baseball Zealot
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Within a week, the 2010 MLB Draft or as it is officially known, the MLB First-Year Player Draft, will take place.  I’m certainly no expert on the MLB Draft but since I follow college baseball pretty closely, I have an interest in it and hence, have a little knowledge on where to find some good info on the draft. 

MLB’s Draft Central is probably your first stop.  They’ve done a pretty good job year in and year out covering the draft and each year they seem to increase their coverage. 

The Draft Tracker is a must, especially on the draft days. 

Jonathan Mayo covers the minor leagues for mlb.com.  His blog is well worth following throughout the year but during draft time, he’ll have some good nuggets.  

The Hardball Times is a source I trust for many things and prospect scouting is no exception.  A couple days ago, they posted THT’s projected top 40 draftees. 

Mock Drafts are the thing now.  Take a look at mymlbdraft.com or draftsite.com to get a sense of what people are thinking.  I’ll give you a hint… Bryce Harper looks like he’s going #1.  Or heck, just go to dugoutdoctors.com and check out their whole list of mock drafts that are going on. 

If lists aren’t your thing, MLB.com has Ten Names to Watch for 2010 Draft complete with a scouting report for each.  This list is “Bryce-less”, assuming you’ve heard enough of him already ala 2009 Strasburg. 

If history of the draft is your thing, you can try two avenues.  MLB.com has a page dedicated to the “complete draft history”.  For my money, I like browsing through Baseball Reference’s Draft section.  Lots of fun to click around.

If anyone has any other good resources for the MLB Draft, please share them and I’ll add them to the list. 

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Posted in: First-Year Player Draft by The Baseball Zealot
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Bus Leagues Baseball compiles a list of the best names in minor league baseball

I just noticed Seth Schwindenhammer was on the list.  Red Sox farmhand Schwindenhammer was drafted by the Illini.  I remember his name because when I wrote about him, it was just plain easier to copy and paste his name than to type it out. 

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Oakland A’s prospect Grant Desme is going from Arizona Fall League MVP  to the next Billy Sunday. He’s giving up the church of baseball for the priesthood.

Desme had a breakout year in 2009.  Playing for the Midwest League’s Kane County Cougars and California League’s Stockton Ports, he hit 31 homeruns, stole 40 bases to go along with his .288 batting average.

Last fall, the A’s had good words to say about Desme potential:

“If he keeps putting up these kinds of numbers, it’d be hard not to bring him in [to Spring Training],” Keith Lieppman, A’s director of player development, told MLB.com in October. “There’s a lot of good things happening with him right now. At this stage, he looks like the complete package.”

Now A’s GM Billy Beane has nothing to do but to accept the inevitable.  “We respect Grant’s decision and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors,” he grumbled.

According to the Huffington Post, Desme is quoted in 2007 as saying, “above all, my faith comes first and I dedicate myself to church.”  Now, we’re seeing just how dedicated he really is.  Desme will plan to enter a Catholic seminary and and says it will be a 10-year process and likens it to  “re-entering the minor leagues.”

Oakland can tell themselves that they probably get along without Grant Desme (the California League is a hitters league, right?).  Most likely, Desme would have been trade bait anyway.

Regardless, he would have been a player to watch.  It wasn’t an easy decision for Desme to make, I’m sure.

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Posted in: Minor Leagues by The Baseball Zealot
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The Southern (IL) reports on a trade in the Frontier League whose name seems to hearken back to older Cub days (emphasis mine):

When Southern Illinois Miners’ manager Mike Pinto traded for the Gateway Grizzlies’ Stephen Holdren last July, he called it one of the biggest trades in Frontier League history.

Pinto said the deal he finalized Monday, sending Holdren to the River City Rascals in exchange for power-hitting first baseman Ernie Banks, is even bigger.

Apparently, Banks, a former Marlins draft pick, is more than just a namesake to the former Cub.  This minor league firstbaseman really can hit, too.  Last year he hit .353 for the River City Rascals, good for 3rd in the Frontier League.  He also placed 5th with 24 homeruns (in just 77 games no less). 

Banks will be looking at a new team this coming year in the independent league based in the Midwest.  The Southern Illinois Miners are based in Carbondale, Illinois

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Posted in: Minor Leagues by The Baseball Zealot
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Roll out the red carpet.  It’s time for the 2009 MiLBY Awards which awarded to the best performances in the minor leagues this year. 

You can find the complete coverage of the MiLBYs on mlb.com

A couple awards of note:

Dan Hudson who pitched for the White Sox organization (and actually made it to the bigs for a quick cup of coffee late in the year) won the award for best overall pitcher.  He did so thanks to a 2.32 ERA and a 14-5.  Want a more impressive stat?  He struck out 166 and walked only 34 for a 4.88 K/BB ratio. 

David Cales is someone who I’m looking forward to seeing in a Cub uniform.  For Single-A Daytona, he had a 0.78 ERA in 37 games which got him the Best Reliever in Class A Advanced.  It may not be too long before we see him… he’s already made it to AA Tennessee. 

Speaking of Daytona, Catcher Robinson Chirinos who also plays for them, won the MiLBY award for Best Single Game Performance at the Class A Advanced level.  On May 31, the Venezuelan native hit two grand slams to help the Daytona Cubs to a 11-3 victory over Sarasota.  That’s the second time that’s happened in the Florida State League history.

The Best Team award went to Padre Class A affiliate Fort Wayne Tin Caps.  They won over 100 games (a 101-48 record to be precise) which in the minors, is pretty dang rare.  By the way, their manager?  Former Cubs speedster Doug Dascenzo.

The Best Hitter award will be announced sometime today.

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Posted in: Minor Leagues by The Baseball Zealot
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Three months ago, MLB signed Topps Company to a major contract to produce and market baseball cards with the MLB teams’ logo.  This was an exclusive contract to the detriment to other card making companies such as Upper Deck. 

Now, Topps has scored another coup.  They have reached agreement with Major League Baseball Properties in a multi-year licensing deal to produce certain nationally distributed Minor League cards. 

The agreement makes Topps the only trading card manufacturer licensed by MLBP to produce nationally-distributed trading cards of top draft picks and prospects within Minor League Baseball, and will give Topps the rights to names and logos of the 160 affiliated Minor League clubs and current Minor League players in uniform on baseball cards and stickers beginning on January 1, 2010. In addition, Topps will now have the exclusive use of the Pro Debut logo. Its first product will be its 2010 Topps Pro Debut Series 1 to be unveiled in early March 2010.

As it was three months ago, this deal is exclusive. 

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Woo hoo!  Former Illini shortstop and friend of the Zealot, Shawn Roof has hit his first pro homerun.  It’s worth mentioning because the versatile infielder never hit one during his days as an Illini either. 

Don’t expect another one soon because the Roof waited till the last game of the Erie Seawolves’ regular season for his first dramatic first.

Congrats, Shawn!

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