'Fish Sign Redman And Gathright

The Bridgeport Bluefish announced on Wednesday that they have signer former major league outfielders Prentice Redman and Joey Gathright for the 2012 season.

Redman returns for his second season with the Bluefish. Prentice Redman was originally drafted by the New York Mets in the 10th round  (316th overall) of the 1999 MLB Amateur Draft. He played seven seasons in the Mets organization. He has best season in 2002, when he hit .283 with 11 home runs, 63 RBI and 43 stolen bases for Binghamton(AA). In 2003, he played 15 games in the major leagues for Mets. Redman has also played in the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations. Last season, he split time between Bridgeport, Tabasco(AAA) and Kansas City of the American Association.

Joey Gathright returns for his second season in the Atlantic League. He previously played for the Long Island Ducks in 2010. Gathright was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 32nd round (949th overall) of the 2001 MLB Amateur Draft. He played parts of 7 seasons in the major leagues with the Tampa Rays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. He has a major league .263 batting average with 178 runs, 96 RBI, and 81 stolen bases. Last season, he played in 7 games for the Boston Red Sox, and also had stops in Pawtucket(AAA), Yuma in the North American League, and Shreveport-Bossier in the American Association.

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LI Ducks Blog: Ducks Sign Meyer And Canham

The Long Island Ducks announced on Wednesday that they have signed pitcher Dan Meyer and catcher Mitch Canham for the 2012 season.

Dan Meyer was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round (34th overall) of the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft out of James Madison University. He spent part of five seasons in the major leagues with the Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's, and the Florida Marlins. He has a career 3-9 record with a 5.46 ERA in the major leagues. Last season, he pitched 14 games for the Pirates Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis.

Mitch Canham was a 1st round (57th overall) selection by the San Diego Padres in the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft out of Oregon State University. He played five seasons in the Padres organization, including 2008 when he hit .285 with 8 home runs, 81 RBI and 13 stolen bases for Lake Elsinore(A+).  Last season, he split time between the Oakland A's Double-A affiliate Midland, and their Triple-A affiliate Sacramento.

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Patriots Sign Three More

The Somerset Patriots have signed infielder Freddy Sandoval and outfielders Aaron Mathews and Chris Shehan for the 2012 season.

Freddy Sandoval was drafted by the Anaheim (Los Angeles) in the 8th round (233rd overall) of the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft. He played all seven seasons of his professional baseball career in the Angels organization. He had his best season in 2008, when he hit .335 with 15 home runs, and 88 RBI. He was called up to the major leagues late in the 2008 season. Sandoval would go on to player 11 games in the major leagues with the Angels from 2008 to 2009. Last season, he hit .280 with 4 home runs and 20 RBI in 44 games for the Angels Triple-A affiliate Salt Lake.

Aaron Mathews was drafted by the the Toronto Blue Jays in the 19th round (567th overall) of the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft out of Oregon State University. He played seven seasons in the Blue Jays organization before joining the Florida Marlins organization last season. From 2009 to 2011, he played at the Triple-A level. He has a career .285 batting average with 47 home runs 324 RBI.

Chris Shehan was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 30th round (910th overall) of the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft out of Georgia Southern University. He played three seasons in the Braves organization, where he had a .256 batting average with 8 home runs and 55 RBI.

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Blue Crabs Top 25 Promotions for 2012, #5 - #1!

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will expanding their promotions this season!

The Blue Crabs will be announcing the Top 25 promotions for the season in a five part series on their website.

Check out #21-#25
Check out #20-#16
Check out #15 -#11
Check out #10-#6

Here's #5-#1

#1. Opening Night, Washington Nationals “Racing Presidents” Appearance, Schedule Magnet Giveaway, Post-Game Fireworks, $5 off field box tickets for all Military: It’s the biggest game of the year, and our 5th Anniversary Season Opening Night presented by Wawa will be one of the best ever! The Tide Is Rising on Thursday, April 26th as we kick off the 2012 season with everything from a pre-game concert, a special appearance for the first pitch, an awesome pre-game ceremony, an appearance from the Washington Nationals “Racing Presidents”, a schedule magnet giveaway to the first 1,000 fans compliments of Community Bank of Tri-County, Payday Thursday presented by Washington Savings Bank, to $5 off field box tickets for all Military, and a post-game Fireworks show presented by Wawa. It’s the hottest ticket in town, so make sure you have yours now or when tickets go on sale Saturday, April 14th at Fan Fest!

#2. Cowboy Monkeys Appearance, Wings & Beer Thursday, Payday Thursday, $5 off field box tickets for all Military: In one of the most anticipated games of the year, the infamous Cowboy Monkeys will be appearing at Regency Furniture Stadium thanks to our friends at SAIC. What are the Cowboy Monkeys you ask?? They are professional capuchin monkeys wearing cowboy outfits, riding border collies, and they round up goats in the outfield! It’s pretty awesome, and tickets start at just $6! It’s also one of our Wings & Beer Thursdays presented by Foster’s Grill featuring all you can eat wings and beer from 6:30 pm – 8 pm in the Legends Club for just $25. It’s also Payday Thursday presented by Washington Savings Bank where the first 100 fans will receive an envelope with cash, one of them being $100. In addition, all Military will receive $5 off field box tickets for this and every Thursday home game. Giddy Up!!!

#3. “Ballads with Belding” featuring Saved By The Bell’s Dennis Haskins, Educator Appreciation Night: On Wednesday, June 27th all the teachers in Southern Maryland will be Saved By The Bell! Everybody’s favorite principal, “Mr. Belding” will be coming to Regency Furniture Stadium and fans will be saying “HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY what is going here?” when they find out what we have in store! The Legends Club will be turning into The Max for “Ballads with Belding” where fans will be able to sing karaoke with Mr. Belding during the game! It’s also Educator Appreciation Night, and we want to take care of our teachers with a complimentary ticket to the game for all those in the St. Mary’s, Calvert, and Charles County School Districts.

#4. “Papa” Pinch Garden Gnome Giveaway, Wings & Beer Thursday, Payday Thursday, $5 off field box tickets for all Military: So bobbleheads have been done in many shapes, forms and sizes for a long time in minor league baseball. This year, we’ve decided to start a different tradition with celebrating the best mascot in the Atlantic League – a Garden Gnome! This will be one of the best and most unconventional giveaways of the year so make sure you have your tickets for Thursday, August 2nd and are one of the first 1,000 fans to the Stadium. Just like every Thursday home game, fans ages 21 and older will be able to watch the game in the luxurious, climate controlled Legends Club, and enjoy all you can eat wings and draft beer from 6:30 to 8 pm for just $25! The wings will be supplied by Foster’s Grille and feature a variety of flavors. Season ticket holders can purchase Wings & Beer tickets at a special rate of $20. It’s also Payday Thursday presented by Washington Savings Bank where the first 100 fans will receive an envelope with cash, one of them being $100. All Military will receive $5 off field box tickets for this and every Thursday throughout the season.

#5. Faith & Family Nights: New for 2012, we have created a 3 game series of Faith & Family Nights here at Regency Furniture Stadium. We have been working with WGTS 91.9 FM on the series which will feature live music before each game, faith testimonials from Blue Crabs players, guest speakers, activities on the concourse and during the game, and many opportunities for area churches to get involved in the nights!
For more information and dates about these great promotions visit the Blue Crabs website!

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York Re-Signs Three

The York Revolution announced yesterday that they have re-signed All-Star Chris Nowak and pitchers Chris Cody and Shaun Garceau for the 2012 season.

Nowak had a record season for York after coming over from the Brewers Triple-A Nashville in mid-June. In 126 games, Nowak hit a team record 25 home runs, and drove in 66 RBI, while batting .330. He was named an Atlantic League All-Star, and was also named to Baseball America's All-Independent Team.

Chris Nowak was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 19th round (555th overall) of the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft out of the University of South Carolina-Upstate. Prior to joining York, he played in the Rays and Brewers organizations. He had his best season in 2006 with Visalia, when he hit 11 home runs with 103 RBI, 17 stolen bases and a .330 batting average. Nowak has also played 97 games at the Triple-A level.

Chris Cody was drafted in the 8th round (232nd overall) by the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 MLB Amateur Draft out of Manhattan College. He played one and half seasons in the Tigers organization before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007. Cody had his best with the Brewers organization in 2008, when he posted a 6-6 record with a 1.81 ERA in 114.2 innings pitched between West Virginia(A) and Brevard County(A+). In 2009, he pitched 17 games for Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate Nashville. Last season, Cody was 9-5 with a 4.39 ERA for York in only 18 starts. On July 31st, he was signed by the Atlanta Braves organization and assigned to Double-A Mississippi. He had a 3-1 record with a 3.46 ERA in 39 innings pitched for Mississippi.

Shaun Garceau was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 20th round (620th overall) of the 2005 MLB Amateur Draft. He played played five seasons in the Cardinals organization, posting an 18-32 record and 4.78 ERA in 342 innings pitched. Last season, he was 4-9 with a 5.45 ERA in 119 innings pitched for the Revolution.

These are three big signings by the Revolution. They get their best power hitter and two solid starters back. Nowak didn't join the team until mid-June last season, so he could put up even bigger numbers with a full season. Chris Cody started off last season hot with 9 wins before he was signed by the Braves in July, and like Nowak he could put up huge numbers with a full season.

Also, check out more on the York Revolution and these signings at blogtogblogchamps, and Revolution Rumblings.

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Ducks Acquire Williams

The Long Island Ducks have acquired infielder Shawn Williams in a trade from the Quebec Capitales of the Can-Am League for future considerations.

Williams was a 35th round (1061st) selection by the Houston Astros in the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft. He played for Fort Worth Cats of the American Association in 2006, and hit .317 that season. Williams signed with the Tampa Bay Rays organization in 2007. He played a three full seasons in the Rays organization (6 games in 2010), and had 3 home runs, 50 RBI and a .256 RBI in 166 games. In 2010, split time time between Newark (Atlantic League now in the Can-Am League) and Brockton of the Can-Am League. Last season, he hit .316 with 2 home runs and 29 RBI for the Brockton. 

 Even though the trade has been completed. Williams has not yet signed with the Ducks.

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ATL Week in Review 3/25 - 3/31

Here's our weekly wrap up of what happened in the Atlantic League this past week called "ATL Week in Review."












Sunday, March 25, 2012
David Espinosa On Hitting - I chatted with David Espinosa about hitting and the approach he's taken over the last few years which has lead to a resurgence in his batting average. Here's what he had to say...more

Monday, March 26, 2012
2003 Somerset Patriots Team Set - MultiAd Sports produced a 30-card team set using a horizontal layout. It includes 25 player cards, three coaches cards, one manager card and one mascot card. The fronts feature action or candid photos, though due to the design the photographs are smaller than on most baseball cards. The backs are printed in black, red and blue and include some biographical information and recent stats...more

Grimes Returns To York For 2012! - The York Revolution have signed outfielder Scott Grimes for the 2012 season...more

LI Ducks Blog: Brandon Sing Interview - Brandon Sing was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 20th round (620th overall) of the 1999 MLB Amateur Draft...more

Blue Crabs Top 25 Promotions for 2012, #10 - #6! - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will expanding their promotions this season...more

Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Ducks Sign Gustavo Chacin - The Long Island Ducks announced that they have have signed former major league pitcher Gustavo Chacin for the 2012 season...more

Skeeters Ink Cintron And Livingston -  The Sugar Land Skeeters announced that they have signed infielder Alex Cintron and pitcher Bobby Livingston for the 2012 season...more

Barnstormers Announce Fanfest and Exhibition Games - The Lancaster Barnstormers announced that their fanfest will be held on April 21st. The festivities will begin at 12pm with an autograph session, entertainment and much more, followed by a game against Camden @ 1pm...more

Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Patriots Sign Three Pitchers -  The Somerset Patriots have signed pitchers Anthony Claggett, Ricky Brooks, and James Baker for the 2012 season. Baker was acquired by the Patriots from the Gary SouthShore Railcats of the American Association for cash considerations...more

Reggie Harris Is The Blue Crabs Pitching Coach -  I was clicking around on the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs website and noticed that former major league pitcher Reggie Harris is now their pitching coach...more

Thursday, March 29, 2012
Lancaster Signs Walrond, Doolittle, and Vaughan - The Lancaster Barnstormers have signed left-handed pitcher Les Walrond, and right-handed pitchers Todd Doolittle and Beau Vaughan for the 2012 season...more

Ducks New Marketing Slogan -  The Ducks have a new marketing slogan for the 2012 season! Here it is...more

Blue Crabs Add Mercado And Figueroa - The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have added catcher Richard Mercado and infielder Paco Figueroa for the 2012 season...more 

A Few More Blue Crab Signings -  The Blue Crabs signed a few other players which recently appeared on their roster and the Atlantic League website. These signings include pitchers Ricky Barrett (3/12), Chris Mobley (2/5), and Bryan Dumesnil (1/30)...more

Friday, March 30, 2012
Patrick Osborn on Mercado And Figueroa Signings -  Here's what Southern Maryland manager Patrick Osborn told ATL Baseball Blog about the signings of catcher Richard Mercado and infielder Paco Figueroa...more

LI Ducks Blog: Ducks Sign McOwen -  The Long Island Ducks announced that they have signed outfielder James McOwen for the 2012 season...more

Skeeters Promotional Schedule -  Here's a link to the Skeeters promotional schedule...more

Saturday, March 31, 2012
Riversharks Open Tryouts On April 7th -  The Camden Riversharks will be hosting an open tryout on April 7, 2012 at 8am...more

Sugar Land Pocket Schedule Scans - Here are the scans of the Sugar Land Skeeters first ever pocket schedule...more

Bluefish Game Used Jerseys For Sale -  The Bridgeport Bluefish are selling game used jerseys from 2011 on their website...more

New Duck Hats and Jerseys For Sale - The Ducks unveiled a new hat by FlexFit on their online store. The hat looks strikingly similar to the hat  that I suggested they design back in November. Take a look at the hats and tell me what you think...more

Great Article On 'Stormers Assistant GM Kristen Simon - Here's a great article that Dan O'Connor from Lancaster Online wrote about Lancaster Barnstormer assistant general manager Kristen Simon, and being a female baseball executive...more

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