Atlantic League
Long Island Ducks team officials today announced the signings of four players for the 2008 season. First baseman and native Long Islander Rob Cafiero returns for his fourth season with the Flock. Joining Cafiero will be outfielder Jamal Strong, who has Major League experience with the Seattle Mariners, and spent the 2007 season in the Yankees system. The Ducks also charged their battery by adding pitcher Jim Magrane and catcher Robert Sandora.
"These players give us depth at every major position on our ballclub," says Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff. "We're excited to have Rob back, and are looking forward to the contributions of our new additions as well."
Strong batted .286 in 40 games for Scranton-Wilkes Barre (AAA, Yankees) last season, and has played at the Triple-A level every year since 2003. He earned his first call-up to the big leagues that year, appearing in 12 games with Seattle. He was called up again by the Mariners in 2005. The California native holds a career .292 batting average in 758 games, and has racked up 293 stolen bases. The speedster earned All-Star honors in both the Midwest League (A) and California League (A) in 2001, and led the California League in steals in 2002 with 46. The 29-year-old was a sixth round draft choice of the Mariners in 2000.
Massapequa Park native Cafiero appeared in 38 games for the Ducks in 2007, blasting his first home run at Citibank Park as a Duck on May 17. The former Villanova Wildcat has been with the Ducks since 2005, and has shown superior glove work in the field with only five errors in three years. Rob's best season at the plate came as a member of the Road Warriors of the Atlantic League in 2004, when he set career highs in home runs (10), RBI (47), hits (82), doubles (10), runs (26), total bases (122), and slugging percentage (.360).
Prior to last season, Iowa native Magrane spent seven years in the Devil Rays organization. He has 68 career minor league victories with a 3.94 ERA in over 1,000 innings pitched. His best season came in 2000, when he recorded 12 victories, a 2.76 ERA and 162 strike outs. That year he was also second in the league with 27 games started and third in the league with 173 innings pitched. Magrane spent the 2007 campaign in the Nationals organization, compiling six wins and a 3.99 ERA in 130.2 innings of work for Double-A Harrisburg of the Eastern League.
Long Island native Sandora spent five seasons in the Nationals organization before signing with the Flock. He spent all of last season with Potomac (A, Nationals) of the Carolina League, batting .261. The West Babylon resident owns a career .323 on-base percentage in 92 career minor league contests.
The Long Island Ducks play their home games at Citibank Park and are entering their ninth season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. For further information, visit
The Official Website of The Long Island Ducks, or call (631) 940-3825.