The South Coast League announced today that the league's Chief Executive Officer has stepped down from his position effective immediately.
"I want to think the SCL Ownership Group for the opportunity to assist in building an Independent League in the Southeast. It is bittersweet to leave the South Coast League's day to day operations," said Toole, "The last two and a half years have been extremely rewarding and my hope is that the SCL will reach its full potential in the coming years."
Toole is one of the original founders of the SCL and has served as CEO of the league since the league's inception in October of 2005.
For more information on teams, players, schedules, tickets, photos, and all other news and information related to the 2008 season, visit the South Coast League website at South Coast League.
SAN ANGELO, Texas - It's getting close to the start of the season, and the San Angelo Colts are putting the final touches on their pitching staff. The Colts have re-signed five pitchers from last year. Taylor Fleming, Matt Greanead, Brian Henschel, Ryan Mulle, and Caleb Rodgers are returning from a pitching staff that led the United League in team ERA, complete games, and shutouts in 2007.
Fleming posted an impressive rookie season with the Colts last year. In 25 appearances, the righty went 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA. The Clarksdale, MS native also struck out 45 batters in 46.2 innings, while allowing just 32 hits. Fleming came to the Colts from Delta State University in Mississippi. In 2006, he was 1-1 in 15 relief appearances, striking out 14 in 19.2 innings.
After starting last year with the Texas Heat of the Continental League, Greanead signed with the Colts on July 18th. The right-hander from Decatur, TX made five appearances in relief, posting a 1.80 ERA with four strikeouts. Greanead is a former Angelo State Ram, and pitched for ASU in 2006.
Henschel completed his first season of professional baseball with the Colts last year. Originally from Hartland, Wisconsin, Henschel went 8-7 with a 4.62 ERA, while striking out 88 and walking only 17 in 128.2 innings. The righty also threw four complete games, and led the Colts in innings pitched. In his final start of the season, he threw a complete game, six hit shutout of the United League champion Alexandria Aces. Prior to joining the Colts, Henschel pitched in semi-pro leagues in Wisconsin, amassing an 83-24 record in nine years. He was voted Pitcher of the Year in eight of those nine seasons.
Mulle, another ASU product, will begin his third season with the Colts in 2008. In 72 innings, he went 5-4 with a 4.38 ERA and 58 strikeouts last season. On June 28th, he pitched a complete game shutout of the Rio Grande Valley White Wings, scattering just five hits while striking out four. Mulle is originally from Houston, and pitched for Dulles High School. The right-hander started out his college career pitching for McLennan Community College before transferring to ASU.
Rodgers, a native of Waxahachie, Texas, spent the 2007 season with the Colts. Despite being injured for nearly two months of the season, he posted a 3-1 record with a 5.58 ERA in seven starts. The righty played college ball for Oral Roberts University, Sam Houston State University, and Angelo State University. However, in 2007, Rodgers was not allowed to pitch for ASU due to NCAA transferring rules. Soon after this ruling, he signed with the Colts.
Cardinals In The Market For Lefties, Rogers Heads South
United League Baseball
Harlingen, TX - The Harlingen WhiteWings Baseball Club announced today that they have reached agreement for the purchase of LHP Joe Rogers by the St. Louis Cardinals (National League).
Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2001, Rogers will make his return to where his professional baseball career started nearly some seven years ago. He was a Cardinal for three years until he was released April 1, 2004 but didn't stay out baseball for long, eight days to be exact, before he signed a contract to pitch in the minor league system of the Boston Red Sox, on April 9th. Midway through the 2005 season, he was released by the Red Sox and was picked up by Fullerton of the Golden Baseball League of Independent Baseball, where he finished that season appearing in 10 games with 3 starts posting a 3.94 ERA.
In 2006 he signed with WhiteWings, as a free agent, where his pitching career began to blossom starting 8 games recording 6 wins against 1 loss with an impressive 2.84 ERA. Along with a strong Earned Run Average, he struck out 54 batters while only walking 10 in 66 innings of work. As a full time member of the starting rotation in 2007, Rogers quickly became recognized as a crafty left handed pitcher among his fellow competitors, where in 17 starts, he won 11 games, second in league totals, pitching 121 innings finishing with third lowest ERA in the United League at 3.25.
"I had to pleasure to watch Joe (Rogers) pitch the last two years," said WhiteWings' General Manager Dave Kost. "We couldn't be happier for a guy who is getting another chance at living his dream," added Kost. "Independent baseball is intended to give baseball players another chance and today is just another example of success."
Joe Rogers becomes the 22nd player to be sold to a Major League team since the United League's inaugural season of 2006. The St. Louis Cardinals are the 12th Major League organization to purchase a player from the United League and join a very impressive list that includes the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.
SAN ANGELO, Texas - Four pitchers from the San Angelo Colts were picked up by major league organizations in 2007, and the Colts look to improve on that number in 2008. The Colts have added pitchers Brian Daly, Justin Robinson, Jeff Rodriguez, Chris Weast, and Logan Williamson to their staff. Rodriguez and Williamson were acquired in a trade with the Nashua Pride of the Can-Am League.
Daly, who resides in Champaign, Illinois, comes to the Colts after spending the 2007 and most of the 2006 season with the Laredo Broncos. Last season, Daly posted a 4-7 record with a 5.00 ERA in 93.2 innings. Daly has also been a member of the Edinburg Coyotes and the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League. The big 6'5" right-hander played college ball at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Robinson joins the Colts after splitting time with the Slippery Rock Sliders of the Frontier League and the Schaumberg Flyers of the Northern League last year. The left-handed reliever made 18 appearances between the two teams. Originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan, Robinson pitched with Chillicothe Paints of the Frontier League in 2004, and went 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 17 appearances. In 22.2 innings, he struck out 23 and only allowed 17 hits.
Rodriguez, a native of Sea Breeze, Florida, played for the Pensacola Pelicans of the American Association in 2007, which was his first professional season. In 75 innings, the lefty went 1-2 with a 4.20 ERA and 40 strikeouts. Rodriguez made 33 appearances and started six games. He pitched for Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
This will be the first year of professional baseball for Weast. The Star City, Arkansas right-hander played for Delta State University the last two years. In 2006, Weast pitched with Colt reliever Taylor Fleming at Delta State. Last year, Weast posted a 5-3 record and a 3.78 ERA in fourteen appearances with six starts. During the 2006 season, Weast split time between pitcher and shortstop, going 8-2 with a 3.44 ERA, while hitting .305 with ten stolen bases.
Like Rodriguez, Williamson pitched for Pensacola last year. The Pensacola native posted a 4-6 record with a 5.25 ERA in 85.2 innings last season. Williamson, a member of the White Sox organization from 2004 to 2006, played for the Bristol Sox of the Appalachian League, the Kannapolis Intimidators of the South Atlantic League, and the Great Falls White Sox of the Pioneer League. With Great Falls in 2006, he went 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 15 starts.
Goldeyes manager Rick Forney announced today the signing of infielder Brent Metheny. There are now 22 players under contract for 2008, 12 of whom are position players.
Metheny, 27, had a career year in 2007, batting .308 with 21 home runs while adding 70 runs batted in. He led the Goldeyes in home runs, walks (56) and slugging percentage (.561), the former good for second in the league while the latter was third. Additionally, his dingers were fourth-most in a season in franchise history while his walks were fifth.
That kind of performance not only earned him team MVP honours, but also attracted the attention of the Chicago White Sox, who purchased his contract in November. Metheny attended spring training with the American League club but was released last week.
One of six Fish to represent Winnipeg at the NL All-Star Game, Metheny played primarily at third but also caught and saw action in both corner outfield spots.
The Gary SouthShore RailCats Bolster Pitching Staff
Northern League
Gary, Ind.- Greg Tagert added a couple more options to his pitching staff today, as the Gary SouthShore RailCats announced the additions of 25 year-old right-hander Billy Phillips and 27 year-old southpaw Drew Dickinson.
Phillips joins former teammates Rob Marconi and John McCarthy from the 2007 Frontier League Champion Windy City Thunderbolts. Phillips, who comes over from a previous trade that involved Mike Coles and Ryan Brandt, posted a 3.09 ERA (9th in the Frontier League) in 20 appearances going 8-5 as a starter.
Dickinson, who signs on as a free agent, will be entering his sixth professional season, including stints with the Oakland A's Double-A affiliate Midland RockHounds in 2005 and 2006, but was most recently with the Schaumburg Flyers in 2007.
Dickinson was fourth in the Northern League in starts with 21 for the Flyers, going 7-12 with a 6.42 ERA, striking out 62 would-be hitters.
The RailCats begin defense of their 2007 Northern League title on May 15th when they host Joliet in the 2008 season opener. Call (219) 882-2255 for ticket information.
Winnipeg's training camp roster now sits at an even two dozen.
Goldeyes manager Rick Forney announced today the signing of catcher Brady Everett and pitcher Robert Ransom. There are now 24 players under contract for 2008, 13 of whom are position players.
Everett, 24, arrives following three years in the Royals system. He spent last season with Burlington of the Midwest (A) League, batting .266 with 10 home runs and 46 runs batted in while leading the Bees with 30 doubles and a .432 slugging percentage. Able to play more than one position, he is a lifetime .310 behind the plate.
Ransom, 26, spent last season as St. Louis property following two years off to undergo and recover from shoulder surgery, going 0-1 with a 4.91 earned run average with Palm Beach of the Florida State (A+) League. Able to start or relieve, he is a career 6-3 with a 3.11 earned run average in 32 games, including a 5-1 mark with a 2.90 ERA in 15 starts.
CHICO, CA - The outfield anchor of the 2007 Chico Outlaws will once again be patrolling center field at Nettleton Stadium when the team begins defense of its Golden Baseball League title - the Outlaws announced Thursday that Jason Matteucci has signed a one-year contract to return to Chico for the upcoming 2008 season.
The 24-year-old Matteucci appeared in 64 games for the Outlaws last year, batting .292 with three home runs and 28 runs batted in. Jason also stole 11 bases on the season without being caught. Batting near the .300 mark most of the year, the San Jose native amassed 19 multi-hit games in 2007, highlighted by a five-hit performance August 3 against the St. George Roadrunners, tying a single game club record. In post-season play, Matteucci contributed a pair of RBI in game two of the GBL Championship Series as Chico defeated the Long Beach Armada 12-8 on its way to capturing the league crown.
Matteucci, who joined the Outlaws in July, 2006 and hit a home run in his first professional at-bat, set personal single-season bests last year in practically every significant offense category, including batting average, home runs, RBI, stolen bases, hits (64), doubles (11), triples (3) and runs scored (38).
The former Santa Clara Broncos star will begin his third year of professional ball when the Outlaws open spring training camp in May.
The workhorse of the Chico Outlaws championship pitching staff from a year ago will be back on the mound at Nettleton Stadium again this summer - the Outlaws announced Monday that All-Star left-hander Derrick Loop has signed on with Chico for the upcoming 2008 season.
Loop was one of the top hurlers in the GBL in 2007, appearing in 17 games and posting an 8-5 record with a 3.82 earned run average. Derrick's eight victories were the most of any pitcher in the GBL and he finished with the league's fourth-best ERA. The only southpaw on the Outlaws pitching staff for much of the year, Loop led Chico in innings pitched (92) and finished second on the staff with 58 strikeouts - both single-season career highs.
Loop's season highlights in '07 included winning five straight decisions between June 13 and July 6, a career-high seven strikeout performance August 8 versus Long Beach and a victory over the Armada in game two of the Golden Baseball League Championship Series. Derrick also possessed the deadliest pickoff move to first base of any GBL pitcher, throwing out close to a dozen baserunners last season. Loop's outstanding year was rewarded when he was one of five starting pitchers named to the league's post-season All-Star team.
Loop will begin his third pro season when the Outlaws open spring training camp in May. Derrick was a first team All-California Collegiate Athletic Association selection at Cal State Los Angeles before the Cleveland Indians chose Loop in the 23rd round of the 2006 amateur draft. In his lone season in the Indians organization, Derrick pitched in relief for the Mahoning Valley (Niles, OH) Scrappers of the single-A New York-Penn League.
The outfield anchor of the 2007 Chico Outlaws will once again be patrolling center field at Nettleton Stadium when the team begins defense of its Golden Baseball League title - the Outlaws announced Thursday that Jason Matteucci has signed a one-year contract to return to Chico for the upcoming 2008 season.
The 24-year-old Matteucci appeared in 64 games for the Outlaws last year, batting .292 with three home runs and 28 runs batted in. Jason also stole 11 bases on the season without being caught. Batting near the .300 mark most of the year, the San Jose native amassed 19 multi-hit games in 2007, highlighted by a five-hit performance August 3 against the St. George Roadrunners, tying a single game club record. In post-season play, Matteucci contributed a pair of RBI in game two of the GBL Championship Series as Chico defeated the Long Beach Armada 12-8 on its way to capturing the league crown.
Matteucci, who joined the Outlaws in July, 2006 and hit a home run in his first professional at-bat, set personal single-season bests last year in practically every significant offense category, including batting average, home runs, RBI, stolen bases, hits (64), doubles (11), triples (3) and runs scored (38).
The former Santa Clara Broncos star will begin his third year of professional ball when the Outlaws open spring training camp in May.
News 3-30
News 3-30
Linear Mode
