Kuzmic receives national recognition

CHICO, CA - For the second straight year, a member of the Chico Outlaws has been included in Baseball America magazine's annual All-Independent Team selections. Following Grant Gregg's 2005 selection, the national publication Monday named Craig Kuzmic catcher on the All-Indy squad's second team.

Kuzmic enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his nine-year pro career in 2006 - in 72 games with the Outlaws, the switch-hitter batted .319 with 12 home runs and 53 runs batted in. He scored a GBL-high 60 runs and finished among the league leaders in every significant offensive category while providing solid defense for Chico behind the plate and at third base. Kuzmic's outstanding play led to Toronto purchasing his contract in late August, and he finished the season with the Blue Jays double-A affiliate in Manchester, New Hampshire.

A total of four Golden Baseball League players were included in Baseball America's All-Indy team selections. Fullerton Flyers first baseman and GBL Most Valuable Player Peanut Williams (.308 batting average, 20 home runs, 75 RBI) was named first team designated hitter, while Marcus Jensen of the Reno Silver Sox (.340, 14 HR, 57 RBI) was chosen as the All-Indy first team catcher. Long Beach Armada pitcher Andre Simpson (7-6 record, 3.28 earned run average and a league-high 140 strikeouts) was a second team selection.

Ian Church of the Frontier League's Kalamazoo Kings (.316, 31 HR, 78 RBI) was named Baseball America's independent leagues Player of the Year.

The Outlaws are preparing for its third season of Golden Baseball League play to begin in May, 2007. Full- and mini-season ticket plans are currently available by calling 345-3210 or visiting the Outlaws new offices at 308 Salem Street in downtown Chico.

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(Pleasanton, CA. October 30, 2006) The Golden Baseball League is pleased to announce that, in a partnership with Global Scouting Bureau, six GBL players have been selected to participate in the Colombia Winter League, which opened on October 27th. The players are playing for the Cartagena, Monteria, and Barranquilla clubs in the four-team circuit. The players are RHP Justin Ramsey of the Long Beach Armada, RHP Nate Sevier of the Reno Silver Sox, LHP Trevor Caughey of the Chico Outlaws, RHP Chris Jakubauskas and OF/3B Hector Zamora of the Fullerton Flyers, and C Jacob Guzman of the Yuma Scorpions.

The three-month Colombia Winter League is owned and operated by major league star Edgar Renteria and his brother Edinson Renteria. There are 96 roster spots with 40 of those open to foreign players. Recognized as a winter developmental league by major league baseball, three of the teams are staffed by managers from MLB teams and 29 of the foreign player this year are provided from major league farm systems. The Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Florida Marlins have provided coaching staff for this season. The remaining 11 roster spots were filled by the GBL with 6 players selected, the Northern League with 2, and then 1 player each from the Canadian-American League, the Atlantic League, and the American Association. The Frontier League and the United League did not place any of their players.

"This is a great opportunity for many of our top players and we worked hard to place as many from our league as possible," said GBL Commissioner Kevin Outcalt. "Playing under managers from major league organizations and with their high potential prospects gives our players a tremendous opportunity to get noticed. We have been very impressed with the Global Scouting Bureau, our first international player development partner, and their ability to bring value to our players and the GBL."

"The GBL has a multitude of talent from rookies through AAA veterans, and as it came down to selecting 11 independent players out of 24 candidates, the GBL did a great job of marketing players to us that fit the criteria of what the Colombian Professional Winter League was looking for," said Global Scouting Bureau VP of Operations Jesse Frescas, Jr. "I would not be surprised to see any of these players potentially sign with an affiliated MLB organization as the season concludes."