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Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz LaRussa Weighs in on Peralta’s Big Year Not much can beat praise from the boss, regardless of the profession. Arizona outfielder David Peralta (Wichita 2012, Amarillo 2013), still only two years removed from playing for Amarillo and three from being with Wichita, has been praised by Hall of Fame...Read More

Courtesy Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Media Relations FARGO, N.D. – The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks have sold the contract of LHP Brandon Mann to the Oakland Athletics. Mann is the 65th player in franchise history to have his contract sold to a Major League organization. Mann, 31, became the American Association single-season strikeout king in 2015 has he recorded...Read More

St. Paul, Minn. — The St. Paul Saints were named the American Association’s Organization of the Year on Tuesday, as voted on by the league’s managers and media members. CHS Field, the Saints’ new ballpark in the Lowertown neighborhood, opened to rave reviews from players, front office and media members throughout the season.  The 7,210-seat...Read More

Independent Baseball Chatter by Bob Wirz While it seems unlikely most of them will be on postseason rosters, no less than five former American Association pitchers have gotten to experience the thrill of being on active rosters while their team has–or soon will–clinch a spot in major league baseball’s race for October-November glory. What stories they...Read More

Independent Baseball Insider – by Bob Wirz Onetime Wichita reliever James Hoyt (2012) received the honor of collecting the last three outs as Fresno (Houston) thumped Columbus (Cleveland) 7-0 in the Triple-A championship game this week. The 28-year-old righthander, who got a long look in the parent Astros’ spring training camp (0.00 ERA with 14 strikeouts...Read More

Durham, N.C. — The American Association announced on Friday that the contract of St. Paul Saints RHP Mike Zouzalik has been purchased by the Baltimore Orioles’ organization. An instrumental piece of the back end of the Saints bullpen and the 2015 American Association Rookie of the Year, Zouzalik posted a 4-1 record with a 2.06 ERA, the...Read More

Independent Baseball Insider – by Bob Wirz In trying to sum up a season in which two teams were extraordinary for virtually all of the 100-game sprint, onetime elite home run slugger Pete Incaviglia probably said it best:  “Once you get to the championships, you hate to see a loser because both teams deserve some...Read More

Durham, N.C. – One day after winning the franchise’s first American Association championship, the Laredo Lemurs had the contracts of RHP John Brebbia (photo right) and RHP Luis De La Cruz purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. In 2015, Brebbia set a Laredo franchise record with 19 saves, tied for fifth-most in the league, to go...Read More

Laredo 12, Sioux City 5 (Laredo wins series, 3-1) — Box Score The Laredo Lemurs claimed their first American Association Championship with a 12-5 win against the Sioux City Explorers in the fourth game of the American Association Championship series. After dropping the first game of the series, the Lemurs won three in a row...Read More

Laredo 6, Sioux City 4 (Laredo leads series, 2-1) – Box The Laredo Lemurs used a six-run fourth inning to rally from an early deficit and beat the Sioux City Explorers in game three of the championship series, 6-4. Laredo can wrap up the championship with a victory in game four tomorrow night in Sioux...Read More