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Independent Baseball Insider – Vol. 12, No. 33,   November 6, 2014 By Bob Wirz   It is more commonplace for former Independent pitchers to get picked up by major league organizations, but shortstop Nate Samson has been rewarded with a new deal. Samson, whose contract was purchased by Arizona after he had hit .335 in...Read More

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – In one of the biggest cash prizes given to a fan by a sports team, the Kansas City T-Bones awarded Tina West of Overland Park, Kan., with a check for $100,000 Wednesday night as winner of the 7th Street Casino Bull’s-eye contest. After calling her earlier in the week, representatives from the...Read More

Independent Baseball Insider Vol. 12, No. 32,  October 30, 2014 By Bob Wirz Independent Players Get New Deals Free agency is looming for many onetime Independent stars as it always does this time of year when major league organizations do a shakedown of their rosters although at least four players have avoided the problem by agreeing...Read More

Winter Baseball Update: Australian League A number of 2014 American Association players are spending their offseasons playing in the Australian Baseball League. The six-team ABL, which begins play this weekend, plays a ten-week season and typically has several AA players on its teams’ rosters, including Gary SouthShore C Craig Maddox (pictured), who hit a three-run double in the...Read More

Independent Baseball Insider – Vol. 12, No. 31,   October 16, 2014 By Bob Wirz We all know that not every player who pulls on a baseball uniform is going to be rewarded with an opportunity to play in the major leagues.  Dennis Raben has been in this category so far, but his organization is heaping praise on him,after paying...Read More

16 American Association alumni spent time on Major League Baseball rosters in 2014, up from 10 in 2013 and 7 in 2012. RHP Aaron Crow (Fort Worth 2008-09) spent his fourth season in the Kansas City bullpen, pitching in 67 games and going 6-1 with a 4.12 ERA. RHP Dane De La Rosa (El Paso...Read More

Durham, N.C. — The American Association announced on Friday that the contract of Wichita Wingnuts RHP Chris Peacock was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Peacock joined the 2014 league champions in August and went 2-0 in six relief appearances, striking out four hitters in six innings of work. He also appeared in four of the...Read More

Durham, N.C. – Starting with the 2015 season, the American Association has announced the adoption of extra-inning tiebreaker rules to be used in all regular-season games, based upon existing International Baseball Federation and Can-Am League rules. Beginning in the 11th inning, the player in the batting order immediately preceding that inning’s leadoff hitter will be...Read More

Independent Baseball Insider – Vol. 12, No. 30,   October 2, 2014 By Bob Wirz Mickey Mantle helped put Joplin, Mo., on the baseball map in 1950 when he reeled off 199 hits and a Western Association-leading .383 average in only 137 games.  Old-timers in the city of 60,000 and market of 250,000 still talk about the...Read More

Durham, N.C. – Following this week’s American Association meetings in Sioux City, Iowa, league commissioner Miles Wolff announced the addition of the Joplin (Mo.) Blasters as a member for the 2015 season. Joplin will play in the AA’s South Division along with the Amarillo Sox, Grand Prairie AirHogs, Laredo Lemurs, and Wichita Wingnuts, the 2014...Read More