Sweeney Returns From Japan and Rayborn From Taiwan To Bolster Somerset, Southern Maryland Mound Staffs

It is only a little bit of a stretch to say “they are coming from around the world” to play in the Atlantic League this summer.  Recent signees include a pair of 35-year-old right-handed pitchers who have spent the last three seasons working in Asian leagues.

Brian Sweeney, whose first major league victory sent future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson into the losing column, is back from Japan to be part of the mound staff of the two-time defending champion Somerset Patriots.  And, Kenny Rayborn has returned for a second stint with Southern Maryland, the only team he has played with that is outside of Taiwan since 2005.

Rayborn, who has a masterful 61-34 record in United States-based leagues including an 11-2 mark in Triple-A in the Cleveland farm system (2003-05), was a solid 8-5, 3.06 in 17 starts for the Blue Crabs last year before returning to Taiwan one more time.  One cannot help but think what might have happened had the 6-foot-4 hurler been around to help Butch Hobson’s troops in last fall’s championship series.

Sweeney, who never has been overpowering, will be making his first tour of the Atlantic League although the Yonkers, NY native got his professional start in an Independent league, going 6-0 for Lafayette, IN in what was the Heartland League in 1996 before Seattle purchased his contract.

He last pitched in this country in 2006 when he was on the Opening Day roster of the San Diego Padres. His major league career record for 49 appearances is 3-0 with a pair of saves.

Aldridge, Ryan in Heart of Salt Lake Order

I was anxious to see how Cory Aldridge (Newark) and Michael Ryan (Somerset) got out of the gate in the Pacific Coast League Thursday night after their disappointment of not sticking with the parent Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Their Salt Lake City Bees were limited to three singles in a 2-0 loss to Las Vegas, but the Atlantic League vets each had one of the safeties.  Aldridge, hitting cleanup, was 1-for-4, and Ryan, two spots lower, was 1-for-3 with a stolen base.

Jacque Jones’s return to affiliated baseball had a better individual result.  The 2009 Newark outfielder homered and walked in four plate appearances, but Rochester, NY (Twins) was toppled 11-3 by Pawtucket, RI (Red Sox). The homer came off Boof Bonser, who came to Minnesota shortly after Jones had moved from the Twins to the Chicago White Sox.

(Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are available on a monthly or seasonal basis via www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com or www.WirzandAssociates.com.  Bob Wirz also writes a weekly column, the Independent Baseball Insider, as well as a blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as chief spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)