Atlantic League on Brink of Adding Texas Team; Can-Am Tries Exhibitions in Maine

It appears much more likely the Eastern-based Atlantic League will tilt more to the west after what the City of Sugar Land, TX called the approval of a “historic agreement” earlier this week with Peter Kirk’s Opening Day Partners to place a team in the Houston area community, probably starting in 2012.

Kirk, who already owns three of the eight Atlantic League teams and is part of a fourth, brought in heavy artillery in the form of associate and Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson for the passage of a Letter of Intent for a public-private partnership to fund a $30 million stadium.  The city web site says Opening Day Partners will contribute $5 million plus a similar amount for the baseball franchise and startup costs.

Checking Out Old Orchard Beach

The Can-Am and United Leagues are the last of the eight Independent circuits to open, both starting in one week, although the Can-Am has an interesting showcase this weekend with two exhibition games at Old Orchard Beach in Maine.  Quebec and Brockton, MA will be the opponents in the coastal village that had an International League team from 1984-88.

Brockton Manager Chris Carminucci’s management company organized the games, which are among the first to be played since major improvements were poured into Old Orchard Ballpark, which was heavily damaged by fire two years ago.

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Hochevar Gets to 4-2, Millar So-So

Kevin Millar, Alberto Castillo and Max Scherzer were the Independent names most prominently related to major league news in recent days, but they were overshadowed Thursday afternoon when onetime American Association (Fort Worth Cats) starting pitcher Luke Hochevar hurled a four-hit complete-game 9-3 win for Kansas City at Cleveland, improving his 2010 record to 4-2.

Millar’s “thank you” tour with the St. Paul Saints has no doubt been a hit with fans, but any major league teams interested in the 38-year-old probably would need to consider his value in the clubhouse since he has only produced five singles (5-for-24, .208) with two runs batted in for six American Association contests.

Castillo, whose Independent stints have been in the Atlantic League (Camden and Newark, both in New Jersey plus an all-road team) and the Northern League (Schaumburg, IL), is once again with the parent Baltimore Orioles.  Scherzer, somewhat surprisingly since he had been starting for Detroit, is trying to get on track with Toledo, OH. Another former Fort Worth hurler, he was only 1-4, 7.29 in eight starts for the Tigers.  He has not yet worked for Toledo.

Nate Bumps Lowers ERA to 2.29

Nate Bump continues to get better in his quest to return to the major leagues.

The right-hander, who started last season with an 8-2, 2.49 run in a dozen starts for Camden, NJ in the Atlantic League, turned in his best performance in a series of strong starts for Philadelphia’s Triple-A club in Allentown, PA this week when he limited Louisville to three hits and one run in his first eight-inning appearance.  The 34-year-old could not improve upon his 4-1 record for Lehigh Valley because it took 16 innings for the IronPigs to earn a 2-1 victory.  Bump did lower his ERA to 2.29 (fourth best in the International League) during his 100-pitch game.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com, enjoy his blogs, www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com, or comment to RWirz@aol.com.  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)