{"id":14741,"date":"2011-06-23T15:08:33","date_gmt":"2011-06-23T22:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seamheads.com\/?p=14741"},"modified":"2011-06-23T15:08:33","modified_gmt":"2011-06-23T22:08:33","slug":"extra-outfielder-now-a-hitting-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2011\/06\/23\/extra-outfielder-now-a-hitting-star\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Extra Outfielder’ Now a Hitting Star"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 In forging their way to the best record in the Atlantic League,<\/strong> the Long Island (NY) Ducks<\/strong> have relied on the talents of such established players at this level of play as John Rodriguez, Lew Ford, J. R. House, Ray Navarrete <\/strong>and Javier Colina<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It is a substantial group.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 And they have Kraig Binick<\/strong>, at least if they can keep him healthy.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Binick is a rarity for the Atlantic League in that the onetime Baltimore <\/strong>draftee has only three games as high as Class AA in more than four seasons since he left the New York Institute of Technology<\/strong>, where he hit .406 as a senior.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He came in as an extra outfielder\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, said first-year Manager Kevin Baez<\/strong>, who noted that he told the 26-year-old Binick they would have to see what opportunities opened up.\u00c2\u00a0 The signing in Long Island followed a season in the Can-Am League<\/strong> where he put up a workmanlike .289 average, hit 18 doubles and stole 45 bases for Sussex <\/strong>in Augusta, NJ.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0 <\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 <\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Can-Am League, I think I needed to go there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Binick said.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Those guys can play over there.\u00c2\u00a0 I had the ability and talent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 But he also feels he is using his talent better now, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153using my hands more and trusting myself\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, and in addition praises the opportunity to be around more players who have been at a higher level.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Every day you get more information,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he explained.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The depth in this league is tremendous.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 The 5-foot-11 native of Long Island, who bats right and throws left, has missed about two weeks, first with a hamstring issue, then he suffered a broken eye socket and needed stitches when he took a foot to the face while sliding into second base in Lancaster, PA <\/strong>recently.\u00c2\u00a0 Binick is currently wearing what he calls a hockey-like visor to protect his face.\u00c2\u00a0 He likely will have it at least two more weeks.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 While he has tailed off by going 3-for-24 since the latest injury, Binick still ranks second in the Atlantic League in hitting (.359, and three points behind Southern Maryland\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Yunesky Sanchez<\/strong> among players still in the league) and on-base percentage (trailing Josh Pressley <\/strong>of Somerset, NJ,\u00c2\u00a0 <\/strong>.460 to .449) and is setting the pace with 16 stolen bases.<\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

FOR ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT BASEBALL COVERAGE?<\/strong><\/p>\n

www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com<\/a> ADDED TO www.IndyBaseballChatter.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

* * * *<\/p>\n

First Three Indy Stints, Now Keisler Back in Form<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 One of the more heart-warming tales of the season has to be that of veteran southpaw Randy Keisler<\/strong>, who endured two shoulder surgeries, a divorce, his father\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stroke and hints from friends that maybe he should look for another way to make a living.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 But after starting his way back with three Independent teams the last two seasons (Southern Maryland, Atlantic League <\/strong>in \u00e2\u20ac\u212209 and Pensacola, FL (American Association) <\/strong>and Long Island, NY <\/strong>(Atlantic) last year, Keisler signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers <\/strong>during the offseason and made their Triple-A Albuquerque <\/strong>team out of spring training.\u00c2\u00a0 A groin injury gave the well-traveled former major leaguer one more disabled list stint, but he has a dazzling 0.35 earned run average since June 2 (one run in 25.2 innings) and earned Pacific Coast League <\/strong>Pitcher of the Week honors June 6-12.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 He had a 10-strikeout game this week, and has won four in a row to improve to 4-2, 3.51.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to give it all I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keisler told The Albuquerque Baseball Examiner<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m 35 years old, but my arm is better than it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been in six years.\u00c2\u00a0 I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always believed in myself if I was healthy I could pitch.\u00c2\u00a0 I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m focused and just happy to be here again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fans Get in on the Thrill as Pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Contract Is Sold to Phils<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 As one who likes to see a few theatrics when the situation allows, it was nice to hear how the Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs <\/strong>chose to alert their fans to the fact team strikeout leader Tommy Palica<\/strong> had just seen his contract purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 <\/strong>When Palica was taken out of an American Association <\/strong>game this week, the public address announcer made the announcement as Palica was approaching the dugout where teammates were waiting with embraces.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Palica\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 43 strikeouts in 43.1 innings this season (2-1, 3.12) should not be surprising since the 23-year-old lefty fanned 253 batters in 224 innings during his first four professional seasons leading up to 2011, all in the Atlanta Braves <\/strong>minor league system.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 (This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes year round on Independent Baseball.\u00c2\u00a0 Fans may subscribe at newly reduced rates at <\/a>www.WirzandAssociates.com<\/a>, enjoy his blogs, www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com<\/a> and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com<\/a>, or comment to RWirz@aol.com<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 The author <\/strong>has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 In forging their way to the best record in the Atlantic League, the Long Island (NY) Ducks have relied on the talents of such established players at this level of play as John Rodriguez, Lew Ford, J. R. House, Ray Navarrete and Javier Colina.\u00c2\u00a0 It is a substantial group.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 And they have Kraig […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":452,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,4746,78],"tags":[15158,542,4843,15161,15156,6175,15160,15154,6165,15153,9558,6253,15157,499,14036,3055,15155,4730,1843,15159],"class_list":["post-14741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-indy-baseball-insider","category-minors","tag-baez","tag-can-am-league","tag-class-aa","tag-ducks","tag-eye-socket","tag-four-seasons","tag-institute-of-technology","tag-john-rodriguez","tag-lancaster-pa","tag-lew-ford","tag-long-island","tag-navarrete","tag-new-york-institute-of-technology","tag-outfielder","tag-rarity","tag-stitches","tag-substantial-group","tag-those-guys","tag-three-games","tag-visor"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t