{"id":17008,"date":"2011-09-22T22:21:44","date_gmt":"2011-09-23T05:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seamheads.com\/?p=17008"},"modified":"2011-09-22T22:21:44","modified_gmt":"2011-09-23T05:21:44","slug":"64000-september-payday-must-look-very-appealing-to-former-independent-players-in-majors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2011\/09\/22\/64000-september-payday-must-look-very-appealing-to-former-independent-players-in-majors\/","title":{"rendered":"$64,000 September Payday Must Look Very Appealing To Former Independent Players in Majors"},"content":{"rendered":"

For anyone curious about the pay earned by a former Independent player—or any other player—who suddenly finds himself in the major leagues as a September 1 call-up, the answer rests somewhere around $64,000 in salary.  The $414,500 annual salary for a rookie is prorated for the 182 days of the season at $2,277 per day.<\/p>\n

This means outfielder Justin Christian, who started his pro career at River City (O’Fallon, MO) of the Frontier League and played a short time in the Atlantic League (Southern Maryland), will get about $52,371 for his 23 days with the San Francisco Giants.  He is hoping to make a sufficient impression to return to the 2010 World Champions fulltime next year, and his 5-for-9 output with three runs batted in the last two games for the frequently run-starved Giants who are trying to stay in the playoff chase do not hurt.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Christian, 31, who has survived six surgeries in his career, also showed a sense of humor when he told The San Jose (CA) Mercury News recently “I’m thankful for all the people who told me I couldn’t do it (make the major leagues).  It was motivating for me.”  The speedy Christian is hitting .258 in 12 games (8-for-31) with three stolen bases.<\/p>\n

Southpaw reliever Raul Valdes, who played in the Can-Am League (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH), and base-stealing threat Joey Gathright (Yuma, AZ, North American League; Shreveport, LA, American Association; Long Island, NY, Atlantic) are among the former Independent players getting all of September in the majors.  Valdes has hurled 2.2 scoreless innings (five strikeouts) for his $64,000 from the New York Yankees while Gathright, with Boston, has a walk, run and stolen base to show for his five appearances and does not have any official at-bats.<\/p>\n

Batting Champ Hits Ninth<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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 It would no doubt take some digging to find out the last time a league batting champion hit ninth in the playoffs, but that was where Atlantic League <\/strong>hit king Kraig Binick <\/strong>was for Long Island’s <\/strong>opening win.  The Long Island native (Hicksville, NY)<\/strong>, who should be making Can-Am League <\/strong>brass smile with his production, had a 2-for-4 game with a run and a run batted in, to follow up on his .343 regular-season average plus league-leading totals in stolen bases (42), stolen base percentage (.894) and on-base percentage (.429).<\/p>\n

“He stands close to the plate, and stays within himself,” said rival Manager Willie Upshaw <\/strong>of Bridgeport<\/strong>, CT<\/strong>, whose Bluefish <\/strong>were beaten out of a spot in the playoffs on a play-in game against Southern Maryland<\/strong>.  <\/strong>Binick is an unusual combination of a right-handed batter who hits primarily to the opposite field and a left-handed throwing outfielder.<\/p>\n

 Playing in what generally is considered a more junior league in 2010, the 26-year-old Binick hit .289 with 45 steals for the Sussex<\/strong> Skyhawks (Augusta, NJ) <\/strong>of the Can-Am League.  He was not among the leaders in the batting race.<\/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

Gold Medals Could Await a Trio of Former Indy Players<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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A trio of former Independent Baseball pitchers, all with major league experience, are part of the 24-man team the United States<\/strong> <\/strong>will send to Panama<\/strong> <\/strong>and Mexico<\/strong> next month with gold medals on their mind in the IBAF World Cup <\/strong>and Pan American Games, <\/strong>respectively.<\/p>\n

Right-hander Scott Patterson, <\/strong>who pitched in the Atlantic League (Lancaster, PA) <\/strong>and Frontier League (Gateway, Sauget, IL)<\/strong>, is on the team along with southpaws Andy Van Hekken (Somerset, NJ, <\/strong>Atlantic) and Randy Williams (Edinburg, TX, Central League)<\/strong>.  Williams spent some time with the parent Boston Red Sox <\/strong>this season while Patterson is in the Seattle<\/strong> <\/strong>organization and Van Hekken is in the Houston<\/strong> <\/strong>chain.<\/p>\n

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes year round on Independent Baseball.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com<\/a>, enjoy his blogs, www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com<\/a> and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com<\/a>, or comment to RWirz@aol.com<\/a>.  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

 <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For anyone curious about the pay earned by a former Independent player—or any other player—who suddenly finds himself in the major leagues as a September 1 call-up, the answer rests somewhere around $64,000 in salary.  The $414,500 annual salary for a rookie is prorated for the 182 days of the season at $2,277 per day. […]<\/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":[],"class_list":["post-17008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-indy-baseball-insider","category-minors"],"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