{"id":5277,"date":"2010-05-19T17:50:39","date_gmt":"2010-05-20T00:50:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.seamheads.com\/?p=5277"},"modified":"2010-05-19T17:50:39","modified_gmt":"2010-05-20T00:50:39","slug":"bierbrodt-puts-fire-fighting-on-hold-to-pitch-pulsipher-padilla-have-double-roles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2010\/05\/19\/bierbrodt-puts-fire-fighting-on-hold-to-pitch-pulsipher-padilla-have-double-roles\/","title":{"rendered":"Bierbrodt Puts Fire-Fighting on Hold to Pitch; Pulsipher, Padilla Have Double Roles"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is easy tracking Atlantic League <\/strong>players when they have their contract picked up directly by a major league organization.\u00c2\u00a0 But what happens to everyone else who was in the league a year or two or three ago and is neither with an organization nor still in the league?\u00c2\u00a0 Sure, some give up playing and go to school or coach or get a job in the real world.<\/p>\n

There also are any number of Atlantic Leaguers who continue their journey in one of the other seven Independent leagues.\u00c2\u00a0 Occasionally, someone even gives the game up for a year or so, then tries again.<\/p>\n

Big lefthander Nick Bierbrodt<\/strong> falls into the latter category, and his story carries intrigue.<\/p>\n

Bierbrodt was in the Atlantic League for three seasons, 2005-07, first with Somerset<\/strong>; later with Bridgeport<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Results were spotty with a 7-7 record during the entire time.<\/p>\n

The Tarzana, CA <\/strong>product, who turned 32 two days ago, was a first-round draft choice with Arizona<\/strong> way back in 1996.\u00c2\u00a0 He was held in such high regard that he made 16 major league starts with the D-Backs <\/strong>and Tampa Bay <\/strong>when he was only 23 in 2001.\u00c2\u00a0 While Bierbrodt does not go around talking about it, he could have lost his life months later when he was going through a Hardees Restaurant <\/strong>drive-thru in Charleston<\/strong>, SC<\/strong> and had a nasty exchange from the back of a taxi with a biker.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like what he had to say; he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like what I had to say,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bierbrodt told The Colorado Springs Gazette<\/em> this week.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And he shot me\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, leaving a bullet in the hurler\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s liver and another floating in his side.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-5 pitcher spent time in recovery and missed the 2002 season.\u00c2\u00a0 Doctors said it might be more harmful to remove the bullets, so they left them in,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d according to The Gazette.<\/em> Bierbrodt was in and out of the majors in 2003 and 2004 before landing in the Atlantic League.\u00c2\u00a0 He also pitched Indy baseball in Long Beach<\/strong>, CA (Golden League) <\/strong>two years ago, then he quit the game to become a California<\/strong> <\/strong>fireman.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I want to do that (firefighter) eventually, but not if I can make more money in baseball,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he told The Gazette<\/em>, so when the Colorado Rockies <\/strong>called he once again became a baseball hopeful.\u00c2\u00a0 Bierbrodt was solid (0-1, 2.20) in 14 relief appearances in the Double-A Texas League <\/strong>earlier this season, and the Rockies promoted him to Colorado Springs <\/strong>in recent days, just one step from getting back to the majors.<\/p>\n

* * * *WANT MORE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL COVERAGE?\u00c2\u00a0 Check out our blog,\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 www.IndyBaseballChatter.com<\/a> * * * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Promotions and Demotions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>In player moves within the affiliated ranks, Toronto <\/strong>promoted 2009 Long Island <\/strong>starter B. J. LaMura <\/strong>(10-10, 4.95) from Class A to Class AA, and Florida <\/strong>released pitcher Matt DeSalvo,<\/strong> who was in one game for Southern Maryland <\/strong>last season.\u00c2\u00a0 Right-hander Jason Anderson (Somerset), <\/strong>infielder Keoni DeRenne (York)<\/strong> and lefty Daryl Harang (York) <\/strong>all were dropped one level.<\/p>\n

Statistically Speaking<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Former Long Island <\/strong>hurler Ed (Bubbie) Buzachero <\/strong>is having a difficult time of it with Toronto<\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s <\/strong>Double-A club except in the won-lost column where he is 3-0.\u00c2\u00a0 His ERA is 8.10.\u00c2\u00a0 Nate Bump (Camden) <\/strong>continues to roll for Philadelphia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s <\/strong>top farm club at Lehigh Valley<\/strong> at 4-1, 2.51 and Jon Hunton (Somerset<\/strong> and Lancaster) <\/strong>is 2-0, 2.18 in 14 relief appearances for Sacramento (Oakland). <\/strong>Among hitters, Jay Gibbons (Newark <\/strong>and Long Island) <\/strong>is at .379-6-27 for the Los Angeles Dodgers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Albuquerque <\/strong>farm while another outfielder, Cory Aldridge (Newark), <\/strong>is at .325-6-33 for Salt Lake City<\/strong>, <\/strong>the Los Angeles<\/strong> Angels of Anaheim\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s <\/strong>top club.\u00c2\u00a0 Michael Ryan (Somerset) <\/strong>has slipped to .167 (2-for-12) for the parent club.<\/p>\n

(Subscriptions to the Atlantic League Notebook are available on a monthly or full season basis via www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com<\/a> or www.WirzandAssociates.com<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 Bob Wirz also writes a weekly column, the <\/em>Independent Baseball Insider, as well as a blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. The author <\/strong>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.<\/em>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is easy tracking Atlantic League players when they have their contract picked up directly by a major league organization.\u00c2\u00a0 But what happens to everyone else who was in the league a year or two or three ago and is neither with an organization nor still in the league?\u00c2\u00a0 Sure, some give up playing and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":452,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6254,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-atlantic-league-notebook","category-general"],"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