Ex-Indians in Independent ball

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

I mentioned offhand that I saw matt Brown playing RF for Traverse city this past weekend when it occurred to me to post a list of ex-Indian farmhands in Indyvall. I'll start with the Fronmtier League as this is the easiest Indy league for anyone who wants to watch a former Tribe prospect play.

Kalamazoo Kings - in Avon July 31-August 2 and September 3-5
Guido Fonseca

Traverse City Beach Bums - in Avon July 19-21
Matt Brown

Southern Illinois Miners - in Avon August 20-22
Stephen Head

Oakland County Cruisers - in Avon May 25-27, June 26-28, and August 6-8
PJ Zocchi

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

Bridgeport Bluefish
Brian Barton
Brandon Chaves
Denny Stark
Jorge Julio

Camden Riversharks
Blaine Neal
Kyle Haines

Long Island Ducks
Jake Dittler
Dustan Mohr
Rick Bauer (only played in Cleveland, not farm system IIRC)
Kane Davis

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
Jim Ed Warden
Eric Crozier
Dan Reichert
Patrick Osborn

Lancaster Barnstormers
Aaron Herr

Somerset Patriots
Tom Mastny

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION

St. Paul Saints
Ole Sheldon
Jason Cooper

CAN-AM LEAGUE

Brockton Rox
Mike Conroy

New Jersey Jackals
Mike Pontius
Argenis Reyes

Pittsfield Colonials
Jansy Infante

Sussex Skyhawks
Mike McGuire

GOLDEN LEAGUE

Chico Outlaws
Robbie Alcombrack
JJ Sherrill

Na Koa Ikaika Maui
Kaimi Mead
Jerry Spradlin
Chris Nash
Cory Snyder - MANAGER

Tuscon Toros
Michael Valadez

NORTHERN LEAGUE

Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks
Mike Finocchi

Kansas City T-Bones
Reid Santos
Ryan Knippschild

Joliet Jackhammers
Bear Bay

Rockford Riverhawks
Scott Roehl

UNITED LEAGUE

Edinburg Roadrunners
Osiel Flores

[Pork Chop Pough]

Just a "wow" on Barton... and to think that teams questioned his passion and commitment for the game of baseball coming out of college.

[TonyIBI]

Great update, and thanks. I was actually just about to go digging to see where a lot of the former guys are and put something in MH this week after an Akron player yesterday asked about the whereabouts of so many. Great job.

[osueddy]

Additions:

Atlantic League:
Bridgeport - Brandon Chaves, Denny Stark, Jorge Julio
Long Island - Kane Davis
Southern Maryland - Dan Reichert, Patrick Osborn

Frontier League:
Oakland County Cruisers - PJ Zocchi

American Association:
St. Paul Saints - Ole Sheldon, Jason Cooper

Can-Am League:
Brockton Rox - Mike Conroy
New Jersey Jackals - Mike Pontius, Argenis Reyes
Pittsfield Colonials - Jansy Infante
Sussex Skyhawks - Mike McGuire

Golden Baseball League:
Chico Outlaws - Robbie Alcombrack, JJ Sherrill
Na Koa Ikaika Maui - Kaimi Mead, Jerry Spradlin, Chris Nash Manager - Cory Snyder!!!
Tuscon Toros - Michael Valadez

Northern League:
Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks - Mike Finocchi

[nubballguy]

Man, what a great post! Thanks so much for doing this research Upper Box.
Saw some former favs of mine such as Eric Crozier and Brian Barton and some recent cuts I was disappointed about like Matt Brown and Stephen Head and some "Wows" like Kane Davis(!) still out there chasing the dream no matter how distant it may seem.

[TonyIBI]

The amazing thing is these guys are still out there chasing the dream playing independent ball which is so, so, so far away from the bigs but also at the same time making almost nothing as far as money goes. These guys really want to keep playing.

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

Additions:

Atlantic League:
Bridgeport - Brandon Chaves, Denny Stark, Jorge Julio
Long Island - Kane Davis
Southern Maryland - Dan Reichert, Patrick Osborn

Frontier League:
Oakland County Cruisers - PJ Zocchi

American Association:
St. Paul Saints - Ole Sheldon, Jason Cooper

Can-Am League:
Brockton Rox - Mike Conroy
New Jersey Jackals - Mike Pontius, Argenis Reyes
Pittsfield Colonials - Jansy Infante
Sussex Skyhawks - Mike McGuire

Golden Baseball League:
Chico Outlaws - Robbie Alcombrack, JJ Sherrill
Na Koa Ikaika Maui - Kaimi Mead, Jerry Spradlin, Chris Nash Manager - Cory Snyder!!!
Tuscon Toros - Michael Valadez

Northern League:
Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks - Mike Finocchi

Jason, thanks for the additions! I forgot that some of these guys were in the system.

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

I've checked the Continental League rosters, nobody that I can remember playing in the Tribe organization there.

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

Also, the New York State League has not yet posted their rosters, so I can't check those yet.

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

More Northern Leaguers added.

[osueddy]

Good update, and a great topic.

[TonyIBI]

Props guys....I'll mention this in MH this week, and give proper credit. This is great.

[npc29]

Bring back Ole Sheldon... Loved that guy.

Can't believe guys like Rick Bauer and Dustan Mohr are still around the game.

[jellis]

Bring back Ole Sheldon... Loved that guy.

Can't believe guys like Rick Bauer and Dustan Mohr are still around the game.

They must really love it cause they both had to make decent money in there time in the majors and then time in the minors when they were making close to 6 figures after their time in the majors

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

Bring back Ole Sheldon... Loved that guy.

Can't believe guys like Rick Bauer and Dustan Mohr are still around the game.

They must really love it cause they both had to make decent money in there time in the majors and then time in the minors when they were making close to 6 figures after their time in the majors

They may not be doing that badly. The Atlantic League is the one Indy league without experience or salary restrictions.

[Upper Box Woodchuck]

Caught this article about a good outing by Bear Bay while checking out the indyball playoff scores:

http://www.northernleague.com/cgi-bin/r ... 1283999077

[TitoFrancona]

Great thread. Thanks upperbox. Really interesting to see how so many of these players actually had a cup of coffee - or more in the majors. Yeah, I guess for some, giving up the dream isn't so easy. But, as far away as it may seem, occasionally, someone gets picked up.

Only a couple of days ago, the Texas Rangers signed Mark Prior to a minor league deal. Prior was pitching in the Golden Baseball Independent league for the Orange County Flyers. So, sometimes the dream isn't quite over.