Independent Baseball Insider

Vol. 11, No. 14, May 9, 2013 Wirz & Associates, Inc.

665-A North Trail, Stratford, CT 06614 TEL: 203 380-9931 Email:RWirz@aol.com

After 1,600 Broadcasts, Winnipegs Paul Edmonds Talks of a Repeat Title and His 20th Year Goldeyes All-Stars
By Bob Wirz The picture seems permanently implanted in my head. It shows a smiling Paul Edmonds holding this spotted 42-inch Northern Pike. He could nearly be lost in the photo because of the massiveness of the fish, caught on a Winnipeg Goldeyes-organized charity fundraising trip only about four days after they won last seasons American Association championship. We dont (normally) do weight (on fish), the longtime Voice of the Goldeyes explained this week, but he confirmed it was the biggest catch of his active fishing career, probably around 20 to 22 pounds. Edmonds is a big fish in the Manitoba, Canada, city of 750,000 himself because as the Goldeyes embark on their 20th season next week he will be adding to his estimated 1,600 broadcasts which started in 1995 when the perennial attendance powerhouse franchise was only beginning its second season. Well over 50 players have had their contracts purchased by major league organizations in this span with seven of them reaching the major leagues. I asked if he still gets excited for each season, and the 46-year-old father of three pre-teens said I certainly am this year, coming off the championship season, with a chance to repeat. He went on to explain that if Winnipeg could pull off back-to-back American Association titles it would be like you (Goldeyes) cement yourself in history, explaining that the last sports team to pull off such a feat in Winnipeg was the hockey Jets, still in the World Hockey Association in the 77-78 and 78-79 seasons. The Goldeyes, who have six players returning for the new season which kicks off in eight days (May 17) at Grand Prairie, TX, are having fans select a 20-year all-star team, and the personable Edmonds agreed to lead off with his selections. Terry Lees phenomenal couple of years when he was Northern League Most Valuable Player in 1995 and 1996 sounded like an easy choice at first base, and the fact Brian Duvas No. 5 is one of three uniforms retired by the team got him the nod at second base. Brent Metheny was selected at third and Max Poulin, who had no equal defensively for Edmonds, is the shortstop. Luis Alen, one of the returnees in 2013, was named the top catcher for his key hits and leadership, and generally being as integral to the team offensively as defensively. Sean Hearn, Carmine Cappuccio and last seasons only Winnipeg representative on the league all-star team, Chris Roberson, make up Edmonds dream outfield. Juan Diaz, who tied Hearns team home run record with 29 in 2009, was selected as the top designated hitter. Current Manager Rick Forney, Rafael Gross, Bobby Madritsch, newly-retired Ace Walker and

Jeff Zimmerman, the latter better known nationally for becoming a standout major league reliever, were selected as starting pitchers with Brian Beuning, Donnie Smith and current Atlanta farmhand Ian Thomas and potential major leaguer getting the nod in relief with Jeff Sparks and his disgustingly filthy screwball named closer. Madritsch and Sparks eventually joined Zimmerman as major leaguers along with a few of other 20 th year all-star nominees who did not make the final cut in Edmonds selections. **** ANXIOUS FOR MORE INDEPENDENT BASEBALL COVERAGE? We Have It Regularly at www.IndyBaseballChatter.com **** Kazmir Strong, But Former Mates at Sugar Land Dominant Scott Kazmir was masterful this afternoon (Thursday) with 10 strikeouts (no walks) among his 18 outs in six innings of one-run pitching to lead Cleveland to a 9-2 triumph against Oakland, but even if the veteran left-hander still was with Sugar Land,TX for a second season it seems doubtful the Skeeters would be doing much better than they already are in their second Atlantic League season. While Kazmir, now 2-1 with the Tribe, would bring more headline-grabbing attention to the Houston-area Skeeters, they have won 11 of their last 12 and are playing at a brilliant .850 pace (17-3) after a 5-1 matinee victory at Southern Maryland (Waldorf). Among the accomplishments for Gary Gaettis club are a 10-0 record at home, series sweeps against both of last years championship series teams, Long Island and Lancaster, with 10 games in the two sets, and they sit atop the league statistics in both hitting (.286) and pitching (2.51). The offense is producing just over six runs a game, led by catcher Koby Clemens (the son of a former pitcher with the same last name) with six homers and 18 RBI despite a .241 average. Only one of the 15 pitchers on the staff, which probably will be trimmed a bit when rosters go from 27 to 25 at the end of the month, has an earned run average above 3.52. As for Kazmir, he had not recorded a 10-strikeout game in the majors in four years, and it was nearly five years ago when he last fanned that many without issuing any walks. Colabello Shares Triple-A Homer Lead After 16th Inning Blast It would not be surprising if Chris Colabello admitted he is in a mini slump right now because he has gone 1-for-12 in Rochesters last two International League games and he even had a rare two-error game, but there is something to be said for timeliness. The longtime Can-Am League star first baseman (Worcester, MA and Nashua, NH), playing with Minnesotas top farm club and hoping to get that major league call sometime this season, slugged a two-run homer in the top of the 16 th inning earlier this week to help the Red Wings put an end to a five-hour, 17-minute marathon at Toledo, 8-7. Colabello shares the Triple-A leagues home run leadership (eight) and is hitting .315 with 22 RBI (sixth in the league). His nine-game hitting streak ended on Wednesday. Delabars Success Has Others Looking at His Program In Torontos early season of disappointment, one of the few consistent positive performances have come from reliever Steve Delabar, still little more than three years after his career seemed dead when he

fractured his right (throwing) elbow at Brockton, MA (Can-Am League) that led to the insertion of a metal plate and nine screws. The eventual salvation for Delabar, now 29, was to turn to an academy in Kentucky where his throwing technique was overhauled. The pitcherand many others who have followedhealed and actually increased velocity through workouts where the focus is on acceleration and deceleration of the arm, much of it with mock throws with a weighted baseball placed in a sock. Now in his second full season with the Blue Jays, Delabar has many believers who have watched him maintain a 1.80 ERA with well under a hit per inning. He has a 3-1 record and a save for this team that is nine games under .500. One who has taken notice is John Farrell, Torontos manager last season, who has moved on to the Boston Red Sox. Weve had discussions (about the program), not to implement on a broad scale, but I think its definitely worth maybe a pilot program to take a closer look at it, Farrell told MLB.com. There is a lot of validity to it.
(Bob Wirz also writes about Independent Baseball on www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. Fans may subscribe to this Independent Baseball Insider column, which will be published 40 times in 2013, at www.WirzandAssociates.com or comment to RWirz@aol.com. The author has 16 years of major league baseball experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners, and lives in Stratford, CT.)