Adam Winslow Named Auburn Doubledays General Manager

According to a tweet earlier today from Jeremy Houghtaling of The Citizen, Adam Winslow has been named General Manager of the Auburn Doubledays.

Winslow previously served as the Doubledays GM from September, 2011, to May, 2013, when he accepted a sales position with Johnston Paper in Auburn.

Winslow has been working in the Doubledays’ front office since the departure of former GM Mike Voutsinas in December, 2016.

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

Several former New York-Penn League Players Non-Roster Invitees to Pirates Spring Training

Fifteen former New York-Penn Leaguers will be non-roster invitees to Pirates Spring Training this year. They include 5 former State College Spikes (when they were a Pirates affiliate), 7 former Jamestown Jammers, and 3 former West Virginia Black Bears (not including Austin Meadows, who completed a brief rehab assignment with the Black Bears in 2016).

Former New York-Penn League players invited to the Pirates Spring Training include:

Brandon Cumpton played for the 2010 State College Spikes. He was selected by the Pirates in the ninth round of the 2010 draft out of Georgia Tech. Cumpton saw big league action with the Pirates in 2013 and 2014, but did not play during the 2015 and 2016 seasons following Tommy John surgery in March, 2015.

Cody Dickson was selected by the Pirates in the fourth round of the 2013 draft out of Sam Houston State University. He played for the 2013 Jamestown Jammers (team relocated to Morgantown, WV in 2015). Dickson pitched in 14 games for the Jammers going 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He spent 2016 with the Altoona Curve (10-5, 3.66 ERA, 1.57 WHIP).

Frank Duncan played for the 2014 Jamestown Jammers. He was selected in the 13th round of the 2014 draft by the Pirates out of the University of Kansas. He was 3-3 in 14 starts with the Jamestown Jammers (3.58 ERA, 1.32 WHIP). Duncan spent time during the 2016 season at Altoona and Indianapolis.

Tyler Eppler was selected in the 6th round of the 2014 draft by the Pirates out of Sam Houston State University. Eppler pitched for the 2014 Jamestown Jammers going 3-2 in 14 starts (2.49 ERA, 0.95 WHIP). He was a Altoona during the 2016 season and was named to the Eastern League All-Star game.

Jared Lakind played for the 2013 and 2014 Jamestown Jammers after being selected by the Pirates in the 23rd round of the 2010 draft. He was an Eastern League All Star with the Altoona Curve in 2016 (5-1 in 47 appearances, 2.59 ERA, 1.18 WHIP)

 

Casey Sadler played for the 2010 State College Spikes, going 3-0 in 12 games (3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP). He was drafted by the Pirates in the 25th round in 2010 out of Western Oklahoma State College. Sadler pitched briefly for Pittsburgh during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He was released by the Pirates on January 8, 2016, and re-signed the next day. Sadler missed the entire 2016 season with Tommy John surgery.

Edgar Santana played for the West Virginia Black Bears in 2015. See The Stedler Report post of December 2, 2016 for the complete story on Santana linked here. He was one of four prospects that the Pittsburgh Pirates sent to the Rookie Career Development Program in Washington DC this past weekend. Baseball America rates Santana as having the best slider of all Pirates prospects.

Jin-De Jhang played for the Jamestown Jammers in 2013. He was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent in June, 2011 and spent the 2012 season in the Gulf Coast League. He batted .277/.338/.413 with the Jammers in 2013. Jhang, a catcher, played for Altoona and Indianapolis in 2016.

Christian Kelley was drafted by the Pirates in the 11th round in 2015 out of Cal Poly Pomona. A catcher, he played in 56 games (.232/.330/.242) for the West Virginia Black Bears in 2015. He spent time with the West Virginia Power and Bradenton Marauders during the 2016 season.
 

Jacob Stallings was selected by the Pirates in the 7th round of the 2012 draft out of the University of North Carolina. He played in 66 games (.230/.324/.332) for State College Spikes and one game for the Altoona Curve in 2012. The catcher played in 5 games for Pirates in 2016.

Kevin Newman was the Pirates first round pick in the 2015 draft. After 23 games (226/.281/.340) with the West Virginia Black Bears, he finished the 2015 season with the West Virginia Power (.306/.376/.367). He split the 2016 season between Bradenton (.366/.428/.494) and Altoona (.288/.361/.378)

Erich Weiss (son of Gary Weiss, former L.A. Dodgers) played for the Jamestown Jammers in 2013 (.273/.348/.364), after being drafted that year by the Pirates in the 11th round out of the University of Texas. The second baseman split the 2015 season between Bradenton (named to Florida League All Star game) and Altoona. He was named to the 2016 Eastern League All-Star game with the Altoona Curve (.276/.352/.408)

Eric Wood played in 6 games for the 2012 State College Spikes, spending most of the season in the Gulf Coast League. He was a 6th round pick by the Pirates in the 2012 draft out of Blinn (Texas) College. Wood played third base for the Altoona Curve in 2015 (.237/.303/.305) and 2016 (.249/.339/.443) and was Eastern League All Star in 2016.

Barrett Barnes played for the State College Spikes in 2012 (.288/.401/.456) after being selected in the first round of the 2012 draft out of Texas Tech. He was named the team MVP with the Altoona Curve in 2016 (.306/.377/.477). Barrett’s uncle is former major leaguer Anthony Young (Mets, Cubs, Astros).

Austin Meadows, the Loganville, Georgia native, was selected by the Pirates in the first round of the 2013 draft. He played in 5 games for the Jamestown Jammers in 2013 (.529/.636/.882) and played in 5 games for West Virginia Black Bears on a rehab assignment in 2016. He played for Altoona and Indianapolis in 2016.

photo credits: MiLB.com, Jamestown Gazette, Pirates Prospects, Operation Sports, Topps Cards.

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

Connecticut Tigers 2016 Recap

The Connecticut Tigers finished the 2016 season in second place in the Stedler Division, six games behind the Lowell Spinners and 3.5 games out of in the Wild Card Race. They set a season attendance record with 82,488 fans passing through the turnstiles at Dodd Stadium.

Manager Mike Rabelo became the winningest manager in Connecticut Tigers history, and has 118 wins in three seasons as the Tigers manager. On October 20, 2016, Rabelo was selected as manager of the West Michigan Whitecaps.

For complete 2016 statistics, click here.

2016 Record: 41-35

Attendance: 82,488 over 36 home dates; 2,291 average per game

Prospects to watch: There are several 2016 CT Tigers to follow. Here are a few...

Austin Athmann: catcher, selected in the 14th round in 2016; attended University of Minnesota; 6’2”,210; .276/.338/.393 in 40 games for CT Tigers; selected to NYPL All Star game.

 Cole Bauml: outfielder, selected in the 10th round of the 2015 draft; attended Northern Kentucky; 6’3”, 205; played in the Gulf Coast (Rookie) League in 2015; .270/.328/.379 in 64 games for CT Tigers in 2016. Selected to the 2016 NYPL All Star game.

 

Ryan Castellanos: pitcher, selected in the 25th round of the 2015 draft; attended Nova Southeastern; 6’3”, 215; pitched in 8 games for the CT Tigers in 2015 and also saw action in the Gulf Coast League and Florida State League (Lakeland) in 2015; set team record 8 wins in 14 games for CT Tigers in 2016 and was assigned to the Western Michigan Whitecaps in the Midwest League. 

Kyle Funkhouser: pitcher, selected in the 4th round of the 2016 draft; attended Louisville; 6’2’, 220; 2.65 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 37.1 innings for CT Tigers in 2016. 

 Joey Havrilak: outfielder, selected in the 18th round of the 2015 draft; attended Akron; 6”1”, 195; briefly with the Gulf Coast League Tigers before playing in 52 games (.213/.290/.346) for the CT Tigers in 2015; selected for the 2016 NYPL All-Star and played in 45 games for the CT Tigers (.270/.376/.411) and was assigned to the West Michigan in the Midwest League, playing in 25 games with the Whitecaps (.267/.345/.360). 

Josh Lester: 3rd base; selected in the 13th round of 2015 draft; attended Missouri; 6’3”, 216; played in 6 games for the Gulf Coast Tigers before being assigned to the CT Tigers (49 games, .204/.294/.292) and saw action in 5 games with the West Michigan Whitecaps. Tied team record for doubles (19) in 60 games with CT Tigers (.293/.365/.432) before finishing the 2016 season with the West Michigan Whitecaps. 

   

Blaise Salter: 1st base; selected in the 31st round of the 2015 draft; attended Michigan State; 6’5”, 245; played 36 games (.293/.336/.414) for the Gulf Coast Tigers (Rookie League) in 2015; selected to the 2016 NYPL All-Star game, playing in 60 games (.263/.300/.356) with the CT Tigers. Grandson of Detroit Tigers great, Bill Freehan.

Stadium information: Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium, opened 1995, capacity 6,270. For ticket information click here.

Team History: The Tigers have played in Norwich, Connecticut since 2010, after the Oneonta Tigers relocated. They have played at Dodd Stadium, which was vacated when the  Connecticut Defenders of the AA Eastern League moved to Richmond, Virginia after the 2009 season to become the Flying Squirrels.

2017 Draft: Affiliate Detroit Tigers pick 20th in the June draft.

Opening Day 2017: Open at home vs. Tri-City Valley Cats on June 19. Complete 2017 schedule, click here.

Photo Credits: MiLB.com

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

Williamsport Crosscutters 2016 Season Recap

The Williamsport Crosscutters finished the 2016 season with a record of 39-36, 10.5 games out of first in the Pinckney Division and 5 games out of the Wild Card race.

The two biggest news items this past season were the Player Development Contract with the Philadelphia Phillies was renewed through the 2018 season and the stadium lease with the City of Williamsport was extended through the 2020 season.

Williamsport, Pennsylvania has a rich baseball history. Organized baseball has been played at Bowman Field (now known as BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field) since 1926.  BB&T Ballpark was voted as the Best Stadium in Short Season Class-A in 2016 by fans on BallparkDigest.com. A road trip to north central Pennsylvania is recommended if you have never attended a game at the old ballpark. I attended several Williamsport Bills games with my family back in the 1980s when the Bills were a Cleveland Indians affiliate in the Double A Eastern League. Mike Hargrove was the manager and Turner Gill played shortstop, before he got back into football as a coach.

Groundbreaking took place in May on a new “Premium Deck” that will accommodate up to 250 people along the first base side of the stadium. The deck will feature rail seating, high top and 4-top tables on two levels along with full bar and food service for fans. Completion is scheduled for the 2017 season. There are also plans for additional renovations that would include converting all bleacher seating in the stadium to new individual seats while also redesigning the current box seating area to be more fan friendly with wider seats, aisles and cup holders.

2016 Season in Review:

Attendance: Totals 60,429 for 35 dates, Average per game 1,727

Record: 39 wins; 36 losses.

There were several bright spots for Williamsport in 2016. Four of the 2016 Crosscutters to follow in the future are:

Adonis Medina was signed as an international free agent by Phillies in May 2014. Pitching in his third year of organized ball, Medina went 5-3, 2.92 ERA, 1.10 WHIP in 64.2 innings over 13 starts. He was selected to the NYPL All-Star game in August.

Signed as an international free agent by Phillies in July 2013, Outfielder Jesus Alastre was a NYPL All-Star game pick last summer. He batted .290/.345/.327 and had 14 stolen bases in 50 games for the Crosscutters.

Pitcher Ranger Suarez was a NYPL All-Star game pick in 2016. A native of Venezuela, Suarez was signed as an international free agent by Phillies on April 1, 2012. He went 6-4 in 73.2 innings and finished the 2016 season with an ERA of 2.81 and a 1.15 WHIP. On July 26, Suarez pitched a seven inning no hitter (on 79 pitches) against the Auburn Doubledays.

First baseman Darick Hall showed good power with 9 HRs and 29 RBIs, while batting .282/.372/.518 in 195 AB (55 hits; 57 SO) over 57 games. The Phillies picked Hall in the 14th round in 2016, out of Dallas Baptist. Bats left and throws right and is 6’4”, 236.

The Crosscutters home opener for the 2017 season is on June 20 against in-state rival State College.

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

2017 NY-Penn League Schedule Released, Black Bears open on June 19 at home

The New York-Penn League schedule has been released for the 2017 season. The West Virginia Black Bears open the season at Monongalia County Ballpark on Monday, June 19, against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

The Black Bears 2017 schedule includes six Friday night and five Saturday night games at home. The promotion schedule has not been released. There are 213 days until the next Pepperoni Roll Race.

The Black Bears, Class A Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates play a 76 game schedule in the Short Season New York-Penn League, including 38 home games at Monongalia County Ballpark in Granville, West Virginia.

For the full schedule click here

The Stedler Report is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball or the New-York-Penn League.

Former NYPL Manager Wally Backman Epic Meltdown in 2007

Updated at 5:21pm on 9/13/16

It was reported by various news sources yesterday that Wally Backman has parted ways with the New York Mets organization. According to mlb.com, he left on his own because he didn't see any future with the Mets.. Backman spent the past seven years managing in the Mets organization. He managed the last five years in AAA with the Buffalo and Las Vegas farm teams and was the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2014.

Backman managed the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2010. He led the Cyclones to the McNamara Division Championship with a 51-24 record before losing in the NYPL Championship Series to the Tri-City Valley Cats.  He managed the AA Binghamtion Mets in 2011 before moving to AAA.

Here is his epic meltdown in 2007, while managing the South Georgia Peanuts. Strong language.

 

NYPL Championship Series Set

The schedule for the New York-Penn League Championship Series (LCS) is set after the State College Spikes defeated the Staten Island (?) last night 6-5 to clinch their Semi-Final Series. See game box score.

The LCS starts at the Hudson Valley Renegades on Sunday, September 11 at 4:00pm. The second game of the best of 3 series will be played at State College on September 12 at 7:05pm. Game three, if necessary will be played at State College on Tuesday, September 13 at 7:05pm.

For tickets link to NYPL website.

With State College win tonight, the Staten Island Yankees are no more

Back in June, the Staten Island Yankees announced that after 17 seasons of being known as the Staten Island Yankees, the team would be changing its name. Officials disclosed that starting in 2017, the team would take on an identity of its own and drop the Yankees name.

In a statement, Team President Will Smith said: "The Staten Island community is proud to have our team here, and we believe rebranding the team to something more specific will make this local brand become more popular here, and ultimately internationally."

On September 8, the team announced the list of the five finalists under consideration for the rebranding. They include: Bridge Trolls, Heroes, Killer Bees, Pizza Rats, and Rock Pigeons.

Fans can help select the new team name over the next two weeks by visiting the team's website. Personally, I prefer the Yankees.

Imagine, the Staten Island Pizza Rats.  Kind of a creepy mascot, don’t you think?

What’s in a name?

The Stedler Report is a blog about baseball in the Short Season Class A New York Penn League (NYPL). It is not affiliated with Minor League Baseball, the New York Penn League, or any of its members. It’s a blog just for fun; there are no subscription fees or advertising. The intent is to provide entertaining and interesting information about minor league baseball and specifically the NYPL.

Why the name, The Stedler Report? It is named in honor of Robert C. Stedler, who was the sports editor of the Buffalo Evening News. Through his efforts, the PONY League (later known as the New York-Penn League) was organized with teams located in Pennsylvania, Ontario, and New York. He served as league president from 1939-47.