Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘MLB’

High School and College players invited to Parkview Field to be evaluated by Major League Baseball personnel

The San Diego Padres will be hosting an Open Tryout at Parkview Field, home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps, on Tuesday, July 21st. Registration will begin at 9:00am at Parkview Field and the tryout will begin promptly at 10:00am. Attendees are encouraged to use the south entrance, located on the corner of Ewing and Brackenridge. Free parking is available in the team’s Silver Lot, located just south of Parkview Field.

Undrafted high school juniors through college seniors, between the ages of 15 and 21, are invited to showcase their skills and talents at the tryout camp conducted by area scouts of the Padres organization.

“We receive quite a few questions about people wanting to try out for the TinCaps team,” said TinCaps Team President, Mike Nutter. “We explain that all of the players on the TinCaps team have either been drafted, or signed as free agents, by the San Diego Padres. That’s one of the benefits of being affiliated with a Major League team, they have a full staff of evaluators and scouts watching players across the entire country to provide the talent on the field in Fort Wayne, Indiana.”

“What the Padres offer with this Open Tryout is the opportunity for local players to showcase their skills. The personnel that will be at Parkview Field evaluating talent have seen the best high school and college players in this area for years. This Open Tryout is an opportunity for the Padres to get another look at local talent and it is also a chance for players in this area to showcase their abilities and receive some constructive feedback. There’s never a guarantee of being signed, but there’s a chance and that’s all I think most players are looking for.”

Scouting officials and personnel directors of the Padres system will handle the entire tryout camp. No player signing decisions will be made by the Fort Wayne TinCaps organization.

Players are not required to pre-register for the open tryout through the Fort Wayne TinCaps. All players under the age of 18 will need to have their approved registration waivers signed by a parent or legal guardian. Players trying out will need to bring the following items – uniforms, gloves, shoes and/or cleats, and if needed, catching equipment. All baseballs, wood bats and batting helmets will be provided.

Taylor Kinzer achieved a lifelong dream Wednesday afternoon when he signed a professional baseball contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at the team’s spring training complex in Tempe, Arizona.

“This is my dream,” Kinzer said after the signing. “It’s what I’ve wanted to pursue my entire life.”

Kinzer will report to a five-day minicamp in Arizona with other Angels draft picks who signed early with the organization. The next stop will be Orem, Utah, where he will suit up for the Orem Owlz, one of the Angels’ two rookie league affiliates.

Opening day for the Owlz is June 23, followed by a two-and-a-half-month season consisting of approximately 80 games.

A right-handed pitcher who played the last two seasons for Taylor University, Kinzer was 8-0 on the mound for the Trojans this past spring as they captured the Mid-Central College Conference Tournament championship and a trip to the NAIA National Tournament.

“My experience at Taylor has been life-changing,” Kinzer said. “The community is awesome and my team was the best group of guys I’ve ever played with. Coach [Taylor head coach Kyle Gould] has prepared me and pushed me to be the best I can be—both on and off the field. I really respect him and it’s been a blessing to have him as my coach.”

By signing a professional contract, Kinzer will forego his final two years of eligibility at Taylor, but the Angels will help Kinzer financially to complete his Taylor education.

“I definitely had my mind set on playing, but it depended on getting school paid for,” Kinzer said. “When the Angels made that happen, it made my decision that much easier.”

Following the signing, Taylor head coach Kyle Gould had high praise for his former ace.

“I knew when we signed Taylor two years ago, that his goal since he was a little kid was to play professional baseball,” Gould said. “Although we would have loved to have him back for his final two years of eligibility, I couldn’t be happier for Taylor as he has earned the opportunity to pursue his life-long dream of playing professionally as a member of the Los Angeles Angels organization.”

Even with Kinzer’s departure, the family ties to Taylor baseball will continue. Kinzer’s father Matt Kinzer, who played professionally for the St. Louis Cardinals, is the pitching coach for the Trojans. He will be joined by Taylor’s younger brother and incoming freshman, Derek Kinzer, this fall.

See also: WANE TV Story and Video of Kinzer leaving Fort Wayne to Report to Angels’ Camp

Related BBIFW Posts:

• Taylor Kinzer Drafted by Angels and Other Picks of Local Interest
• Kinzer Leads Taylor in Debut
• Local Ties: Area Standouts Lead Taylor University

Former Angola High School standout and current Ball State University player/student, Zach Dygert was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 48th round (1,432nd overall) of the 2009 MLB Amateur Entry Draft today.

You might also be interested in the following:

• WANE TV story on Zach Dygert by Ross Kinsey
• MLB Scouting video on Zach Dygert

Taylor University and former Homestead standout, Taylor Kinzer was drafted by the Angels with the 741st pick, which was the final pick of round 24.

The ace of Taylor’s 2009 MCC Tournament championship team, Kinzer was a perfect 8-0 on the mound for the Trojans. This is the second time Kinzer has been selected in the MLB Draft.  In 2006 he was a 34th round pick of the Washington Nationals as an outfielder, but Kinzer chose to continue his education and he landed at Taylor in the fall of 2007.

“We are really excited for Taylor,” said Taylor head coach Kyle Gould. “This is a major accomplishment for him and a testament to the hard work that he put in over the past two years in becoming a great pitcher.  His efforts on the mound down the stretch were key to us winning a conference championship and advancing in the NAIA National tournament.  Taylor’s selection by the Angels demonstrates that playing baseball at Taylor can provide the opportunity and exposure to move on to professional baseball.”

Through two seasons at Taylor, Kinzer is 13-5 on the mound including his perfect record in 2009.  In 135 career innings pitched, he has walked only 28 batters while striking out 95. At the plate he has batted .316 each of the last two seasons to go along with 45 extra base hits in 351 at bats.

Major League Baseball allows draftees until August 17 to sign with their team. Kinzer would forego his final two years of eligibility at Taylor if he signs with the Angels.

Related BBIFW Posts:

• Kinzer Leads Taylor in Debut
• Local Ties: Area Standouts Lead Taylor University

Other Local Ties Notes:

St. Louis native, Josh Worrell - who is a student at Indiana Weslyan University – was selected by the Royals in the 30th round (902nd overall).

The TinCaps may soon have an almost local player. Carmel High School standout and current University of Michigan baseball player, Christopher Fetter was chosed by the Padres with the 264th overall pick in the 9th round.

Photo is courtesy of Taylor Univeristy and Don Rogers.

Former Fort Wayne Wizards pitcher, Juan Rincon chose to become a free agent about ten days ago after declining a minor league assignment from the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers had designated him for assignment when they brought Dontrelle Willis back into the fold.  Apparently his decision was the right one, having landed with the Colorado Rockies.

Rincon, 29, was once among the top setup men in the game but has struggled over recent seasons since testing positive for a banned substance in 2006. He signed with the Twins organization as a 17-year-old from Venezuela in 1996 and joined the Wizards (who were a Twins affiliate at the time) in 1998. With the ‘zards that year, he went 6-4 with a 3.83 ERA and 74 strikeouts over 96.1 innings pitched.

Related BBIFW Juan Rincon Posts:

• Twins Cut Juan Rincon – Updated 6/13
• Juan Rincon Signed by Tribe, Sent to Triple-A
• Tigers Moves Bring in One Former Wizard, Oust Another
• Former Wizards on the Move

Former Fort Wayne Wizard, Dale Thayer has been called up to the Tampa Bay Rays from Triple-A Durham. If/when he makes his Major Leage Baseball debut, he’ll become the 80th former Wizard to do so.

With the Wizards in 2003, Thayer appeared in 45 games, all in relief. He posted a 1-3 record with a 2.06 ERA and 25 saves. In 48 innings pitched, he gave up 15 runs (11 earned) and struck out 72 while walking just 15. His WHIP was a crazy .960

UPDATE 10:30PM EST

Dale Thayer made his Major League Debut tonight, going three innings while giving up one run on 3 hits. The run came in the bottom of the ninth in as Tampa Bay had a 15-1 lead and Thayer had already tossed two scoreless innings.

Related Dale Thayer posts on BBIFW:

• Former Wizards Likely to Debut in 2009 – Part I
• Dale Thayer Competing Against Time
• More Former Wizards Get 40-Man Roster Protection
• Dale Thayer at Triple All-Star Game in Louisville
• Half Way There: A Mid-Season Look at Estranged Friars

Former Wizard, David Freese made his Major League debut with the St. Louis Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon. In the top of the seventh inning, he entered the game as a replacement for Trevor Miller, batting ninth and playing third base. In the bottom half of the inning, he grounded out to Pitsburgh’s third baseman, Andy LeRouche.

The next inning, he hit a sacrifice fly to to the Pirates Right Fielder, Brandon Moss, driving in Joe Thurston to earn his first Major League RBI.

Freese becomes the 77th former Fort Wayne Wizard to debut in Major League Baseball and the first of the young 2009 season. Freese was originally drafted in the ninth round of the 2006 amateur entry draft by San Diego with the 273rd overall pick. He went right to work, hitting .379 with five home runs and 26 runs batted in over 58 at-bats at Eugene before joining the Wizards 53 games in 2006. During that stint, Freese hit .299 with eight home runs and 43 runs batted in and drawing 21 walks in 204 at-bats.

He ended up with the Cardinals organization as part of the trade for the sent Jim Edmonds to the padres prior to the 2008 season.

AL EAST: New York
AL CENTRAL: Cleveland
AL WEST: Texas
AL WILD: Tampa Bay

NL EAST: Philadelphia
NL CENTRAL: Chicago
NL WEST: Los Angeles
NL WILD: New York

World Series: Cleveland V. Chicago Cubs
Cleveland wins in six (sorry Cubs fans, but take comfort in the fact that I’m usually wrong on these things)

Unless the Pirates make a waiver claim or something changes between now and opening day, Luis Cruz has a spot on the Pirates opening day roster.

…this will be his first time on an Opening Day roster. He made his Major League debut as a September callup last year and impressed with his defensive abilities and versatility.

Diamondbacks reliever, Leo Rosales, was sent to Triple-A today. He had a 3.86 ERA in and nine strikeouts in 11.2 innings over 10 Cactus League games.

The Matt Bush era in Toronto is over before it begins. Hoep the Padres don’t have to give up much for hte PTBNL or cash for that experiment.

“He did have issues when he was with San Diego,” said one Blue Jays official. The Blue Jays would not specify what Bush did to cause his release except to say he ran afoul of the “zero tolerance” terms of his agreement with the American League team.

Wonder who (if anyone) will take a chance on bush now. Josh Hamilton, please reach out to this kid!

If he plays well, David Freese will get a longer look in St. Louis since Troy Glaus will be out longer than originally anticipated.

Finally, yours truly has been quoted in an MLB article containing comments from many overly optimistic Chicago Cubs fans. Enjoy.

• Josh Barfield – Can he make it back? We should see his brother come through Fort Wayne a time or two this summer too.
• Jack Cassel – Can he make it?
• David Freese – Out to prove 2008 was no fluke and that he is ready to make the MLB roster. Will the Achilles injury kill his chances at a starting gig?
• Dale Thayer – He’s made his case. Will start at Triple-A. Is there room for him in the Rays bullpen?
• Luis Cruz – It’s likely he’ll make the Bucs’ roster. Will he start?
• Will Venable – An unexpected breakout? Methinks so.
• Chase Headley – Where’s he gonna play? Will he skyrocket?
• Kyle Blanks – Will he terrorize triple-A? Will he stay in the Friar’s system? Will he play outfield?
• George Kottaras – He has the backup job as Boston’s catcher . . . for now.
• Dirk Hayhurst – From Prospect to Non-Prospect to Major Leaguer to Blue Jays Waiver Wire Claim to Blue Jays release for Matt Bush to Minor League deal. Where does he go from here?
• David Pauley – Can he win a spot with Baltimore after being traded out of Boston?
• Nick Hundley - Enters the season as the Padres starting catcher. Sizzle or fizzle?
• Freddy Guzman - Broken bone in hand killed his shot at an Opening Day roster spot in Seattle. Will it kill his shot for the whole season?
• Michael Cuddyer - The last remaining Twin from the Wizards days as a Minnesota affiliate. Can he return from an injury plagued 2008?
• Eddie Bonine and Jaun Rincon - Will Detroit give Eddie a place in the rotation and can Rincon win a bullpen gig?
• Travis Chick – Is it the last shot for this longshot?
• Jon Link – After a great 2008 in Birmingham, does he stick it out in Triple-A all of 2009 or does he move up to the Majors?
• Leo Rosales and Luke Carlin – Can these former Wizards win spots with the Diamondbacks?
• Ray Chang – He was the talk of the early WBC days. Can he make Pittsburgh fans talk as much? I will probably catch him during an Indy roadtrip if he gets assigned to Triple-A.
• Greg Burke - Heath Bell is the heir to Hoffman as closer in SD. Will Burke be the top set-up man?
• Kyler Burke - First round draft choice did a disappearing act after being traded to the Cubs for Michael Barret and Fort Wayne native, Rob Bowen. Does he still have a shot to fulfill his promise?
• Matt LeCroy – Former Wizards and MLB catcher has entered the managing ranks with the Single-A Washington Nationals affiliate, the Hagerstown Suns. Will be fun to follow his progress up the manager ranks a la Randy Ready.
• Rand Ready – Speaking of Ready, he’s probably on most short lists of managerial candidates for any team who might consider replacing their manager (there’s at least one or two during every season). Will he move up or stay in Portland all season?
• JJ Furmaniak – He’s back in the mainland in Phillies camp after a year in Japan. Where’s he going to ultimately land to start the season and how will he perform once he gets there?
• Matt Bush – The oft-injured, highly touted shortstop turned oft-injured, impressive pitcher makes his return from Tommy John surgery. What are the Blue Jays going to do with him?
• Josh Geer – the fifth spot to join Jake Peavy in the rotation seems to be his to lose. Will his elbow hold up?
• Cubs Backup 3B Battle: Can Bobby Scales or Luis Rivas win the gig?