Courtesy Kansas City T-Bones Media Relations KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City T-Bones have announced that Joe Calfapietra has been hired as the club’s new manager. Calfapietra, 46, brings to Kansas City an overall record of 848-740 in 17 seasons as a manager, all at the independent level. Calfapietra spent the past 14 seasons...Read More

Add onetime Independent Player of the Year Balbino Fuenmayor (Laredo ’13) to the mix as the Atlanta Braves juggle faces in the organization prior to the move to a new stadium and, hopefully, a better position in the National League East standings. The slugging first baseman (and occasional third baseman) shed his free agent status...Read More

Durham, N.C. — The contract of Laredo Lemurs RHP Danny Reynolds has been purchased by the Atlanta Braves organization, the American Association announced on Thursday. Reynolds was a superb midseason pickup for the Lemurs, going 2-0 with a 1.68 ERA in 14 bullpen appearances after joining the club in late July. The Las Vegas, Nev., native...Read More

Courtesy Sioux City Explorers Media Relations Sioux City, Iowa – The Sioux City Explorers announced on Monday that the Seattle Mariners have purchased the contract of recently-acquired RHP Lindsey Caughel. Caughel was acquired by the X’s on November 16th in a trade with the Lincoln Saltdogs and will report to spring training with the Mariners when...Read More

Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz Another day and another player who has benefitted by spending time in the American Association. This time it is youthful outfielder Dexter Kjerstad, who went from being released by Kansas City less than 18 months ago to playing his back side off for a 45-game stint in Amarillo...Read More

St. Paul, Minn. – All season long left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar proved he was one of the more dominant pitchers in the American Association.  He was the safety blanket for St. Paul Saints manager George Tsamis, often throwing multiple innings before turning the ball over to the top closer in the league, Ryan Rodebaugh.  The former...Read More

John Holdzkom will forever remain as one of the major success stories out of the American Association because of his meteoric jump from Amarillo to the Pittsburgh Pirates and their wild-card playoff team of 2014.  Whether the arm woes that kept the 6-foot-10 on injury lists virtually all of ’16 will ever allow the now-29-year-old...Read More

Courtesy Sioux Falls Canaries Media Relations The Sioux Falls Canaries are pleased to announce the hiring of Mike Meyer as the organization’s field manager. Meyer is no stranger to Sioux Falls, serving as the club’s pitching coach from 2007-2014, helping the Birds hoist the American Association championship trophy in 2008, and being part of a North Division...Read More

Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz Even when a popular American Association player does not show up these days in a league box score it does not mean he is not drawing a paycheck elsewhere in the professional game. Such is the case of C. J. Retherford, the multi-position infielder who played in well...Read More