INDY PITCHERS TOTAL 106 MLB WINS IN 2013

Max Scherzer Detroit Tigers

Independent Baseball Insider: Vol. 11, No. 31, September 12, 2013

By Bob Wirz

Twenty-one years ago when Kash Beauchamp was signed off the St. Paul (MN) Saints’ roster in the Northern League and assigned to Class AA the naysayers were continuing to pooh-pooh the future of this new thing called Independent Baseball.  Those who believed it could succeed likely were in the minority.

We have pointed out the growth in acceptance of the player talent in these non-major league-affiliated leagues in this space week after week, year after year, but what we are about to lay out might surprise even the most enthusiastic supporters of the Indy game back in 1993.

Yes, some of the 28 pitchers who have appeared in the Independent leagues and have been in the majors this season were merely staying sharp before the free agent draft or while agents negotiated contracts, but that does not explain the staggering fact hurlers whose resumes include the non-affiliated game have been credited with 106 major league victories this season, and there are another two and a half weeks to go.

Boston or Atlanta, the MLB clubs with the best winning percentages, could reach 100 wins.  Team Independent would easily overshadow either one, and not be far off the best winning percentage the major leagues can offer with its composite 106-72 (.596) record.

Detroit’s Max Scherzer (pictured), one of those perceived as a strong major league candidate from the day he left the University of Missouri and put on a uniform of the Fort Worth (TX) Cats of the American Association, is the unquestioned leader of Team Independent because of his 19-3 record, but no less than 22 pitchers have registered at least one major league victory this season.

 The complete list of onetime Independent Baseball hurlers in the major leagues this season along with their Independent affiliations and their 2013 MLB record (through Thursday afternoon):

 

Pitcher MLB Team

Independent Team(s), League(s)

               Record
*Scherzer, Max Det

Fort Worth, American Assn.

19-3
Ziegler, Brad Ariz

Schaumburg, Northern

8-1

Kazmir, Scott Cleve

Sugar Land, Atlantic

8-8

*Crow, Aaron KC

Fort Worth, American Assn.

7-5

Williams, Jerome LA-AL

Lancaster, Atlantic; Long Beach, Golden

 7-10

DeLaRosa, Dane LA-AL

Southern Maryland, Atlantic; El Paso, American Assn.; Victoria, Orange County, Long Beach and Yuma, Golden

6-1

*Scheppers, Tanner Tex

St. Paul, American Assn.

6-2

*Roark, Tanner Wash

Southern Illinois, Frontier

6-0

Delabar, Steve Tor

Brockton, Can-Am; Florence, Frontier

5-3

Breslow, Craig Bos

New Jersey, Northeast

5-2

*Hochevar, Luke KC

Fort Worth, American Assn.

4-2

Rice, Scott NY-NL

York, Long Island and Newark, Atlantic

4-5

Axelrod, Dylan Chi-AL

Windy City, Frontier

4-9

Kintzler, Brandon Mil

St. Paul, American Assn.; Winnipeg, Northern

3-2

*Thatcher, Joe SD, Ariz

River City, Frontier

3-2

Thielbar, Caleb Minn

St. Paul, American Assn.

3-2

Coello, Robert LA-AL

Edmonton and Calgary, Golden

2-2

Albers, Andrew Minn

Quebec, Can-Am

2-2

*Paxton, James Sea

Grand Prairie, American Assn.

1-0

Roe, Chaz Ariz

Laredo, American Assn.

1-0

Valdes, Raul Phil

New Jersey and Nashua, Can-Am

1-1

Nuno, Vidal NY-AL

Washington, Frontier

1-2

Bydrak, Tim NY-NL

Gary and Joliet, Northern

0-0

Kensing, Logan Col

Bridgeport, Atlantic

0-0

Garcia, Luis Phil

Newark, Can-Am

0-1

*Burke, Greg NY-NL

Atlantic City, Atlantic

0-2

Johnson, Kris Pitt

Kansas City, American Assn.

0-2

Wilhelmsen, Tom Sea

Tucson, Golden

0-3

    Totals            106-72

 

   *First professional game was in an Independent league

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