Independent Baseball Insider by Bob Wirz, Vol. 12, No. 23, August 7, 2014
Dennis Raben (pictured) was the Los Angeles Angels’ Minor League Player of the Month, and he celebrated that night with a seven-RBI (4-for-7) performance, including a grand slam, for Inland Empire (San Bernardino) of the California League. Raben has 21 homers and 69 RBI while hitting .284. Raben, who hit .409 with 10 homers in only 88 at-bats with Lincoln, NE (American Association) and another dozen round-trippers in the Kansas City farm systemlast season.
Updates on Several Headline Makers
**Power-pitching John Holdzkom, at Amarillo, TX (American Association) earlier this season, has won his only two decisions and has 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings and a 3.65 ERA after nine relief appearances for Pittsburgh’s top farm club (Indianapolis).
**Lefty Ian Thomas, a surprise addition to the Atlanta Braves’ 25-man roster when the season started, is on the disabled list at Class AA Mississippi and has a combined 0-1 record with a save and 4.30 ERA for 13 minor league games spread over three Braves farm clubs. Thomas started his career in Winnipeg, pitching in both the Northern League and the American Association.
(Fans may subscribe at newly-reduced rates to this Independent Baseball Insider column, which will be published 36 times in 2014, at www.WirzandAssociates.com. Bob Wirz provides supplemental stories about Independent Baseball on his blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com. The author has 16 years of major league baseball experience with Kansas City and as chief spokesman for two Commissioners, and lives in Stratford, CT.)
