Independent Baseball Chatter – by Bob Wirz
Last season’s American Association Pitcher of the Year, Tyler Alexander, is winding down the Mexican League season just as he did with Fargo-Moorhead last summer. The southpaw, whose contract now belongs to Quintana Roo, has won his last three starts to push his record to 4-1, 3.33 and he continues to lead the league in strikeouts (65 in 70.1 innings).
Fargo fans will remember Alexander did not allow a run in the last three starts of his 7-6 ’17 season and that the league ERA (2.13) and strikeout (159) king posted 10 or more strikeouts in the last six of his 20 starts.
In Venezuela where playoffs begin shortly, former Wichita hurler Junior Guerra (pictured), who will be attempting to regain a regular spot in the Milwaukee Brewers rotation next spring, seems to be rounding into shape with a 3-2 record and 2.98 ERA for nine appearances (eight starts).
Reinier Roibal, who pitched briefly for Sioux City last season (1-0, 3.12), has the best ERA in the Venezuelan League at 2.03 and ranks second in strikeouts (48 in 53.1 innings). The Cuban right-hander, 28, has won five of seven decisions.
Previously the chief spokesman for Baseball Commissioners Bowie Kuhn and Peter Ueberroth, Bob Wirz has been writing extensively about Independent Baseball since 2003. He is a frequent contributor to this site, has a blog, www.IndyBaseballChatter.com, and a book about his life, “The Passion of Baseball”, is available at traditional book-buying sites, or at www.WirzandAssociates.com.
