Indy Ball Alumni Update

Occationally I will get a question from someone out and about about a former player. The question builds my curiosity and I google the players name and find they are playing independent baseball. Indy ball is professional ball but it is not affiliated with a MLB team. The talent level is all over the map when it comes to indy ball and you can often find interesting connections on rosters. Here are some former G-Stros who are playing indy ball this season. If you know of more, let me know.

North American Baseball League
Mitch Einertson - Mitch made a big splash on the G-Ville scene in 2004 when he tied the Appy League home run record as a 18 year old. Off field issues kept derailing him and he was released after he had climbed as far as AA and was suspended for drugs. This year he is playing for the Mighty Warriors of Maui (Na Koa Ikaika Maui) in the North American Baseball League. Mitch is hitting .322 with 6 home runs in 43 games. His manager there is former MLB star shortstop Garry Templeton.

David Dinelli - is actually on the roster with Einertson in Maui. David was the 6th round pick of the Astros in 2007. He never advanced any higher than Greeneville and was playing indy ball starting in 2009. He has a 3.10 ERA in 20 appearances (29 IP) with Maui.

While playing in the NABL, they run across former Astro farmhands Justin Tellem, Rory Shortell, and Lou Santagello who are all still playing in the league.

American Association
Ole Shelton - Ole hit the first home run in the history of the Greeneville Astros. He is still playing ball for the St. Paul Saints of the American Association. Through 39 games, he is hitting .293 and has six home runs.

Jack Frawley - He pitched in Greeneville just last year. He is 2-4 with a 6.10 ERA in 13 starts for the Gary SouthShores.

Santo Luis - the big righty continues to try to make the big leagues after his release by the Red Sox earlier this season. He is yet to allow an earned run since he joined the Lincoln SaltDogs (3 appearances).

Corey Bass - Bass spent two seasons with the G-Stros (05-06). He is in his third season of indy ball and his 6th indy ball team. This year, he is with the Amarillo Sox. He is 3-2 with 3 saves in 22 appearances (31.1 IP).

Ryan Mitchell - Mitchell & Bass are teammates for the second time in Amarillo. Both were on the 2005 & 2006 G-Stros prior to his release in 2007. He has been in indy ball since then. This season, the 23 year old Mitchell is 3-3 with a 3.64 ERA in 13 games (12 starts).

Griffen Bailey - is the 4th member, along with Bass, Mitchell & Luis, of the 2006 pitching staff to be slinging the rock in the American Association . He is 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA through 20 games this season. He started the year with Fargo but is currently with Fort Worth.

Other former Astros farmhands playing in the American Association include Chris Salamida, Jeff Hulett and Matt Nevarez.

Atlantic League
Amadeo Zazueta - is yet another member of the 06 team to be playing indy ball. The Atlantic League is one of the top indy ball leagues. Their rosters are chock full of former big leaguers. Zazueta is back in indy ball after a brief stint last year with the Braves organization. Through 59 games this year, Zazueta is hitting .309 with six home runs.

Some of the other former Astros farmhands hanging out in the Atlantic League include Ryan McKeller, J. R. House and Val Majewski.

Can Am League (Canada American Association of Professional Baseball)
Robert Bono - Bono is 3-0 with a 3.83 ERA in 9 games (7 starts) for the Brockton Rox. He plays for manager Bill Buckner. Bono played for Greeneville in 2007 and was traded to the Marlins in 2009.

Frontier League
Anthony Bello - Yet another member of the 06 team to be playing indy ball. He is 1-3 with a 4.41 ERA in six starts for the Florence (KY) Freedom.

Other former Astros minor leaguers in the Frontier League include Freddy Parejo and Ryan Ditthardt.

That makes 11 former G-Stros playing indy ball, still having fun and chasing the dream.

Outside the System - Farm & Bigs

Yesterday was the opening day of the Minor League Season. It was the second opening day of the baseball season. The third opening day, short season opening day, is the one I am anxiously awaiting now.

For yesterday's action, Subber10 over at The Crawfish Boxes and some citizen of Astros County have done fine recaps so no sense in repeating their hard work. So let's check on those former Greeneville Astros who are no longer in the Houston farm system. I will list who is where and any reports on their opening day results.

Jimmy Barthmaier is in AA Harrisburg of the Nationals organization.

Albert Cartwright is in AA Reading of the Phillies organization.

Jieller Castillo is at Low A Burlington in the A's Organization.

Victor Garate is in AAA New Orleans of the Marlins organization.

Ralphie Henriquez is in A-Advanced High Desert of the Mariners organization. He played in Thursday's game against Lancaster and went 1 for 4 with 2 of the Maverick's strike outs. Opening day was Ralphie's 24th birthday. (His MILB page now list him as Ralph but he will always be Ralphie to me.)

Santo Luis is in AA Portland of the Red Sox organization.

Jordan Parraz is in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the Yankees organization. He went 2 for 3 on opening night with a triple, a run scored and a RBI.

Troy Patton is in AAA Norfolk with the Orioles organization.

Neil Sellers is in AA Jacksonville of the Marlins organization.

Major League Update:
Let's also check on the former G-Stros who play for other MLB teams besides Houston.

Juan Gutierrez - has made 3 appearances for the D-Backs in relief this year so far. He has yet to surrender an earned run, though he has given up 2 unearned runs. He has fanned 5 in 2 2/3 IP.

Felipe Paulino has made 2 appearances for the Rockies out of the pen so far. He has yet to surrender a run in those appearances which span 2 innings of work.

There have been a few transactions involving former G-Stros over the last few weeks. The following players were released out of spring training this year.

Robert Bono released by the Marlins.

Beau Torbert released by the Braves.

Polin Trinidad released by the Cubs.