USA – Think you can play professional baseball? Want to show off your stuff in front of Captains coaches and players? Then come to the Shreveport-Bossier open tryouts on May 2, starting at 10 a.m. at Fair Grounds Field. At least one player from the tryout is guaranteed an invitation to Captains spring training, which starts the following day.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., costs $25 and includes a Captains T-shirt. Participants must bring all of their own gear.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains open the 2009 season in Pensacola on May 14, and will be on the road for the first series of their 2009 campaign. The Shreveport-Bossier Captains’ first game at Fair Grounds Field will be on May 19 against Grand Prairie.

CAMDEN RIVERSHARKS INK FORMER MLB ALL-STAR JUNIOR SPIVEY
The Camden Riversharks announced today that they have signed Ernest Lee “Junior” Spivey, Jr. for the 2009 season. Spivey was originally selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 36th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. He made his Major League debut with the team on June 2, 2001.

Spivey brings nearly five years of Major League experience with him to the Riversharks. From 2001 to 2003, he started 321 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His career highlight came in 2002, when he was named to the National League All-Star team. That season, he compiled a .301 batting average and drove in 78 RBI.

After the 2003 season, Spivey was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Milwaukee Brewers, where he once again proved to be a consistent contributor. In 2004, he amassed a .272 batting average and drove in 28 runs. The following year, he was traded midseason to the Washington Nationals.

Spivey is not a stranger to the Atlantic League. In 2007, he played for the Bridgeport Bluefish, where he appeared in 65 games. Later that season, he went on to sign with the Boston Red Sox organization.

BARNSTORMERS SIGN FORMER BIG LEAGUE PITCHER JON HUBER
The Lancaster Barnstormers bullpen is getting a Big-League shot in the arm. Former Seattle Mariners reliever Jon Huber will join the Barnstormers for 2009, the team announced today.

Huber, 27, had tours of duty with the Mariners in both 2006 and 2007. In 2006, the California native took advantage of a late-season promotion from Class AAA Tacoma, picking up a pair of wins and posting a 1.08 ERA in 16 appearances down the stretch. He was not scored upon over his final 11 1/3 innings that season.

The right-hander returned to Seattle in May of the following year and eventually worked in nine games with a 4.76 ERA. He spent all of last season in Tacoma, going 4-3 with a 6.40 ERA.

Originally signed as a starting pitcher by San Diego, Seattle converted him to the bullpen for the 2006 season. Huber took to the role, saving 23 games at Class AA San Antonio and Tacoma before his Major League callup.

Photo courtesy of theamericanmind.com

Tags: Independent League