Winter League Update & More…
Happy offseason to you!
The Major League Baseball season is officially over with the end of the World Series. Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants, who swept the Detroit Tigers (4–0). One former Knights player was a part of the winning team. Congratulations to former Knights reliever Javier Lopez, who was a solid reliever for the Giants this year.
The 2012 season was a truly special one. The Charlotte Knights had a great year and the MLB season was one for the ages. With that, I think it’s time to take a look at some of the Fall/Winter Leagues all across the world. Perhaps a little hot stove baseball talk is in store as well.
Arizona Fall League
The Knights have four members of their 2012 squad playing in this year’s
Arizona Fall League. Carlos Sanchez, Trayce Thompson, Andre Rienzo, and Santos Rodriguez are all playing for the Salt River Rafters.
Carlos Sanchez — The 20-year-old is hitting .244 (11–45) with five runs scored, two doubles, one triple and 10 RBIs over 12 games. His best game of the AFL season came back on October 25 when he went 2–3 with a triple and four RBIs.
Trayce Thompson — Thompson, who played the last six games of the 2012 season with the Knights, is hitting .200 with six runs scored, two home runs and six RBIs. He homered on October 24 and 27.
Andre Rienzo — Rienzo has made three starts for Salt River and has been sharp. The Brazilian native is 0–0 with a 1.54 ERA. He’s fanned 11 batters over 11.2 innings pitched. He struck-out five batters in back-to-back starts October 12–18.
Santos Rodriguez — Rodriguez has appeared in seven games so far and has been sharp as of late. After allowing four runs over his first two appearances (1.2 IP), Rodriguez has allowed just two hits over five scorless innings (October 16–29). Over those five solid appearances, he has also stuck-out six batters.
Carribean Baseball
2012 Charlotte Knights starting pitcher Scott Carroll has been brilliant thus far in three starts in the Venezuelan League. Carroll, who appeared in nine games (eight starts) for the Knights in 2012, is 1–0 with a miniscule 1.84 ERA in three starts for Leones del Caracas. In his debut on October 13, the Missouri State product allowed just three hits over five scorless innings in a no decision.
Five days later, Carroll took the hill again and was once again impressive. He earned his first win of the season after tossing six innings of three-hit, one-run ball.
Former Knight Josh Kroeger is also on that team and is hitting .179 (5–28) over nine games. Kroeger hit 32 home runs for the Knights over parts of two seasons (2009–10). His 2010 Knights teammate Luis Rodriguez is also on that team. Rodriguez is hitting .333 (13–39) over 13 games. Rodriguez hit .293 with 16 home runs and 56 RBIs for the Knights in 2010 (94 games).
Also listed on the roster, but have yet to play, are Livan Hernandez and Alex Gonzalez.
Hot Stove
Congratulations to former Knights infielder David Bell, who was recently named as the 3rd base coach of the Chicago Cubs. Bell was most recently the manager of the Louisville Bats (Triple-A affiliate of the Reds).
Also congratulations to both Rich Hahn (senior vice president/general manager) and Ken Williams (executive vice president), as each were promoted by the White Sox on Friday, October 26.
