A little bit of news as we wait out the last few days until pitchers and catchers report:

For the past few years, the International League champion and the Pacific Coast League champion have faced off for a one-game showdown in September.  The Bricktown Showdown has been played in Oklahoma City up until now.  But in 2011, the AAA Championship game will be played at Isotope Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, home of the Isotopes  (AAA of the Dodgers).   The game will be televised on "Versus", on Tuesday September 20, 2011.


Non-roster players who have been invited to the Pirates' big league camp:
Pitchers:  Rudy Owens, Justin Thomas, Donnie Veal, Justin Wilson, Tyler Yates, Brian Burres, Sean Gallagher, Fernando Nieve, Cesar Valdez, Jose Veras.
Catchers (always need lots of those):  Tony Sanchez, Dusty Brown, Wyatt Toregas
Infielders:  Chase D'Arnaud, Brian Friday, Jeff Clement, Garrett Atkins, Josh Fields, Andy Marte, Corey Wimberly
Outfielders:  Eric Fryer (he catches too), Andrew Lambo


The Australian League championship series begins early Friday morning, with the Adelaide Bite (and Quincy Latimore) facing off against the Perth Heat.

Eight weeks from today (Thursday) will be Opening Day for the Indianapolis Indians and the rest of the minor league affiliates.

The Caribbean Series wrapped up on Monday, as Mexico (Los Yaquis de Obregon) won the championship with a 4-2 record.  Venezuela (Caribes de Anzoategui) finished last, with a 2-4 record.  Both the Dominican team (Toros del Este) and the Puerto Rican team (Criollos de Caguas) finished tied for second place with 3-3 records.

Mexico  3,  Venezuela  2  --  Very compact scoring in this game.  Venezuela scored first, with a 2-run homer in the 4th.  They rallied again in the 5th, and tried to score on a passed ball, but the runner from third was tagged out in a run-down.  Mexico had only 2 hits over the first 5 innings, but came through in the 6th with a double and a single.  One run scored on a ground out, and a 2-run homer gave them all the runs they needed.  Mexico loaded the bases in the 7th with a walk and two singles, but a ground out ended the inning without further runs scoring.  

Dominican Republic  3,  Puerto Rico  0  --  Dean Treanor's Dominican team finished the series with a win.  They scored 2 runs in the 4th inning.  With two outs, a single and a fielding error by Puerto Rican SS Luis Figueroa put two Dominican runners on base.  A triple by LF Alejandro De Aza drove both runners in.   De Aza began another rally in the 7th with a single up the middle.  A bunt moved him to second, and he advanced to third on a ground out, then scored on an RBI single.  The Dominicans posted just 6 hits in the game, and they also collected 3 walks.  Two Dominican pitchers held Puerto Rico to just 4 hits.  Starter Raul Valdes pitched 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and one walk, with 6 strikeouts.  He retired 13 straight batters over the middle innings.  Reliever Julio Manon earned a save, retiring all 4 batters he faced.  Puerto Rico's best chance came in the 8th, when Valdes gave up a single, had Figueroa reach on a throwing error, and then hit a batter to load the bases.  The bases were left loaded though, thanks to Manon.