Transactions

Aug. 18, 2008      Released Robbie Hine (SS) and Ryan Myers (RHP).

Aug.  7, 2008        Released Scott Porter (RHP).  Signed Ben Barrone (RHP/C), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 215, Dover, MN.  Named 2007 NCAA Div. 2 Player of the Year his senior season at Winona State University.  Taken in 44th round of the 2007 MLB June Draft by the Oakland A’s and was assigned to Oakland’s Arizona Rookie League team.  Played for Frontier League Windy City Thunderbolts earlier in 2008 season.

Aug.  1, 2008        Signed Dan Bertolini (SS), Ht. 5’10 Wt. 175, Poland, OH.  Played college ball at NCAA Div. 2 Mercyhurst College (PA), where he was awarded the regional Gold Glove Award his senior year by the American Baseball Coaches Association and earned second-team all GLIAC honors.  Released Kody Hightower (SS).

July 31, 2008       Signed Sean Snell (C/OF), Ht. 5’10 Wt. 180, Charlotte, NC.  Played college ball at UNC-Greensboro.

July 30, 2008       Riley Westman (C) retired to become a player development coach with the Texas Rangers organization in the Dominican Republic.  Released Stephen Whelan (RHP).

July  27, 2008      Signed Scott Porter (RHP), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 190, Levittown, NY.  Played college ball at NCAA Div. 2 Molloy College (NY).

July  25, 2008      Released John O’Hara (LHP).

July  14, 2008      Released Jeremy Dow (RHP).

July    8, 2008      Signed Kody Hightower (SS), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 198 BR/TR.  Played college ball at Southern Wesleyan University.  From lead-off spot in batting order, led team in nine offensive categories, including AB (234), R (61), H (100), 2B (16), 3B (7), RBI (64), TB (148), SLG% (.632) and OBP (.481).  Struck out only five times.  Was named NAIA 2nd Team All-American.  Hit .322 with the Holyoke Giants of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) the summer before his senior year and was named to the All-Star Team as a third baseman.

July    7, 2008      Released Lester Contreras (SS).

July    3, 2008      Released Albert Ayala (RHP).  Activated Ryan Myers (RHP) from the disabled list.

July    1, 2008      Signed Stephen Whelan (RHP), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 210, Houston, TX.  Played college ball with the University of New Orleans Privateers in the Sun Belt Conference.  Signed Shane Sveda (RHP), Ht. 6’0 Wt. 200, Nesconset, NY.  Played college ball with the Iona College Gaels in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).  Signed Eric Reese (2B/SS), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 195, BS/TR, Sparta, NJ.  Played college ball with Fordham University in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

June 30, 2008      Released Troy Ferguson (2B/OF) and Joey Doan (RHP).

June 29, 2008      Announced the retirement of Drew Bigda (LHP).

June 21, 2008      Released Rob Vernon (OF).  Signed Barrett Shaft (OF), Ht. 5’9 Wt. 185 BL/TL.  Finished college career at Western Carolina University as the all-time hits leader and ranked third in career hits in the Southern Conference.  Resides in Lilburn, GA.

June 13, 2008      Signed Domenic Lombardi (C), Ht. 5’10 Wt. 200 BR/TR, Bronx, NY.  Finished college career at Manhattan College, where he hit .353 with a .498 OBA for the 2008 season.

June 12, 2008      Sold the contract of Zach Zaneski (C) to the Texas Rangers. 

June 11, 2008      Released Oscar Villamar (C).  Signed Zach Zaneski (C), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 215, Waterford, CT.  Finished college career at Rhode Island University.  For 2008, led URI in almost every offensive category, including average (.355), RBI (46), hits (77), runs (49), doubles (17) and on-base percentage (.449).  One of 32 Div. 1 catchers named to Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award watch list.

June 10, 2008      Signed Ryan MacFarlane (RHP), Ht. 6’4 Wt. 210, Murphysboro, IL.  Finished collegiate career at Michigan State University.  Led MSU staff with an ERA of 3.68.

June  9, 2008       Signed John O’Hara (LHP), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 170, Staten Island, NY.  Finished collegiate career at Fairleigh Dickinson University as school’s all-time strikeout leader.  Released Dale Phillips (RHP).

June  6, 2008       Placed Ryan Myers (RHP) on the 14-day disabled list.

June  4, 2008       Signed Miguel Magrass (1B), Ht. 6’3 Wt. 215 BR/TR.  Played college ball at the University of Vermont.

June  2, 2008       Released Angel Colon (3B) and Jason Graham (1B).  Signed Sam Deluca (2B/3B), Ht. 5’11 Wt. 195 BR/TR, Pelham, NY.  Spent 2007 with the GCL Mets.  Played college ball at St. John’s University.

May 27, 2008       James Albury (RHP) reactivated from 14-day disabled list.

May 21, 2008       Announced the retirement of Tim Mascia (OF).

May 18, 2008       Released Ryan Anderson (OF/2B), Jeff Livek (RHP), Rafael Santana (2B), Judson Smith (RHP) and Sean Walker (C/1B).

May 15, 2008       Signed Earl Oakes (RHP), Ht. 6’3 Wt. 220, Bristol, CT.  Spent two years in the Oakland A’s organization, pitching with Vancouver of the Short Season-A Northwest League in 2006 and part of 2007 before being promoted to Stockton of the Class-A California League.  Played college ball at Pace University.  Signed Zack Pace (OF), Ht. 5’9, Wt. 165 BL/TL, Fremont, CA.  After playing college ball at Sonoma State University, spent 2006 with Sioux City of the American Association and 2007 with Evansville of the Frontier League.  Released Jason Adkins (LHP), Noel Berumen (3B), Kevin Boothe (LHP), Brendan Rubenstein (2B), Joel Visser (RHP), John Dobkowski (RHP) and David Sandoval (RHP).

May 12, 2008       Placed James Albury (RHP) on the 14-day disabled list.

May   1, 2008        Signed Javier Fiallo (P), Ht. 6’0 Wt. 210, Tampa, FL.  Spent 2007 with the Charlotte Red Fish of the South Coast League and Sioux City Explorers of the American Association.  Played college ball at Savannah State University.

Apr. 24, 2008       Signed Rafael Santana (2B), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 206, Homestead, FL.  Spent four years (1999-2002) with Minnesota Twins’ Dominican Summer League organization.  Home town is Santo Domingo, DR.  High School is Nuestra Señora de Alla Gracia.

Apr. 14, 2008       Signed Mark Suchowiecki (LHP), Ht. 6’0 Wt. 195, New Windsor, NY.  Spent 2007 with the New York-Penn League Hudson Valley Renegades and 2006 with the Appalachian League Princeton Devil Rays, Short-season Class A and Rookie affiliates of Tampa Bay.  Played college ball at SUNY-Albany.

Apr. 10, 2008       Signed Joey Doan (RHP), Ht. 6’0 Wt. 180, Mobile, AL.  Spent 2007 with the Bristol Sox of the Appalachian League and Great Falls White Sox of the Pioneer League, Rookie League affiliates of the Chicago White Sox.  Played college ball at the University of South Alabama.

Apr.   9, 2008       Signed Albert Ayala (RHP), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 170, Hialeah, FL.  2007 club River City Rascals.  Played college ball at Owens Community College (OH).  Signed Kevin Boothe (LHP), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 190, Owensboro, KY.  Played college ball at Brescia University (KY).  Signed Angel Colon (3B/1B), Ht. 6’4 Wt. 230, Kansas City, MO.  2007 club River City Rascals; spent two seasons in the Cincinnati Reds organization, 2005 with the Reds’ Gulf Coast League affiliate and 2006 with Billings of the Rookie Pioneer League and Dayton of the Class-A Midwest League.

Apr.   2, 2008       Signed Jason Adkins (LHP), Ht. 5’11 Wt. 170, Jacksonville, NC.  Played college ball at Montreat College (NC).  Signed Lester Contreras (IF), Ht. 5’11 Wt. 205, Homestead, FL (St. Petersburg College); spent ’05, ’06 seasons with the Yakima Bears, Northwest League (NWL) affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Signed Bobby Lewton (RHP), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 200, Hays, KS (Fort Hays State University).

Mar. 22, 2008      Signed Dale Phillips (RHP), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 205, Knoxville, TN.  Played college ball at Tennessee Wesleyan College.

Mar. 19, 2008      Signed Jeff Livek (RHP), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 200, Ripon, WI.  2007 club Staten Island Yankees, NY-Penn League affiliate of the New York Yankees.  Played college ball at Carthage College (WI).

Mar. 17, 2008      Re-signed Robbie Hine (SS), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 190 BR/TR, Brick, NJ (Seton Hall University) to a new 2008 contract with a club option for 2009.

Mar. 15, 2008      Signed Tim Mascia (OF), Ht. 6’0 Wt. 170 BL/TL,  Wellington, FL (Florida Atlantic University).  Signed Rob Vernon (OF) to a new 2008 contract with a club option for 2009.

Mar. 10, 2008      Re-sigend Ryley Westmen (C), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 220 BR/TR, Smithville, MO (NW Missouri State University).

Mar.  8, 2008        Signed Noel Berumen (3B), Ht. 5’10 Wt. 185 BL/TR, Union City, CA.  Played college ball at Montreat College (NC).  Signed Jeremy Dow (RHP), Ht. 6’3 Wt. 220, Sunfield, MI.  Pitched for Gateway Grizzlies and Traverse City Beach Bums in 2007, and Kalamazoo Kings in 2006.  Played college ball at Grand Valley State University (’05, ‘06) and Michigan State University (’03, ‘04).

Mar.  6, 2008        Signed Jonnie Knoble (OF), Ht. 6’4 Wt. 180 BR/TR, Sandy, UT.  Played college ball at the University of San Francisco.

Mar.  5, 2008        Re-signed Anthony Albano (OF), Ht. 6’4 Wt. 220, BL/TL, Chicago, IL (Florida Atlantic University), Judson Smith (RHP) Ht. 6’3 Wt. 205, Edenton, NC (Mt. Olive College-NC) and Bryan Vickers (1B/C) Ht. 6’4 Wt. 225, BR/TR, Perrysburg, OH (Wright State University) to new one-year contracts with a club option for 2009.  Signed Kyle Kearcher (LHP), Ht. 6’6 Wt. 205, Fairborn, OH (Wright State University), a free agent who spent last year with the Kalamazoo Kings of the Frontier League.  Signed Ryan Myers (RHP), Ht. 6’4 Wt. 200, Conroe, TX.  Played college ball at Northwestern University.  Signed Sean Walker (C/1B), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 230, Round Lake Beach, IL.  Played college ball at Michigan State University.

Feb. 21, 2008        Signed James Albury (RHP), Ht. 6’4 Wt. 190, Brisbane, Australia.  2007 club Queensland Rams of Australian Major League Baseball; 2004, 05 spent with Boston Red Sox Gulf Coast League (GCL) affiliate.  Signed Ryan Anderson (OF), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 195, BR/TR, Winchester, VA.  Played college ball at Shenandoah College.

Feb. 17, 2008        Exercised 2008 options on Anthony Albano (OF), Jon Dandridge (RHP), Robbie Hine (SS), J.J. Newman (2B), Chris Rubio (RHP), Judson Smith (RHP), Rob Vernon (OF), Bryan Vickers (1B/C) and Ryley Westman (C).  Released John Armenio (LHP), Kory Bucklew (LHP), Greg Lasinski (RHP) and Nick Tracy (RHP).

Feb. 14, 2008        Signed Troy Ferguson (OF/2B), Ht. 5’9 Wt. 175, BL/TR, Rochester, MA.  Played college ball at Tampa University.

Feb. 13, 2008        Traded Phil Butch (2B) to the Washington Wild Things for Rob Vernon (OF), Ht. 5’11 Wt. 175, BR/TR, Solon, OH (UNC-Asheville), and J.J. Newman (2B), Ht. 5’10 Wt. 180, BR/TR, Wheeling, WV (Erskine University).  Transferred to Washington the Frontier League rights to Pete Parise (RHP) completing a 2007 trade which brought Jarrod Klausman (1B) to the Sliders.

Feb. 12, 2008        Signed Oscar Villamar (C), Ht. 6’1 Wt. 190, BR/TR, Guayaquil, Ecuador.  2007 club EMELEC; 2002-04 spent with Philadelphia Phillies affiliate in Venezuelan Summer League (VSL).  Signed Jason Graham (1B), Ht. 6’2 Wt. 220, BL/TL, Galveston, TX.  Played college ball at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.  Traded Casey Bowling (OF) to Kalamazoo Kings for the Kings’ 1st round draft pick in the 2008 Frontier League draft.

Feb. 10, 2008        Signed Brendan Rubenstein (2B), Ht. 5’11 Wt. 175, BS/TR, Rochester, NY.  2007 club Ra’anana Express of the Israeli Baseball League.  Played college ball at Wright State University.  Signed John Dobkowski (RHP), Ht. 5’10 Wt. 170, Ridgewood, NY.  Played college ball at John Jay College (NYC).