’CATS PICK UP VICTORY
Limit on older players means pitcher unlikely to get to join Tri-city
Tri-city’s Parker Kelly delivers a pitch against Equipe Quebec. The Valleycats won 4-3 to pull within 2 1/2 games of the Atlantic Division leaders.
The Tri-city Valleycats are on a hot streak and in a position to make themselves even better. They have a 10-year major-league veteran ready and waiting to join the bullpen.
The problem is the Valleycats don’t have any room for pitcher Bud Norris, a former Valleycat, under Frontier League rules.
“It’s not a dead issue yet,” Tri-city manager Pete Incaviglia said. “We’re still trying, but it’s just kind of sad.”
Frontier League teams are only allowed three veteran players, defined as anyone who will be at least 29 years old on Sept. 30. The Valleycats are at that limit with outfielder Willy Garcia, who turns 29 on Sept. 4, 35-year-old outfielder Denis Phipps and third baseman Juan Silverio, who is 30.
All three are starters in the heart of Tri-city’s lineup. Incaviglia doesn’t want to jettison any of those three players, even for Norris, who has started or relieved for six big league teams, including the Astros, Orioles and Cardinals.
Norris, who last pitched in the majors as St. Louis’ closer in 2018, is trying to show enough to scouts to get back in the big leagues.
“Bud is kind of committed to maybe come and pitch for three weeks, and it’s hard to take a guy like Garcia, Silverio and Phipps, who play every day and play a big part in your lineup, to move one of those guys,” Incaviglia said. “I don’t see it happening, to be honest
with you. The juice ain’t worth the squeeze there, even though I’d love to have Bud.”
The Valleycats beat Equipe Quebec 4-3 on Friday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Tri-city (12-18) won for the eighth time in 10 games to move within 2 games of first-place Equipe Quebec in the Atlantic Division.
Norris has been working out at home in Austin, Texas, to get himself in game shape. His agent, Scott Lonergan, said on June 10 Norris was signing with the Valleycats but needed a week to 10 days to get in game shape.
At that point, the Valleycats didn’t have Garcia. Since signing with Tri-city, Garcia is hitting .321 in nine games.
“Bud is ready to go,” Lonergan texted on Friday. “Working on getting him out there (to Tri-city) ASAP.”
But Valleycats general manager Matt Callahan spoke with Frontier League deputy commissioner Steve Trahsler and wasn’t encouraged.
“It doesn’t sound like there’s much wiggle room,” Callahan said.
Frontier League policy does allow teams to bring in a “name” player for one game. But if it’s going to be a longer stint than that, the team must carve out a spot on the 24-man active roster.
To make room for Norris, the Valleycats would have to release Garcia, Phipps or Silverio, put one of them on the injured list or have one of them signed by a big league organization.
Trahsler said the Frontier League settled on the threeveteran limit after years of experimentation.
“Somewhat (because of the) salary cap, but more competitive balance-related,” Trahsler said. “And making sure we give an opportunity to the younger ballplayers as well as having veterans for leadership. We want to be able to create roster spots for young players to showcase themselves at the same time.”
Incaviglia disagreed with the rule, saying it was a valuable marketing tool for Tri-city to bring in a player like Norris, who started his pro career at Bruno Stadium in 2006.
“I mean, the rules shouldn’t prevent a team from getting a guy who actually played here that people would love to see who played in the big leagues for nine (actually 10) years and he can’t come here because of the rules,” Incaviglia said. “That doesn’t make any sense to me, if you’re in independent baseball.”
Incaviglia said there shouldn’t be any veteran limit and teams should be allowed to build their teams as they see fit.
“A reason for that is Bud,” he said. “What a great thing for him to be able to come in here, but we can’t have him come here because we’re only allowed three vets, which doesn’t make any sense, you know.”