Happy Tuesday

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Don't know what it's doing in your neck of the woods, but it's drizzly and cool here in downtown CorVegas at the WWHQ of your Corvallis Knights. Summer is definitely over.

The 2014 season is just more than eight months away, but the wheels are turning. Hopefully we'll have a schedule by the end of October and we can start to plan our promotional lineup, etc. And we should have announcements on our player signings for 2014 as the paperwork starts trickling back in.

In the meantime, we'll scour the world for Knights-related news, for news from other West Coast League franchises, and even some news from the many other summer leagues around the country, if it's interesting or appropriate.

So, on to today's Knights blog!

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We've got some bad news to report.

Right-handed pitcher Mike Koons (2007), an original Corvallis Knight and a 2007 WCL all-star game selection, has been released by the St. Paul Saints of the independent American Association. He was 2-2, 4.61 in 14 games (8 starts) this season, with 22 strikeouts in 52.2 innings.

A San Diego State alum, Mike signed with Houston during the 2007 All-Star break and played two years in their farm system before being released. He's subsequently played for Sioux City, El Paso and St. Paul in the American Association; for Orange County and Victoria in the defunct Golden Baseball League, and for Maui in the defunct North American Baseball League.

He turns 28 later this year. So if this is finally the end of the road, at least he played all over the country and also got to experience a season with the Saints, the premier - and maybe the most fun - franchises in independent baseball.

Best of luck to Mike, wherever he lands.

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In the waiting mode at the WWHQ

We're sort of stuck in the "waiting" mode at the WWHQ.

* We're waiting for the league to announce the 2013 schedule.

* We're waiting on the necessary paperwork so we can release the identities of all our players (we are full for 2013, for the most part).

* We're waiting for Medford to announce their new nickname.

* We're waiting to see if there will be any more expansion, possibly for 2013, more likely for 2014.

* And I think we'll be waiting for about five months before we have another nice, warm night like Saturday or a beautiful 70-degree day like Sunday.

* And you're probably waiting for me to get on to the news, which we'll do right now!

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The Knights have signed Washington State junior Kellen Camus and freshman Jacob Schroeder, a pair of right-handed pitchers from Olympia and Ferndale, Wash., respectively.

Camus (5-9, 190) was 3-1 with a 3.44 ERA in 29 appearances in 2012, with two saves and 24 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. He was also 3-1 in 10 games as a freshman in 2011, with a 5.47 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14.2 innings.

Camus played for Waterloo (Iowa) in the Northwoods League in 2012 and was 2-3 in 16 games, with a 2.50 ERA and five saves and 40 strikeouts in 32.1 innings. In 2011, Camus played for Winchester (Va.) in the Valley League and was 4-0, 1.41 in seven games, with 22 strikeouts in 38.1 innings.

He lettered in baseball, basketball and football at Capital High in Olympia and was second-team all-league for baseball and football. He played in the all-state baseball game, and was an academic All-American.

Schroeder is a 6-7, 205-pound freshman who was a second-team All-Northwest Conference selection as a junior and senior. He also earned four letters in basketball.

WSU coach Donnie Marbut called Schroder one of the more projectable players in Washington, as he has not reached full maturity. He was ranked 18th on Baseball Northwest's Class of 2012 Super Sixty Northwest High School Top Prospect List, and was 10th among right-handed pitchers.

"We have seen him throw multiple pitches for strikes with a fastball in the upper 80s," Marbut said. "Jacob also plays basketball and is a great student. You put all those together and you feel like there is someone special on his way to Pullman."

Welcome aboard, guys!

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Some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

KITSAP: The BlueJackets have cncluded their signings for the 2012 season, according to this story in the Kitsap Sun newspaper.

2013 season tickets go on sale Monday

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you're ready for a nice weekend in beautiful CorVegas, and a Beavers football win over Arizona State on Saturday night!

We've got lots of news to report today.

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Remember, Knights' 2013 season tickets will go on sale on Monday morning at the WWHQ in the Madison Plaza in downtown Corvallis. They will cost $175 for reserved seats (sections C, D, E); $150 for The Block (section A), and $115 for GA.

Current season-ticket holders have until Dec. 31 to reserve their current seats. They will also cost $175 ($150 for The Block) this year. Also, Diamond Club members who did not pick up their team gift last season should do so at the WWHQ as soon as possible.

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We've signed three more players for the upcoming season: University of Portland pitcher Colin Feldtman and UP infielders Michael Lucarelli and Cody Lenahan.

Feldtman played at Kitsap in 2011 and 2012, was a WCL all-star in 2012 and was especially tough on the Knights. You can read all about the newest Knights by clicking on this link to the news portion of our home page.

Welcome aboard, guys. We're glad to have you.

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Here's an update about the two former Knights pitching in the Arizona Fall League:

* Righty Greg Peavey (2007) is 0-0, 1.13, with five strikeouts in eight innings in five appearances for the Surprise Saguaros. He's a N.Y. Mets' farmhand who pitched at double-A Binghamton in 2012.

* Chicago Cubs' farmhand Nick Struck (2009) of the Mesa Solar Sox is 0-0, 4.50 in 10 innings over eight appearances, with six strikeouts. He played at double-A Tennessee this past season.

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Here's some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

WALLA WALLA: The Sweets have signed UC Riverside infielder Nick Vilter and Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne pitcher Conner Lawhead for the upcoming season. Both also played with the Sweets in 2012; here are complete details from the Sweets' website.

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That's it for today. Have a great weekend!

Another day, more rain, another signing

Happy November, everyone!

Don't know how it was this morning in your neck of the woods, but November came in like a lion here in CorVegas. It was pouring at dawn before stopping sometime mid-morning.

Oh well, what's a little rain, as long as it comes in November and not in June, July or August, when we're playing? We had our first rainout last June 22 and that's something we don't want to repeat in 2013.

At least it's supposed to be decent for the Arizona State-Oregon State football game on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. yuk), so that's a plus.

OK, enough about the weather. We've got some Knights news, and some WCL news, to report, so let's get on with it.

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The Knights have signed freshman left-handed pitcher Andrew Naderer of Grand Canyon University, where he's a teammate of 2012 Knights' pitcher Jorge Perez. Naderer is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound graduate of Arcadia High School in Phoenix.

Naderer was a second-team All-Division II selection at Arcadia in 2012. He was the 2011 East Sky Region Pitcher of the Year, when he went 8-2 with a 1.74 ERA in 12 games. He was also a member of the 2011 Junior Sunbelt team.

Welcome to the Knights, Andrew!

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Some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

KITSAP: The BlueJackets have signed Washington left-handed pitcher Kyle Cho, Olympic College right-handed pitcher/first baseman Ryan Taylor and utility returnee Allen Hewey of Campbellsville University for 2013.

Cho (5-10, 168) is a sophomore from Lake Stevens High in Lake Stevens, Wash., who did not play for the Huskies in 2012. Taylor (6-4, 215) is a sophomore from Juan Diego High in Salt Lake City who hit .217 with six RBIs at Olympic in 2012.

Hewey (6-2, 200) is a junior from South Kitsap High in Silverdale who transferred to Campbellsville after two seasons at Olympic. He hit .331 (2-10) and was 4-4 with a 1.64 ERA at Olympic in 2012, then hit .218 (0-6) in 28 games as a position player and was 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in eight appearances as a pitcher for Kitsap last summer.

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That's it for today. We'll finish out the week tomorrow with Friday's blog.

Hump Day at the WWHQ

It's already Wednesday at the WWHQ (and everywhere else, too). Only two more days and we can put another work week in the books and know that we're another five days closer to Opening Night VII at Goss Stadium.

Exactly when that opener will be, and against who, will be determined sometime in the next two weeks or so, when the 2013 West Coast League schedule is released. In the meantime, we'll just wait patiently and keep delivering a steady stream of Knights- and WCL-related news.

So, let's get started.

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Former Knights' pitcher Greg Peavey (2007) of Oregon State is predicted to reach triple-A Las Vegas in 2013 as a reliever by the Mack's Mets website, which covers the team closely. Here's the story.

Peavey was the Mets' 6th-round selection in the 2010 MLB draft. He spent last season at Binghamton (N.Y.) in the double-A Eastern League, and was 8-8 with a 5.06 ERA in 25 games. He played at OSU from 2008-10.

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I'm not sure how we missed this, but better late than never, we always say.

Here's a great story from The New York Times on former Knights' catcher Chris Stewart of the New York Yankees, our 2001 MVP and a former star at Riverside City College.

Stew had his best season as a major leaguer this past year and became an integral part of the Yankees, who won the AL East. We did a story on him on our website earlier this year.

Congrats for a great season.

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Some news from elsewhere in the West Coast Conference:

COWLITZ: The Black Bears are signing players and they plan to release their 2013 schedule shortly, according to this story on the team's website.

KLAMATH FALLS: New general manager Grant Wilson is settling into his job, according to this story in the Klamath Falls Herald and News newspaper.

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That's all for today. See you on Thursday.

Happy Tuesday, everyone

We're back at it down here at the WWHQ on a rainy, dreary but unseasonably warm day in CorVegas. But with Sandy pummelling the East Coast and making life miserable for millions of our fellow Americans, it would be unseemly to complain about our weather, so we won't.

Just another day in paradise, right?

It looks like a pretty slow news day for the Knights and the West Coast League, fairly typical of this time of the year.

* We don't have a schedule yet.

* Medford doesn't have a nickname yet.

* Some teams have anounced signings for 2013, but many wait until after the new year to release their upcoming rosters.

* We've announced some signings and have a few more on hold as we're waiting to announce so each can receive the ride it deserves with the local media.

So, bear with us.

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We have updated our website with a wrapup story on our latest signings. Please click here to read all about returnee Devon Barker and our other 2013 Knights.

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You know we like to keep track of our Knights in pro baseball. Here's a story on Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel, the first Corvalls Knight to play in the majors and the star of our first Hot Stove Night last January, from the South Side Showdown website.

It paints a tough, albeit honest, picture of Morel's situation after a terrible 2012 season, in part attributable to a back injury and a previously-undiagnosed gluten allergy. Here's hoping Brent can turn it around in 2013.

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There is some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League to report.

MEDFORD: The as-yet unnamed team, to be coached by former Knights' infielder Josh Hogan, has signed five more players for the upcoming season, according to the Medford Mail Tribune newspaper.

One (Connor George) is a WCL vet. The most intriguing might be Seattle University freshman middle infielder Cash McGuire of Kentwood High School in Kent, Wash. Sounds like a money player to me (groan!).

It's a back-to-the-grind Monday

We're back at the WWHQ after a nice, wet weekend. The rain makes it seem like baseball season is years away, but it will be here again before we know it.

Had lots of fun at the Linfield-Willamette game. Enjoyed a nice pre-game lunch at Jake's Deli (we recommend "the Rusty") and saw a good, competitive game, so even the day-long rain and showers couldn't wreck the atmosphere at Maxwell Field. It was Division III football at its finest!

One quick note: Knights' 2013 season tickets will go on sale on Monday, Nov. 5, at the WWHQ in the Madison Plaza in downtown Corvallis. They will cost $175 for reserved seats (sections C,D, E); $150 for The Block (section A), and $115 for GA.

Current season-ticket holders have until Dec. 31 to reserve their current seats. They will also cost $175 ($150 for The Block) this year.

Now, on to your Corvallis Knights news for a Monday.

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The annual West Coast League meetings concluded this Friday in Beaverton, at the Nike World Headquarters. We're told Phil Knight even made a surprise appearance.

Most of what transpired is well above my humble pay grade. But Knights' president Dan Segel reports the 2013 season will start about a week later than last year's June 1, and that the entire 2013 schedule should be ready in 2-3 weeks. Then we can start the annual countdown!

We'll have other updates from the meetings as (if) they become available.

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We've signed two more players. Our newest additions are middle infielder/right-handed pitcher Stephen Nogosek of Woodcreek High School in Roseville, Calif., and Dartmouth College freshman center fielder Nick Ruppert.

Nogosek is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior who will sign with Oregon in November, and enroll for the 2013-14 academic year. He hit .374 (40-107) with nine doubles, a triple, a homer and 26 RBIs in 32 games for Woodcreek, which defeated Granite Bay 9-2 in the 2012 CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game.

Ruppert is a 5-11, 180-pounder from La Mesa, Calif. He played at St. Augustine High School and hit .314 (32-102) with a homer and 15 RBIs as a senior in 2012 and .432 with three homers and 27 RBIs as a junior in 2011.

Welcome to the Knights, guys!

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Some news from around the West Coast League:

KITSAP: The BlueJackets have signed freshman third baseman Vince Sablan of Olympic College for the upcoming season. He is a South Kitsap High School graduate who was a Washington State Baseball Coaches Association second-team all-state player in 2012.

MEDFORD: Some news from the new expansion team's blog on its new nickname:

Thank you to all the new WCL Medford fans who voted in the Mail Tribune's Name The Team contest, and those who sent votes to our office and e-mail. We'll tally the votes and announce a winner within about 10 days, where we'll also unveil the team's logo! Look for an announcement about where we'll make the announcement, and please join us!

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That's all for today. See you on Tuesday.

Lefty reliever Devon Barker to return in 2013

Happy Friday, everyone. Hope you're ready for a great weekend, wherever your travels will take you.

Many, I'm sure, are headed up to Seattle to watch the Beavers and Washington on Saturday night. The blog will be in McMinnville, watching the Linfield-Willamette game, the Division III version of the Civil War. Games at Linfield are always fun, it's small-college football at its finest.

In the meantime, we've got more news to announce. Central Washington lefty reliever Devon Barker, a transfer from Centralia CC, will return to the Knights in 2013.

A 6-foot-4, 175-pounder from Puyallup, Barker became one of our bullpen aces in 2012 after joining the club as a 10-day signee who earned a spot, and an appearance in the WCL All-Star Game in Walla Walla. He was 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA in 18 total appearances, with five saves and 33 strikeouts in 29.1 innings pitched.

He'll join Pacific Lutheran pitcher Chris Bishop and Corban University infielder Marc Gallegos as returnees from the 2012 team, which won the West Division regular-season and playoff championships before losing to Wenatchee 2-1 in the best-of-3 WCL Championship Series.

We'll also have some other returnees, and more signings, to announce in the near future.

So, welcome back, Devon. We'll see you in June.

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Here's an update about two Knights pitching in the Arizona Fall League:

* Righty Greg Peavey (2007) is 0-0, 1.29, with four strikeouts in seven innings in four appearance for the Surprise Saguaros. He's a N.Y. Mets' farmhand who pitched at double-A Binghamton in 2012.

* Chicago Cubs' farmhand Nick Struck (2009) of the Mesa Solar Sox is 0-0, 5.14 in seven innings over six appearances, with six strikeouts. He played at double-A Tennessee this past season.

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Some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

WALLA WALLA: The Sweets have signed Missouri State freshman pitchers Jonathan Harris and Matt Hall for the 2013 season. Harris is a 6-foot 4-inch, 160-pound right-hander; Hall is a 6-foot 1-inch, 190-pound southpaw. Here are more details from the Walla Walla website.

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That's all for today. See you Monday; have a great weekend, everyone.

Knights continue Cal Poly connection

Happy Thursday, everyone. Nice to see the sun again!

We said Wednesday we'd have more signings in the near future, and we do. Today we're happy to announce that Cal Poly freshman pitcher Casey Bloomquist, freshman catcher Brian Mundell and freshman shortstop Peter Van Gansen of will play for the Knights in 2013.

Cal Poly has long provided us with some real standouts (Eric Massingham, Brent Morel, Bud Norris, Mitch Haniger, David Armendariz, Jimmy Allen, to name a few) and this year appears to be no different. Here's a brief bio of the three Mustangs:

* Bloomquist is a 6-foot-3, 170-pound righthanded pitcher from Bakersfield Christian High in Bakersfield, Calif. He was an All-South Sequoia League pitcher and All-Area utility player as a junior. He also was named to the NCSAA All-American first-team, All-American Far West Super Region team, ESPN Cal-Hi all-state small schools team and all-state underclassmen second-team.

As a sophomore, Bloomquist earned NCSAA All-American second-team, All-American Far West Super Region team and All-Area second-team honors. He was named Rookie of the Year and All-Area honorable mention as a freshman.

* Mundell is a 6-3, 205-pounder from Valencia High School in Valencia, Calif. He earned first-team All-Santa Clarita Valley and All-Foothill League honors, was named offensive MVP of the league and participated with the Southwest Future All-Star Team as a junior.

As a sophomore, Mundell earned second-team all-valley and second-team all-league honors.

* Van Gansen is a 5-9, 150-pound shortstop from Mission Hills, Calif., who played at Alemany High School. He was first-team All-Mission League and second-team All-CIF-Southern Section Division II honors as a sophomore and junior.

A four-year varsity player, Van Gansen was a Perfect Game 2011 Underclass High Honorable Mention as a junior.

They sound like great players. Welcome to the team!

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Pacific Lutheran sophomore Chris Bishop (2012-13) threw three shutout, no-hit innings for the Black team on Tuesday in a 6-0 win over the Gray team in Game 2 of PLU's Fall Classic tournament. Ex-Knight Max Beatty (2010-12) was the tough-luck loser, as he gave up one run and one hit in 3.2 innings. Max is a redshirt junior.

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That's it for today. The West Coast League owner's meetings are underway in Portland today and Friday (I'm not there), so we should have news on our 2013 schedule and other league items soon.

In the meantime, see you on Friday!

Knights sign Tacoma CC pitcher Brandon Choate

Our new relationship with Tacoma Community College, fostered by Knights'/TCC pitching coach Connor Lambert, is starting to bear fruit.

We've signed TCC sophomore pitcher Brandon Choate, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound righthander from Mountlake Terrace High School in Lynnwood, Wash., for the 2013 season. He was a two-year letterman at MTHS, and also played for the Washington Wave summer team.

Choate was 0-1 with a 6.54 ERA in 10 appearances as a freshman in 2012, with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings. He topped out at 90 MPH recently at TCC's annual Scout Day event.

Choate also was recruited by Seattle Unversity, Edmonds CC, Everett CC, and Scottsdale CC coming out of high school.

We'll have more 2013 signings to announce later this week, and early next week. Stay tuned!

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We wrote several days ago about the addition of former Knights Adam Melker (2008-09) and Carter Bell (2009) to the Perth Heat, the two-time defending champions in the Australia Baseball League, for the 2012-13 season. That story can be found right here.

And here's another story on Carter's route to Perth, from the MLB for Life website. It also makes for interesting reading we think you'll enjoy.

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Some news from elsewhere in the West Coast League:

MEDFORD: Local pitcher Mike Bradshaw of North Medford High/Linn-Benton CC/Nevada is among five signees for the new expansion franchise, which should be getting a nickname shortly.

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That's all for today. See you on Thursday.