NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Vipers Sign Five - Draft Two

March 2, 2009 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Calgary Vipers News Release


The Calgary Vipers have solidified their infield for the 2009 GBL season. The Vipers this week came to terms with perennial all-stars Carlos Duncan, Nelson Castro and Jorge Mejia.

Duncan, the first player every signed by the Vipers in 2005 will return for his 5th season with the club.

Named all-independent league all-star at third base in 2007 Duncan missed the first six weeks of the 2008 season due to injury then returned to his dominating ways when he rejoined the team in early July. The veteran Dominican hit .337 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI in only 49 games.

Castro, the Vipers team MVP in 2008 has signed on for his 4th season with the team. The former Triple-A shortstop hit .336 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 2008. Rounding out the infield is second baseman Mejia. In his first year with the Vipers Mejia was second on the team with 69 runs batted in, only one shy of the 70 mark reached by Felix Jose and Drew Miller. He also hit .317 with 9 home runs and led the team with 25 stolen bases.

Rotation Takes Shape

The Vipers also strengthened their starting rotation with the signing of playoff phenom Joe Sergent and Japanese ironman Hideki Nagasaka.

Sergent was 4 and 3 while juggling his teaching career with playing part time for the Vipers in 2008. But in the playoffs he was dominant winning all three of his starts; Game One in the Division Championship Series in Edmonton, Game One of the League Championship Series against Orange County in Calgary and Game Four in Fullerton. The left hander was 20-3 and dominated the Northern League with Fargo in 2006 and 2007. Sergent will stay with the Vipers for the entire season in 2009.

Nagasaka could become the workhorse of the Vipers rotation. He has accumulated a pro record of 24-10 as a starter over the past three season with Reno and Chico of the GBL and Nashua of the Can-Am League. He has also pitched close to 300 innings in past three seasons.

Vipers pitching coach Evan Greusel and Director of Baseball Operations Peter Young drafted two pitchers last week at the conclusion of the month long Arizona Winter League schedule. Japanese big league draftee Michinao Yamamura and sidewinder Andrew DeMott will now get invitations to the Vipers training camp.

Recuenco Tears Up AWL

Recently signed Vipers infielder Rob Recuenco made a major impact during the Arizona Winter League season. The former Edmonton Crack-Cat and Calgary Dawgs starter led the AWL with a.434 batting average over 20 games. He was second in home runs with 3, first in on base percentage, second in slugging percentage and fourth in league RBI.

Brinkley Traded

Young also completed a trade with the expansionist Tijuana Potros that will see Darryl Brinkley return to Foothills for three dates in 2009. The former Vipers MVP and Baseball America Player of the Year was dealt to Tijuana for future considerations.

The Vipers will open their fifth training camp on Saturday, May 9 at Foothills Stadium. The team will also host their annual Free Agent Evaluation Camp on Sunday, May 10.

• Discuss this story on the Golden Baseball League message board...

Golden Baseball League Stories from March 2, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Calgary Vipers Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central