AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Blue Crabs Sign Three Returnees, One Newcomer

Published on April 6, 2009 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs took a major step forward on Monday, April 6, by re-signing the team's best starting pitcher from last season and securing their starting first baseman. Right-hander Joe Gannon returns to Southern Maryland as the reigning Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year, and most Blue Crabs followers will also remember Eric Crozier, after the first baseman appeared in 110 games for Southern Maryland last season. Late season acquisition Kenny Baugh, a right-handed pitcher, will also be back in blue after appearing in 14 games for the Crabs in the second half of last year. The club has also added right-handed pitcher Jimmy Serrano, who like Crozier, has experience in the Major Leagues.

2009 will be the fifth season in which Gannon has suited up in the Atlantic League, and his second with the Blue Crabs. His knuckleball, notorious throughout the league and impossible to handle at times, allowed Gannon the best season of his career in 2008. He posted a 12-6 record with a 3.17 ERA in 22 starts and 162 innings pitched. That effort earned the Buffalo, New York native Atlantic League Pitcher of The Year honors. 12 wins was also his career best for a season. The nomadic veteran is entering his eighth professional season, and the fourth where he's pitched for Blue Crabs Manager Butch Hobson. In 2004 Gannon made his Atlantic League debut with Newark, going 7-4 in 20 appearances and 15 starts, after beginning the season with the Baltimore Orioles organization between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Ottawa. In 2005 Gannon split time between four clubs, including stops in Somerset, Newark and Nashua in the Atlantic League, where he first played for Hobson. After making 24 starts for Newark in 2006, Gannon began the 2007 season with High Class A Winston-Salem of the Carolina League, in the Chicago White Sox organization. He returned to Hobson's Nashua squad in the latter part of that season, which had since moved to the Can-Am League. That final audition in Nashua paved the way for his fresh start in Southern Maryland, where he dazzled all season long. The 34-year-old played collegiately at Canisius College in Buffalo, and debuted as a professional in 2002.

The re-signing of Crozier marks the first position player with Major League experience the Blue Crabs have acquired for the upcoming season. Crozier appeared in 14 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2004, slugging two home runs with 4 RBI during the stint. It remains his only Major League time. Crozier beat the odds to reach the big leagues after being a 41st round pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2000, the 1,234th player selected in the amateur draft that year. He remained with Cleveland into August of the 2004 season, before being traded to Toronto for right-handed pitcher Josh Phelps. Crozier would make his Major League debut after playing with Triple-A Syracuse that year. Between 2005 and last season he's also spent time in the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox organizations. Mixed in are prior Atlantic League stints with the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2006 and 2007. Between those two seasons, Crozier appeared in 106 games for Lancaster, stroking 15 home runs with 45 RBI. Last year for the Blue Crabs he hit .265 with 13 homers and 65 batted in. In his nine-year minor league career spanning 861 games, Crozier is a career .260 hitter with 107 home runs and 434 RBI, and is entering his 10th professional season.

After beginning last season with Triple-A Albuquerque in the Florida Marlins organization, right-hander Kenny Baugh would post an impressive 2.92 ERA in 24.2 innings of relief and one start for the Blue Crabs as the season ended. Baugh, who was drafted 11th overall by the Detroit Tigers in 2001, reached the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens in 2005. He went 12-8 in 28 starts, that season, and joined the Marlins in 2007. In 136 career appearances (109 starts), Baugh has logged 661 innings with a 45-40 record. He's struck out 453 batters in his career, opposed to just 249 walks.

To round out the latest signings, veteran right-hander Jimmy Serrano will also join 'Crustacean Nation.' Entering his 11th professional season, Serrano brings 10 games (including five starts) of Major League experience to the Blue Crabs, after earning a 32.2 inning stint with the Kansas City Royals in 2004. Cerrano sports 25 strikeouts and just 12 walks in his big league career. Drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1998 draft, he remained in that organization through the 2001 season, reaching Triple-A Ottawa. Along with the Royals, Cerrano has also spent Triple-A time in the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins organizations since 2002. He last appeared with the Marlins in Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Albuquerque in 2007. On the career, Cerrano boasts a solid 55-42 record in 367 appearances and 54 starts as a pro, in nearly 800 innings pitched. He has a 3.42 career ERA in the minor leagues.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will open their second season of Atlantic League Baseball at HOME on Thursday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m., against the Liberty Division rival Long Island Ducks. The Blue Crabs will play 70 home games this season at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. Season tickets, group events and mini-plans are currently on sale for the 2009 season. The Blue Crabs can also help your group fundraise at no risk and no up-front costs, by helping you sell hundreds of tickets to exciting Atlantic League Baseball. Please call 301-638-9788 for more details and to save your seat at the ballpark today!

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Atlantic League Stories from April 6, 2009


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