Yuma Yard Sale

Here's an interesting story about the Yuma Yard Sale that took place over the All-Star Break in Tucson:

Departing Scorpions shine in All-Star game
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July 14, 2010 11:30 PM
BY EDWARD CARIFIO - SUN STAFF WRITER

TUCSON — In their last game wearing Yuma Scorpion uniforms, Daryl Arreola pitched a scoreless inning and Timmy Rodriguez scored a run after hitting a single.

But the performances of the two now former Yuma players wasn't enough for the Golden Baseball League all-stars, which lost to Northern League all-stars 9-3 on Wednesday at Hi Corbett Field.

Rodriguez and Arreola were among four players traded by the Scorpions on Wednesday, all for future considerations. Arreola went to Edmonton, while Rodriguez will play for Victoria. Also traded were Zach Cline to Orange County and Santo DeLeon to Chico.

Scorpions vice president Peter Young said the moves were made for financial reasons.

“We're in a situation where we didn't win the first half, so it was difficult to keep the highest paid players when we're getting 100 butts in the seats,” said Young, whose Scorpions finished percentage points behind Maui for the South Division title in the first half.

The team hasn't paid its players since early June. Both players said they have mixed feelings about leaving Yuma.

“I hear so many good things about the place, I'm just looking forward to the fresh start,” Arreola said. “I'm looking to get out of Yuma and continue the season I've been having. I think we're all pretty happy to move on to a new place … maybe we'll play better because we're actually being taken care of the way we're supposed to be taken care of.”

Rodriguez said he learned a lot in his time from manager Darryl Brinkley and hitting coach Dave Cash, who was a World Series champion during his major league career.

“I'm excited to go play baseball and be in an area I can be a little more comfortable,” Rodriguez said. “I learned a lot in Yuma but, still given what happened, I learned from a World Series champion and a career .300 hitter. Given everything, I was really able to progress.”

Yuma's All-Star duo did well in their final game representing the Scorpions. Rodriguez batted cleanup and played the first five innings in right field for the GBL before being lifted for Edmonton's Tom Collaro. He scored the first GBL run in the fourth, singling, stealing and scoring on a single by Chico catcher Mike Rose. That cut the lead to 5-1.

Arreola pitched a perfect top of the fifth inducing two pop-ups to the outfield and striking out the last batter of the inning in mowing down the middle of the Northern League's lineup.

GBL starter Wes Etheridge of Maui gave up three runs in the first inning as the NL banged out six hits and stormed out to the big lead. Etheridge hadn't given up more than two earned runs in a game this season.

The GBL cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Orange County's Jimmy Rohan that scored pinch hitter J.J. Sherrill of Chico.

After the NL pounded Etheridge in the first, they added solo runs in the second in third, including a solo home run by Brad Correll of Joliet.

Northern League starter Andrew Cruse, who plays for Kansas City, was the only pitcher to throw more than an inning, pitching two shutout frames.

The NL broke the game open with four in the seventh, capped by a three-run triple off the bat of Amos Ramon of Lake County.

Former Scorpion Emiliano Fruto, who pitched for Yuma last season, struck out two in the ninth representing the Toros. The GBL added a run with back-to-back doubles in the ninth.