(PRINCETON, NJ) – The Princeton Black Squirrels introduced Erik “Cap” Holroyd, the #3 overall pick in the 2011 CBU amateur draft, to their medical team over the last couple of days leading up to his selection as Princeton’s first pick in the draft.
While most players in the draft ballroom feared being selected by the Black Squirrels as a sign that their career would be one of unrealized potential and numerous painful injuries, the rodents thought they’d get the process started early once they realized that Carson City was going to …

(PRINCETON, NJ) – It’s yet another season of “much the same” around the Princeton Black Squirrels Classic Baseball Union club. And there’s no telling how much more the locals can take as the team wallows at the bottom of the Veeck Division in mid-May with a 14-26 record, which also gives them the worst winning percentage in the CBU.
Things took a bad turn right from the start as superstar Jack Jarvis got himself suspended for 13 games on Opening Day for starting a bench-clearing brawl with Gustavo ‘Drummer’ Díaz of …

(PRINCETON, NJ) – The Princeton Black Squirrels head into the 2011 CBU season with some hopes for a solid year after posting a 130-194 record in their first two seasons of existence. Despite falling from 70-92 in 2009 to 60-102 last year, the third-worst team in the CBU actually improved from fourth place in the Veeck Division to third when Akron finished the season at 59-103.
“We went into the inaugural draft with the idea that we would take a long-term approach to building a winner here,” said General …

(PRINCETON, NJ) – Even as the Princeton Black Squirrels have started off with an incredible run of misfortune combined with poor form leading to a 6-31 record, some fans are optimistic with the return to the lineup of superstar left fielder Jack Jarvis, who will make his 2010 season debut on the road against the Colorado Everest. And the front office seems poised to impose a set of “Jarvis Rules” on the club to try and help avoid future injuries.
“Sure, losing your entire starting outfield and your star first baseman, …

2010: Player Name (Age, 2010 Salary)
Pitchers
2010 Projected Rotation: Carlos Féliz (26, $5.7m), José Muñóz (25, $3.4m), Jesús Viera (24, $350k), Pedro “Rock” Martínez (25, $350k), Juan Rodríguez (25, $350k)
2010 Projected Bullpen: MR Todd Finley (27, $350k), MR José “Prowler” López (27, $350k), MR Albert Meyer (22, $350k), MR Randy Simmons (26, $525k), SU Jack Taylor (34, $2.1m), SU Tim Shaffer (36, $1.2m), CL Bartolo Ramírez (23, $350k)
Key Acquisition: MR/SP Dong-hee Chang (28, $3.7m)
Notes: Last season the consensus was that the Princeton pitching would be the weak spot on the club. …

2009: Player Name (Games Started)
2010: Player Name (Age, 2010 Salary)
Left Field
2009: Jack Jarvis (96), Kenny Ellis (18), Tommy Fisher (18), Alfonso Valdés (17)
2010 Outlook: Jack Jarvis (25, $12.6m), Tommy Fisher (29, $2.3m)
Notes: Princeton made sure they had their superstar left fielder Jack Jarvis signed up for a three-year extension at the end of last season to avoid arbitration, and team officials will be hoping the investment pays off. Jarvis was an unbelievable force in the lineup in 2009, hitting .386 with 29 home runs, 80 RBI, and a crazy …

2009: Player Name (Games Started)
2010: Player Name (Age, 2010 Salary)
Catcher
2009: Bill Rodd (114), Ralph Petley (26), Chris Lewis (22)
2010 Outlook: Chris Lewis (26, $350k), Bill Rodd (29, $754k), Ralph Petley (32, $2.5m)
Notes: 29-year old Bill Rodd won the starting job out of Spring Training last year and underperformed, hitting just .223 with a .301 OBP in 440 at bats. His 19 home runs was good enough for third best on the club in 2009 though, and he threw out 35.7% of baserunners attempting to steal against him. 26-year old …

(PRINCETON, NJ) – In what many consider an extremely questionable move, the Princeton Black Squirrels have announced that they have signed 32-year old catcher Ralph Petley to a one year contract worth a reported $2.5 million for the 2010 season. The veteran Petley, who declined arbitration from Princeton to become a free agent after the season, was one of the main reasons that the AAA level Woodbridge Ratdogs enjoyed such a successful season in 2009. Petley hit .314 with a 1.030 OPS in 77 games with the Ratdogs, blasting …

(PRINCETON, NJ) – Princeton Black Squirrels General Manager Jim Fillmore has reportedly exhibited “strange behavior” since the conclusion of the CBU’s inaugural season in October. A series of bizarre roster moves capped by losing Jeff White on waivers to the Houston Woodland has fans of the team scratching their heads.
“It’s like he doesn’t know what he’s doing,” said Saynde Roy-James, a student and Princeton resident. “Not only was he involved in the whole Kurt Taylor business, but he releases White at the end of the season, then he signs …

Summary: The Princeton Black Squirrels finished in last place in the worst division in the CBU with a 70-92 record, bad enough for 3rd worst overall in “the U.” Almost no other team experienced the sort of injury madness the rodents faced this season, with a high point of 11 players from the major league roster on the disabled list at one time.
It was nearly impossible for Princeton to achieve any sort of consistency, as is evidenced by the fact that 10 different players played second base at some point …