The reigning Italian Baseball League champion T&A SAN MARINO added three more players to the 2009 roster. They signed outfielder Carlos Duran, catcher Randolph Kirindongo and reliever Luis Ramirez.
The Venezuelan Duran comes from SAN MARINO’s opponent in the Italian Series, DANESI NETTUNO. The 26-year-old batted .233 (OBP .309/SLG .366) with three homeruns, 29 runs scored and 17 RBI in 41 games last season. Kirindongo is 23 years old and from the Netherlands Antilles. He was on the roster for his home country in the World Cup Qualifier last year in Venezuela and also played two years for the Florida Marlins affiliate in the Dominican Summer League. Last fall he sat behind the plate for the WILD CATS in Curacao, batting .359 (.532/.436) in 24 games during the regular season and .294 (.429/.353) in five playoff games.
Ramirez is 26 years old and from Barcelona, Venezuela. The right-handed pitcher signed as an amateur free agent with the Seattle Mariners organization in 1999 and later pitched for Minor League teams of the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics, as high as Triple-A (2007). In 128 games (96 starts) Ramirez had a 29-21 record with an ERA of 3.74 and a WHIP of 1.20. He struck out 609 (202 BB) in 567 1/3 innings. He is the replacement for Brian Looney (ERA 1.46, 49.1 IP, 49 SO, 8 BB, picture) and Juan Figueroa (ERA 0.79, 11.1 IP, 10 SO, 4 BB) in the bullpen, as both do not return for 2009.
Photo by FIBS
