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TMCNet: Independent thinking [The Daily Review, Towanda, Pa.]

[April 11, 2009]

Independent thinking [The Daily Review, Towanda, Pa.]

(Daily Review (Towanda, PA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Apr. 11--The hope for Nate Bump was that a Major League team would give him a long look and he would be able to start this season in Class AAA as he attempts to return to the big leagues.

The opportunity wasn't there this offseason so now Bump will look to go the independent route, signing with the Camden River Sharks of the Atlantic League.

"There was really no other option for me," Bump said. "We had called teams, but it's been pretty strange this year. We couldn't even get people to come out and give me even five minutes of their time. I will have to go out here and prove myself." Since last season Bump has been working hard to get himself ready as he attempts to return to the majors.

"I've been going strong all offseason," he said. "I took two weeks off at the end of the '08 season and I've been at it ever since. It's a lot different compared to last year when I was just getting my feet wet. I'm just getting my emotions in check and making sure my arm strength is where it needs to be. All I need is the ball and I know what I can do." For Bump this year is a chance to prove that all the hard work he has put in is worth it.

"For over a year and a half now I've been working my butt off," he said. "I've changed my mechanics to get to where I am now and I've gone from barely 83 miles-an-hour on my fastball back to over 90. I'm really excited.

"I feel like I've put in as much effort as I possibly can so I'm ready to prove myself." As hard as Bump worked there just weren't offers with the major league organizations, a trend that he has seen impact a lot of players.

"I think a lot of teams are staying young and staying in their organization," Bump said. "I'm not sure if it's a way for them to save money or what, but a lot of six-year minor league free agents are out there and don't have jobs when they should. Not necessarily guys like me, but players who have been healthy and have a track record and should have jobs, but they don't.

"I guess teams think they are saving 8-10 grand a month by promoting within so you have AA players who don't belong in AAA, but they are there because it saves teams money." While Bump will have to start the league in an independent league, he will hardly be alone in the Atlantic League.

Since the league was formed in 1988 over 500 former big league players have made a stop in the league, many of them looking to get back to the majors. Among the players who have spent time in the league are Rickey Henderson, who will go into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzalez, Ruben Sierra, Tim Raines and Joe Borowski, along with some top draft picks, like Jared Weaver and Stephen Drew, who were holding out while negotiating contracts.

Bump's own team in Camden just signed former No. 3 overall pick Dewon Brazelton, who spent five years in the majors, and the Long Island Ducks signed Dan Miceli this week, a pitcher with over 700 innings in the big leagues.

Other players already signed for teams this year include former all-star Preston Wilson, who had 141 RBI for the Colorado Rockies in 2003, and former Boston Red Sox slugger Carl Everett.

"It's a well scouted league," Bump said. "It's kind of where teams go when they need to fill slots, they (big league teams) took a lot of guys out of the league last year. All I need to do is prove I'm healthy, I think the fastball will be back to where it was and I'll be okay." The league season starts April 23 when Camden opens against Somerset and the players are about to go through an eight-day minicamp in Lakeland, Florida.

For Bump just being healthy right from the beginning of a year is nice.

"I'm very excited, I'm going to be starting this year I think and I love it," he said. "I'm loving baseball again, I'm not throwing with any pain and the game is fun again.

"I'm not worried at all, I think I'll put up good numbers, I'll compete, I'll be healthy and if I am my stuff is as good as ever." The league has some big-name coaches in it, including Von Hayes and Raines, but Bump knows that all that really matters is that scouts come and watch you play.

"I know there are some bigger name managers on other teams and it's nice to have connections, but what's important is just getting the guns out there when you pitch," Bump said.

There were other teams in the league interested in Bump, but in the end Camden was convenient.

"I had a number of teams that were interested in the league, but for me it's more of a convenience factor," Bump said. "I'm close to my wives parents, they are about a half hour away, and it's an area I'm familiar with." It's also nice for the former Towanda and Penn State pitcher to get a chance to return to the Northeast, with stops during the season in places like Lancaster in May.

"I love it, I always love to pitch in Pennsylvania, it reminds me of when I pitched when I was a kid." More than 200 players have left the Atlantic League and made it to the big leagues, with 44% of those players being pitchers and Bump is hoping the same thing can happen for him.

"I'm not looking too far in advance, but ideally I'll be there for a month or two, get a good head start and go to AA or AAA, hopefully AAA," Bump said. "I don't want to get ahead of myself though, I have to throw my first pitch before I start thinking about the future."

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