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Sunday, February 22, 2009

Indians sign catcher from Czech Republic

Consider The Jerry Buchek Republic pleased as palacinka!

Scouring the globe for talented baseball players, the Cleveland Indians plucked one from Eastern Europe—a Czech mate behind the plate.

The club signed 16-year-old catcher Martin Cervenka of the Czech Republic to a non-drafted minor league contract on Saturday. Peter Gahan, who scouts Europe and Australia for the Indians, discovered the right-handed hitter while evaluating players at Major League Baseball’s European Academy in Italy.

The Indians began scouting the academy about one year ago, assistant general manager John Mirabelli said. But several other teams, including the Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds, have previously signed other prospects from Europe, a continent where soccer rules and baseball is still in its infancy.

“It’s the new frontier for baseball,” Mirabelli said.

Repoz Posted: February 22, 2009 at 02:00 AM | 37 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: indians, minor leagues, prospect reports, scouting

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1. Gamingboy Posted: February 22, 2009 at 02:35 AM (#3082898)

Czech this guy out!

2. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: February 22, 2009 at 02:47 AM (#3082900)

I heard he was late to spring training because of postal delays.

3. Tripon Posted: February 22, 2009 at 02:55 AM (#3082903)

He's actually from Bulgaria, and his real name is Aleksandar Markovski. And he's 28, and he actually plays left field instead of the catcher's spot.

4. Athletic Supporter leads the nation in drifters Posted: February 22, 2009 at 03:51 AM (#3082921)

Who would you rather have, this Czech or (Kevin) Cash?

5. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: February 22, 2009 at 03:55 AM (#3082922)

Just when you think his career is finished, he gives you a dead cat bounce.

6. Infinite Yost (Voxter)

Posted: February 22, 2009 at 04:02 AM (#3082925)

Czech this guy out!

It is beautiful in its simplicity.

7. Sexy Lizard Posted: February 22, 2009 at 04:09 AM (#3082930)

There are something like 30,000 Americans in Prague these days. I wonder if that has increased the amount baseball played locally.

8. Chris Hansen, NBC Dateline Posted: February 22, 2009 at 04:13 AM (#3082931)

Who would you rather have, this Czech or (Kevin) Cash?

Barry Bonds. Or maybe Don Money. No, wait: Nate Gold!

9. Drexl Spivey Posted: February 22, 2009 at 04:57 AM (#3082944)

Thomas Diamond lasts forever.

10. WillYoung Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:01 AM (#3082947)

I cannot wait until he cause the First Defenestration of Cleveland.

11. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:06 AM (#3082948)

I cannot wait until he cause the First Defenestration of Cleveland.

The victims of the second Cleveland Defenestration will land in Kansas City.

12. J. Michael Neal Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:08 AM (#3082949)

Peter Gahan, who scouts Europe and Australia for the Indians

That's a lot of frequent flier miles.

13. Juan V Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:46 AM (#3082966)

Pretty cool. I remember in one of my games in OOTP, when one of my top prospects was an outfielder from Georgia. The one that got into a war with Russia last summer.

14. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:51 AM (#3082967)

wasn't there another czech in the minors a few years back?

15. Howie Menckel Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:57 AM (#3082971)

INDIANS SAY, CZECH PLEASE

16. akrasian Posted: February 22, 2009 at 05:58 AM (#3082972)

The victims of the second Cleveland Defenestration will land in Kansas City.

Amazingly, I got the joke immediately (thanks, random page feature at wikipedia) - but people from KC will hate you for the joke, once they figure it out.

17. BeanoCook Posted: February 22, 2009 at 06:02 AM (#3082975)

Cleveland Indians plucked one from Eastern Europe—a Czech

Some call this central Europe, of course if you cut Europe into East/West, it would be East, but if we have Central, certainly central.

18. akrasian Posted: February 22, 2009 at 06:09 AM (#3082977)

Politically Eastern - at least to those of us who visited during the cold war and experienced (very mild) aspects of the police state it was. Despite that, I still have fond memories of its beer and the great deals I could find on workingman's lunches (as well as the few people I could truly interact with). But overall, Prague was a beautiful and depressing city in 1984.

19. Repoz

Posted: February 22, 2009 at 06:18 AM (#3082981)

Cervenka is an X...Czech Republic player.

20. IronChef Chris Wok Posted: February 22, 2009 at 06:34 AM (#3082987)

Maybe he's Dominik Hasek's illigetimate child

21. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: February 22, 2009 at 06:48 AM (#3082993)

Czeched swing?

22. StillFlash Posted: February 22, 2009 at 07:16 AM (#3083003)

Money was once traded for Cash

23. caspian88 Posted: February 22, 2009 at 09:06 AM (#3083018)

Czechmate!

24. Petuniaviles Posted: February 22, 2009 at 09:32 AM (#3083023)

Pretty cool. I remember in one of my games in OOTP, when one of my top prospects was an outfielder from Georgia. The one that got into a war with Russia last summer.

OOTP was my first thought as well when I saw this article. That international scouting was a weird addition.

25. jwb Posted: February 22, 2009 at 10:37 AM (#3083033)

Cervenka? So "Sex and Dying in High Society" as walkup music? Cool.

I like Joe Djugashvili Georgia as opposed to Ty Cobb Georgia.

26. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: February 22, 2009 at 12:27 PM (#3083041)

if he gets traded to Toronto, he'll be a Czeque

27. PASTE is not impressed by Albert Pujols (Zeth) Posted: February 22, 2009 at 02:34 PM (#3083047)

He can join up with Norm Cash, Ernie Banks, Chuck and Curt Schilling and Don Money to form a complete infield+battery... (hat tip to Bill James for the all-currency infield)

28. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: February 22, 2009 at 03:30 PM (#3083052)

If he's an Indian if/when he makes it to the big leagues, they pretty much have to use X's cover of 'Wild Thing' for his walkup music. And then he can bunt for a hit against the Yankees on the last day of the season to win a championship while Harry Doyle goes crazy in the radio booth.

As for the all-currency team, you can pretty much fill the outfield with a bunch of guys named Frank and Mark, no?

29. Swedish Chef Posted: February 22, 2009 at 04:13 PM (#3083069)

Brad Penny...

30. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: February 22, 2009 at 04:20 PM (#3083074)

you can pretty much fill the outfield with a bunch of guys named Frank and Mark, no?

or this guy

(unfortunately this one never made the show)

31. Liffey Troll Posted: February 22, 2009 at 07:31 PM (#3083155)

Sterling

Buck

Money

And how can you forget this

32. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: February 22, 2009 at 07:45 PM (#3083161)

This is Nate Gold's year, I tells ya!

33. Gamingboy Posted: February 22, 2009 at 07:54 PM (#3083165)

Pretty cool. I remember in one of my games in OOTP, when one of my top prospects was an outfielder from Georgia. The one that got into a war with Russia last summer.

Argh. I once lost a important OOTP game that would have gotten me to the "Global Baseball Association" equiv. of the NLCS because the other team had this great Russian pitcher who shut down a rally of mine. Stupid St. Louis Red! Eternal rivals of the Rochester Photographers! Next year, Red! NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

34. Frisco Cali Posted: February 22, 2009 at 08:03 PM (#3083170)

If the Indians give this Czech to the Yankees, do they get their island back?

35. aleskel

Posted: February 22, 2009 at 08:54 PM (#3083184)

Hunter Pence

36. Obama Bomaye Posted: February 22, 2009 at 10:12 PM (#3083225)

Sorry, there's only one Sterling in baseball.

37. Styles P. Deadball Posted: February 22, 2009 at 10:21 PM (#3083229)

He's actually from Bulgaria, and his real name is Aleksandar Markovski. And he's 28, and he actually plays left field instead of the catcher's spot.

Were he a Nationals prospect, I'd say almsot certainly.

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Sunday, February 22, 2009

Indians sign catcher from Czech Republic

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