Ducks Replace One Jose With Another

Ducks Replace One Jose With Another
by: Brian Bohl | Senior Writer - NY Sports Day | Friday, August 24, 2007
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — Jose Leon stood in the clubhouse hallway wearing a new Ducks’ undershirt. He just completed his first game with the club Wednesday, going 0-4 one night after signing as a free agent the evening before.

Two weeks ago, he was concluding his second season in the Mexican League. Instead of enjoying an early offseason, and waiting around for winter ball, the 30-year-old came north of the border to fill a void on a championship-contending club. It was a good match for both sides. Jose Offerman’s arrest and suspension for his bat-wielding fight last week created a need for an infielder. Leon received a chance to play again in the United States and rejuvenate his dream to make it back to the major leagues, where he last appeared for the Orioles in 2004.

“It’s exciting to play for a team with a chance at the playoffs,” Leon said. “Why not come here for a month-and-a-half and see what happens? I have a bunch of friends [who] play over here, and they tell me the league is starting to get better and better.”

Despite carrying a 5 ½ game lead after last night’s fog-cancelled game against the Camden Riversharks, manager Dave LaPoint was without an everyday third baseman after Dionys Cesar switched over to play second after Offerman’s arrest on assault charges. In came Leon, who batted .348 for Campeche last season in a league considered to be of a Triple-A caliber.

“He’s a good power hitter and a solid third baseman,” LaPoint said. “Let’s give him some at-bats. We have an anchor now at third and we’ll just leave him there.”

LaPoint said he knew Leon from when he was the pitching coach for the Cardinals’ Double-A team. He said he intends to play his new acquisition nearly every day to get his timing back.

“He’s always been a good, hard-nose player,” he said. “That’s the type of guy we need.”

Leon appeared in 88 games from 2002-04 with Baltimore, batting .225 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. But the 6-0, 210-pound infielder said he considered retirement when he arrived in Mexico. That mindset was the byproduct of multiple surgeries that ranged from facial operations to work on his knees and ankles.

Now, the Puerto Rican native said he is looking for a chance to return to the highest level, which seemed unlikely when the Cardinals drafted him with the 614th overall pick in the 1994 draft. It took nine seasons, but Leon worked his way up through every level of minor league baseball to become a legitimate prospect.

“I came over here to get back in a system,” Leon said about catching on with an affiliated club. “I’m 30 years old. If I continue to be healthy, I’m going to play.”

The Cardinals were rewarded for developing a low-round pick, eventually trading Leon to Baltimore in a trade-deadline deal for Will Clark in 2000. Leon arrived at Camden Yards two years later. Primarily a third baseman throughout his 12-season professional career, Leon said the Ducks told him he would play third but also could give Pete Rose Jr. an occasional day off at first.

“When I talked to them today, they didn’t know if I was going to play first or third,” Leon said. “I’ve been playing third base throughout my career.”

Leon said he put retirement thoughts on hold. He compared the talent level in the independent Atlantic League to the competition he faced in Mexico, leaving him ready to help his new team capture a title.

“It’s almost the same. The only thing in Mexico is that you’re only permitted three import guys” Leon said. “Baseball is baseball anywhere. It’s almost the same for me.”

Notes: While the Ducks added a position player, they lost a key pitcher yesterday when the Toronto Blue Jays signed staff ace Randy Leek. The southpaw was 5-1 with a team-leading 2.29 ERA. The Mineola native will report to Triple-A Syracuse, marking the third Duck to be signed by a MLB-affiliated club this season after Jorge Piedra (Oakland) and Derek Wathan (Kansas City).

“We’re excited that he will the opportunity to pitch at such a high level, and hope we may see him back at Citibank Park next month after the Triple-A season ends to help us in our playoff push,” LaPoint said.

Camden opened a 1-0 lead and threatened to score more runs before fog wiped out the game. Ed Yarnall struck out six in 3 1/3 innings before the delay, which negated all statistics. The contest will be made up tomorrow as part of a doubleheader starting at 6:05 p.m. Both games will be seven innings, as per Atlantic League rules pertaining to twinight twin-bills.