The Can-Am League currently has 32 current or former players that are participating in winter league baseball. The league is represented in seven different countries including Australia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. All of the winter leagues are currently in the postseason.

Stuart Pomeranz (New Jersey Jackals) – 4-0, 1.93 ERA, 23 1/3 Innings Pitched, 18 SO [La Guaira Tiburones - Pictured]

The Worcester Tornadoes announced that they have promoted their former manager, Ed Riley, to the front office as Special Advisor to the General Manager and promoted last season’s bench coach, Chip Plante (pictured), to field manager. In his first stint as a manager, Riley, compiled a 48-44 record.

“Chip is the consummate baseball professional and is deserving of this opportunity. He brings a passion for the game, a tremendous work ethic and our player’s truly connected with him last season,” added Bassiacos.

Philadelphia spring training invitee Raul Valdes (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH, Can-Am League - pictured) led a trio of outstanding pitching performances by former Independent players in winter league playoffs this week. The southpaw hurled a complete-game five-hitter (one run) in the Dominican Republic.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx (Victoria, Golden League), signed recently by Washington, allowed only one hit in seven shutout innings in Venezuela and Mike Loree (Long Island, NY, and Newark, NJ, Atlantic League) surrendered only one run in five innings to even the Puerto Rican League championship series.

The Can-Am League announced that the contract of Newark Bears INF/OF Peter Fatse has been sold to the Baltimore Orioles. He becomes the first player from the league sold to a major league organization in 2012.

Fatse (pictured) was selected by the Bears in the Pittsfield dispersal draft on October 14. With the Colonials in 2011, Fatse batted .279 with five home runs and 41 RBI.

Independent League baseball recently had six former players sign with major league organizations.

The list includes: 3B Corey Smith (Newark, NJ, then in the Atlantic League) moved from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization to the Chicago White Sox, OF Leonard Davis (New Jersey Jackals, Can-Am League - Pictured) switched from Washington to Colorado and LHP Derrick Loop (Camden, NJ, Atlantic, and Chico, CA, Golden League) transferred from Philadelphia to the Dodgers

Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop and current ESPN analyst Barry Larkin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday, getting 86.4 percent of the vote by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Other than Larkin, the player who received the best news today is probably (Newark Bears manager) Tim Raines (pictured). He jumped from 38 percent to just shy of 49 percent.