Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Manager Patrick Osborn has announced the official signing of four more players, with spring camp set to begin in a little over 40 days on April 18. Pitchers Chris Hayes, Steve Palazzolo, and Jason Waddell are returning to the Crabs after spending last season with the club. Catcher Luis Apodaca has also been added to the roster to serve as a force behind the plate.
Hayes returns to the bullpen after spending half of the season with the Crabs in 2010. He spent the beginning of the 2010 season with Triple-A Omaha in the Kansas City Royals Organization. Hayes also pitched for Double-A Northwest Arkansas in the Royals farm system last season. He went 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA in 18 appearances out of the bullpen at Northwest Arkansas. 2011 will be his seventh professional season, after going 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA in 17 appearances with Southern Maryland in 2010.
Entering his eighth professional season, Steve Palazzolo rejoins the Blue Crabs after splitting time with Double-A West Tennessee and Triple-A Tacoma in the Seattle Mariners organization during the 2010 season. At Triple-A Tacoma, he went 2-1 and struck out 12 batters in 12.1 innings pitched. Palazzolo has also pitched for Triple-A Fresno in the San Francisco Giants organization and spent time in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He went 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA in 25 appearances with the Blue Crabs just one season ago.
Also rejoining the Crabs for his second season, Jason Waddell will once again add a lefty option to the Blue Crabs bullpen. Beginning the 2010 season in the Detroit Tigers organization at Triple-A Toledo, Waddell pitched in nine games for the Mud Hens. In 2009, he made three relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs in his Major League debut. Waddell went 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 43.2 innings pitched for the Blue Crabs in 2010.
Newcomer catcher Luis Apodaca has been added to the 2011 roster after spending both the 2009 and 2010 season with the Tucson Toros of the Golden League. The Venezuelan native hit .290 for the club while serving as a steadying force behind the dish for Tucson’s pitching staff. Apodaca played in the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals organization from 2002-2005 and reaching as high as Triple-A in the Colorado Rockies system in 2006.
With these four signings, the Blue Crabs now have 15 players under contract for the 2011 season. The 2011 season will open on Friday, April 29 at 7:00. Season ticket plans for 2011 may be purchased by contacting the team executive offices at 301-638-9788.