For Immediate Release: April 27, 2008
FREEDOM ADD QUALITY ARMS TO PITCHING STAFF FOR ’08 SEASON
FLORENCE, Ky. – The Florence Freedom signed right-handed pitchers Elvys Quezada and Joaquin Canizal to contracts for the 2008 Frontier League baseball season.
Quezada is a 6-foot-3, 230-pound right-hander who spent the last five seasons in the New York Yankees’ minor-league system. The former Seton Hall University pitcher was drafted by the Yankees in the 15th round of the 2003 draft. He has a 21-14 career record with a 3.40 earned-run average. Quezada spent the 2007 season with the Yankees’ Class-A Tampa affiliate in the Florida State League. The Dominican Republic native went 4-4 with a 3.72 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 77.1 innings.
Canizal hasn’t played professionally since making five relief appearances with the Joliet Jackhammers of the independent Northern League in 2005. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound native of Santurce, Puerto Rico played baseball at Union College, a NAIA school in Barbourville, Ky. Success at the collegiate level led the Toronto Blue Jays to select Canizal in the 31st round of the 2003 amateur entry draft. The Blue Jays released the right-hander following the 2004 season at Charleston (W.Va.) in the Class-A South Atlantic League despite the fact he was 6-2 with a 4.16 ERA in 80 innings out of the bullpen. In 42 appearances, Canizal fanned 75 batters and walked only 29.
The Freedom will play two exhibition games against the Joliet Jackhammers on May 10th and 11th. They will also face their East Division rivals the Chillicothe Paints on May 14th.
The Freedom begin the 2008 season at home at 11:05 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 21, in front of a sold out crowd, against the Kalamazoo Kings. Because of high demand you can have lunch with the Freedom. The $15 ticket consists of your general admission seat upstairs, a $7 concession voucher, and unlimited soda. Freedom players will also be upstairs prior to game time to sign autographs. Ticket packages and group outings are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Champion Window Field or by calling the Freedom office at (859) 594-HITS.
Florence Freedom is a member of the Frontier League, a 12-team Independent Professional Baseball League established in 1993. The Freedom play a 96-game schedule with 54 home games between late May and early September.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashley Grotte at the Freedom office by calling (859)594-4487 x 13 or via email Ashley.grotte@florencefreedom.com.
-Florence Freedom-