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| Courtesy Bridgeport Bluefish |
BRIDGEPORT – Sometimes,
life in the Atlantic League resembles an Edgar Allan Poe poem. Indeed, “The Raven Syndrome”
has struck the Bridgeport Bluefish once more. Do what you may to construct the
most competitive team as possible, your best players—particularly pitchers—seem
to get plucked off by MLB organizations seeking depth to stockpile in the high
minors, or by foreign professional leagues (primarily Mexico and Asia) that can offer far more money than what is available in Independent League Baseball. And so it
is that the ’Fish have had one of their top pitchers—starter Cory Riordan—scarfed
up by the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in
Taiwan.
Riordan, who started 14 games this year for Bridgeport, owned
a 7-3 record with a 3.29 ERA, 88 strikeouts in 93 innings. The 6-4 right hander
from Killingworth also had two complete games on his resume—tied for the
Atlantic League lead in that category—at the time of his departure.
Named a member of the Liberty Division All Star Team earlier
this month, Riordan made his Atlantic League debut in 2015 with the ‘Fish. That
year he posed a 3.61 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 117.0 innings in 18 appearances
(17 starts). Then, midway through that season, earned his first trip to Asia
when his contract was purchased by the Lamigo Monkeys (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) of the CPBL. Later that season,
he returned to Bridgeport and finished the 2015 campaign with the 'Fish.
Atlantic League players signed to short-term contracts often return to their “home
bases” late in the season.
During the 2015-16 offseason, Riordan was signed by the
Detroit Tigers organization that following offseason, and split his time in
2016 between Detroit affiliates AAA Toledo of the International League and AA
Erie of the Eastern League, the league in which the Hartford Yard Goats
currently play. In 27 combined games, Riordan won six games, striking out 113
batters and posting a 4.86 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 153.2 innings.
“Cory has been great for us on the mound this year, as well
as in 2015 during his Bluefish debut,” said Bluefish general manager Paul
Herrmann. “We wish him the best of luck overseas.”
Riordan is the seventh Bridgeport player to have his contract
purchased during the 2017 season. No word as yet regarding who will take his
spot on the roster.
The Bluefish wrap up a three-game series in York, Pa., vs.
the Revolution and return to the Park City tomorrow night where they will open
a three-game weekend series with their cross-Sound arch rivals, the Long Island
Ducks. First pitch on Friday night will be at 7:12 p.m. Friday will be “Bark in
the Park” night. Fans are invited to bring their four-legged friends, and complementary
Bluefish bandanas will be given to the first 500 fans through the turnstiles. Tickets
are available at the Bluefish box office at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, or by
clicking HERE.
—with staff reports
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