18-Grip Shield Glory Days

Billy Falconio and Matt Schnelly of the South Florida Beach Bums, and Tony Flores and Joe Torre, who played with the Beach Bums and the Royals, have signed contracts to play Independent pro ball. Falconio, a shortstop who also can catch, has signed with the River City River Hawks of the Frontier League. Falconio played at Polk Community College, then two years at Palm Beach Atlantic, batted .316 with 16 home runs and 133 RBI as a collegian. He batted .333 in 26 games with the Beach Bums. Schnelly, who pitched at Lipscomb University in Tennessee, and the Palm Beach Miracle and Beach Bums in the Palm Beach League, is headed to camp with the Texarcana Gunslingers of the Continental Baseball League, also an Independent circuit. Joining Schnelly in the CBL will be former Royal Tony Flores, who has signed on with the Bay Area Toros, the 2008 league champions.

Flores played for the Royals in the Fall 2008 season, and was with the Beach Bums in the 2009 Citrus Classic. Joe Torre, no relation to the LA Dodgers' manager, will be playing pro ball in Italy. Torre was signed by the Riccione Dolphins of the Italian Baseball Federation. The New Jerseyan played briefly with the Royals, as well as with the Beach Bums during the Palm Beach Challenge, a tournament for mostly college players in March. Jamie Priester, the Royals' shortstop, also plans to play in the Italian League although at the present time he has not been assigned to a team. The Italian Baseball Federation held tryouts here in the Palm Beach area, coordinated by Beach Bums' manager Charles Sano, who works in group sales for the Florida Marlins. At least two other players were offered contracts to play in Italy, but reportedly turned them down to stay here in the States.