Observant readers of Sunday's News-Gazette sports section might have noticed a new name in our weekly list of professional baseball players with local ties. Thanks to a tip from ever-observant Ben Taylor, the UI sports information department's contact for baseball, there's been a sighting of former Illini catcher Patrick Arlis in the Golden League, an independent minor league. Arlis was an 11th-round draft choice of the Florida Marlins in 2002, rising through the National League team's farm system but never reaching the majors. Since being released by the Marlins early in the 2007 season, Arlis has taken the independent league route, playing in the Northern League last year and with the Calgary (Alberta) Vipers this season. Check any roster in an independent league and you're liable to see a familiar name. The Vipers don't disappoint. One of Arlis' teammates is outfielder Felix Jose, whose 11-year major league career included a two-plus season stint with the Cardinals. But the real eye-opener on the roster isn't an ex-big leaguer. It's a former Stanley Cup champion. In what clearly was a promotional move, the Vipers signed ex-NHL star Theo Fluery, who played the bulk of his hockey career with the Calgary Flames. Wielding a bat instead of a hockey stick, Fluery made his professional baseball debut on Aug. 9. With 2,044 fans showing up to watch, Fluery delivered a single up the middle in his first plate appearance. In the nightcap, Fluery played left field. If Arlis ever writes a book about his pro baseball experiences, Fluery gets a prominent mention.

Fluery's pro baseball career might be short-lived. A check of the Vipers' Web site on Tuesday indicated he no longer is on the team's roster. He is, however, still listed in the team stats. The numbers include a .333 batting average (1 for 3 with two strikeouts) in two games.

But Arlis is a fixture. Through Sunday, the 2002 All-Big Ten first-teamer was hitting .269 with a team-high 22 doubles and 37 RBI in 69 games. With catching always at a premium in the sport, maybe Arlis will get another shot with a Major League Baseball-affiliated minor league team. At 27, he certainly is still in the midst of his prime athletic years.