Crying Time

Lots of cuts were made this week, starting with catcher Bryan Kennedy on Sunday. While intellectually I knew he was never going to make it, and that if not cut last year he'd go this year, it was still tough to take.

But I like Bryan as a person and not as a catcher. That's sort of the funny thing, some of the players that weren't going to amount to anything, are the ones I end up liking the best.

Rob Bowen was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers. Not really a surprise, I figured he'd have to get out of this organization to get a chance anywhere, especially after Shawn Wooten and Steve Lomansney were picked up as free agents. We know Chris Heintz is the starting catcher for Rochester, but I'm wondering if they'll go with three catchers in Rochester again this year.

Bowen was kind of my first Miracle love, not be cause he was that good, but because he was that good looking. Play wise I liked Gabby better. Bowen was using the goalie style mask at the time and kept losing the balls. He looked like a big chicken out there, scratching in the dirt all of the time.

Matt Yeatman was also released. I kept waiting for him to have his break out year, but he was probably better in 2003 for the Miracle than he was in 2004. He made it to the Rock Cats, but got moved back to the bullpen. I understand the Brewers picked him up. I still think he can make something of himself. Aside from missing Matty, I will miss his wife Robbie. She was totally cool!

What can I say about James Tomlin? Great on the basepaths, but not with a bat. Could of been the next Willy Mays, but he couldn't learn to hit. And you've got a log jam in the outfield.

Josh Gray...still not sure why they even brought him into training camp this year. I was surprised he wasn't released during the offseason. Nice guy, but after a quick start for the Miracle, it was all down hill.

Jan Granada and Daylan Childress I'm sort of ambivilant about. They were free agent picks ups.

What worries me is the names I don't know yet. Who's gone that I'm going to cry over. And believe me, I'm sure there are is a guy or two that has gotten released that I'm just going to say "WHY?" over.

Meanwhile, I have to come to terms with the heartbreak of who we don't have on the Miracle -- once I found out who that is. For example, if I look at the catching (again), a post today said that Phillips and Morales were catching for New Britain. That would move Geiger and Javi Sanchez down to the Miracle, but then De San Miguel goes to Beloit and you've got catchers coming up from Elizabethton that want to go into Beloit.

Grrr...well, tomorrow I'll have a much better idea once I get the updated roster. And yes, they will put a bunch of guys into extended and cut some from there in June, once they've drafted. Oh...the heartbreak!

I'm depressed and I might end up being more depressed by tomorrow evening.

I guess I'll watch Altoona take on New Britain tomorrow as I'm not going to Bradenton to watch the A teams and GCL is just working out. Sunday is the game between Rochester and Minnesota in Hammond and I've got a ticket for that. Kind of looking forward to all the pomp and circumstances. Next Wednesday is the season ticket holder party, and Thursday the Miracle open on their season on the road. The home opener is Saturday night.

I THINK the first Extended game I can make is Saturday, April 15th vs. the Blow Sox. I'll I've to get into work early if I'm to make that one though.

In the meantime, I'm trying to work on the GCL player profiles, because I'm hoping that will keep me occupied and keep me from being too depressed.

Woody's Fan Club

Johnny Woodard is 6'4" tall, he's 205 pounds of solid muscle and he sports a tatoo on his fore arm that reads "Super" with a star underneith.

He plays like a superstar too, with a power bat, a good glove on first and a threat running the bases. Let's just say he's not the kind of guy you'd want to find coming at you if you were a catcher blocking home plate.

Woodard is currently in the work group for the New Britain Rock Cats, but there's a good chance he'll be sent to Fort Myers to start the season.

In any case, he was playing in the game Sunday as the New Britain Rock Cats defeated the Portland Sea Dogs, 5-3.

Sitting in the stands or perhaps more appropriately laying on the ground were these two little girls, probably about five and six, dressed up in princess pink and purple. They were at that age where they could still amuse themselves by making castles of peanut shells and catching microscopic ants to be the knights they sent to defend them.

They were both adorable as heck.

Woodard, who hails from Fairfield, California is also quite black. These little girls, were the very much white.

And they amused themselves with the peanut shells, pebbles, and ants until Johnny got into the on deck circle. Then they would both look up a say "Hi Johnny!" in unison.

Woodard would wave at them, and smile.

When he got up to the plate the girls would chant "Go JOHNNY!" together. Unfortunately, this did not help him at the plate as he struck out and lined out in the game.

They left with their parents after the fifth when Woodard got done playing.

He must have the youngest fan club in professional baseball!

For the Betsy fans who read my blog, I got to see Ryan Mullins pitch on Saturday and was very impressed with him. The bit of leg action he has going there was amusing. His father was in attendance at the game too.

Pictures from the contest including Joe Nathan (because well, he's Joe Nathan), Caleb Moore for Andy, Danny Santiesteban for his brother, Eddie, Toby Gardenhire for the Cleveland fan who wants him to play there, Dusty Bensko for his Mom, Travis Kalin for old times sake and Sean Richardson for me can be found on the Kodak Gallery.

I had much fun this weekend, but I got done and felt like I need a day off to recover. Unfortuantely, if I had a day off, I'd just go down to the ballpark again.