The end is near

Well, the end of Spring Training is near.  Only four more days until camp breaks.  The last week of Spring Training always has its ups and downs as everyone is looking forward to the season and some are just hoping they actually make a team.  The last week is always the most stressful for players that are “on the fence” of making a team or being cut.  The truth is, not many players are 100% certain of their status.  Any drive to the park could be the last, or there could be thousands of drives to the park left.  We have only had one “release day” so far this Spring Training, and there will be at least one more in the next few days.

Release days are by far the worst days in Spring Training for a lot of guys.  I’ve heard that many organizations cut players in a variety of ways, none of which are enjoyable.  Our organization does it first thing in the morning when you arrive at the park.  On arrival to the park, our clubhouse guys are waiting outside the locker room on golf carts…that’s when you know it’s release day.  If you’re one of the unlucky ones, they take you up to the offices to talk with management and with the blink of an eye your career with that organization is over. It sounds crazy, but it really is as simple as that.  Over the years, I’ve had many good friends go through this, and it gets harder every year to see guys leave.  It’s always nerve-racking to walk by the clubhouse guys, just holding your breath and hoping they don’t talk to you.  So with the excitement of a new season on the horizon, this is always in the back of everyone’s mind almost every single day in Spring Training.

As for me, I’ve had a pretty good Spring Training I think.  I’ve had mostly good outings, with the exception of one outing in which I got hit around a little. It happens.  With four days left, I’m still unsure of where I’ll be this summer.  I’ve been in the AAA work group all spring and hopefully I’ll break camp with them and be in Durham, but I wouldn’t be shocked if I was back in AA in Montgomery.  Either way, as long as I still have a job, I’m okay with it.

One thing I know is that I’m ready to get out of here and start the season.  The days in Spring Training get really monotonous.  Wake up early, go to the field, eat, run, throw, drills, batting practice, more drills, eat, play, go home. Repeat.  On the average day, we are usually at the park from about 7 until around 3 or 4 , depending on if we are playing home or away.  It gets a little boring, but it’s important to get prepared the best we can for the season.

Enough of Spring Training, how about March Madness? What is going on? VCU…are you serious? I’m all for the cinderella story, but the winner of the Butler/VCU game does not interest me whatsoever to watch in the title game.  I guess that’s the beauty of the tournament.  I’m just glad after all the smack talk from the UNC fans, they got put out right after my Dukies did.  Well deserved!  I’m not a huge UT basketball fan, but I do follow them and cheer for them when they play anyone not named Duke or ETSU.  I’m sure everyone has opinions of Bruce Pearl getting fired, so here is mine…what a terrible decision!!!  So what the guy cheated or lied or whatever he did? He took a crappy UT program from the ashes and rebuilt it.  Just look at his record at UT and tell me that you agree with that decision.  As the saying goes, “If you ain’t cheatin, you ain’t tryin!”

I’ll leave this post with a plug for my buddy Emeel.  We had the annual “Rays Talent Show” a couple of weeks ago, and Emeel won with his medley of songs.  He has already got plugs on twitter from David Price and Reid Brignac, so I’m sure the ten people who read this won’t make much of a difference, but here is the link anyways…