As scary as it seems, I'm about to turn 21. Yeah, yeah, yeah, watch out. I'm really not that much of a drinker (I'm not supposed to be either as I'm not yet 21.) Let's not fool ourselves though. I have indulged a time or two. However, this is what scares me. We're right in the middle of Spring Training. Braden Long insists that as a right of passage, we need to go shoot some rum at a titty bar in Sarasota. He said it would be better if it was Treasures back in Bridgeport, but the Score Board in Sarasota will have to do. Now, I don't care how dedicated Braden says he is (everyone says he's a complete 180 from the Braden Long of the past few springs), Braden Long is still crazy. Nobody will ever be able to tell me different. So when Braden Long tells me he's taking me to a titty bar to shoot rum for my 21st birthday, well, don't judge me for being a bit nervous. It's cool though. JJ is going to join the festivities too. Plus, both have been set on their curfews and assured me, they weren't going to stay out later just because of the occasion.
See, this is what's refreshing about this team. While everyone still has their own lives, everyone so far has been greeting me with open arms and offering to show me around town. Don't get me wrong, your never going to see the whole team getting together on a nightly basis to go bowling. But from what I've seen so far, if your looking for something to do, there is always someone on the team that is willing to hang out. That's the difference between this year and the last four years. Back west, everyone did their own thing and hated even being around each other in the clubhouse. It was just a toxic environment. It was so high strung. If you joked about someone in that clubhouse, fists would fly. Here, Tex Cobb is made fun of every day because the guy really eats ALL THE TIME. He can get away with it because he's a work horse. But he just jokes back. We constantly rip on Mike Hawk, telling him he has a bad "Fat-itude". He doesn't take it personally, and even jokes back.
On the field things are going pretty good. The move to the East Coast, as well as all the off the field business (cutting ties with California local endorsements and signing new ones in New York) hampered my workouts a little bit more than I would have liked. The good thing though is that I'm feeling completely refreshed. As busy as the offseason was, not being as physical I think has helped my body rebound a little bit. Next offseason I'm going to kick it with JJ. He stayed in Bridgeport this offseason for the first time to get ready for the upcoming season. He's got a pretty good off season program and I'm familiar with his off season conditioning coach. So going forward, I'm looking forward to an exciting career here in Bridgeport.
On a side note, and don't take too much offense to this. I am very worried about the girls of Bridgeport. I hadn't really gone out and about too much when we were in town with the Crush, but in the small sample I did see, the eye candy wasn't nearly as nice as in OC. That's fine though, as OC girls are crazy. Very, very crazy. Maybe I'll find a nice girl to settle down with in Bridgeport. Oh hell, I'm 21. I'll end up picking up some crazy city girl in New York, which is just a hop, skip and a jump from B-Town. Wish me luck kids.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
I'm back...
After over a year away from the whole blogging scene (jadsbl.com thought I was to controversial), I am back online. It's not so much that I wasn't able to set up a blogging site on my own. It's just that I was far too busy to sit down and sign up for a ghetto blogger.com account that nobody would read anyway until I tipped off a beat writer that I'm posting on it. Que cheesy smile here.
It's kind of been a rocky go of it since the last time I wrote anything for the public viewing. I got hurt in the second season and my numbers were down because of it. That led people to ask what happened to me. Umm, I was hurt. The next year I struggled, leading to more questions about what happened to me. I'm sensing a trend here. Early this year, while we were struggling, I faced numerous questions about what was wrong with me.
I've been labeled as a bust. I've been rediculed by my own team's management (oh yes, it's true). And worst of all, I've heard the boos of the home crowd. I've been called overrated. I can deal with that. But you know what? I haven't demanded a high price tag to this point. Seriously. Look around the league. I'm a bargain.
However, here is where my gripe comes in. When we lost the inaugural Championship Series to Bridgeport in 2007, who had to stand up and do the post-game, losing locker room interview? Me. When the team struggled in 2008, who had to answer all the hard questions? Me, even though I missed two months of the season. Last year, as the team flourished, guess who suddenly didn't get all the attention. Me.
This is what bothers me. With all the team's stuggles, look at the line-up changes over the past couple years. I'm the team's starting center fielder right? Well, I've been forced to start many a games in right field the past couple years. I played the field flawlessly. Yet it always came down to the fact that my batting average wasn't as high as Peter Gibbon's. I've batted in more spots in the lineup than anybody else on the team (1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9) yet, I was never as consistent as Carl Feely, nor am I as good as Kevin Nunez (who has only scored 5 more runs than me and has driven in 14 less runs than me).
The thing that is the worst is that when we are winning, everyone from John Bush to Doug Gilmour is right up there in the spotlight. When we lose? Where do they go? You don't here about any of them. Who gets dumped on? Sean Mack and Alex Crane get dumped on. Everyone is talking about how dominate we are and how much we will run away with the championship this year. I hope we do. I really would like a ring. But, as far as mid-season enjoyability, this team is as dysfunctional as it has ever been. I haven't said more than "What's up?" to Steve Theile yet. Hollywood Hogan is still a bitch and is lucky that his offensive production covers up the fact that his defensive skills are terrible. (Yeah, we still don't get along.)
It comes down to this. I love the OC. I have a beautiful beach front house that I am in heaven in. I have some really great friends and connections here. On that note though, my contract lasts through 2013. I'm signed for a pretty reasonable price at this point. With that, I've brought a lot of attention to this club. I've been there through good times and bad. I've been the face of the team when down and pushed to the side when up. Bottom line: I hear there are plenty of oppertunities in the north east. And even though the winters are shitty, I know from experience that the OC is rather pleasent from November through February. Figure it out.
It's kind of been a rocky go of it since the last time I wrote anything for the public viewing. I got hurt in the second season and my numbers were down because of it. That led people to ask what happened to me. Umm, I was hurt. The next year I struggled, leading to more questions about what happened to me. I'm sensing a trend here. Early this year, while we were struggling, I faced numerous questions about what was wrong with me.
I've been labeled as a bust. I've been rediculed by my own team's management (oh yes, it's true). And worst of all, I've heard the boos of the home crowd. I've been called overrated. I can deal with that. But you know what? I haven't demanded a high price tag to this point. Seriously. Look around the league. I'm a bargain.
However, here is where my gripe comes in. When we lost the inaugural Championship Series to Bridgeport in 2007, who had to stand up and do the post-game, losing locker room interview? Me. When the team struggled in 2008, who had to answer all the hard questions? Me, even though I missed two months of the season. Last year, as the team flourished, guess who suddenly didn't get all the attention. Me.
This is what bothers me. With all the team's stuggles, look at the line-up changes over the past couple years. I'm the team's starting center fielder right? Well, I've been forced to start many a games in right field the past couple years. I played the field flawlessly. Yet it always came down to the fact that my batting average wasn't as high as Peter Gibbon's. I've batted in more spots in the lineup than anybody else on the team (1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9) yet, I was never as consistent as Carl Feely, nor am I as good as Kevin Nunez (who has only scored 5 more runs than me and has driven in 14 less runs than me).
The thing that is the worst is that when we are winning, everyone from John Bush to Doug Gilmour is right up there in the spotlight. When we lose? Where do they go? You don't here about any of them. Who gets dumped on? Sean Mack and Alex Crane get dumped on. Everyone is talking about how dominate we are and how much we will run away with the championship this year. I hope we do. I really would like a ring. But, as far as mid-season enjoyability, this team is as dysfunctional as it has ever been. I haven't said more than "What's up?" to Steve Theile yet. Hollywood Hogan is still a bitch and is lucky that his offensive production covers up the fact that his defensive skills are terrible. (Yeah, we still don't get along.)
It comes down to this. I love the OC. I have a beautiful beach front house that I am in heaven in. I have some really great friends and connections here. On that note though, my contract lasts through 2013. I'm signed for a pretty reasonable price at this point. With that, I've brought a lot of attention to this club. I've been there through good times and bad. I've been the face of the team when down and pushed to the side when up. Bottom line: I hear there are plenty of oppertunities in the north east. And even though the winters are shitty, I know from experience that the OC is rather pleasent from November through February. Figure it out.
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