Damp gloominess notwithstanding, it's once again the Baseball Poets' favorite time of the year. The next year we've all been waiting for has arrived, the verdant cathedrals flung open to welcome the Boys of Summer and their attendant rooters, Annies, and furtive pharmaceutical providers. And as always*, the G:TB Baseball Preview** is here for your reference and enjoyment. (* to my knowledge, we've never done a baseball preview)
(** this really isn't a baseball preview)
Others will focus on whether the Red Sox will live up to expectations (color me cautiously optimistic), Buck Showalter's first full season in Baltimore, Zack Grienke's ribcage, the Cubs' Sisyphean quest, Albert Pujols' walk year, and any number of other worthy intrigues. In keeping with our sub-niche specialization, we'll go a different route.
As the fourth-leading chronicler of CAA athletics (behind CAA: Life as a Mid-Major, Defiantly Dutch, and the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record, but way, way ahead of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Virginian Pilot), we'll be following the 11 former William & Mary ballplayers earning a professional check.
Three ex-Wrens begin the season on major league rosters, led by veteran pitchers Bill Bray and Chris Ray. Bray is finally healthy after 2009 Tommy John surgery, and enters his 5th big league season looking to be the Reds' late-inning lefty specialist after holding lefties to a .106 average in 2010. Ray saved 33 games for Baltimore in 2006 before struggling through his own injury issues. He accepted a non-roster invitation from Seattle in hopes of earning a late-game relief role, turning down several guaranteed MLB offers from teams with settled closing roles.
Will Rhymes opens the season as the Tigers' starting second baseman after playing in 54 games for Detroit in 2010. The 5'9", 155-pound Rhymes hit .304 with a .763 OPS in his debut season and will likely bat 9th for Jim Leyland this season. He'll take his first cuts of the season against C.C. Sabathia in the Tigers' opener this afternoon. (Annoying sidenote: A Bing image search for 'Will Rhymes' yields a ton of photos of his cousin Busta, but few of Will. Google > Bing.)
Follow our good friend Extra P (of Storming the Floor and CBS Sports Online fame) and his mates at Bus Leagues Baseball for news about the 8 Wrens playing minor league ball, including former big-leaguer Brendan Harris. The veteran infielder begins the season in Igor's backyard (not actually his back yard - there are far too many empties in the way to play baseball) with the Norfolk Tides. Check in with the W&M athletic department for a full list of W&M ballplayers in the minors.
I try not to think about Igor's backyard and what's been in it.
ReplyDeletei try not to read anything about baseball.
ReplyDeletefirst egregious error of the season: will rhymes batted second instead of ninth today.
ReplyDeletee-gtb
Hell of a game the Teej saw today.
ReplyDeleteI'm frozen.
ReplyDeletewill rhymes went 0-3 with a walk and a sac bunt. inauspicious.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of the sac bunt. I hear TR is but he's weird like that.
ReplyDeletethe teej and i are locked in a mortal words with friends battle. we may not speak for a bit.
ReplyDeleteI think are game is f'd as mý brand new phone just went bezerk. Attempting to fix now...
ReplyDeleteWow. Just stop typing tj
ReplyDeletebill bray retired the only batter he faced. 0.00 era.
ReplyDeleteFlorida has a QB commit named Jacoby Brissett who also plays basketball. He's indicated he wants to play basketball at UF as well, but I've seen and heard that before. However, he's playing in the NHSI Championships (a made up HS Bball tourney that airs on ESPN and features 8 of the top HS teams in the country) today against Findlay Prep (a bball factory out of Las Vegas that's ranked #3 in the country). He's currently killing Findlay with 28 pts on 11-16 shooting. Color me impressed.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I LOVE sacks. I am indifferent to bunts.
ReplyDeleteDid not know Rhymes was a Griffin. I learned that Inge went to VCU.