Friday, February 29, 2008

Dodgers play five former Catfish vs Braves

The Braves and the Dodgers opened their spring training games against other Major League teams yesterday (the Braves beat the University of Georgia on Wednesday) with the Dodgers winning 5-4.

One thing people noticed was the way the Braves bullpen couldn't hold a 4-2 lead in the 9th.

I noticed that the Dodgers played five young players who previously played minor league ball in Columbus: Chin-Lung Hu, Xavier Paul, Andy LaRoche, Matt Kemp, and Delwyn Young.

Hu was 1-for-1 with a run scored, a walk, but was caught stealing.

Paul was 0-for-1, reaching base on a fielder's choice, but was stranded.

LaRoche was 1-1 with a walk.

Kemp was 2-for-3 with a strikeout.

Young ... who, in the 2003 season, I saw knock a good dozen branches off of a single pine tree with towering shots down the right field line ... with a walk and a strikeout, but reached base five times, being stranded each time, twice in scoring position.

All wore the Columbus Catfish uniform -- except Young, who played in Columbus when the team was the South Georgia Waves -- when the local team was a Dodgers affiliate.

I enjoyed watching each of these players play ball in Columbus over the past 5 seasons, and look forward to their days in the Majors. Or continued days in the Majors, as the of these five played Major League Games in 2007 for the Dodgers.

I can hardly wait for baseball season to begin.

No, the Catfish aren't affiliated with the Dodgers any longer. That's fine. They're a Rays affiliate. And many of the 2007 Catfish will be playing in the Majors soon.

There's some good ball players on your nearby minor league team. Do check it out.

And, if you make it to a Catfish game in 2008, maybe I'll see you there. I'll be in my usual seat behind home plate.

3 comments:

  1. I'm not even sure who the Dodgers players are anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  2. And, if you don't make it to Columbus, check out some Biscuits games... I hear they signed this hot shot mascot who got his start with the Fish...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh my goodness!

    Yes, we go to Biscuits games when they're in town and the Catfish are out of town. But now we got a reason to go on other days.

    Congratulations!!

    ReplyDelete

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