Bill Mitchell's Minor League Ramblings

Minor League Ramblings For the week of :
February 18, 2002

Minor League Ramblings is produced by Bill Mitchell for Minor League Watch.

Pitchers & Catchers
February 18, 2002

Pitchers and catchers ... pitchers and catchers ... pitchers and catchers.

No phrase in the English language stimulate the mind of baseball fans more than the combination of the three words "Pitchers and Catchers."

Angels prospect Bobby Jenks covers first base during fielding drills

To the serious seamhead, the knowledge that pitchers and catchers are starting workouts signals the end of the long, hard winter. All is well, because a new baseball season has begun!

All 30 major league teams conducted their initial workouts this week in camps in Arizona and Florida. Not much really goes on during the initial workouts ... physicals are given, old acquaintances are renewed, and the most fundamental baseball drills take place.

Brewers pitcher J.M. Gold getting in his bullpen work for the day

The pace of the early workouts is quite slow. The teams generally start off with the obligatory stretching exercises, followed by fielding drills for the pitchers, then some light throwing from the mound. Finally, after the pitchers pack it in, the catchers end the day with a few rounds of batting practice.

To 99 percent of the American population, the observation of this ritual would be considered to be very boring. But the other one percent, the obsessed baseball fans, view these workouts with great enthusiasm.

It's not that we expect to catch any great revelations for the new season or to judge how our favorite team will fare this year. Rather, spring training is a period of rejuvenation for the fans. We yearn to clear the cob webs from our minds, to hear the smack of the baseball into leather, to smell the freshly mowed green grass, to feel the warm winter sun on our necks, and to gaze up at the brilliant blue sky.

Mark Mulder signs autographs for A's fans

The slow pace of the early spring training workouts allows baseball old-timers like Anaheim Angels' staff members Preston Gomez, Ken Forsch and Gary Sutherland to sit idly by the field, telling colorful stories of one of most interesting characters in the history of baseball, former Houston third baseman Doug Rader. Each tale is more outrageous than the one before it. The ex-ballplayers don't seem to mind if fans stand nearby, politely eavesdropping on their conversations.

Many of the spectators gathering at these early workouts are there to get autographs, and the veteran collectors know which camps are the best for securing the coveted signatures. Players are free to sign autographs during workouts at most camps, especially one as wide open as the Oakland A's facility. A large crowd gathers around star pitchers Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito as they each finish their work for the day. They patiently sign for everyone, both young and old.

Oakland A's security guard Lloyd Wilson chats with a fan

Oakland A's security guard Lloyd Wilson, a resident of nearby Tempe, keeps a close eye on fans to be sure they don't stray into restricted areas. His job is generally an easy one in that respect, as most observers respect the established boundaries. Mr. Wilson is a retired Arizona state employee who has been working part-time for the A's for five years. He always has a smile on his face for all and is eager to talk baseball. He remarks that he likes getting to know the players as well as meeting the fans, both at the A's Papago Park training facility and at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

I'll be back next week with more in-depth information on who looks good this year, especially at the minor league level. But for now, let's just enjoy the beginning of another season of baseball. It's the greatest game ever played. If you don't believe it, spend just one hour on a February morning with the Pitchers and Catchers ... it's all the proof you'll ever need.

Play ball!

--- Bill Mitchell