Nearing the End of Extended

This is starting to be a tough stretch of the year for the extended spring group of guys. Our last game in extended is in just over a week. The guys will have a few days off and then find out where their season will start, the AZL Rangers or the Spokane Indians. Everyone has been busting their tails since the full season squads started about 2 months ago trying to win a spot on one of those clubs. We have had a fair number of guys get promoted out of Arizona. A few have stuck and a few have returned only to know that they want to get back. Everyone is trying to impress the staff now trying to get on the Spokane team so they can leave the heat of Surprise, and the heat is coming. Triple digit temps are just about to be the norm.

I know I am looking forward to the end here because that means school is out and I get to spend a lot of time with my family. I will be able to head home for about 4 days after we finish and then I will make the long drive up to Spokane to start out our season. The good things about starting the regular season are numerous. The biggest one is that we get to play night games. That means no more 5 am wake up calls to be at the field. Another thing is that the games count. Don't get me wrong, the extended games count, but they aren't official. We can have rehab guys lead off every inning if they need at-bats. Pitchers can throw to extra hitters to get the pitch count up or just end an inning if it is too high. During the season we are playing for real. Winner at the end gets a ring. Weather is huge too. I am pretty sure we will not hit 100 on the thermometer in the pacific northwest. Warm afternoons are cool nights will be nice after, hot mornings and scorching afternoons. It is a nice change of scenery from the desert when we get to go along the coast from Eugene, OR up to Vancouver, Canada.

Let's hope this last week and change runs smoothly and get ready for the real thing.