Yes, Reggie was here and has gone. I got to meet him, shake hands, talk a little. He seems like a nice guy, and he spent a lot of time with the players. We had a barbecue Monday, but heavy rains washed out the games on that day and Tuesday. Reggie was supposed to be here on Tuesday, the day I promised myself that I would get an autographed ball and a photo with him, but the rain seemed to have kept him away and he never showed up. Oh, well, perhaps someday . . . Anyway, here’s a photo of Reggie with a couple of the Venezuelan guys, Jean Paul Conde on the left and Andres Varilla.
Like I stated, we had some pretty heavy rains the beginning of the week and the fields are just now drying out. The teams should be playing today, vs. the Rockies and the Dodgers. However, the roster sizes are going to be reduced this weekend. All the Venezuelan coaches and players, about 15 total, are being sent home on Saturday. Abel wants to get them safely to Venezuela before their national elections on Dec. 2 or 3. A lot of people, Venezuelans included, are worried about civil unrest, violence, airport closures, etc. in the aftermath of election day there, so having the players and coaches safely in their homes before then seems to be the best policy. Most of the guys I’ve talked to here are firmly against Chavez and they say he is ruining the country. They don’t think he will “legally” win a new term, but they do think that he won’t give up power. Let’s hope there’s no violence.
Since I’ve been getting up earlier than usual to go jogging, I’ve also been able to get some nice sunrise photos. Here’s another. It’s Thanksgiving Day in the States, so happy holiday to everyone!
Related posts:
- More Yankees Visit So, what’s new in Yankeeland, you ask? Robinson Cano, another Yankee superstar, is here. (See photo below) In fact, he and Melky Cabrera are working out with the team and...
- Goodbye, George If you’re a baseball fan, then you must know by now that George Steinbrenner, The Boss, principal owner of the Yankees, died Tuesday of a heart attack. His presence will...
- Goodbyes There are some very nice personal advantages to working here, among them, these. First, the camp is tranquil, despite all the baseball, and beautiful–quite isolated, surrounded by scrubland and forest,...
And a Happy Thanksgiving to you, Ron. We miss you!