Bonderman Close To Signing With Indians

It is quite appropriate that Jeremy Bonderman is about to sign a major league contract with the Cleveland Indians, of all teams. He has had a rough time through the years with the Indians and maybe he figures if you can't whomp em, then join em.

I saw him in his 1st Spring Training with the Tigers. My friends were down in Florida for our annual mecca and we went over to Winter Haven to see the game. It was the final game for the Indians in Winter Haven, home of my Grandparents, and where my Dad was raised.

Everyone was out that day. There were three of us guys, in our late 40's to early 50's, and that day we found out about the Spring Training Shuffle. That is the dance of the old people making their way to their seats. We brought down the average age in attendance that day by decades.

We stayed in the parking lot after the game, because the old people speeded up so they could be first in line at the buffet featuring the senior discount and free dessert. Those old people were running people and off of the road.

Bob Feller was running around in a baggy 40's Indians uniform and a diaper, signing autographs and telling those old stories over and over again.

It was a fond memory. Winter Haven is probably 100 miles from the Kennedy Space Center, but on that day, Karim Garcia was doing all of the launching. Garcia hit 3 bombs off of Jeremy that day, and the last one was the farthest ball that I have ever seen hit. EVER!!! Please remember that I was at the 1971 All Star game and saw Reggie's shot. The last ball that Garcia hit has now docked with the International Space Station. I think that he is still scarred from that day. At least he didn't have a meltdown and cry on the mound like Byung-Hyun Kim. He was on the mound at Yankee Stadium weeping after Tino Martinez and then Derek Jeter took him deep to win the game.

Can you picture Miguel batting against Bonderman in the 9th inning of a tie game? As Crash Davis said, throw that weak ass shit up here meat". Miguel, take your time and don't miss that beach ball. If it has a hump in it, jump all over it.

Oh the things that you remember!!!! Spring Training in 10 days!!!