The last cuts of spring aren't necessarily the most painful as many teams make their difficult decisions earlier in the final week of spring training and keep a couple wannabes with the big club for the last weekend exhibition games.
Still, it has to be tough for former Rancho Bernardo High star Hank Blalock, who has fallen on hard times since he hit a game-winning home run in the All-Star game while a member of the Texas Rangers. Now with Tampa Bay, Blalock accepted an assignment to AAA Durham over the weekend. He missed most of 2007-08 with injuries but knocked 25 home runs last season. If Evan Longoria gets hurt or the Rays need to make a trade, having an only 29-year-old power-hitting former All-Star available won't hurt them at all. But it has to be tough for the player.
Blalock wasn't the only local product disappointing as spring wrapped up. The Angels sent P Sean O'Sullivan (Valhalla) and 3B Freddy Sandoval (Marian) to AAA Salt Lake City, and the A's put P Trevor Cahill (Vista) on the 15-day disabled list.
Thrills, however, came to White Sox C Donny Lucy (Fallbrook), who has spent years in the minor leagues with only the occasional sniff at the majors.
Big league locals:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PADRES - P Heath Bell (born in Oceanside), P Kevin Correia (Grossmont), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (Eastlake), Tony Gwynn (Poway).
BRAVES - INF Brooks Conrad (Monte Vista), 3B Troy Glaus (Carlsbad)
REDS - P Aaron Harang (Patrick Henry, SDSU)
MARLINS - SS Brian Barden (St. Augustine)
PHILLIES - P Cole Hamels (Rancho Bernardo)
PIRATES - P Hayden Penn (Santana)
GIANTS - P Barry Zito (Grossmont/USDHS)
NATIONALS - P Jesse English (RBV), and this next space is reserved for You-Know-Who.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ORIOLES - CF Adam Jones (Morse), P Brian Matusz (USD), 3B Ty Wigginton (Chula Vista)
WHITE SOX - Lucy, OF Carlos Quentin (USDHS)
INDIANS - P Justin Masterson (SDSU)
TIGERS - P Joel Zumaya (Bonita Vista)
YANKEES - P Sergio Mitre (Montgomery)
A's - Cahill when he comes off the DL, DH Eric Chavez (Mt. Carmel), P Brett Tomko (Poway)
RAYS - P Mike Ekstrom (Pt. Loma Nazarene)
BLUE JAYS - UT Mike McCoy (Grossmont/USD)
The 2010 season kicks off with 24 locally produced players on 16 of the 30 teams, eight in each league -- San Diego represents! Of the 24 players, 13 are pitchers.
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One of the reasons I mentioned in my last post that I think the Padres will compete this season is the vulnerability of their NL West opponents. Good examples came the past couple of days when the Rockies placed P Jeff Francis on the disabled list, and the Diamondbacks did the same with P Brandon Webb. Both are critical for their teams' success. The Dodgers had to bring in pitcher Jeff Weaver to shore up their starting rotation. The Padres may not have enough to win the division, but it'll be closer than the so-called experts are predicting.
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