Winter Wonderland

by Roberto on Dec 3, 2009 1:47 PM EST

A number of players are putting up interesting numbers in winter ball. Bixler is hitting for average and power in the Mexican League, but striking out as much as ever. Luis Cruz is hitting for average with some power and showing good plate discipline. Neil Walker had an on-base percentage of 0.370 in Venezuela, so he's showing some ability to take a walk. Of course we all know about the AFL players.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.

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Want to know how desperate I am for some baseball right now? I seriously considered driving from San Diego to Mexicali (about two hours plus a border crossing) to see Bixler play.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 3, 2009 4:00 PM EST reply actions

Yep, that's desperate...lol!

by Slick1 on Dec 3, 2009 5:02 PM EST up reply actions

Don't you have a TiVo or sumpin'?

Please, Charlie – tell me that thought didn’t last more than about 1or 2 minutes.

Bixie?

Please.

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Dec 3, 2009 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

If there was ever a time to fulfill the fantasy that Bixler might be able to play baseball, this is the time.

by MarkInDallas on Dec 3, 2009 6:18 PM EST up reply actions

Don't Get the Mexicali Blues....

Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
When the devil wants to take it all away
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
’Cause thinking and drinking are all I have today

I’ll let a computer competent individual link to the Grateful Dead or other website where you can hear the sample of the song.

by Trogluddite on Dec 3, 2009 10:09 PM EST up reply actions

How dare you consider going to Mexicali...

to watch baseball? That’s like going to Ciudad Juarez for the historic churches.

by Trogluddite on Dec 3, 2009 10:26 PM EST up reply actions

Does Juarez have historic churches?

I don’t know. Rogelios Noris played for Bixler’s team, too, so there was that. (It also puts Bixler’s hitting down there in perspective, since Noris was in rookie ball this year and played even better in a small sample.) But mostly I think I just wanted to take a drive that involved baseball somehow. And I love going to Mexico.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 4, 2009 12:58 AM EST up reply actions

“Does Juarez have historic churches?”

Santa Teresa does, which is the fictional version of Ciudad Juarez in Roberto Bolano’s 2666…

by reverse apache master on Dec 4, 2009 4:33 PM EST up reply actions

Charlie's conundrum . . .

is exactly why I propose an arena baseball league in the winter months.

by Scranton on Dec 4, 2009 11:40 AM EST up reply actions

I'm still getting baseball

It’s Australian though.

The Perth Heat are getting ready to show the South Australian team what’s what and why it’s adviseable to at least have a TEAM NAME that isn’t just the state they’re from.

by BlindSquirrel on Dec 3, 2009 7:28 PM EST reply actions

Is it really baseball?

Or is it cricket? I once had some drunk Brits explain cricket to me in a bar in Georgia (Republic of, not the state). It made sense then. While drunk. Never since.

by Trogluddite on Dec 3, 2009 10:08 PM EST up reply actions

Nope

the West Australian cricket team is the Warriors, I haven’t seen a game since the 80s and back then I was too young to care. Aussie cricket team is playing West Indies atm.

I think cricket is a lot more technical, you can hit the ball anywhere – but one good ball and you’re out. Baseball you get to see up to 3 good balls before it’s back to the dugout.

by BlindSquirrel on Dec 6, 2009 7:05 PM EST up reply actions