Last Friday night was my first Durham Bulls game of the 2007 season and I must say, I wish it were still spring training. A couple of weeks ago I was on my way back from a Caribbean vacation when I stopped in Lakeland, Fla. to catch a Tigers versus Braves contest. It was sunny and about 90 degrees.
The Bulls versus Syracuse Chiefs was considerably colder. Game time temperature barely broke 60 degrees and with the sun setting it was dropping quickly. However, a chance to see Blue Jays prospect Adam Lind deposit a first inning home run and Jorge Cantu try to get his offense back on track made it worthwhile.
The Chiefs put three runs on the board in each of the first two innings but Durham southpaw J.P. Howell countered by retiring nine of the final ten batters he faced. Peguero entered in the sixth with a large deficit but didn’t help his squad by surrendering eight which was highlighted by a three run bomb off the bat of John Ford-Griffin. Peguero was lifted for Andrade who promptly gave up a solo shot to veteran backstop Sal Fasano giving Syracuse a comfortable 15-0 lead going into the last three innings which translated into a 16-0 win.
Lind finished the night 3-for-6 with a home run, two singles and five RBIs while Cantu went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. I caught up with Lind after the game to talk about his Triple-A assignment and the future for him in the Blue Jays system. He kept his answers simple and expressed his selflessness as he passed compliments and shout outs to fellow teammates.
Nathan Rode: You established yourself in the big leagues last year with hitting. What does the organization have you working right now?
Adam Lind: Everything. That’s why I’m here. Keep your edge. Keep your whole game, make sure you can do everything, defense, offense and run the bases.
Rode: Have you set any personal goals for yourself starting out in Triple-A?
Lind: Really there’s nothing I can do except play everyday and not worry about what’s going on up there. I have to take care of my own thing down here.
Rode: You only played in 18 games in the majors last year but in that short time who was the toughest pitcher you faced?
Lind: All of them have their plus-plus pitch. It’s just a matter of whether they can get you into that count where they can throw it or you’re laying off of it. Gil Meche had a great curveball. (Kelvin) Escobar had like five pitches. They’re all good.
Rode: Has there been anybody you’ve faced coming up through the ranks that have really stuck out?
Lind: Back in A-ball (Justin) Verlander was by far pretty good. It’s hard to remember off the top of my head especially once you get to Double-A, Triple-A everyday there are pretty good pitchers.
Rode: You’ve
won the MVP honor of each of your teams the last three years. Only two
others have done that for the Blue Jays, Luis Lopez and Carlos Delgado.
How does it feel to be mentioned in the same breath as Delgado, getting
an honor like that?
Lind: Its an unbelievable
accomplishment and it’s humbling at the same time. There’s been a lot
of guys that could win that award on those teams, they just didn’t
spend a full season there. Chip Cannon was unbelievable in the Florida
State League. Casey Janssen was unbelievable. I had a different
roommate every week in the FSL.
Through the first 27 at-bats of the 2007 season Lind is off to a hot start batting .333/.333/.593 with two home runs and seven RBI.
Nathan Rode can be reached at nrode2@gmail.com .